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JohnnyC9
USA
5 Posts |
 Posted - 02/16/2012 : 12:58:17
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To Anyone Who Can Help,
I "hurt" my lower back in April 1998. I was playing tennis, bent down to pick up a ball, and felt a weird pull in my lower back. Incredible pain ensued, both locally (in the lower back) and referred, i.e., through the right buttock and into the thigh/calf, finishing with a numbing sensation in the right foot. I've had it ever since. It's awful when I sit or lean back (in a stretching fashion).
Is this TMS? The MRI showed a herniation at L5-S1 and I had surgery in 2000. Then a scar tissue clean-up in 2001. No help, no help at all. Tons of shots, physical therapy, and pills since then.
Sometimes, when I wake up in the morning, I feel no pain in my lower back but then my mind starts racing with anxiety and the pain starts up in the low back and right leg -- and I haven't even moved from the bed! This must be TMS, right? For the past year, I've read all of Sarno's stuff, journaled a lot, but the pain hasn't let up a bit. It may be worse. Does anyone have any advice?
Thanks,
John |
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Bugbear
United Kingdom
152 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2012 : 14:03:15
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The cause of the pain is undoubtedly your mind racing with anxiety. It is this anxiety, the hormones that are produced when you are in this state, that is causing the pain to rev up each day. It has become a conditioned response.
In contrast I have woken up the last few days with an excruciatingly painful headache. By the time I get up it has gone away. Today I recall being half conscious and thinking about what I was going to do today. Playing out in my mind all my various activities. In other words I was sticking my middle finger up at the pain. I wasnt going to let it stop me. If I had started to panic and think about all the things I was going to be prevented from doing, I am pretty sure I would still be sporting that headache.
Cut yourself some slack though and don't feel like you brought this on yourself, that you are to blame. That just adds fuel to the fire, or rage to the reservoir. You'll be okay. |
Edited by - Bugbear on 02/16/2012 14:03:39 |
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JohnnyC9
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2012 : 14:08:24
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| Thanks, Bugbear. Good advice, indeed. --John |
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Goodney
USA
76 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2012 : 14:59:36
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| Sometimes at night I'll get out of bed to go to the bathroom. I won't have any pain until I start thinking stressful thoughts and then -- Wham! -- the pain sets in. Same thing when I'm lying in bed in the morning, drifting in and out of sleep. I'll have no pain, and then I start to think about the stress of the upcoming day, the panic and pain in my neck starts -- even though I haven't even moved a muscle! |
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andy64tms
USA
589 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2012 : 16:19:13
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JohnnyC9 and Bugbear, I too woke this morning with my chronic neck headache. The kind of headache that stiffens up your neck, and is painful at both side extensions. Who knows why? Possibly because I have been musing and contemplating TMS deeply for three days now, and have had two nights of terrible sleep. I have been drawn to this forum like a magnet, and chatting excessively to my wife about TMS.
My sweetheart wife brought me coffee and oatmeal in bed, even with her two bad knees. I felt guilty and immediately turned off the self-pity, gave my neck a good stretch, and signed up to go for a swim with her. I told my neck pain that it was not going to bother me. I thought of something pleasant, our new sofa that we ordered yesterday. I reflected that yesterday we sold some stocks and no longer have to fret about them anymore. I suddenly felt very happy and satisfied, for no reason other than a few mere thoughts.
I had a great swim and feel even happier. For several laps I used the twisting motion of my head to tell my pain to go away. As I felt the pain while taking air I told it that knew it was unimportant, and that I was in command, and to go away. Sounds silly but it helped.
JohnnyC9 my first bout of TMS in 2000 was also my lower back, I did not go as far as having surgery though. You can compare your position to my story “Success2000”. I wrote Success2000 recently to remind myself of the very real and true event that took place. My advice, stay with the program, and good luck.
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bryan3000
USA
513 Posts |
Posted - 02/18/2012 : 20:37:16
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Johnny,
I have by no means mastered this concept, but I'm getting closer...
Merely by the fact that you're asking if it's TMS... tells us (you) that you're not accepting that it is caused by your mind. You're still wondering. For me, the problem has been headaches, massive anxiety and panic and now the recurrence of back problems. Usually they take turns.
I now officially believe these are all in my brain. At times, doubt can creep in and that's what I'm working on. But, the elders around here will tell you that until you KNOW it's your mind doing this... it's going to keep doing it. It's a matter of picking an "enemy" to fight, for lack of a better word. (In reality, our brains are trying to protect us.)
If you're grappling with your MRI's, discs, doctors and theories of bulges and pinches... you can't be concurrently grappling with the notion that this is 100% brain-generated.
Just my two cents, but I would say before you read another word of Sarno or anyone else... you need to figure out what you believe. If you want to keep chasing physical symptoms until you find something or feel sure it's not physical, do that. I'm not being a smart-ass, either. I had to do it for a couple of YEARS before I finally said "enough."
Conversely, if you reach the point where you've done all of the data-gathering you can and are ready to commit to this being TMS... you'll be able to do so without having to question your commitment.
Again, easier said than done... but I believe those around here who claim this is the key. I believe the progress I've seen has mostly been due to this realization.
_____________________________
-1/2010 - Developed chronic sinus problems. ENTs/Docs can't find anything
-5/29/2010 - Doc gives cocktail of allergy meds which induces first ever panic attack/anxiety.
-7/16/2010 - Anxiety stays/worsens - put on Xanax
2/1/2011 - Began Xanax taper - Withdrawal starts - full body chaos
-6/11/2011 - Last dose of Xanax. Physical/emotional chaos continues for several months.
-Now: Taking it day by day, looking for real answers and ways to heal myself without medical poison. |
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Referred Pain
