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JennaD
2 Posts |
 Posted - 11/30/2005 : 19:02:34
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| I've been reading thru this board for a few days because my husband believes he may be suffering from TMS. He is currently reading Dr. Sarno's book (I've skimmed thru it when he's not reading) and I also believe TMS may be the source of his 10 years of suffering with excruciating back and leg pain. Reading the description of the type of person that suffers from TMS, I could almost see my husband's picture on the page! What I've noticed in reading thru some of these posts, is that it seems to me that some people are using TMS as a catch-all (self)diagnosis for everything from panic attacks to headaches. Please don't take this wrong, I'm not trying to be a jerk, just trying to understand TMS better, and offer my thoughts. I've read about tightness in the throat and other general aches and pains that come and go and want to offer that these symptoms could very well be caused by a depression/anxiety problem (I'm speaking from my own experiences.) It just doesn't seem to me that TMS is the same as a depression/anxiety problem. The way I've experienced dep/anx problems has been thru physical symptons and emotional turmoil (to say the least), and while it's been very scary and extremely irritating, and has certainly turned my life upside down, I wouldn't say it's ever been physically "painful". The way I understand it, TMS causes the type of pain that is so bad that you may at times consider just ending it all because you can't take it anymore (I know my husband has been literally bedridden, unable to move, pee-ing in a container for days and weeks because of the pain.) Something else that I've noticed is that some people are very unhappy with their current life situations and believe that by changing it, the pain will go away. I thought that TMS had to do with anger, rage, and other bottled-up, very strong emotions that have been locked away for years and years - for which there is nothing that could really be done now, other than truly acknowledging and accepting that they are there, and that it is the cause of the pain, and in doing so healing would begin/pain would subside. I guess it just seems that this board is a bit "clogged" up with alot of peripheral "stuff" that isn't TMS. Again, I'm not trying to be a jerk or offend or anger anyone. If I'm wrong, please set me straight. |
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altherunner
Canada
511 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2005 : 19:44:41
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| When I first read Dr.Sarno's books, and got over my back/neck/leg pain, I was of course happy, but I thought the causes were work related stresses, and other minor things. Later, after a relapse, I had some psychotherapy, which revealed to me that the problems stemmed from a lousy childhood. I believe that a lousy childhood, or teen years, etc. can cause tms and other related things, like anxiety, depression, etc. I believe they have for me. On this board,we tend to bounce ideas off each other than may seem obscure to a newcomer. I think that it is great that you are supportive of your husband, you can help him greatly in his recovery. |
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saga
Canada
25 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2005 : 20:29:45
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Hi Jenna,
The reason people associate panic attacks and headaches with TMS is because Dr. Sarno directly talks about both of them as possible TMS symptoms in his book (the mind body prescription). Perhaps you are only reading his back pain book? If so I would recommend picking up the mind body prescription one.
If any physical symptom extend past a normal healing period you need to explore TMS as being the cause. If you have cold symptoms for a week then it was probably a virus... but if you have cold symptoms for 6 months then it could very probably be psychologically induced.
Sounds like your husband is very lucky to have a strong wife to stand with him for 10 years of pain. Congrats to you!
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Buterfli
12 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2005 : 00:56:20
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| Hi, did any of you have sore lymph nodes as well? Or achy muscles? |
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saga
Canada
25 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2005 : 05:03:19
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Achy muscles? Almost everyone I'm sure.
Here's the definition of Myositis in Tension Myositis Syndrome
myositis: Inflammation of a muscle, especially a voluntary muscle, characterized by pain, tenderness, and sometimes spasm in the affected area.
Haven't had a problem with lymph nodes, but now that you brought it up I'm sure there will be some lymph node related flare ups on the forum :) |
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n/a
560 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2005 : 06:25:06
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| Emotionally enduced maladies are actually quite vast Jenna. Please refer to When the Body Says No by Gabor Mate, MD. |
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miehnesor
USA
430 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2005 : 08:35:14
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| Is your husband reading the book and doing the TMS work? |
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Scottydog
United Kingdom
330 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2005 : 13:51:26
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Hi JennaD,
I read Sarno in the hope of helping my long term insomnia.
The niggling backache (due to scoliosis seen first on a chest xray when I was 18) was something I'd learned to live with. "Wouldn't it be funny if reading this fixed my back" Ha ha, I thought.
The backache went that night, convincing me that there really was something in this Tms stuff. The knee and hip pain (which were more recent and caused (Ithought) by driving long distances (mostly to visit my mother!) went withing weeks. The insomnia seems slowly to be improving now too (9 months on). But there have been severe mood swings over this time too. Really bad depressions but lately these have reduced and the future looks promising.
Am just pointing out that I think Tms can take other forms than severe pain. My kids always develop colds at exam time - maybe their resistance is lowered due to the stress or maybe it's Tms? My daughter's doing her final year dissertation - she was complaining of backache just like I used to have!
I think it can take many forms.
Anne
Scottydog |
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johnnyg
USA
138 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2005 : 13:53:32
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The reason it seems like there are so many "illnesses" being discussed here is that TMS has an incredible number of "equivalents", as Dr. Sarno labels them. Few medical practitioners would ever admit or acknowledge that Asthma or allergies are psychosomatic, but when my back pain ceased, all my allergies or asthma/respiratory problem went away also. So also did my gastrointestinal, foot pain and tooth/gum pain go away. IMHO, just about everything we go to the doctor for on a regular basis is TMS or an equivalent. The reason DR. Sarno has such a long list of equivalents is that in his years of practice, he noticed that TMS sufferers also suffered from these other things and that they also went away with therapy.
This type of stuff is very hard to swallow when you haven't experienced it, so you are definitely not a jerk. What I would suggest is that you encourage your husband to read the books over and over and watch as his symptoms dissipate, and monitor the affect that TMS therapy has on any other problems that the book describes as "equivalents". Maybe you could become a believer then. |
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JennaD
2 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2005 : 19:12:24
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Thanks for all the replies!!! Yes, we only have the back book (the Mind/Body Rx was not available at our local book store.) My husband is currently reading the book and has started to "buy" into the concept that emotions can come out in the physical form. He really is trying hard to - I guess change his way of thinking would best describe the kind of "work" he's doing right now. He absolutely fits the description of one who suffers from TMS; besides the personality he was born with, he had a childhood that could fill at least a month's worth of Jerry Springer shows, and has done his damnedest to rise above his childhood and "make something of himself" (which of course he has, but he is just now starting to realize that he's the one who's been holding the bar so high.) Of course, as any newcomer would be, he is a bit skeptical, but is trying his hardest to "convince" himself that this could be "IT" - the thing that will set him free. I completely believe, I KNOW from experience, that stress, depression and anxiety and other very strong emotions absolutely show themselves in physical forms (and even sometimes only in the physical form and not at all in the emotional form.) I do not questions this fact at all. And I am so excited that my husband is beginning to accept this fact as well, and I support him fully in investigating TMS. I guess I just wonder(ed) if some of the ailments that are discussed here were actually a physical symptom of dep/anx and not TMS (myositis: Inflammation of a muscle, especially a voluntary muscle, characterized by pain, tenderness, and sometimes spasm in the affected area.) I can see that the two are related and can see that if you have other problems (like panic attacks, etc.) then you'd be more suscepitble to TMS.
. Is the term or diagnosis of TMS |
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saga
Canada
25 Posts |
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Scottydog
United Kingdom
330 Posts |
Posted - 12/03/2005 : 02:16:32
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Hi Jenna,
I have been prescribed a low dose Temazepam (Restoril) tablet for a number of years, to take occasionally, for my insomnia. This is also an anti-anxiety drug but I'm not aware of any change in symptoms on the days I took it. I had a gluten allergy for a year which also wasn't noticeably improved by it.
Anne
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ilovemyself
Poland
2 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2012 : 03:05:38
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quote:
Originally posted by Buterfli
Hi, did any of you have sore lymph nodes as well? Or achy muscles?
I am having this rightnow and I can't sleep and swallow because of the pain . It been 4 days and I am trying to be positive and thinking psychologically.
How is this for you Buterfli, after 7 yrs of your post. |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2012 : 10:47:46
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Hi ILM,
I did a quick "Search" (above right on top of page) and found two pages of threads with the words "lymph nodes", hi-lited in yellow. Sorry I can't give you a direct link but if you use the "Search" function above you'll find plenty of TMS discussion.
All physical conditions can have a TMS/emotional component. The boilerplate here is to get checked out by a doc to eliminate the serious. After that, you're on your own to make decisions as to treating with institutional medicine, TMS'ing it or both. I just went to my doc's office for a persistent flu and am taking anti-biotics for it. Why is my immune system down?--I blame my girlfriend, she got it first.
Good web name BTW, "ilovemyself". That's a good place to start for TMS'ers. As a DIY'er, I love myself on occasion too.
Check out the "lymph node" threads archived here, that should get you started.
G'luck
==================================================
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
"The hot-dog is the noblest of dogs; it feeds the hand that bites it." Dr. Laurence Johnston Peter
======================================================
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/ppd/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 07/14/2012 10:50:39 |
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drh7900
USA
194 Posts |
Posted - 07/18/2012 : 12:46:05
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JennaD, I would also very highly recommend (after the Sarno books you and your husband read) picking up "The Great Pain Deception" by Steven Ray Ozanich (known as SteveO on these boards). SteveO suffered from TMS and equivalents for 27 years before finding Sarno's work...amazing story and very useful information. His book has helped a lot of people in ways Sarno's books couldn't because of the different writing styles and type of information covered.
Depending on what you're using TMS to mean...that can help "define" what it encompasses. The original term "Tension Myositis Syndrome" is actually outdated. In recent texts from Sarno, you'll hear him call it "Tension Myoneural Syndrome". But, and I think SteveO mentions this in his book, TMS can be used to stand for "The Mindbody Syndrome". Using that title...it encompasses all the ailments that people have that are mindbody in origin.
Here's to hoping your husband is able to integrate all this knowledge and heal quickly!
Oh...and welcome to the boards 
--
Dustin |
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Lurker with some thoughts
