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LennyC
Australia
4 Posts |
 Posted - 10/24/2011 : 20:47:18
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Hi everyone, my name is Lenny and I recently stumbled upon Dr Sarno's idea and the concept of TMS. After reading the success stories on this website, I am almost certain that I have TMS and can recover in the same way.
I am 23 years old, I have been using computers a lot my whole life, and for the last seven years I have been playing guitar and piano. But, I have been forced to give up both almost completely due to the incredible pain in my hands and fingers.
It first started around July 2009. I had finished my computer science degree six months earlier and wanted to become a computer programmer. I ignored it for about six months and then I went to a doctor. First they told me it was tendinitis and then when it didn't go away, they told me it was tendonosis. I have been to 2 physiotherapists, a naturopath, and a massage therapist since then, and none have really been able to do anything for me. Nothing anyone suggests seems to work, and I have tried countless different things. I have been in almost constant pain for 2 years, and it gets much worse whenever I use them (typing, using a mouse, playing an instrument, lifting something heavy, et cetera).
I have ordered Dr Sarno's books online and they should arrive in a few weeks. In the meantime I've been reading what I can online and hopefully I can effect the same recovery that other people have.
A concern I have is that I can't pinpoint what particular stresses or emotional issues might be responsible. I consider myself a very mentally stable person, and don't think I've ever been under particularly high stress. I do have some confidence and self-esteem issues (RSI has been compounding those), and I am generally an introverted person, but my childhood was good, my parents were great, and I have always had good friends. Stress is not something I have ever associated with myself. Especially around the time my RSI started, I was under very little stress. I had a part-time job, which was fairly easy and I lived with friends. Did anyone else feel this way?
I will keep thinking on it and maybe the answer will come to me. Or maybe it will be clearer once I read Dr Sarno's books.
-Lenny |
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art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2011 : 07:17:39
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Hey Lenny,
Bear in mind that classical TMS theory holds that we're talking about subconscious feelings from which the mind attempts to distract us by means of physical pain. A sensitive, introverted personality would be prime territory for TMS to set up shop...
While you're waiting for the books, you can get started by simply assuming to the very extent possible that your pain is psychosomatic....as it very likely is...Those diagnoses are medicalese for "we have no clue."
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Edited by - art on 10/27/2011 07:18:45 |
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AnnieA
13 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2011 : 09:48:44
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Hi Lenny,
I am also having RSI symptoms.
Something that I learned is that I do have stress in my life. Through TMS education I am learning that I need to learn how to deal with it. I don't have stereotypical stress. I don't have a high stress job. I don't have a bunch of screaming children. I have great parents. But I do have other things that I don't have time to explain here that are very stressful. It's just not stuff that you usually see on TV portrayed as stress. And the RSI does compound things. It's like a vicious circle that needs to be broken out of. That's how I'm seeing things now. I'm still having problems and have more to learn. My RSI decreases significantly when I quit worrying so much and act on the things I need to do. It also decreases when I am absorbed in a task like playing guitar or designing on illustrator. You would think those things would make it worse, but it actually depends on my state of mind.
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Edited by - AnnieA on 10/27/2011 09:52:07 |
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LennyC
Australia
4 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2011 : 14:15:09
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Thanks for the responses, I see now that it is not merely "stress" but any kind of negative emotion, and I have been able to identify a large amount of anxiety and feelings of inferiority - it's almost obvious, I'm not sure how I missed it.
The last couple of days I have convinced myself the symptoms are psychological in origin (which is not hard since it makes no sense whatsoever as a physical condition) and begun typing (instead of voice recognition) and actually using a mouse (I had been using a tablet before) as well as playing guitar again. There has been pain on and off but overall I'm already surprised by how smoothly it's going. |
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LennyC
Australia
4 Posts |
Posted - 01/18/2012 : 05:02:23
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I am updating this thread with my current status: It has been 3 months and my hands are about 90% fixed! I can use a computer or play musical instruments to my heart's content and rarely feel any pain. I think it went away simply because I came to understand the nature of the condition as Sarno describes it - I'm not sure I even identified the subconscious feelings that caused it, though I may have. I am still amazed that the brain can do this, but it has been proven to me by my own speedy recovery.
Another successful recovery from TMS! |
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lara
USA
101 Posts |
Posted - 01/18/2012 : 08:15:44
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quote:
Originally posted by LennyC
I am updating this thread with my current status: It has been 3 months and my hands are about 90% fixed! I can use a computer or play musical instruments to my heart's content and rarely feel any pain. I think it went away simply because I came to understand the nature of the condition as Sarno describes it - I'm not sure I even identified the subconscious feelings that caused it, though I may have. I am still amazed that the brain can do this, but it has been proven to me by my own speedy recovery.
Another successful recovery from TMS!
Lennyc,
How did you do it? i am trying to fight TMS,but i am lost,i cant find a way ,it's very hard for me ,can you tell me what did you do in order to get rid of your symptoms? |
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LennyC
Australia
4 Posts |
Posted - 01/18/2012 : 20:21:13
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Well like I said it was from understanding. The whole time I had believed that my hands had something terribly wrong with them, "tendonosis" or RSI or whatever. When I discovered by chance the theory of TMS, it all made a lot of sense for my situation and I came to understand that it was caused by something going on in my brain. Just understanding that fact and reading Sarno's books seemed to be enough for me. I tried to think of all the things that might be causing subconscious stress or rage or any kind of negative feeling and I actually came up with a lot of things. I didn't taking any action on them or anything, I think just acknowledging them was enough.
I would suggest doing the things that you would normally be afraid of doing due to pain, just assuming it won't hurt (though for little while it probably will). Then when it does hurt, recognise 2 facts: 1) that the pain is not due actual permanent damage and is nothing to worry about 2) that it's caused by subconscious negative emotions. So when it hurts stop thinking about it physically and think about what your brain might be trying to distract you from, and keep doing the physical activity as much as you can. Once I realized I could actually do things again, I got very excited and happy and continued to do it more, which I think helped my recovery. |
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23yo, severe RSI for 2 years
