Fibromyalgia Podcast

When you receive a fibromyalgia diagnosis, it’s natural to wonder if things will ever get better. With the lack of fibro education in medical schools, many of us received our diagnosis alongside a statement that we “just have to learn to live with it”. With such a bleak prognosis, the road ahead becomes much more difficult than it needs to be. The good news is, we can all feel better. A fulfilling life with fibromyalgia is possible, and recognizing that makes a significant difference. Far from the doom and gloom statements many of us have encountered, there's so much you can learn and do to improve your fibromyalgia symptoms. Even if you think you’ve tried it all, there’s always something else to try. Today, Tami is joined by fibromyalgia educators and advocates, Dr. Ginevra Liptan and Sharon Waldrop. Dr. Ginevra and Sharon recently launched The Fibro Show on YouTube as part of their mission to spread awareness and empower people living with fibromyalgia. They’re sharing their fibro journeys and sharing resou

“Waiting until you feel better to start working on your health is like waiting until you're in shape to start exercising.” Have you ever wanted your life or your health to change, but at the same time, you weren't ready to change? Whether it feels like it’s going to be too hard, that you need to prepare more first, or you’re just not ready to give up something you enjoy, oftentimes our brain tries to protect us by putting up this resistance. Tami has been there - and she’s still there in some areas of her life! In today’s episode, Tami is sharing her struggles with making necessary changes in her life and her strategies for creating a fibro life you love. She’s talking about struggling with the desire to change while feeling resistance, the pivotal moment when Tami realized that waiting to feel better actually holds back your health, the flawed logic behind feeling "not that sick" or "too sick" to start making changes, starting with small steps and being willing to make mistakes, the necessity of actively eng

“When my fibromyalgia was at its worst, keeping my hair and body clean was the hardest task I had.” Struggling with personal hygiene is not something we like to talk about. The stigma and embarrassment that can come with not being able to keep yourself clean makes it difficult to admit, much less to feel comfortable asking anyone about it. That leaves many of us feeling isolated in our experience despite the fact that it’s a common concern. The truth is, for those of us with fibromyalgia, even the simplest daily tasks can become significant challenges. For Tami, when her fibro was at its worst, there were weeks when she was just too exhausted and in too much pain to even think about getting in the shower or washing her hair. Over time, she’s since figured out some tips and tricks that she’s here to share with you. In today’s episode, Tami is talking about seven specific tips to keep yourself clean when you have fibromyalgia, and things like taking a shower feel too hard. She discusses the embarrassment and st

It’s okay to push yourself. When we’re thinking about life with fibromyalgia, balance is very important. But balance is something that happens in the big picture. It’s not about every moment being in perfect alignment, it’s about the ebb and flow together balancing out to meet your needs. Life comes in seasons - there are times when we need to push ourselves and there are experiences that are flare-worthy. The most critical element of living well with fibromyalgia is having the strategies in place to maintain the balance as we go through these seasons. In today’s episode, Tami is sharing a peek behind the curtains of her life and how she makes decisions on when to push versus rest and how she plans her recovery. She discusses the effectiveness of coaching versus cognitive behavioral therapy for managing fibromyalgia, the need to plan for recovery after periods of pushing, Tami’s recent experience with hosting the fibromyalgia wellness summit, distinguishing between temporary stress and chronic stress, how Tam

If we’re open to it, fibromyalgia can be a path to self-discovery and personal growth. It teaches us about ourselves and how to let go of perfectionism and unrealistic expectations. It highlights the value of embracing small victories. It reminds us that rest is an intentional practice, not a passive activity. Over time, our bodies change, and we have to adapt. Life doesn’t always go the way we expect it to, and the best thing we can do is to create systems that support us in our lives and that allow us the flexibility to adjust when we need to.  Becoming a Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® or Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® can help with this by educating, encouraging, and supporting you in your journey with fibromyalgia. As people with fibromyalgia ourselves, we can give you real tips and tricks from our own lives and things that have helped us with our fibromyalgia. Today, in the tenth installment of our Stories of Hope and Healing, Tami shares inspiring excerpts from our January 2025 event. You’ll hear from t

Fibromyalgia is an amplifier: any type of pain we experience, fibromyalgia cranks it up a notch. At the same time, we know that it’s crucial to treat pain early. Once we experience an injury or some trigger of acute pain, it’s important to address it as soon as possible to reduce the risk of it becoming a chronic issue. For many of us with fibromyalgia, pain medication is essential not just for those injuries leading to acute pain but also on our highest pain days or when we’re having breakthrough pain during a flare. In those cases, we need to have options for pain management, and it’s encouraging to see these options being expanded. Today, Tami discusses the recent FDA approval of the non-opioid pain medication Journavx. She explores how it works, potential benefits for people with fibromyalgia, why it’s crucial to treat pain early, potential side effects and medication interactions related to Journavx, Tami’s optimism about ongoing research and the potential benefits for fibromyalgia patients, and more.  

Welcome to the final episode of our special Be a Coach series. So far, I’ve answered questions about our Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® class and what it takes to become a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®. Some of the topics covered in the first three parts of this special series were what a Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® and a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® is, the difference between the two, who makes a good Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® and who is better suited to be a Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor®, what you need and don’t need to become a Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® or Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®, why the world needs fibro coaches, and why you should consider becoming one. In this final installment, I’m digging into the nuts and bolts of how you can become a Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® or Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®; including the exact steps you need to take.       Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in th

We're in the middle of the summit, Living Well With Fibromyalgia: Real Patients, Expert Advice, Proven Results, and don't have a podcast episode for you this week. In case you missed the previous announcement about the summit, it's a unique event that started on January 20th, but it's not too late to join us for free. It features real patients who are thriving with fibromyalgia, sharing their experiences and advice. In this two-week summit, you'll get a head-start on feeling better with condensed content that would normally take us 8-9 months on the Fibromyalgia Podcast® to deliver. This summit is in a fibro-friendly private podcast format, accessible anywhere, anytime, with only one speaker each day, making it accessible for fibro bodies and minds. Sign up at FibroWellnessSummit.com to access this exclusive content and connect with a supportive community. Don't miss out on this valuable opportunity for Living Well With Fibromyalgia.         For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join T

Welcome to episode 03 of our special Be a Coach Series. In this series, I answer questions about our Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® class and what it takes to be a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®. In episode one of the series, I explained what a Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® is and what a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® is. Episode two of the series was all about who makes a good coach and who is better suited to be an advisor. I also covered what you need and don’t need to become a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®. In this episode, we’re taking a deeper look at why someone would want to become a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®, why the world needs fibro coaches, and why you should consider becoming one.           Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. Don't like waiting? Register now to have the complete 'Be A Coach' series, along with several bonus

Join us for Living Well With Fibromyalgia: Real Patients, Expert Advice, Proven Results! This unique event, starting on January 20th, features real patients who are thriving with fibromyalgia, sharing their experiences and advice. In this two-week summit, you'll get a head-start on feeling better with condensed content that would normally take us 8-9 months on the Fibromyalgia Podcast® to deliver. This summit will be in a fibro-friendly private podcast format, accessible anywhere, anytime, with only one speaker each day, making it accessible for fibro bodies and minds. Sign up at FibroWellnessSummit.com to access this exclusive content and connect with a supportive community. Don't miss out on this valuable opportunity for Living Well With Fibromyalgia.         For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on Facebook or Instagram. Need a good book to read? Download Tami's books for free. Ready to take back control of your life and health? Schedule a complimentary consultation with a

As an influencer, Tami is constantly trying new things that might help with fibromyalgia or make life easier and more enjoyable. This year, she decided to create a favorite things list to highlight the top seven things from 2024 that she uses in her everyday life and that she wouldn’t want to live without. These resources have improved Tami’s life over the last year, and she first started using them in 2024. This list includes both things that she has been curious about, which she purchased and products that were sent for her to try. Regardless of the source, she only shares the items that she really believes in. Today, Tami shares the details behind her favorite things from 2024. She explores how she selected the seven items on her list, why the Ember Mug made a significant impact on her water intake, the benefits of the Perfectly Snug Smart Topper for regulating sleep temperature, why Tami hasn’t worn regular socks in over ten years, what makes WIDE OPEN® socks uniquely comfortable, how Hungryroot food deli

Welcome to episode 02 of our special Be a Coach Series. In this series, I answer questions about our Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® class and what it takes to be a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®. I cover all the basics… the who, what, when, where, why, and even the how. Don’t understand what a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® or Adviser is? No problem. Just pop on over to episode one of the series because that is exactly what we covered in that episode. In this episode, I’m covering the who. Who makes a good coach? Who makes a good Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®? Who makes a good Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor®? And, how do you know which one you might be? I also cover what I look for in the applications I accept into the training program and what you need and don’t need to join us a become a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® or Advisor yourself.         Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and disc

When it comes to goal setting, New Year’s resolutions can feel like an exciting and hopeful way to start fresh. The problem is, for most people, they’re too big and idealistic that they fall by the wayside by mid-January. Especially when we’re living with a chronic condition like fibromyalgia, we have to get realistic about not only what we want to accomplish but the time and energy we have to put toward our goals. We have our lives to live, health issues to manage, families to care for, and more. When you jump onto a “go big or go home” goal, you’re not giving yourself the best chance for success. Today, Tami is joined by Fitness Coach and Behavior Change Expert Kerstin Goldstein to talk about all the reasons New Year's resolutions aren't that helpful. She also shares fibro-friendly ways to set goals that you will actually accomplish. Kirsten and Tami hope that Kerstin’s story will inspire you to think outside the box about what’s possible for your fibromyalgia healing and that their tips will help you achie

Join our 10-Day FREE Fibromyalgia Wellness Summit January 20-31 — Register by December 31st for exclusive bonuses! What is the Fibromyalgia Wellness Summit?  A summit is like an online conference. The Fibromyalgia Wellness Summit will provide in 10 days what you would learn in five months on the Fibromyalgia Podcast! What makes this summit different? Unlike typical summits, this event features real people with fibromyalgia sharing their proven methods for improvement. With just one speaker per day, delivered via a private podcast, it's designed to be fibro-friendly, easy to access, and transformational. Register for FREE at FibroWellnessSummit.com by December 31st and receive our exclusive action guide for VIPs.  For extra perks, sign up as a VIP for $147. The VIP all-access pass offers exclusive perks like a live class with Tami, private film screening and Q&A with the Director, plus a backstage pass to our VIP Green Room — a private Facebook group with our speakers and other VIP guests. Register as a VI

As a master Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®, author, and fibro podcaster, the questions I’m asked more than any others are: How do I get better? How do I improve my Fibromyalgia so I can get back to living the life I want to live? While those sound like simple questions, they do not have simple answers. We all have similar symptoms, what helps you feel better may not be the thing that helps me feel better. We all have to find our own magic formula for what makes us feel best. I know from personal experience just how overwhelming it can be to find that formula on your own. That’s why I created a training program in 2015 that would teach people just like you how to improve their own Fibromyalgia, and how to help others do the same. In this first episode of a special series where I’ll be answering a lot of questions I get about our Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® class and about becoming a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®, I want to start super basic. We’re going over what a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® is, how that

COVID-19 has affected many of us; for some, the journey still hasn’t ended. For the past four years, Tami has received a ton of questions about the intersection of COVID-19, long COVID, and fibromyalgia. Unfortunately, it’s been tough to find good answers with the spread of conflicting information and misinformation. Today, Tami is excited to be joined by Dr. Keith Ellis, who’s here to answer our questions with science-backed information. There is a lot of common ground between fibromyalgia and the core symptoms of long COVID, and Dr. Ellis’ insights from his research and expertise as a medicinal chemist shed some light on how the broader interest in long COVID can benefit us as fibromyalgia patients. In this conversation, Dr. Ellis and Tami discuss what COVID-19 is and how it affects the body, how COVID has changed over the years, the progression from acute COVID infection to developing long COVID symptoms, the rate of development of long COVID, the lack of effective prevention measures for long COVID, surpr

Navigating chronic illness from a family perspective can be challenging for everyone involved. From small changes to daily routines to more significant shifts in family dynamics, learning how to adapt to this new normal can be difficult, especially for children. Today, Tami introduces you to Mandy Farmer and her book, Soft Hugs for Mommy, created when Mandy recognized the need for something specifically to speak to a child’s perspective. Soft Hugs for Mommy tells the story of a loving family as they navigate the challenges of mommy's chronic pain condition and it’s filled with tender moments and caring gestures. The book encourages understanding and unconditional love as the family helps Mommy with her invisible illness. Mandy also collaborated with a child psychologist to create a "let's talk" section to facilitate conversations between parents and children about chronic illness. In this conversation, Mandy and Tami discuss the themes of family support in Soft Hugs for Mommy, Mandy's background as a pastor's

“One of my core beliefs is that something good can come out of everything.” - Tami Stackelhouse So much of life is uncertain, and as a chronic pain patient, there’s no shortage of things to stress you out and make you worried. From finding out that the medication you need is out of stock to facing the threat of a layoff or having a health scare, there's bound to be a time in your life when you feel out of control or like you’re at the mercy of others. So, what do we do when faced with those feelings?  First, Tami wants you to know these feelings are normal. We see you and feel you and understand precisely how that feels. Secondly, Tami wants you to recognize that we’re often more understanding with those we love than with ourselves. Don’t deny your body the opportunity to process those emotions so you can move on. Today, Tami shares strategies you can use in uncertain times to find the strength and support you need. She’s discussing why we should normalize feeling anxious about the inevitable uncertainties in

“The room's not moving, but you still feel like you're on a boat. It just feels terrible.” About 60 to 70% of all fibromyalgia patients also deal with dizziness, which shows up in two main ways: lightheadedness and vertigo. With lightheadedness, you’ll typically experience a feeling like you might faint or pass out, whereas with vertigo, it feels like the world is moving even when you’re holding still. For the past week, Tami has been dealing with an episode of bad vertigo, and she decided to use this as an opportunity to bring the topic to the podcast since, chances are, you’ve experienced dizziness too. Today, Tami is talking about the differences between lightheadedness and vertigo, the most common causes of lightheadedness in fibromyalgia patients, her recent experience with vertigo and how it compared to her first episode, the role of the vestibular system, conditions which cause vertigo, symptoms of BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), Ménière Disease and unilateral vestibular hypofunction, how

“When we share our stories, it helps everyone around us.” As our students go through their training programs and approach graduation, many of them start to think about sharing their fibromyalgia stories. The idea can be daunting, especially with fibromyalgia, because there’s a stigma that comes with it. For many of us, it feels safer to keep it to ourselves because we have no idea how people will react. What will that look like? What will it feel like? For Tami, sharing her story was an essential part of her journey, and she’s a big believer in how our stories can help the people they reach. Today’s guest, Meg Stafford, joins Tami to talk about how sharing our stories helps the healing journey. Meg was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, and as part of keeping in touch with friends and family during her diagnosis and treatment, she started an email newsletter, which so many people found helpful that Meg turned it into a book. In this conversation, Meg and Tami discuss Meg's experience with breast cancer, wh