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Herc1413
2 Posts |
 Posted - 08/16/2010 : 16:01:44
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I am convinced that I hit the nail right on the head with a TMS diagnosis.
After reading 1/2 of "The Divided Mind" probably 50% of my non diabetic peripheral neuropathy pains went away, about 50% of my extreme cold intolerance went away, a severe pain just above my right hip went away, my tinnitus decreased in intensity (and while doesn't go away completely, it will drop down to the 50% range, then the 20% range, then later to maybe the 60% range, etc - as compared to the full-time 100% range previously), my consistent pulmonary irritation and inflammation reduced about 50% and now "comes and goes", my insomnia pretty much went completely away, my excessive sleeping decreased significantly, etc. About the only thing that had been very minimal before but has INCREASED has been my "background" generalized anxiety and a moderate fear of working out (*) has become somewhat of a terror!
BTW - these are all symptoms that I have had - along with several others - since May of 2004, symptoms that came on all at once over a two - three week period following the death of a very close relationship.
However I think that loss wasn't in and of itself the primary trigger, but that the subconscious HAD to repress as much of the emotional trauma as it could because of its concern of all these OTHER unknown emotional traumas that were also being repressed. I didn't even find out about them until I got started into EMDR therapy in regards the emotional loss and some severe marital problems that had been developing (Thankfully the latter situation ended up being resolved and I have a VERY supportive - and loving - spouse now). But the EMDR shocked me (and I think the highly trained and highly experienced therapist also) as every couple sessions a "new" emotional trauma incident would be "pulled up" and create another scenarios to deal with (and I would highly recommend EMDR as a form of psychotherapy). I found out about child abuse (physical and emotional) incidents, abandonment issues, bullying incidents - which probably caused me to steer toward a job course of military (Marines, circa 1969-71, "SE Asia War Games", yeah, yeah, yet more repressed traumas) and then law enforcement (close to 30 years "on the street" in Patrol, Fugitive Squad Section, and 17 years with the SWAT Team - nine as Team Supervisor... so yeah, more and more repressed traumas). Amazingly, emotional trauma incidents were being pulled up that I either didn't even recall - until that shockingly horrible point - OR that I did remember somewhat vaguely and in general, but did NOT associate any trauma with it --- until a particular EMDR session would "pull up the trauma part".
Anyway, as I read the Divided Mind (and then stopped halfway through and got Sarno's other books in chronological order and began reading them until I am back now to where I left off with the Divided Mind. And I kept saying "Yep, that's me". Yep, that describes my personality". "Wow... that is me exactly". And as these long term symptoms started disappearing (a few) or reducing (the rest), I suddenly started getting chronic and / or acute pain in other areas. Pain left the area above my right hip and 2 weeks later popped back up... just above my left hip. Lower back pains would pop up for several days. Severe neck tension along with the tension induced headache (very painful) would periodically occur for a few days (before being "talked away"... but seemed like to would take forever).
I could go on and on, but my main point is that I seem to be frustrated by Dr. Sarno's books. I understand his regimen, I fully believe that I have TMS and that it is a mind disorder and not a body disorder (although the pain most definitely is felt in the body and can be disabling most times)... but I just seem to be missing something in the specifics of Sarno's recommended therapy "prescription". I journal (had already been in fact for EMDR) "periodically" (but found that I really did have to as my EMDR sessions tended to be MAJOR journaling sessions on their own (apparently I am a very sensitive responder to the EMDR techniques).
So, my main question (after this overly long introduction) is this:
Has anyone on this forum ever used Monte Hueftle's "The Master Practice" (www.runningpainDOTcom) as relates to TMS?
quote:
Have you read Dr. John Sarno, understand TMS, but are still experiencing pain? Don't give up! Monte's information is considered the missing link on the way to ending TMS pain. TMS sufferers have successfully reversed the symptoms of Tension Myositis Syndrome by using "The Master Practice". Dr. Sarno told us what TMS is, The Master Practice Program teaches and shows you how to live with TMS symptom free. You can learn how to reverse the TMS strategy and live pain and symptom free.
I feel that eventually - but over a pretty long time period with the emotional traumas that I am finding - that I can develop a pain free condition (with ALL these symptoms - both minor ones and severe ones) however have been suffering with this (at a severe level - I actually ended up in NIH Hospital for "special study testing a few years back) for over 6 years now and if there is a way to more quickly catch FULLY that "Aha" moment, then I am all for it!
Thank you for your time and ANY information (pro, con or neutral) would be GREATLY appreciated!
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Darko
Australia
387 Posts |
Posted - 08/17/2010 : 06:22:58
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Herc,
Sorry but I haven't read the entire post, it's late and I'm ready for bed. I just saw that no-one had responded yet. I got Monte's stuff and I think it's good. Along the same line as the "power of now" with a focus on TMS. Get it, the more info you have the better, sometimes I need to really hit a concept hard to really get it to sink in.
D |
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guej
115 Posts |
Posted - 08/17/2010 : 06:23:25
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Welcome to the forum. Like so many people who first read Dr. Sarno, it can be a bit overwhelming, and you're just not sure what to do next. The one thing I've learned having read many posts on this forum is that slight differences in approaches or different books/therapies work for different people. I don't think there is a one size fits all fix to TMS. I know what Dr. Sarno recommends, but for me, it wasn't enough. I have been in constant pain for 2 straight years, but thanks to this TMS diagnosis and approach, I am much better than before. You will get lots of advice on this forum, so in the end, it's trial and error in finding what resonates with you. For me, the following helped the most after reading Sarno's books:
1. "Rapid Recovery from Back and Neck Pain" by Fred Amir - this was the "how to" book for me to getting active again, which really catapulted me back into normal living.
2. "Unlearn Your Pain" by Howard Schubiner - a step by step program based on Sarno's theories, that also contains a good explanation of how we get stuck in these symptom patterns, and a structured approach to dealing with it.
3. "At Last, A Life" by Paul David - great book on how to resolve anxiety. I had major anxiety over my pain symptoms, and despite reading Sarno a dozen times, I could never quite get how to ignore my symptoms. This was the key for me. It also helped with the realization that recovery is an up and down process.
4. The TMS Wiki website - chock full of great information on specific conditions, book recommendations, and very supportive people.
5. A Sarno-trained therapist, from whom I finally learning how to be my true self, and thus, stop producing all this tension that comes from living a life full of inner conflicts.
I've read many posts from Monte. I do agree to some extent with his view that it's our day to day thinking that causes our symptoms. However, I didn't find his masterpractice as the "end all, be all" solution. Others may have. Again, we're all different, and certain things will click for certain people.
Best of luck to you. You've had symptoms for a long time, so try not to fall into the trap I fell into of getting frustrated if you don't see full results right away. You're retraining your mind and your body with this approach.
By the way, my husband has been in law enforcement for many years, and has seen and experienced his share of horrors. You would never know it, though. He is either completely desensitized at this point or a master repressor, who is going to implode one day. Personally, I think therapy should be free and we should all be in it. Everyone has their baggage, either from childhood, or just day to day living. We'd be a happier and healthier society. |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 08/17/2010 : 09:58:16
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Hi Herc, I don't think there is an "aha" moment, where afterwards we are "pain free". TMS is part of the human condition. We need to accept that. We will have physical pains from time to time who's origins will be difficult to determine or explain. We wake up with a sore neck or shoulder, yet outside of falling out of bed from a fourth story window, you can't hurt yourself while sleeping. If you go to a doctor or body-worker they will treat it as structural, that's their job and how they make a living. They don't have the time to deal with it from a psychological TMS perspective, it would back-up the waiting room.
Dr. Sarno says you don't need to mine your past life to discover the "aha" moment going back to the womb that caused the pain. TMS doesn't work that way. It's an accumulation of life's stressors building up until we need a defense mechanism to keep from emotionally exploding--
this is not acceptable behavior in our Western "keep it kool kulture".
So we develop a physical symptom that we can talk about and use as a crutch to defend ourselves from the stressors.
The important thing is to understand the process, lose the fear that the TMS pain is dangerous and debilitating. Stop going backwards to find the "moment", you'll just go around in circles and lose out on life. Go forward and don't let the pain stop you from doing what you want to do. Create work-arounds to the pain or find an activity that doesn't require that part.
I recently woke up with a sore left shoulder that lasted about a month, I don't know how long for sure, I didn't track it. I didn't see a doctor for it. It was very real pain but I thought it could be TMS in origin. It is now totally gone. I am now more convinced it was TMS and not "overuse from swimming". I waited it out, didn't worry about it and within a few weeks it went away as mysteriously as it arrived. After a recovery like I experienced I feel from a TMS perspective, it is important to reflect on the healing properties of the body. But we seldom do this, we just go onto the next pain and miss the point of TMS:
THE BODY IS STRONG! The mind gives up before the body.
Good Luck and Just Do It!
TAKE THE HOLMES-RAHE STRESS TEST
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes_and_Rahe_stress_scale
Some of my favorite excerpts from _THE DIVIDED MIND_ :
http://www.tmshelp.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2605
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Edited by - tennis tom on 08/17/2010 10:25:34 |
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Darko
Australia
387 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2010 : 03:51:52
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Guej & TT, these are great posts and I took lots away from them both. Being in my third onset I sometimes get too 'involved' and forget to keep the over all perspective.
I completely agree that it's a little different for everyone, and in my opinion the forum benefits from having multiple perspectives.
D |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
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Herc1413
2 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2010 : 10:33:49
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Well, Tennis Tom,
I have had more than one "aha" moment from EMDR therapy that caused particular symptoms to go away - completely (*). And I most definitely got the impression from Dr. Sarno's last two books that full cures (specifically with his method) were common. I do not have "minor (or moderate) pains from time to time" that come and go... I have chronic, constant multiple significant pains... and these are pains - and actual disorders (non diabetic peripheral neuropathy, non arthritic joint pains, severe generalized anxiety disorder, severe insomnia, severe hormonal problems and physical manifestations such as rashes on just my upper chest that come and go, unexplained chronic, constant elevated cortisol levels, severe emotional problems, etc. that ALL came on (except for one) over a 2-week time period in Mya - June of 2004 - and have remained with me (other than as certain ones got worked out via EMDR therapy) since then.
My hope was that TMS (in conjunction with the continuing EMDR therapy) would "speed up the process". And yet - while both Dr. Sarno and clinical trials done (by others) have shown high rates of total recover - I tend to read many accounts on forum postings of only moderate pain reductions (but that they can "work around" --- I cannot "work around" mine) and frequently of flare ups, often repeated flare-ups (and/or "moving pains").
I don't believe that one ends up "running in circles" trying to address every trauma that they ever suffered. I believe that TMS is a result of a combination of REPRESSED emotional trauma (most traumas we suffer end up not being repressed - though in my case I have found a lot more than I would have thought) and / or SEVERE emotional traumas... maybe repressed, but not necessarily.
My ultra severe condition came on within actually, more like 7 - 10 day time period - way too coincidental - and plus I ended up at NIH Hospital for a 14 days study because nothing could account for that kind of coincidence --- and they ended up not coming up with anything specific (**). And this came on within a just a month following the learning of the pending loss in a few short months of of a very close relationship.
The memory of the situation was NOT "buried" (it is still as fresh today as it was 6 years ago). Also above I mentioned another "pain/disorder" that did not appear in the same time period. About two years ago I had another very emotional incident occur and very shortly after that I developed a abrupt (not there AT ALL on Wednesday, there very severely on Thursday) severe respiratory problem (which lead to all kinds of tests and x-rays and CT-scans, and 2 bronchoscopies - 1 done under hospitalization rather than just local in order to obtain numerous biopsy samples... to find out that they didn't have a clue what it was... other than my lungs/bronchial areas were highly inflamed and irritated for some mysterious reason and I couldn't take inhalers for symptom relief due to the existing hypercortisol situation!)
After all, as I interpret it, it is the TRAUMA that gets repressed. And not just repressed necessarily, but also "locked" and not properly processed, categorized and filed as a memory (likely a sad, mildly grieving memory - but NOT as a repressed AND locked trauma - a trauma that to "misdirect" results in the subconscious "creating: chronic pains, acute pains, even full-blown medical conditions.
Anyway, I am not giving up on TMS as I am a firm believer in a multi-faceted approach and that there is very rarely one single approach to address complex problems (for example, read Peter Levine's "Healing Trauma"... I think that he does an exceptional job of explaining trauma situation, severe traumas, trauma repression and how traumas can end up not getting properly processed - and there are several very good EMDR books that explain that later part - how traumas can end up not getting properly processed - extremely well). Plus I was already able to connect the onset of some quite severe medical problems with fairly recent severe emotional problems that were being repressed AND not getting properly processed (plus as EMDR therapy began and continued, other repressed emotional traumas that I was NOT aware of began surfacing and had to be dealt with as they surfaced - fortunately other than the two big issues I surprisingly found that EMDR sessions generally "processes, categorized and filed" these older and fully repressed emotional traumas in just one or two EMDR sessions!
(*) In The Divided Mind, Dr. Sarno mentions in a couple of places about "Helen" and how during their session the repressed memory surfaced and how Helen when through an intense "emotional trauma processing" period (weeping, ranting, sobbing, etc.) and then - just as abruptly - calmed down and her pain was completely (and permanently) gone. THAT is what happens in an EMDR session (the intensity of the "processing" generally paralleling the intensity of the repressed trauma and the individual's personality) when an emotional trauma that has NOT be properly processed and is LOCKED does get released and properly processed... and then is no longer a problem (often the emotional trauma being addressed in EMDR has resulted in emotional problems such as depression and / or anxiety rather than psychosomatic medical / pain problems - although it often does manifest in psychosomatic medical / pain problems alone or in combination with depression and / or anxiety!)
(**) At NIH Hospital, I had a team of doctors assigned to me (like other study patients), which included two psychiatrists and a neurobiological psychiatrist. Interestingly it was that individual who passed this on to me that she felt was very likely "something to do with what was going on" with me:
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/sep2002/nichd-09.htm
Sounds a lot like a combined psychiatric and medical (mind - body) definition of TMS doesn't it? |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
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Monte Hueftle's "Master Practice Program"
Thanks Darko.