| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
kdw
20 Posts |
 Posted - 10/11/2005 : 12:03:44
|
Hi all. I haven't posted in a long time but have been following this board nearly every day for months.
I have finally accepted that I have TMS and have been reading Sarno, focusing on the 12 daily reminders and journaling every day. I am making progress, but am kind of stumped and need advice.
I have started walking three times a week, in hopes of running again, and doing some very light martial arts moves about every day. I can live with the pain this causes, but only if I take medication (800 mg ibuprofen and muscle relaxants) every five hours. Placebo or not, skipping even one dose results in enough pain that it is difficult for me to work, which, of course, I must do. I'm not sure that I could go without the medication even if I stopped trying to work out.
I understand that I cannot well until I 1) return to normal activity (which, for me, is running, weight lifting, martial arts, cycling and yoga) and 2) stop taking medication. I have been on this stuff for seven months now.
My question is, is it better that I keep working on the physical activity and wean myself off the medication later, or should I get off the medication before worrying about working out again? I would appreciate any thoughts anyone has. |
|
|
johnnyg
USA
138 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2005 : 12:32:06
|
| You should stop the medication as soon as possible. One reason is that you are rewarding pain behavior, and there are a number of other reasons surrounding TMS therapy why you need to stop, the biggest one is that you need to learn for yourself that you can control the pain with the daily reminders so your subconscious brain can be convinced of that fact. Medication can confuse your brain while doing TMS therapy. |
 |
|
|
Stryder
686 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2005 : 12:53:58
|
Hi kdw,
This might be hard to accept but the meds you are taking are not doing anything at all, they are acting as a placebo. You "think" they are helping you because you are "taking them", so your mind "thinks" that you have less pain. This is all a smoke screen, a distraction (the taking of the meds every day), that your TMS is using against you. This is all conditioning and habit. Time to kick the habit.
So, I agree with johnnyg. Unless the instructions on the meds say you have to slowly taper off (check with your doc to be sure), just stop taking them. Bam. Done. No more meds.
It will take a while, but you have to just ignore the "physical" aspects of your condition, keep doing the Dr. Sarno work, and just go on with your life. The pain you have is real, but it is benign and will not harm you, its just pain , a distraction, caused by the TMS.
Keep up with whatever physical activity you are doing now, and do a bit more each day as you see fit.
Take care, -Stryder
|
|
|
|
marytabby
USA
545 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2005 : 13:25:30
|
| Or, another way to try this is wean yourself ONTO exercise and OFF of meds. So you're doing more exercise and LESS meds. Some people need mroe time to process the new way of thinking. If you concentrate on the exercise more and the meds less (meaning not necessarily cold turkey quitting the meds, because even Sarno will attest to some people needing a small amount of pain med to get through sometimes). But if you can convince yourself you do not need the meds, because there's nothing wrong with you structurally, you will be able to eventually do more and more activity and you'll notice the pain getting less and less intense. The more you move, the more your brain will accept the new thinking. Sometimes a little Tylenol helps me if I'm in pain, but keep in mind I do not take it as a "habit" or "placebo". I take it to get me through the rough patches. |
|
|
|
Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2005 : 14:41:56
|
The biggest reason to get off the medication is that you are destroying your stomach. 800mg ibuprofen every 5 hours is a very high dose. One forum member once posted a frightening story about how he wound up in the hospital with a bleeding ulcer after taking too much of that stuff.
You do not need an anti-inflammatory because there is no inflammation if the pain is TMS. Switch to Tylenol (but don't drink while you take high doses of it or you will destroy your liver).
As for your approach, I think you are setting unreachable goals. This could be due to your perfectionistic traits. Do not feel like you need to return to a full schedule of running, weight lifting, martial arts, cycling, and yoga.
Another red flag in your message: "I can live with the pain [walking and martial arts] causes." This shows that on some level you still believe the pain has a physical origin. You must accept that physical activity is not a direct cause of the pain. The pain is a conditioned response. |
|
|
|
redskater
USA
81 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2005 : 15:21:34
|
I had been taking a prescribed anti-inflamitory every day for the past year or so. I was afraid to get off of them, but I realized that until I did I wouldn't make much progess. I stopped cold turkey, and you know what, I had more pain for about 2 or 3 days and then it went away. I now realize that the meds really weren't doing me any good at all. If you can, get off of them for a few days and just see what happens, but you have to give it a chance. You might have some withdrawl symptoms but if you can tough it out hwile you get the meds out of your system you'll be a lot better off.
Gaye |
|
|
|
kdw
20 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2005 : 16:50:04
|
Thank you all so much for the advice. I guess I knew that getting off the meds was important, but it's true that I have grown dependent upon them and deep down believe that they are what gets me through the day. Perhaps getting off of them is even more important BECAUSE of that belief.
I also see that I must be relating the pain to the activity, even though I have tried very hard not to. I had just gotten to where I stopped stressing out when the pain was bad because I knew that it was harmless and would be reduced significantly within a couple of days or so. It will take some work to convince myself that it's okay to stop taking medication - which is proof that I'm still tied to the idea that the pain is physical in nature.
Thanks again, everyone. I'll let you know how it goes. |
|
|
|
h2oskier25
USA
395 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2005 : 08:29:21
|
I agree about the NSAID's destroying your stomach. I was several months cleaning up my system from leaky guy syndrome, and am so healthy now. Never get sick anymore.
I think you should get off meds as soon as you possibly can.
What are the twelve daily reminders?
Beth |
|
|
|
johnnyg
USA
138 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2005 : 13:53:06
|
"leaky guy Syndrome"
I hate it when guys leak, it really is messy! You should follow him with a damp mop. ;) |
|
|
|
Stryder
686 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2005 : 14:02:11
|
quote:
Originally posted by johnnyg
"leaky guy Syndrome"
I hate it when guys leak, it really is messy! You should follow him with a damp mop. ;)
Yea, I caught that too, and laughed, but then when you posted the question I looked at the keyboard. T is next to Y. Its a typo.
"leaky gut syndrome"
-Stryder |
|
|
|
h2oskier25
USA
395 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2005 : 14:30:56
|
Oops. (Leaky guT Syndrome)
Still waiting for the 12 daily reminders.
Beth |
|
|
|
redskater
USA
81 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2005 : 15:09:45
|
Beth,
pg. 82 in "Healing Back Pain"
You know, I saw that leaky guy thing and it didn't sound strange to me!!!!
Gaye |
|
|
|
n/a
560 Posts |
Posted - 10/13/2005 : 08:37:21
|
Beth asked for the daily reminders. Here they are:
Review the daily reminders
(Source: Sarno, John E. "Healing Back Pain" - Page 82)
This is an important strategy but one must be careful that is does not become a ritual. Patients are given a list of twelve key thoughts, and it is suggested that at least once a day they set aside fifteen minutes or so when they can relax and quietly review them. The are called the daily reminders.
-The pain is due to TMS, not a structural abnormality
-The direct reason for the pain is mild oxygen deprivation
-TMS is a harmless condition, caused by my repressed emotions
-The principal emotion is my repressed anger
-TMS exists only to distract my attention from the emotions
-Since my back is basically normal there is nothing to fear
-Therefore, physical activity is not dangerous
-And I must resume all normal physical activity
-I will not be concerned or intimidated by the pain
-I will shift my attention from the pain to emotional issues
-I intend to be in control - not my unconscious mind
-I must think psychological at all times, not physical
|
|
|
|
h2oskier25
USA
395 Posts |
Posted - 10/13/2005 : 09:40:17
|
Thanks Peter,
It's funny. I'm listening to "Healing Back Pain" on CD (I do this at work a lot) even as we speak, but obviously haven't gotten to that part yet.
Thanks a lot.
Beth
Beth |
|
|
|
PeterW
Canada
102 Posts |
Posted - 10/13/2005 : 15:47:24
|
Sarno on CD?
Where do you get these? They're not on his website. |
|
|
|
redskater
USA
81 Posts |
Posted - 10/13/2005 : 16:31:32
|
I was wondering the same thing???????
Gaye |
|
|
|
drziggles
USA
292 Posts |
Posted - 10/13/2005 : 19:33:21
|
| you can order it on Amazon.com for about 12 dollars. It's abridged on 3 cds and read by the man himself. i think it's good to have the book itself, so that relevant passages can be reviewed, but certainly a useful addition, especially for in the car. |
|
|
|
h2oskier25
USA
395 Posts |
Posted - 10/14/2005 : 10:00:48
|
Yeah,
I wish it wasn't abridged (The 12 daily reminders are not in there).
But, it is great to have the CD's narrated by Sarno himself.
Talk about reassuring.
Beth |
|
|
|
n/a
560 Posts |
Posted - 10/14/2005 : 10:51:57
|
| I listen to the HBP recording and in fact the daily reminders are in the recording. You may have just missed it.... |
|
|
|
wrldtrv
666 Posts |
Posted - 10/16/2005 : 00:13:45
|
| Ditto on the ibuprofin dosage. You're not supposed to take over 800 mg every 8 hours (not 5 hours) and even that done day after day is asking for trouble. High dosages are supposed to be for only short periods; a week or two, not months. Maybe try heat before exercise to loosen you up and then ice afterwards rather than IB. |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
need advice on meds, exercise
