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hkp
47 Posts |
 Posted - 07/29/2008 : 13:36:36
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Hi Pumfster:
I think I would recommend the book if you can screen out the "our way or the highway" messages.
Some of the helpful things are:
-the message that there is nothing structurally wrong with you.
-A good discussion of the way traditional medicine botches pelvic pain treatment.
-A very good discussion of all the various conditions that comprise "pelvic pain."
-Some clues as to their massage and relaxation techniques, as well some stretches to do.
-Some tools for reducing catastrophic thinking/anxiety.
Also be aware that this book was originally written for men, so that the anatomical drawings tend to have penises! Not so helpful for us. :o)
E-mail me if you decide to buy it - I'll be curious to see what you think.
hkp
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Wavy Soul
USA
779 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2008 : 22:13:57
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Wow - reading this I am remembering how this was yet another of my myriad symptoms that I had for years and years (30) bunched together then eventually as "fibromyalgia" and now I know it was all TMS.
It played havoc with my sex life. I had had various traumas, like abortions and UTI's.
It would be great to hear about some success stories on this pelvic stuff. My success story is that my attention went to some other symptom or other, and it more or less went away.
Bioidentical hormones helped HUGELY also, but I won't debate that here. If you want to talk about that part, e-mail me personally.
Love is the answer, whatever the question |
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becreck
5 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2008 : 22:34:00
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Holly:
Three years ago I developed all your symptoms after having sex, thinking it was a UTI I got on antibiotics which did nothing. I spent seven months in horrific discomfort as this type of pain is just horrible. I searched for an answer, I thought it might be TMS but it just did not seem to fit, so I continued on until a urologist finally daignosed me with Interstitial Cystitis. I went on the IC diet which I found on the IC web site and improved greatly. I was also put on Elmiron and Atarax. Now having said all this, in the back of my mind I still suspected that this might be TMS. (I thought this because of an incident which happened shortly before the symptoms began.) The diet was/is very restrictive & controlling very much like TMS back pain which often limits what one can do in terms of activities (I had previously been through almost 8 years of severe back pain, which was TMS) The diet forces me to always "think" about my IC and very little else...the distraction away from emotional pain which the unconscious attempts to suppress in the TMS process. So in May I was determined to start working the program, in addition, I got in touch with Sarno's office and they recommended a TMS doctor about three hours form my home. I had that appointment with him today! It was wonderful. He definitley said that Dr. Sarno said that IC is a TMS equivalent and after spending about 2 hours with me, he diagnosed me with TMS. This physician is a specialist, a rheumotologist, and trained under Sarno. Since May, with the work I have done my symptoms have improved, but I still have some symptoms when I eat restricted foods (I now see these as TMS triggers)I am working with this physician and also hope to begin psychotherapy to reach the emotions that are contributing to this pain. I would encourage you to have hope that working this program can resolve your condition. I know how miserable you are, because I have been there. If you are improving continue to work the program, I believe it will help you. I will be very interested in knowing how yuo are doing. Just so you know, it could take a while, remember I have been working pretty hard since May, but I am improving and expect to be cured. |
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thepumfster
United Kingdom
9 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2008 : 02:44:14
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| yeah would love to hear some more success stories.. as i live in the uk there are very little (practically no tms dr's) so anything i do it going to have to be pretty much self help!! |
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Logan
USA
203 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2008 : 08:09:06
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I know I recommend this damn book to everyone for every thing but...it sure sounds as if pelvic manifestations of TMS might be very closely related to unexpressed anger in regard to sexuality and aging; and I think you might benefit by doing the anger release exercises from Lee's book "Facing the Fire."
I still do get the occasional TMS equivalent - including the odd bout of mystery pelvic pain, which, coincidentally I had just last night but was able to eliminate through "thinking psychological" about my anger about getting older and being less attractive etc - BUT I do believe Lee's book and exercises have helped me keep the symptom imperatives to a minimum since kicking my neck/back/fibro type pain 4+ years ago.
As women we're taught to be good and perfect and to never be angry let alone express anger. Is it any wonder that the majority of chronic pain sufferers are women? or that fibro and clinical depression are essentially women's diseases? I've been thinking about getting a punching bag and I'm betting that every woman on this forum would feel better after kicking some ass... |
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n/a
48 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2008 : 11:41:13
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| I suffer from IC and read the Headache in the Pelvis book. Honestly, I think the only parts that are useful are the same one seems to be able to get from Sarno's work. I am new to all this and am actually expecting my Sarno book in the mail, but I have read enough about it online etc to say with 99% certainty that I have TMS. I have suffered from IBS and IC for over a year but have a previous history of migraines, back pain, tendonitis, etc etc etc. |
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Scottydog
United Kingdom
330 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2008 : 13:07:11
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quote:
As women we're taught to be good and perfect and to never be angry let alone express anger.
I'm sure this is the reason that women get more TMS type illnesses. We can't express anger and on top of that we get weighed down with guilt - not good enough mothers, need to work harder at our marriage, must be caring towards our parents aaaaargh!
On a more positive note - I think walking or running helps the pelvic muscles and organs function better. Stands to reason when you think how heavy your legs are (lie down and try lifting them off the floor) that if you swing them forward, one after the other, when walking for a mile or two your pelvis and back muscles must become stronger and blood supply to all organs increase. Take this exercise daily and things must surely improve. |
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hkp
47 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2008 : 14:01:02
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I think there's a lot of inspiration for women going through this to be found here:
http://vulvodyniacoach.wordpress.com/
This is the blog of a life coach who used mindbody techniques to cure herself of IC and vulvadynia.
I also believe we can all come up with the formula that works for us, which can include a lot of the inner work discussed on this blog.
Anger is big. Then there's trauma. Fear is the other one that keeps us trapped. Wow is that a huge one for me.
One other thing David Wise discusses that can be useful is dropping the pelvic floor. I think people like us tend to "suck up" the pelvic floor as a protective response. (I also find myself doing the buttocks clenching thing). He talks about being mindful and letting it drop.
I continue to be amazed at how common these problems are becoming. I'm really glad to hear from other women (and men) about their eperiences.
hkp
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thepumfster
United Kingdom
9 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2008 : 02:34:58
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can't seem to get hold of ' a headache in the pelvis ' here in the UK.
I got all my blood tests, ultrasound, back xray back last week and nothing is showing up.. my symptoms seem to change every day now..some days it's more lower back..sometimes groin...sometimes buttock..sometimes abdominal/pelvic pain...can't seem to totally accept it's tms though..might get 'the divided mind'. I know i need to totally accept that nothing is wrong with me for sarno's method to work but when there's constant pains it is difficult to let go of the feeling that there is something wrong with you. |
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scottjmurray
266 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2008 : 02:32:05
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as someone who spent a year with dr. wise's protocol, attended his week-long gig in sonoma county, i can say you're better off reading sarno. dr. wise is a nice guy with some good ideas, but he missed the mark. the pelvic pain i had was emotional in origin, and yours probably is too.
anyway, im basically alright now thanks to sarno and no thanks to wise. you can read my success story in the success stories section. any q's you can drop me an email.
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i'm not s#!t.
i'm champagne. |
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hkp
47 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2008 : 10:43:55
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Thanks Scott! I really appreciate this feedback, and I'm glad to hear that you are doing well.
hkp |
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hkp
47 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2008 : 10:47:45
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Thanks Scott! I really appreciate this feedback, and I'm glad to hear that you are doing well.
hkp |
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Dr Dave
USA
53 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2008 : 21:06:17
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There was a study at the University of Washington of two groups of women undergoing laparoscopy. One group had unexplained pelvic pain, the other group were all free of pain but undergoing infertility evaluation. Findings in both groups were the same with 2/3 normal, 1/3 having adhesions, cysts or endometriosis.
However, the researchers also asked about childhood sexual abuse. The result: 21% of pain-free women were sexually abused (which is the average rate in America), but 64% with pain were abused.
This is just one of the many hidden stresses that can cause pelvic pain and any woman with this condition should be aware of this possible connection. Not enough space here to describe how they are connected but there is more info at stressillness.com |
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thepumfster
United Kingdom
9 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2008 : 07:51:56
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| have ordered 'the divided mind' so eagerly awaiting it now. My pain seems to move about during the day now and has also gone from the right side to the left side and back again? from bladder to bowel to ovary to groin to back??? it's all so vague so starting to accept it is tms. I got really emotional about something last night..really sobbed my heart out and to my amazement while i was crying the pains just went...they did come back a while later but it gives me hope... |
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Littlebird
USA
391 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2008 : 11:55:08
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Dr. Dave,
Thanks for sharing that info. It's something I've been thinking about lately while following this thread.
By the way, I really enjoyed your book. It's now loaned out to a friend and I may have to get another copy for myself, but it will be well worth it if my friend benefits from reading the book--and I expect that she will.
Again, thanks for your input here and I'll check out the additional info regarding the connection on your site. |
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Littlebird
USA
391 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2008 : 12:25:42
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For others reading this thread,
To save you a trip to the stressillness.com site, there was only a brief reference to pelvic pain being connected to stress, rather than any details regarding specific types of experiences being connected to pelvic issues. I don't recall if the figures Dr. Dave quoted here are in the book, since my copy is loaned out (to someone whom I thought would need to have a stepping stone to reading Dr. Sarno, simply because of her personality and her investment in the physical). |
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hkp
47 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2008 : 13:47:30
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Hi Dr. Dave:
I'm reading your book now, and I love it! (They Can't Find Anything Wrong) The childhood molestation issue applies to me and I didn't ever put it all together until about six weeks ago.
And until this morning, I was in despair of ever finding an OB/Gyn who practices the way you describe - listening to the patient's story and validating its importance to bodily symptoms - but I just came back from an appt. with a wonderful doc who did just that. Boy does that make a huge difference! I'm starting to feel like I'm on the right track, finally.
hkp |
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pericakralj
77 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2008 : 15:36:51
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Hi all.I am not so often here because i am ussualy totaly pain free.Just wanted to give some support to those who have pelvic pain.
My TMS started as Pelvic pain.It was horrible.I had pains in my abdomen,my grions,my butt,my perineum,my penis,my leggs....
Had pain while urinating,lost my sexual function...
Fisrt it was not so painfull but thru time it got worse and worse.It came to that point that i wanted to stop living.Couldnt do anything.No sitting,no runing,no sports,no nothing.I was in pain 24/7.I went to all doctors,and none of them could find anything wrong with me.All of them had some theory but noone was sure.I tought i had prostate problems,then pudendal nerve entrapment,SI disfynction and so on.
Then one day i found TMS theory on the internet and i knew from the first moment i read it IT WAS MY PROBLEM.
I began to do TMS program every day,fuond good therapyst and after 8 moths 99% of my TMS was gone.I had many eqvivalents:headache,knee pain,dizzines and some more but got thru all of that.
I still have some minor pain but only when i am in big stress,and it goes away very quickly.
SO my terible pelvic pain was TMS,and probably so is yours.
P.S. soory about my english.
PEACE |
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golden_girl
United Kingdom
128 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2008 : 17:05:52
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Ok, so I have bladder issues that came on after an attack of cystitis and never left. However, I've had anxiety for years. I think it's rather 'threatening' to insinuate childhood sexual abuse to be honest. I think that symptoms may be to do with current, or adult, experiences and I really enjoyed Dr Dave's book but...
What about all the MEN who have pelvic pain? Did they all suffer childhood sexual abuse that they can't remember?!
"F.E.A.R.
Forgive Everyone And Remember
For Everything A Reason"
Ian Brown |
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hkp
47 Posts |
Posted - 08/08/2008 : 11:34:37
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I don't think Dr. Dave was saying it applies in all cases, just that if it DOES happen to you, pelvic problems can be a result. So there MIGHT be more abuse suvivors in the CPPS population, but obviously not all will be survivors.
On another note, thanks for sharing yur success story, perikacralj.
hkp |
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"A Headache In The Pelvis"
