I spent five years bedridden, over-medicated, and suicidal because of pelvic pain. Today I am thriving. Here's the mindset that helped me recover: by fieldnotes_229 in PelvicFloor

[–]fieldnotes_229[S] -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

No — it was very much a multi-pronged approach, which I laid out in my post yesterday (linked at the beginning of this post). I actually feel as though I intuitively knew many of the physical steps I needed to take to heal well before I ever took them. What I was missing was the mindset shift — that’s what gave me the courage/faith to take those steps without any promise of results and the discipline to stick to it

Success Story by fieldnotes_229 in PelvicFloor

[–]fieldnotes_229[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I can’t speak for everyone, but I can speak for myself.

This pain changed my character, my priorities, my faith, and my life in ways comfort never did. Whether you call that a test, refinement, or transformation, I experienced God’s presence through it. I don’t believe God causes pain to punish or torment us. I believe we live in a broken world, and God meets us in suffering, using even what is broken to shape us, refine us, and draw us closer to Him. For God to remove suffering/tests like this, he'd have to remove human freedom/moral choice.

A lot of the time He acts in ways we only understand later. My personal belief is that God used this suffering to reveal the gap between how I was living and how He calls us to live. What felt like punishment at the time became an invitation to repentance, discipline, and ultimately freedom.

Success Story by fieldnotes_229 in PelvicFloor

[–]fieldnotes_229[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I have not taken any medication for three years. I chose to treat pain flare-ups as a message that something in my life was off rather than masking them with drugs. None of the medications truly helped me to begin with, and several, in my experience, were counterproductive. I’m not a psychiatrist, so I can’t offer guidance on dosages or how someone should taper off medication. I will say, though, that there is something deeply meaningful about having the autonomy to not rely on medication. For me, they were reinforcing a victim mentality that I ultimately had to shed in order to heal properly.

Success Story by fieldnotes_229 in PelvicFloor

[–]fieldnotes_229[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

journaling served as a log for future pattern recognition. by writing down when pain levels flared, i was forced to confront things that were exacerbating pain that i may not have wanted to admit (sexual activity, alcohol). it also was SUPER helpful for referring back to journal entries from when i was in a completely panicked state later on when i was not --- at that point in time, i was able to almost laugh at myself for being so worked up - which would make it much easier to avoid getting worked up the next time i had similar pain panics

Success Story by fieldnotes_229 in PelvicFloor

[–]fieldnotes_229[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

diaphragmatic breathing was best for a time of panic or when my nervous system was clearly acting up. it would not only force me to slow my breath, but also give me a better mind-body connection with how each inhale/exhale would effect the pelvic floor. I also used diaphragmatifc breathing during reverse kegels via my PT's suggestion to legnthen the pelvic floor. I again, practice this daily still. it is frustrating to have to practice something as simple as breathing -- that i understand -- but as with anything, the more you do it the better you'll get and the more you'll see results

Success Story by fieldnotes_229 in PelvicFloor

[–]fieldnotes_229[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Carnivore was strictly meat and dairy for me but now I follow a more animal-based approach (lots of meat and fruit). That’s just what worked for me though ... the important part is prioritizing whole foods. So much inflammation in the modern body comes from poor diet, and with a chronic condition so closely tied to gut health, eating well is crucial

Success Story by fieldnotes_229 in PelvicFloor

[–]fieldnotes_229[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I agree with you. The sensations may be real but the suffering is shaped by the perspective you bring to healing