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andy64tms
USA
589 Posts |
 Posted - 04/12/2012 : 13:50:48
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The purpose of this post is to recollect what I did with my previous TMS success. I am trying to remember what I did and find comparisons to my present problem, and see if I did anything wrong or unusual. As Dave reminded me we all have a unique journey.
Problem:
It was November 2000, my body was in a rage, my lower back and neck ached continually, as they had for the last 23 years. I had done the rounds with doctors, chiropractors, MRIs, and had even entertained discussions about back surgery.
Things were so bad at my work I ended up having a hissy fit and walked out of a very lucrative job with all of its benefits. It was very depressing, and without my full understanding a doctor put me on a double mixture of anti-depressants. The doctor was kind, sympathetic and agreed my situation was caused by stress, but could not explain it further. During this time I had been reading a book by Dr. Sarno, “Healing Back pain”. I was the full description of a TMS candidate.
After four days of medication my normal neck discomfort had turned into a full-blown tension headache of the worst kind, and I was having terrible side effects. I felt abnormally nervous, and spent every minute brooding about how bad I was feeling. I decided to stop both medications, take a PM pain reliever and went to bed.
Action:
The next day my head had cleared from those nasty tablets and I awoke happy and positive for the first time in days.
To add to this positive day, while out hiking I mentioned to my wife that my usual lower back pain pangs were missing on each step. I felt confident enough to start jogging and ran ½ mile back to the car. This was the first time I felt well enough to jog for 7-8 years. Prior to this, I remember being convinced that each step caused a nerve to pinch between my vertebrae, and I had given up jogging completely. I was now elated and realized that Dr Sarno’s book was true and his mere written words applied to me. Wow!
Result:
Within six weeks or so my back pain had all but vanished and windsurfing every weekend became the routine. This continued for 12 years to this day. To be honest, I had a slight stiff neck, but other than this I only had one re-occurrence back spasm in my lower back when I got angry, not bad for 12 years.
A specific yoga stretch for my lower back when it starts to niggle has become my routine. This has been done in restaurants, airports, at work, before and after windsurfing, evenings, at night, and occasionally all through the night. I literally switch off my sciatic pain before it gets a hold. I know this stretching might be considered “treatment”, but I have to say “It works for me”. Is this a placebo after 12 years, or am I giving the sciatic nerve a boost of oxygen I ask, or is this just exercise? I just don’t know to this day. You see by inducing the pain on the stretch, I am saying I don’t care about it, that I know why it is there and I am laughing at it without fear.
What I did during my recovery:
Re-read Healing Back Pain many times. My copy is falling apart!
Ordered video tapes for Healing Back Pain
Lots of self talking to my brain per Dr. Sarno couldn’t do the mirror thing.
One or two pages of sporadic notes about my problems and success, Dr. Sarno’s book may have mentioned Journaling, I felt guilty about not doing it, but it never happened.
Found extreme happiness during the windsurfing season May through August, must be those endorphins.
What I did not do:
Join a Forum or have group help, sorry everybody!
I do not think I feared my pain, my fear of pain dissipated when I jogged for the first time. I think mostly had job related anger-anxiety.
Discuss this with anyone but my wife.
Think about TMS for 10 years or so.
What do I owe my success to?
As you can see I did very little! My story was a very private effort, myself and the Dr. Sarno books and tapes.
I believe that having an open mind played the most important role in helping me recover. Like most people here in pain, they have to be open minded to even start reading Dr. Sarno’s book that speaks away from conventional wisdom that is the opposite of firmly imprinted medical dogma. “I had to be open”
There is another reason why I could be so open, apart from desperation. I had success the past, and ands Dave’s comment regarding smoking and addiction reminded me of this. When I gave up alcohol in 1984. I had to be “open” and attend those shameful AA meetings we’ve seen depicted in movies, as well as read the “Big Book”. At the time it was devastating for me, I remember my first admission publically of my affliction to the others in the meeting - the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I was a moderate alcoholic unlike some of the people who had dragged themselves out of the street to attend, but none the less I was one of them. The fear of my becoming more like them and losing everything made me even more resolved. Remember some people take this to their grave. What a good return on investment I’ve had. Attend a few meetings, read a book, and occasionally reflect the wicked ways of alcohol, in return for my life back to this day. Wow, openness and acceptance are very powerful!
I have another comparison between my bout with Alcohol and TMS, for I stopped attending the meetings after three months or so. I’d had my fix, and it was time to move on, just like with my TMS in 2000.
My TMS is different this time and I have new problems, but that’s another post. Comments and thoughts would be welcome. Thanks for reading.
Andy
Past TMS Experience in 2000, with success.
Now on Day 11 Wiki Edu.
Charlie horse on neck for 20 years. (to be evicted soon.)
Books: Healing Back Pain
& Unlearn your Pain |
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Sarnotic-nerve
USA
48 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2012 : 19:57:31
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Do you think your stretch is basically undermining everything that helped you for 12 years?
And is the only non-psychological tactic you're using?
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The pain is real! The cause...well, that's complicated. ;) |
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andy64tms
USA
589 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2012 : 16:44:12
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Hi Sarnotic nerve,
Do you think your stretch is basically undermining everything that helped you for 12 years?
No I don’t think my stretching is undermining my progress and continued cure. In fact as stated above I did nothing else but stretch for 10–12 years, it just became a natural thing to do. I started so long ago, that I do not remember where I learned it. I see now it is standard yoga, one of many that target the sciatic nerve area for relief. It is a definite stimulation of the body, (treatment if you like), so goes against Dr. Sarno’s theory, which states treatment can cause temporary placebo effect. As you can read above I honestly don’t know what has gone on at a mental level, but I do not think a placebo effect can last 10 -12 years.
And is the only non-psychological tactic you're using?
As stated above my stretch was and is the only tactic I used. I did nothing else for 10-12 years, until February when I joined this forum. I do exercise, swim and windsurf through the summer.
I see you mentioned stopping stretching in one of your past emails. I would be interested to know if you have any experience with stretching or yoga, you are younger than me so perhaps not. I also do yoga because I am 64 and my body tightens up especially after a nights rest and exercise.
I agree with you it is complicated.
Andy
Past TMS Experience in 2000, with success.
Now on Day 12 Wiki Edu.
Charlie horse on neck for 20 years. (to be evicted soon.)
Books: Healing Back Pain
& Unlearn your Pain |
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Sarnotic-nerve
USA
48 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2012 : 16:25:26
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quote:
Originally posted by andy64tms
I see you mentioned stopping stretching in one of your past emails. I would be interested to know if you have any experience with stretching or yoga, you are younger than me so perhaps not.
My stretching was purely out of fear that I would "pull my back" if I didn't.
My doctors were always so surprised at how flexible I was despite being in so much pain.
And I never got into Yoga. That too was because I feared injuring myself. 
Good luck this go 'round! I had a "frozen neck" for about four years. It forced me to start sleeping on my back, which was great! But man would be unbearable by 8PM or so.
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The pain is real! The cause...well, that's complicated. ;) |
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How TMS worked for me.
