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hey gorilla
5 Posts |
 Posted - 02/04/2009 : 18:26:42
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In the past couple of weeks I've relapsed with back pain, after being mostly pain free for a good year and a half, at least. Back then my neurologist informed me that I had 2 herniated discs and a bulging disc. He told me that I should resign myself to the fact that I was now living with an injury. When I left his office I was in more pain than when I arrived. I found a TMS doctor in my area and in about a month my back was better. In addition to that the tendinitis that I had in both elbows was now gone, along with the plantar fasciitis in my left foot that I had suffered with for a year. Being a long time gym rat, it felt great to be back in peak form. I am the lead singer in a band. I'm a little long in the tooth, but still a very athletic performer. I've been in pain for about a month now and can't seem to get back on track.
The thing that keeps running through my mind is that I never showed the MRI to the TMS doctor. I also keep thinking, "How did they diagnose my discs before seeing the MRI? Which they did. If it's not the cause, then why do the symptoms line up with it?" Starting this weekend, I've got a full calender of shows coming up! If anyone can give me some perspective to latch on to I'd really appreciate it.
http://www.gashousegorillas.org/index.html {:8())- |
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winnieboo
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2009 : 19:58:16
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Assuming that you didn't suffer a new injury altogether, then hold onto the fact that you've been pain free for a good year and a half. Who cares what the MRI said? If the TMS doctor was essentially able to help you cure yourself without looking at the MRI, then whatever the MRI said would have been irrelevant information anyway. It's irrelevant information now. (My TMS therapist, who saved my life and got me out of pain in many ways, never looked at my bulging discs on my MRI either). Maybe they are just trained to spot us!
Remember too, that if anything had truly been damaged, you wouldn't have been a very happy gym rat or very effective in your on-stage athletics. So, drop your worry about who looked at your records before, and know that the body heals. You were living proof until a month ago and then something else happened. What? Think psychological. What's going on in your life right now? Facing and accepting that will likely put you on the road to feeling better.
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Edited by - winnieboo on 02/04/2009 19:59:44 |
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winnieboo
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2009 : 20:09:05
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| BTW, no one on your website looks "long in the tooth..." Is the average age among you like...late 20s? I mean, now I feel REALLY old...LOL...looks like you all have a lot of fun. |
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hey gorilla
5 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2009 : 20:29:33
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LOL!.. Nope. Most of us are a little older than that, but thanks for the compliment. And thank you so much for answering my post. There has actually been a big jump in stress level lately. That's tough for a guy who's usually stressed out of his mind to begin with. I guess that's probably the point. 
http://www.gashousegorillas.org/index.html {:8())- |
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skizzik
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2009 : 21:37:52
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quote:
Originally posted by hey gorilla
I've relapsed with back pain
quote:
Originally posted by winnieboo
What's going on in your life right now?
quote:
Originally posted by hey gorilla
I've got a full calender of shows coming up!
quote:
Originally posted by winnieboo
Think psychological; You were living proof until a month ago and then something else happened. What?
quote:
Originally posted by hey gorilla
There has actually been a big jump in stress level lately.
quote:
Originally posted by winnieboo
Facing and accepting that will likely put you on the road to feeling better..
quote:
Originally posted by hey gorilla
That's tough for a guy who's usually stressed out of his mind to begin with.
I guess that's probably the point.
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Peg
USA
284 Posts |
Posted - 02/05/2009 : 05:52:16
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Hi
"He told me that I should resign myself to the fact that I was now living with an injury."
Well, he told you wrong! This is unfortunate. I certainly hope he's not your neurologist anymore. First of all, there are studies published in the medical journals that report herniated disc and bulging discs in people with NO back pain. Secondly, Dr. Sarno and the two dozen other physicians who treat for TMS have seen patients with your diagnoses and worse diagnoses, become pain free by applying the TMS theory to their lives.
"When I left his office I was in more pain than when I arrived."
I'm sure you were. This is called the nocebo effect. Dr. Sarno writes about it. Your doctor gave you bad news and frightened you. Who wouldn't feel worse after hearing that?
"I found a TMS doctor in my area and in about a month my back was better. In addition to that the tendinitis that I had in both elbows was now gone, along with the plantar fasciitis in my left foot that I had suffered with for a year."
There you go, there's your proof that it was all TMS. It went away when you had hope and began to think differently about your pain.
"The thing that keeps running through my mind is that I never showed the MRI to the TMS doctor. I also keep thinking, "How did they diagnose my discs before seeing the MRI? Which they did."
This may be why you still have symptoms. You're worried and doubting. If you would feel better, why not share your MRI with the TMS Doc? However, to get better, you need to accept the diagnosis of TMS (repudiate the structural explanation of your symptoms). You also need to think psychological and not physical. What should be running through your mind is "what's going on in my life now that could be creating the need for symptoms?"
"Starting this weekend, I've got a full calender of shows coming up!"
See that exclamation point you ended with? Looks like stress to me. While having a full calendar may be good for your career, it might be creating stress for you too.
"If it's not the cause, then why do the symptoms line up with it?"
Because the mind is very clever. Dr. Sarno addresses this question in his books as well. It often helps me to re-read parts of his books.
Have you done any writing about your life stresses. That can be very therapeutic.
I apologize if I sounded strong at the beginning of my post, but t makes me so angry to hear what some physicians are telling patients. Their advice only perpetuates the pain syndromes. Aaaaaarrrgh
Good luck. You've had success before and you will again!!!!!!!!
Peg
In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei |
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hey gorilla
5 Posts |
Posted - 02/05/2009 : 15:50:30
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You guys rule! Woke up with pain this morning. I worked out anyway, actually deciding that I didn't care about the pain. I didn't go full bore, but I felt it important to just do it. I talked to my wife at length about my back pain and my overall stressful approach to my life last night. Something shifted in my thinking. I'm thinking that not only is the pain in my back a distraction, but so are my obsessive thoughts, anxiety and depression. I've been working hard to change, and I've had it all wrong. I need to accept myself the way I really am and stop chasing my tail. My back is much better this afternoon. A little tight, but otherwise close to %100. Thank you for your input. It makes a difference. 
http://www.gashousegorillas.org/index.html {:8())- |
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Peg
USA
284 Posts |
Posted - 02/05/2009 : 17:50:47
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Awesome!! Good for you. Sounds like you did all the right things.
---Working out anyway
---talking to your wife about your stresses (and your stressful approach to your life--well put)
---accepting yourself as you are
That realization about the obsessive thoughts, anxiety and depression being distractions just like the pain is big. It's what Dr. Sarno would call symptom substitution.
Good job!
Best
Peg
In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei |
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HilaryN
United Kingdom
879 Posts |
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