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LIlith
13 Posts |
 Posted - 10/06/2008 : 13:35:40
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Hello, all!
I am so happy to have found this forum. I've been reading as many posts as I can for the last week or so.
A brief history -
I had back, neck, and/or shoulder pain off and on (mostly on) for 34 years, beginning at age 17. I did all the usual things - went to chiropractors, DOs, took pain meds and muscle relaxants, etc. Then I read Dr. Sarno's books and my pain stopped.
Unfortunately, I never made the connection between everything else that was wrong with me and TMS. I suffered from GERD, IBS, anxiety/panic, hay fever, food allergies, eczema, hypertension, and knee pain. (If that isn't a list of psychosomatic disorders I don't know what is.)
A few weeks ago I started a lowcarb diet and surprisingly got some relief from my constant runny nose and nagging cough. I decided I had a wheat allergy. A week later it came back. I did some research online and found that wheat allergies often go hand-in-hand with dairy allergy. I went off dairy and felt great for almost a week, when the symptoms came back. Back to the internet. I was also allergic to eggs, apparently. In the course of my research I came across the phrase "food allergy hypochondria". Yikes. I have been under tremendous stress for the last six months or so. A lightbulb went off and I started googling TMS and Sarno. That's how I got here.
Anyway...long story short (or not so short, lol)...I have a feeling ALL my symptoms are psychogenic and have decided to focus on my feelings instead of my symptoms, and read this forum instead of all the food allergy blogs and lowcarb forums I've been reading until now.
Thanks to you all for being there. I hope we all find the answers we seek.
Oh - one more thing...
I also have an eye condition called Central Serous Chorioretinopathy. The cause is unknown, but it is believed that stress is involved. (Surprise!) And I have a weird lump in the bottom of both my feet that my podiatrist said is bursitis. He gave me foot pads to wear, which are okay, but I still can't walk barefoot without great discomfort. My research online indicates that it may be a neuroma. Either way, it's not getting better and I'm hoping it may be another TMS equivalent. (I have a LOT of work to do, lol.) |
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debbette
44 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2008 : 14:57:20
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Welcome.
I have bursitis too so I'm curious to find out that answer as well!
Debbie |
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mizlorinj
USA
490 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2008 : 14:59:30
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Welcome Lilith.
One comment on online searching--a lot of time it does more harm than good. Those who constantly search symptoms are reinforcing 1) the symptom and 2) fear. I am healed of my TMS (see success stories) and I remember clearly when I searched "herniated disc" and all this scary info came up, I started to sweat and my heart was pounding (another physical reaction to an emotion--fear!). Though your searching brought you here, so that's good!
Allergies as mind/body issue is receiving more attention. The question is why are you allergic to naturally-occurring substances. Why is your body reacting that way. What emotions are involved and what can you do about it.
Dr. Sarno's books are wonderful, as are lots of mind/body books that are available. Read the "treatment plan" in Dr. Sarno's books and get journaling! There are also books that give suggestions for emotions behind various physical issues that I've found very interesting.
Food Allergy Hypochondria--very interesting term!
Best wishes.
-Lori |
Edited by - mizlorinj on 10/06/2008 15:04:09 |
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LIlith
13 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2008 : 15:11:55
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quote:
Originally posted by debbette
Welcome.
I have bursitis too so I'm curious to find out that answer as well!
Debbie
Thanks for the welcome, Debbie. I really think bursitis could be psychosomatic, since it's an inflammation ("itis"). Keep us posted, please. |
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LIlith
13 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2008 : 15:24:39
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quote:
Originally posted by mizlorinj
Allergies as mind/body issue is receiving more attention. The question is why are you allergic to naturally-occurring substances. Why is your body reacting that way. What emotions are involved and what can you do about it.
-Lori
When I first suspected food allergies, I started remembering all the times I was sick, and what I was eating at the time. For example, I remembered being terribly sick with hay fever, depression, and diarrhea when I started high school. What did I eat every morning? Toast and hot chocolate. That was proof enough for me that I had an allergy to wheat and dairy. It took a couple of days before I realized that those were only a problem for me at that specific time. And what was happening then? I was just starting high school in a new city. Duh.
I remember Dr. Sarno saying in one of his books that back pain is the new ulcer. Well, I think food allergies may be the new back pain. There is a LOT out there once you start looking. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=food+allergy+hypochondria&btnG=Search
Thanks for the welcome. I just got The Divided Mind out of the library and will focus on the treatment chapter.
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Logan
USA
203 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2008 : 08:35:36
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Hi Lilith,
Welcome! It sure sounds like you are on the right track to get better. I agree with you that food "allergies" are the new back pain. Or, along with nebulous body wide pain, these so called allergies are taking up a lot of people's time and energy and therefore acting as very effective distractions. If I had a dollar for every one I knew who was eliminating dairy or wheat or caffeine or whatever...I'd be rich.
One acquaintance of mine has systematically eliminated everything, one after the other, and she's still exhausted, overweight and clearly unhappy. I wonder what **** she's not dealing with and I want to recommend Sarno to her but when I've brought it up in conversation with others in the group I know her from, they all seem to think that their suffering is "real" and what I cured myself of was not.
I don't take it personally. I guess you have to eliminate every other possible source for you suffering and go through chiro, PT, accupuncture, drugs, massage therapy, and sometimes even surgery before you can accept Sarno's theory. It took me 4+ years of increasing suffering - to the point where I started to think I had "fibro" - to get there. And a year of working through my **** to get well. But I'm pain free now...
You can be too. Let me know if I can help you in any way. |
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LuvtoSew
USA
327 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2008 : 09:24:07
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Welcome to the world of TMS.
Sound slike you did great getting rid of the back neck and shoulder pain.
I also have pain on the bottom of one of my foot, although don't know why, I also have a bunion on that foot tho. It started to happen when I was doing an exercise to which involved putting weight on the front of my foot.
I don't know much about food allergies but in a book I've been reading, not a TMS book, it suggests that allergies are due to stress and anxiety lowering our immune systems which changes our chemical and hormone balance which affects our digestion.
I do agree searching the net is most times not good, I have pretty much quit that except for this site and an anxiety site.
It is amazing what stess, prolonged can do to our bodies. Even our thoughts and words affect our physical body.
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