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Artgal5986
USA
26 Posts |
 Posted - 02/24/2012 : 08:48:22
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I have really had a lot to think about over the past few days. I have been following the structured program found at http://tmswiki.org/ppd/Educational_Program_Day_4.
I am starting to become hopeful that I can overcome this pain. I feel like I felt my first slight relief from pain due the changes I have been making in my thinking. I am trying to resist the fear in the back of my mind that this won't work like everything else that I tried. That is what I think my biggest obstacle is going to be. I fully believe in the idea of TMS and the severe effects that stress has been having on my body all these years. I am still scared I will be like this forever, but I know I am strong and I am trying to put my faith in God to help me be successful.
I went to a TMJ specialist today who furthered my belief that I have TMS because he said there is nothing physically wrong with my jaw, it is just tightening of muscles. He suggested saline shots, which I agreed to because it is said to give relief and is not a drug. I battled with the idea that this seems to be against the advice of Dr. Sarno, but I feel if it gives temporary pain relief while I am continuing my TMS program, it is not harmful. I am canceling all my pain management doctor appointments for facet block injections and decided to try to go without anxiety medication because of the bad reactions I am having on Cymbalta. I am really trying to dedicate myself to changing for the better, but I will need your help! Everyone's continuing support on this forum is very helpful.
Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks!
Erica |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2012 : 09:09:56
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Good news! If you need some "mother's little helper" try a reduced dose. "Studies" have shown that reduced doses of anti-depressants help with "back problems" (ergo TMS). In my good old college days a doc who saw I was really nervous prescribed me some Librium to get me through a rough patch. Took it for a few weeks and returned to functioning.
I experimented with a small dose of Celexa I got a TMS doc to prescribe and it helped to a degree. Stopped taking it after a short while after I felt I learned what I needed from it. Made me feel a little distant from reality, that "observer" thing.
On the other hand was rx'ed some Lexapro by a shrink for a big depression and it got me so wired I took myself to the ER in the middle of the night with a panic attack--nothing like thinking you're having a heart attack to make you feel a bit PANICKY! So, gotta' be the right drug for the right mood to get you through a rough patch until you can cope on your own.
G'luck
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DR. SARNO'S 12 DAILY REMINDERS:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0dKBFwGR0g
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
==================================================
"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." Jiddu Krishnamurti
"Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional." Author Unknown
"Happy People Are Happy Putters." Frank Nobilo, Golf Analyst
"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint." Mark Twain and Balto
======================================================
TMS PRACTITIONERS:
John Sarno, MD
400 E 34th St, New York, NY 10016
(212) 263-6035
Here's the TMS practitioners list from the TMS Help Forum:
http://www.tmshelp.com/links.htm
Here's a list of TMS practitioners from the TMS Wiki:
http://tmswiki.org/page/Find+a+TMS+Doctor+or+Therapist
Here's a map of TMS practitioners from the old Tarpit Yoga site, (click on the map by state for listings).:
http://www.tarpityoga.com/2007_08_01_archive.html |
Edited by - tennis tom on 02/24/2012 09:10:53 |
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tmsjptc
USA
124 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2012 : 15:26:15
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Erica, I too felt some first slight pain relief and got hopeful. But, I had tried so many things that I didn't want to fall into the same trap of thinking I had found the cure when in fact it wasn't. So, I can totally identify with you. When you say, "all these years", how long are you talking about? I personally went 15 years and 9 months from when the chronic pain began. There were a few years before that where it was occasional and not chronic yet. In my experience, we have to undo a lot of habits in order to be successful in TMS recovery. If it has been "years", it may take a little while and not necessarily be immediately cured at 4-6 weeks.
I used a lot of OTC meds in the past. For the first few months after reading HBP and MBP, I was still taking OTC meds but the amounts were less and the frequency was down. Now I'm down to Tylenol just a couple times a month.
You can do this! You will get relief! A big improvement for me came when I just decided to stop fearing the pain. Sure, I didn't like it. But, I refused to be scared of it anymore. After all, as much as I didn't like it, it wasn't actually changing anything in my body and I knew I wasn't going to die. It was like I still had fire in my body but I had stopped spraying it with lighter fluid.
Last reason for posting is that I saw your comment about Cymbalta. My doc had just prescribed Cymbalta for me and I actually had already got the prescription filled. But, I never took any of it. I had googled Cymbalta and found a lot of bad reactions happening to some people. I then did a bunch more googling because I was at the end of my rope and quite literally stumbled upon Dr. Sarno's book. I ordered it and the rest is history. |
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Stryder
686 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2012 : 15:44:48
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tmsjptc said: A big improvement for me came when I just decided to stop fearing the pain. Sure, I didn't like it. But, I refused to be scared of it anymore.
Good point. That was my big "ah ha" moment/turning point as well.
I went one step furthur and said, "Go ahead, hurt me more, go on, hurt me, Hurt Me, HURT ME, Is That All You Got?!!!!!!!?"
Take care, -Stryder |
Edited by - Stryder on 02/24/2012 15:45:56 |
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Artgal5986
USA
26 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2012 : 18:49:23
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quote:
Originally posted by tmsjptc
Erica, I too felt some first slight pain relief and got hopeful. But, I had tried so many things that I didn't want to fall into the same trap of thinking I had found the cure when in fact it wasn't. So, I can totally identify with you. When you say, "all these years", how long are you talking about? I personally went 15 years and 9 months from when the chronic pain began. There were a few years before that where it was occasional and not chronic yet. In my experience, we have to undo a lot of habits in order to be successful in TMS recovery. If it has been "years", it may take a little while and not necessarily be immediately cured at 4-6 weeks.
Tmsjptc:
I have been suffering from neck and back pain/spasms since I was 13 and I am 25, so it has been about 12 years. I have spent years trying to find the answer to my pain problem and find a fix for what is "physically" wrong with me, but only wasted lots of mine and my parents' money on temporary fixes but I now know what I have to do to get better. I definitely agree that overcoming the fear is the hardest and most crucial part. How long have you been successful on the TMS program?
Erica |
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lynnl
USA
109 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2012 : 23:10:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Artgal5986
I battled with the idea that this seems to be against the advice of Dr. Sarno, but I feel if it gives temporary pain relief while I am continuing my TMS program, it is not harmful.
Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks!
Erica
Of course I do not know exactly what Dr. Sarno has in mind when he advises against other treatments. But if I were saying it, it would be for the following reason: As I've said before, I think it's critically important that you recognize and acknowledge to yourself when the pain subsides in response to your psychological thinking efforts. Otherwise you're left with uncertainty; did that pain stop just arbitrarily or due to the medicine/therapy/etc., or was it because of my TMS therapy, i.e. ignoring the pain/thinking psychological. Having no other factors involved helps to clarify and confirm in your own mind that, yes indeed, this does work for me.
Don't just "become hopeful"; you can and will do this. It works. Rejoice and relax, because you are on your way.
Lynn |
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tmsjptc
USA
124 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2012 : 17:09:17
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| Erica, I am still a relative newbie. I read HBP mid October 2011 and started getting partial relief early November. I read MBP mid Nov and then got a little more relief but also my areas of pain started jumping around. Nothing changed much thru December. I had my last major episode on new years day and only a few minor episodes since then. February has been great and I am exercising again. |
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andy64tms
USA
589 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2012 : 18:48:11
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Erica,
You do realize that if you come off the meds you thereby give yourself full permission to pamper yourself? This includes Guccie handbags, ice cream or whatever you fancy. This is not the time to hold back on the luxuries of life.
I had a nasty episode in 2000 when a well meaning Nurse practitioner doubled me up with Welbrutrin and Zoloff. I took myself off them three days later when my brain nearly blew up. She did not know what she was doing! The max med I have taken since then is Tynenol PM to get nodded off at night. I tell a lie, I had morphine when I had a burst appendix, but the pain was really terrific.
Andy |
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Adjusting to this new way of thinking
