Fibromyalgia Podcast

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 discus

One out of five children in the US suffers chronic pain. From the prick of a vaccine to stomach pain, headaches, and chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia, children's pain is being undertreated. Today Tami is joined by Dr. Anna Wilson and Rachel Rabkin Peachman to discuss the research on pediatric pain and simple ways you can help children manage their pain. Anna and Rachel are the authors of When Children Feel Pain: From Everyday Aches to Chronic Conditions, a powerful book that covers a wide range of pain-related topics in children. In this conversation, Tami, Rachel, and Anna discuss why Rachel and Anna became interested in researching children’s pain, how they first found each other and connected over their overlapping pursuits, limitations of the ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) framework, the increasing cultural awareness of the impact of medical trauma, what research shows about non-verbal signs of pain in babies and infants, the problem with clinicians relying on physiological pain symptoms al

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

When we hear stories we can relate to, it brings hope that healing is possible for us. In the sixth installment of our Stories of Hope and Healing, Tami shares the stories of three recent graduates of the Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® program. During the program, these women improved their fibromyalgia symptoms by an average of 51% in only three months. That’s right in line with the improvement we typically see with our graduates. What would your life look like if you cut your symptoms in half? What could you do that you can't do now? Today’s graduates prove that you can go beyond your limitations once you know them. Today you’ll hear from three real people who have fibromyalgia about their experiences. They share their history with fibro, why they decided to join the program, and the impact it’s had on their lives. In this episode, Tami interviews graduates Kerstin, Laura and Tamy and they share the differences between listening to the podcast and being a part of the classes in the Certified Fibromyalgia A

So much healing happens when you talk to somebody who truly understands you. One of the more common questions Tami receives is a variation of “Can you actually help me?” Sometimes this comes up because you’re worried that you're too sick; sometimes, it's the opposite. Maybe you've tried so many things that you're afraid to get your hopes up and try something new. At the core, all these questions come up because people feel uncertain about whether fibromyalgia coaching would work for their unique situation. For today’s episode, Tami talks through the most common questions about working with a fibromyalgia coach and shares the key areas to think about when considering whether to work with a coach. Her intention for today is to help you gain clarity on what might be the right choice for you. In this conversation, Tami shares the core principle of fibromyalgia coaching, what it means for a coaching relationship to be client-led, the two elements that must be in place for you to see positive results from coaching,

I need to take a break from the podcast this week to practice good self-care, so I don't have a new episode for you today. I'll have a new episode for you on January 17th. In the meantime, feel free to check out any of the previous episodes to hold you over until then.   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 Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®.

When you're healthy, you can be more you and bring your special magic to the world. Over twenty years ago, when today’s guest Ann Garner Coulter was diagnosed, we were in what Tami describes as the dark ages of fibromyalgia. There were no FDA-approved medications, and it was even more challenging to find a doctor who knew enough about the condition to help. As a result, Ann had very few resources to help her manage her fibromyalgia, and she struggled for a long time. While dealing with those symptoms, including pain consistently in the seven to nine range, Ann continued working full-time but eventually lost her job due to her health. Around the same time, her young daughter received a ME/CFS diagnosis. Ann stepped in as an advocate for her and discovered a side of herself she never knew existed. That discovery led her to more extensive advocacy work and her decision to become a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®. Ann has a remarkable recovery story, and she’s now taken her pain down to a two or three most days. Sh

Kids are curious, and they’ll ask anything and everything about what’s different about you. Today Tami is sharing a fabulous resource that will help you explain fibromyalgia to the little ones in your life. After leaving an office job of twenty years, Melissa started a new career working with young children. While working with little kids, they inevitably noticed the signs of her pain and would keep asking all these different questions. Recognizing that this wasn’t a unique situation, Melissa was inspired to create something that could help people better explain what they’re going through in a way that kids can understand. From there, her book, Ravyn’s Doll, was born. In this episode, Melissa and Tami talk about the process from idea to publication of Melissa’s book, Ravyn’s Doll, the story that’s told in the book, the significant impact Melissa saw in her school district, which age group will get the most from reading Ravyn’s Doll, how the book has helped children and family members connect with their loved

Around one-third of fibromyalgia patients also have Sjögren's Syndrome, yet most don’t know about it. Sjögren's Syndrome is an autoimmune condition that affects the moisture-producing cells in your body. Today Tami is excited to share her conversation with Brenda Faverio, a graduate of the first Fibromyalgia Coach training class and one of the first Certified Fibromyalgia Coaches®. As someone with Sjögren's and fibromyalgia, Brenda shares the insights she uncovered on her healing journey and the experiences of the many women she’s coached. In this conversation, Tami and Brenda discuss what happens to the body with Sjögren's Syndrome, common symptoms and associated risks of Sjögren's, the overlap between fibromyalgia and Sjögren's, Brenda’s journey to Sjögren's diagnosis, her family history of autoimmune disease, how the Schirmer tear test works, the importance of a supportive and knowledgeable medical team, the evil sidekicks that Brenda experienced alongside her Sjögren's, her experience with testing and tre

People with fibromyalgia are significantly more likely to experience a sleep disorder. On top of that, some particular issues tend to happen when it comes to sleep and fibromyalgia. Last week Tami and her friend, sleep expert Sovann Pen, talked about the importance of sleep for your healing journey and how you can get better sleep. In today’s special episode, Tami dives deeper into the specifics of fibro sleep, from research studies to books, supplement recommendations, and more. In this episode, Tami talks about what research shows about the connection between poor sleep and pain, why not getting good sleep can make you feel more hungry and less satisfied after eating, the three ways sleep is different in people with fibromyalgia, different ways fibromyalgia impacts sleep, diagnosing fibromyalgia looking at the alpha brain wave/delta brain wave ratio, the 45% higher incidence of sleep disorders with fibromyalgia, why getting a sleep study done is probably a good idea, medications and supplements that can hel

Unrefreshing sleep is one of the hallmarks of fibromyalgia, and it’s hard to face the day when you wake up feeling depleted. With Fibromyalgia, we find three significant sleep issues that we must address: struggle with getting to sleep, problems with staying asleep, and calming the overactive fight or flight so we can get restful sleep. Sleep is essential for having the mental and emotional energy to do the things we need to do to feel better, and Tami believes that her fibromyalgia would not be in remission without tackling her sleep issues. Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution; everyone has to find the right recipe for their sleep. Today’s guest, Sovann Pen, joins Tami to talk about why sleep is vital to our overall health and how you can get better sleep. In this conversation, Sovann and Tami discuss Sovann’s 25-year sleep career, how different people are affected by poor sleep quality, thinking about how your life could be better with better sleep, don’t assume your symptoms are solely due

As an eternal optimist, Tami likes to keep this podcast positive, often focusing on ways you can feel better with fibromyalgia. But you can't talk about fibromyalgia without exploring the darker side of things, like the grief many of us experience. Grief affects all of us physically, emotionally, and energetically. Fibromyalgia can often seem like an endless taking away of things, from living in a body that doesn't function the way it used to, to the loss of our jobs, family, or friends who don’t understand. It’s natural to experience grief over the way life used to be. Today Tami is happy to share a conversation she’s been looking forward to for months: her interview with grief coach Pat Sheveland, where they explore the intersection of grief and fibromyalgia. In this episode, Tami and Pat talk about how grief often shows up for those of us with fibromyalgia, Pat’s journey to grief coaching, the experience of writing four books, how grief affects us physically, the science of the grieving brain, why our fibr

If you’re struggling right now with working with fibromyalgia or other chronic illnesses, there is hope. Whether you’re an employer or an employee, today’s interview will be fabulous for you. Tami is thrilled to share this interview with Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® Julie Hamilton about her new book, Chronic Illness at Work. One of the most important things about this book is that it not only helps those of us with chronic illnesses but shows companies that it's in their best interest to support their employees. In this episode, Tami and Julie talk about Julie’s fibromyalgia diagnosis, becoming a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®, the inspiration behind Chronic Illness at Work, how supporting good employees benefits everyone involved, Julie’s favorite parts of writing her book, what it’s like writing a book with fibromyalgia, the deep emotions that came up when the book was published, how Chronic Illness at Work helps HR professionals and employers to support staff with chronic illnesses, why people working with

After our last Ask the Coach episode, where Tami covered the three FDA-approved medications for fibromyalgia, we received many follow-up questions from listeners. Questions like: What’s the difference between being addicted and being physically dependent? How can you safely come off your medication? When is it time to reduce or discontinue certain medications? In today’s episode, Tami is excited to be joined by Doctor of Pharmacy Chelsea Liebowitz, who’s here to clear up all these questions and more. As a pain patient herself, Chelsea spent years seeking answers for her chronic pain, and she knows your pharmacist's vital role as part of your healthcare team. In their conversation, Chelsea and Tami talk about what it was like growing up with chronic pain and the medical gaslighting Chelsea experienced, how frustration with a lack of answers led Chelsea on a journey to figure it out herself, the discovery that copper toxicity was behind a lot of her symptoms, it requires determination and grit for people with c

Many of the symptoms people blame on fibromyalgia are actually due to coexisting conditions. Too many people go too long with the wrong diagnosis, taking inappropriate medications, and following unnecessary protocols because their provider didn’t identify the correct cause. This topic came up a lot in the last cohort of Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® training. As we went through the program, the students had many lightbulb moments and realized much more was happening than just fibromyalgia. By getting to know fibromyalgia deeply, it becomes a lot easier to spot when those symptoms are from something else. After living with fibromyalgia since 2007 and being a coach for over ten years, Tami often picks up clues in client conversations that indicate something else is going on. Today, she’s sharing a brief overview of some of the most common conditions that tend to get overlooked after someone has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  In this episode, Tami talks about how she spots the clues that something else is

“I’d like to try Lyrica, but I worry about if I ever had to come off. Should I try it?” For today’s Ask The Coach episode, I’m answering this question sent in by Sarah in the UK. When treating fibromyalgia, we have to attack it from two sides. The first is addressing the fibromyalgia itself and the amplification of pain signals; the second is treating the pain that your fibromyalgia amplifies. In most cases, fibromyalgia medications are more helpful than harmful and can be a valuable tool to break the pain cycle. That said, the question of medications is complex and impossible to cover in detail in a podcast episode. Tami’s primary focus for this answer will be on fibromyalgia medications that address the amplification of pain signals, how they work, and the most important aspects you’ll want to consider. In this episode, Tami discusses the FDA-approved medications for fibromyalgia, the fact that no single drug is capable of managing all fibromyalgia symptoms, Tami’s two-pronged approach to treating fibromyal

So often with fibromyalgia, we’re given negative news: there’s no cure, your life has changed, and the list continues. Once again, we’re on a mission to break that trend and show you that there are still adventures for you. Tami is excited to be joined by Melissa Swanson to share the recent epic hiking adventure that, not too long ago, neither of them would have thought possible. Melissa and Tami met about eight years ago at the Leaders Against Pain Scholarship Training in 2014; since then, so much has changed. In this episode, Melissa and Tami share what their fibromyalgia symptoms were like when they met, what it was like to have their sole focus be on getting through the day, why Melissa needed to wear sunglasses all the time, how Melissa’s bad knee acted as a trigger for a lot of other pain, the anxiety around having surgery and the potential impact it might have on your fibro, Melissa’s amazing recovery following total knee replacement surgery, the significant improvements Melissa experienced after joini

There’s so much hope that comes from hearing the healing stories of other people on the fibromyalgia journey. Often, that’s where we first recognize that a better future is possible for us. Today in our fifth installment of Stories of Hope and Healing, we’re sharing the inspiring stories of four recent graduates of the Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® program. During these conversations, you’ll hear Tami and the graduates refer to their Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire score (FIQ), which measures the impact of fibromyalgia symptoms on a scale of zero to 100, with lower scores referring to milder symptoms. When this tool was created, the average fibro patient’s score was around 58. In future studies, researchers found that the three FDA-approved fibro medications typically gave about 20% improvement, acceptance and commitment therapy showed around 27% improvement, and general health coaching brought around 35% improvement after a year. On average, our students improve their scores by about 50%. For this cohort

Don’t blame everything on your fibromyalgia. Your pain, fatigue, sleep issues, and brain fog might not be from your fibromyalgia. We need to dig deeper. Tami encountered this topic a lot in the last few months of the Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® training program. We’re not saying you don’t have fibromyalgia - what we mean is, sometimes symptoms can be caused by something else in addition to or instead of fibromyalgia. Why does it matter? Assuming that fibromyalgia is the blanket reason behind every symptom, you might be missing out on opportunities for healing. By finding the true source of your symptoms, you’ll be able to get the right treatment to help you. In this episode, Tami is talking about the common areas outside of fibromyalgia that might be causing similar symptoms. She shares why you should learn to read your labs, what it might mean if none of the typical medications are helping, common symptoms of mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), the huge difference a CPAP machine made for her, why Tami

Everyone can get better. Even in remission, Tami feels that there is always something we can do to feel better on our fibromyalgia journey. And because we have to focus on taking care of ourselves, in many ways, we can get to a place where we feel better than the average person. Tami is excited to share this interview with Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®, Julie Schiffman, where she shares her story of going from thinking she was dying to feeling healthier than ever. In this episode, Julie talks about her long health journey and years of painful symptoms, her diagnosis with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome over 20 years ago, the mental toll of chronic pain, how to deal with guilt, frustration, and uncertainty around a vague diagnosis, Julie’s medication rollercoaster, finding hope for living a great life with fibromyalgia, why becoming a coach brought Julie so much healing, the confidence that comes with knowing you can control your symptoms, why Julie decided to become a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® a