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seebha
8 Posts |
 Posted - 11/23/2009 : 18:30:25
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My back and knee pain started 6 months ago. Before that I never had any back problem. I am 38 yrs old and healthy. I have had 3 years of stomach pain that disappered gradually early this year. May be symptom Imperative.
6 month summary:
First month - Lower and upper back pain, left leg numbness and knee pain.
MRI lower back - Herniated (L1/2) and bulging (L4/5) disc.
MRI Upper back - Herniated (T6/7) and other bulging discs.
Knee - Misaligned patella
Treatment - PT, Steroid shots (lower and upper)
Second Month - Neck pain and arm numbness
Treatment - Pills, PT
I came across Dr. Sarno HBP within 2nd month of back pain. Was exited but since had not gone through gamut of test - didnot fully believe it, especially since family and friends with back problems recommended Chiroprater and througt this was nonsense.
Third and fourth months - Chiropracter, Knee pain disappers. Right arm pain and 2 fingers numb.
Fifth and sixth months -
Dropped all treatments 2 months ago and picked up HBP and ordered other books and video of Dr. Sarno. Read and re-read HBP and MBP with some imrovement. More than anything got confidence that my back was not broken. Hard time completely believing the diagnosis since I am Ph.D. and Pharmaceutical researcher (at a very senior position) myself and believe in lab experimental data. Nevertheless, having done numerous clinical trials on dermatology drugs, I believe that all these drugs that are in the market are only marginally better than Placebo effect.
At that point I met Dr. SARNO since I live in NY. Took all three MRI (lower back, upper back and Neck). He was uninterested in MRIs. Briefly looked at the written reports. Did the physical exam and asked questions about work and personality. Gave me TMS DIAGNOSIS. No lectures to attend since he has stopped giving lectures.
Excited with diagnosis but dissapointed that he did not spend enough time on my MRIs and explaining why it is not structural. Wrote him an email next day. He called back and said "My friend you have to stop thinking structural. Here is a man with 37 yrs experience treating TMS patients telling you that you have TMS and herniated disc donot cause pain" I said they never cause pain. He said "may be 1 in 100". He said "keep working in the program and call me in 4 weeks if you have made no improvement and I will let you work with therapist.
Journaled. Made some more improvment. Knee pain got better but foot pain started. Back pain became less in intensity at times but never fully went away. However, at night no/little pain - only comes gradually during the day. Thnking pschological very difficult when in pain.
3 weeks later got therapist number from Dr. Sarno and currently seeing therapist. Cried in first three appointments (childhood). This is the same stuff that I Journaled but therapist know how to make me cry.
I have started to pick up my 30lbs child and some bending. Through away car pillow, heating pad, and reduced pills significantly. I still have fear. Started going to gym to break the fear cycle - stationary bike, elliptical and some weights. Arm numbness reduced.
Get relapses and get scared. Talk to the brain but doesn't always work. Any suggestions and specifics are highly appreaciated. |
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seebha
8 Posts |
Posted - 11/23/2009 : 19:06:27
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I forgot to mention that my first Orthopedist who gave me steroid shot and did neck EMG study (negative) told me after 3 months treatment that I may have TMS and should read HBP. This is before I went to Dr. Sarno. This gave me even more confidence that I should follow Dr. Sarno.
Looks like there are now more Drs out there who know about TMS. They know that the patient would not believe in the diagnosis and therefore first go through series of tests and then mention TMS. |
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nikita007
Spain
16 Posts |
Posted - 11/24/2009 : 04:24:22
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I just want to say that I am so well now and that those nights reading and listening to Sarno were crucial!!!!!
What has helped me stay pain free is that I go now and see a Jungian analyst once a week! I recommend it to anyone :=) |
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seebha
8 Posts |
Posted - 11/24/2009 : 07:37:30
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What is Jungian analyst? Is it same as psychotherapist?
Did you just read and listen to Sarno and got better? can you be more specific and how long before you started seein significant improvement? Thanks. |
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HilaryN
United Kingdom
879 Posts |
Posted - 11/24/2009 : 15:02:29
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Hi Seebha,
It sounds like you're on the right track. Just keep on with it. There's no specific time scale as everyone is different.
e.g. for me it was 2 months before I noticed any difference and it took me 6 months (taking it gradually) to return completely to the activity which I had previously thought caused my pain.
All the best,
Hilary N |
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seebha
8 Posts |
Posted - 11/24/2009 : 20:05:54
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HilaryN,
Thanks for the reply. I am making progress, I realize that sometimes the progress is very small and difficult to see.
I am trying to do things that I think are the causes of starting my back pain to overcome the fear. My wife is very helpful and supportive during this process and keeps reminding me to think Psychological when I complain of pain. She will even try to participate in discussion of what is going around me that can cause emotions that can cause pain.
I tried riding the lawn mover tracter yesterday for fall cleaning (on my wife's recommendation). I am extremely scared of the tracter and believe as one of the reason for creating back pain. My wife forced me that I have to face my fear. I rode of the tracter for 1/2 hour with little pain and when I got off - my pain started. It was not severe but had increse intensity. The pain lasted 24 hr and is now dimnishing. I think the project was a success since I faced another fear.
During this 24 hr pain period, I went to the gym to confront my brain. I did stationary bike, elliptical and lifted weights. It was painful but the exercise did not increase or decrese the pain. Overall, I think it was a success.
I 100% believe in the TMS diagnosis now since my upper back pain comes for few days and dissappers for few days. This should not happen if it was structural. Leg numbness and pain starts when I am sitting but as soon as I stand up and walk for 5 min the numbness and pain significantly reduces in intensity but instead foot starts hurting. This is conditioning. The car driving causes the most pain and I will confront it in due time. Lower back pain is the only constant pain.
My arm pain/numbness and finger numbness is significantly improved to a point that part of the day I am not even thinking about it.
I have also started walking 1.5 miles everyday and focus on thinking psychological during walk. I keep reminding myself that back is normal and there is nothing to fear. |
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HilaryN
United Kingdom
879 Posts |
Posted - 11/27/2009 : 11:54:00
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Great, seebha. It's good to read of your progress. Keep going!
Hilary N |
Edited by - HilaryN on 11/27/2009 11:55:01 |
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hopeacres
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - 11/29/2009 : 15:31:08
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Hi Seeba,
Sorry for the delay in my response... I am not on here as much as I should be!
For me, I learned about TMS one year ago in October of 2008. I am still on my journey toward freedom. It has been a tough road for me; many repressed issues. It is not a few months journey for all people. Some people get better quickly; others take a long while.
What has helped me the most is going through an online program by Dr. Howard Schubiner. See www.unlearnyourpain.com I highly recommend it.
Thank you for sharing your story!
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seebha
8 Posts |
Posted - 12/22/2009 : 11:57:40
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Thanks for your reply. I had pretty good 3 weeks. I was bending more, sitting more, had less back pain. Still had lingering leg pain and numbness (left leg) on sitting. Arm pain and numbness mostly gone.
My therapist told me to do things I like to do. Be selfish for my self even if I have other priorities. I did that and watched movies every night at home and played Xbox every night even though sitting was difficult. Overall I was quite pleased with my progress in last three weeks (85% better). During these 3 weeks, I was paying very little attention to my body and going to gym 2-3 times a week. Less i thought of it and did my daily task, less I would feel the pain. I have read other people on this form saying the same thing. I read books like Heal your life (louise Hay) and Power of positive thinking during last few weeks. I didnot journal as I was seeing therapist once a week.
Then suddenly last weekend my back pain intensified (relapse). I realized that as soon as that happened, I started to think of what I was doing or sitting or what physically I did. I immediately realized wrong thinking pattern started to think psychologically. Tried very hard to uncover emotinally what was happening at that time. Did uncover some minor stuff. Talk to my therapist and uncovered some other minor stuff. It took 48 hours for pain to subside somewhat. I realized that even though the emotions may be minor, they can still have an impact on the TMS.
I made observation that as my back pain intensified my leg pain/foot pain reduced significantly. I took me two days to make that connection since I was so occupied or frustrated that back pain had come back. Basically, TMS was able to accomplish to disctract my attention from emotions or rather bring back my attention to the body. The pain is slowly subsiding but have not gone back to the low level it was.
I am also trying to follow what WEBDAN and CRK suggested in some post about reprograming the mind with postive thoughts since that resonated with me. Will provide update if that works.
This mind body stuff is quite challening to say the least and most of us are not used to it or trained to think this way. Reprogramming your mind and changing thinking patterns take time and is not easy. Any suggestions on handling replases will be appreciated. |
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Logan
USA
203 Posts |
Posted - 12/30/2009 : 09:40:41
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I always recommend that people check out the book Facing the Fire (Lee). I am so grateful for Sarno's theory because he pretty much saved my life; but like many people, I too plateaud (at about 6 mos. in) and felt like there was a missing component in his advice on how to get well. I see Lee picking up where Sarno leaves off, with practical advice for what to DO with the rage reservoir. Read Facing the Fire, get a punching bag, punch it; it sounds ridiculous but it was what got me from 75% better to 100%.
Sarno's books + journaling + Facing the Fire by John Lee + punching bag = pain free |
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seebha
8 Posts |
Posted - 12/31/2009 : 14:04:57
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| Logan - Thanks. I will check this book out. Always interested to read new books and material. |
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catspine
USA
239 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2010 : 04:11:11
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Seebha
DOUBT slows down recovery . If there is something you don't trust in the theory that started to help ? if so find whatthat part is and replace it by something that YOU believe into and experiment with it. You're almost there. |
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catspine
USA
239 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2010 : 04:23:03
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Seebha
Sorry the reply went out too fast and there was a typing error in there , please read:
DOUBT slows down recovery . Is there is something you don't trust in the theory that started to help ? if so find what that part is and replace it by something that YOU believe in and experiment with it with your therapist help . You're almost there.
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New guy. Improved but stuck. Please Help
