Fibromyalgia Podcast

Visiting the dentist when you have fibromyalgia is almost never fun — right now it's even more stressful because many of us put off seeing the dentist during the COVID pandemic! Since it may have been a year or two since your last dental exam, you may fear what the dentist will find. Tami found herself in this situation recently, with an emergency dental visit and a brand-new dentist. That experience led her to record this episode with the tips she uses regularly to make her dental visits less painful. Whether you're dreading going to the dentist after an extended time away due to COVID — or your fibromyalgia makes seeing the dentist more painful — utilizing these tips will help you have a much easier time on your next visit. For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/64.

Have you gotten your COVID vaccine yet? If not, you'll definitely want to hear this episode! Even if you've only received one of two shots, the information in this episode could help you minimize reactions from the vaccine. In this episode, Tami shares her experience getting her own vaccine, including what other clients, friends, and family have experienced. In fact, between all the members of Tami's family, they've tried all three COVID vaccines! With special permission from her doctor, Tami will also share a protocol designed to support your immune system, reduce any overactive immune response, and minimize any negative effects of the vaccine. Tami followed a similar protocol prior to and during her vaccine. Consider taking this the information to your doctor to see if it's right for you and your situation. For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/63.

Improving your fibromyalgia is really hard to do all on your own; you need a team of people to support you, including various providers, friends, and family. So... what happens when your family doesn't support you? Aren't they the ones who should be giving you the most support? Listen in as Tami interviews Heather Kent, psychotherapist and author of two books on toxic relationships, about what to do when your family isn't supportive. You'll learn how to tell if it's a lack of support which can be improved through education and communication, or a more toxic and unhealthy type of non-support, including the signs for a toxic or abusive relationship. Heather and Tami want you to know: Your fibromyalgia doesn't have to be the thing that keeps you stuck in a toxic relationship — and a toxic relationship doesn't have to be the thing that keeps you stuck in your fibromyalgia pain and fatigue. There is hope. You can feel better and feel safe. For more information, free copies of Tami's and Heather's books, and full s

What did you feel when you were diagnosed with fibromyalgia? Relief? Shame? Frustration? These were all things Regina Frisch felt when she was finally diagnosed after 15 years of struggling. When she was ready to take action and asked what the treatment plan would be, her doctor told her they didn't really have one. Sound familiar? It takes an integrative approach to treat fibromyalgia effectively. An integrative approach means treating the whole person, not just your parts. When Regine learned that Norway's medical system couldn't provide what she needed, she used her contacts as a social worker and therapist to draw together a team of like-minded practitioners. Together, they founded FibroFokus, Norway's first outpatient fibromyalgia clinic. Listen in as Tami interviews Regine and co-founder Dr. Hege Tønnesen about their journey and the integrative approach they use with their patients at FibroFokus. For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/61.

When you're diagnosed with fibromyalgia, it can be a huge hit to your confidence. You may have trouble doing many of the things that have defined you: career, hobbies, friends. In addition, let's not forget the unpredictable nature of fibromyalgia! It can be difficult to make plans because you never know if you're going to have a good day or a bad day. When you do make plans, you may have to cancel -- another hit to your confidence. But it doesn't have to be this way. You can become more confident, knowing that whatever happens, you have the tools and knowledge needed to cut your fibro flares short and get back to feeling your best. In this Ask the Coach episode, Tami answers the foundational question, "How Can I Rebuild My Confidence?" and gives three tips for how you can reclaim your confidence in your fibromyalgia body. For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/60.

How many times has your doctor told you all your lab tests were normal? If you're like most of us with fibromyalgia, this has happened more times than you can count. So what then? Do we keep testing? Or do we accept that the test is normal, in spite of the fact we feel that something is wrong? After 20 years of certain tests coming back as "normal", Tami recently decided to try one more time as a way of "checking the box" with a new provider.... and ended up with completely different results! She shares her experience as well as five basic reasons your own "normal" lab test results may be wrong. For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/59.

We can find evidence of fibromyalgia going back more than 200 years in medical literature.... and yet there there seems to be more fiction than fact surrounding it. People are told things like, "There isn't much that can be done about fibromyalgia." Or, "Fibromyalgia is a middle-aged woman's disease." (Hint: Both of these things are FALSE.) In this episode, Tami tackles seven of the most common myths about fibromyalgia, as well as the truth behind those myths. For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/58.

Have you ever wondered what you should tell others about your fibromyalgia? Do you find yourself going back and forth between saying, "I'm fine" and telling them how you really feel? If so, this episode is for you! We all intuitively understand that there are some people we can share more with than others. In this episode, Tami interviews Kimberli Wicks, a professional counselor who has lived for years with her own chronic illness. Kimberli outlines a simple way of categorizing the people in your life which will help you know how much to share about your diagnosis. Tami and Kimberli also include several suggestions on ways you can build a support network, how to test the waters with how much to tell new people in your life, and ways to ensure you don't overburden the people you love. For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/57.

Three Clients Share Their Fibromyalgia Stories Tami interviews three clients on the ways that they have found to improve their fibromyalgia symptoms over the last few months. You’ll hear how Petr, a self-proclaimed "King of Fibro", discovered just how much he didn't know. You'll also hear how Petr's Fibromyalgia Coach, Micky, helped him in ways his two previous health coaches couldn't. Julie shares how much her life has changed in the last year and a half, including how she no longer feels guilt and shame over her illness — and how being a coach keeps her accountable. Creating her own perfect life balance helps Viktoriia feel her best, plus a word of encouragement from Viktoriia to our Russian-speaking fibromyalgia community. You’ll also hear from our commencement speaker, Amy Velasquez Rempel of The Integrative Women's Health Institute, as she shares her journey from pain and confusion to hope and purpose with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and endometriosis. Listen to these interviews and be encouraged on your heal

For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com.

Many people are confused about the differences between emotional support animals, service animals, and the laws and rights that each type of animal has under the ADA, especially with the recent Department of Transportation ruling defining emotional service animals as pets. In this episode, Tami interviews Jennifer Kolar, founding member of Atlas Assistance Dogs, about these differences and laws. Listen in to hear several ways a service dog could help someone with fibromyalgia live a richer and more fulfilling life. Learn what it takes to have a service dog, what businesses have a right to ask you about your service dog, and the rights service animals have under the ADA. Atlas Assistance Dogs provides an affordable way for individuals to train their dogs to be qualified service dogs. For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/55.

Make no mistake, fibromyalgia is a physical condition causing widespread body pain, unrelenting fatigue, brain fog, and poor sleep. There really are things going wrong in your body that need to be corrected. At the same time, how we think about our bodies, our fibromyalgia, and how we approach life all affect our health and the quality of the life we live. In this episode, Tami talks with mindset coach, Courtnajé, about practical ways you can cultivate a mindset that supports you living your best fibro life. Courtnajé also shares from her personal health journey, including how her mindset practice has helped her navigate life with chronic health conditions, including a scary new diagnosis. For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/54.

Many of us started off 2020 with goals to end the year healthier and happier.... only to have a global pandemic mess up all our plans! For the last year, you may have had to set your own health aside to take care of kids who are now doing school at home. Or maybe you haven't had access to the types of therapies that have helped you feel your best. Maybe the stress of it all made your fibromyalgia worse.... or maybe you learned some things in 2020 that you want to carry forward into 2021. In this episode, Tami walks you through the process she uses to set her goals and intentions for the new year — and why she's not a fan of New Year's resolutions! This is the perfect time to reset and make your plan to make 2021 the year that you take back control of your life and health. For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/53.

Have you arrived at the end of the year wondering, "What just happened?" Are you thinking, "Next year will be different!".... but wondering exactly how you will make next year different? Good news! In this episode, Tami will teach you how to implement a year-end review process. This review will help you capture what worked from the year that's ending, including what you enjoyed, what worked, and what you want more of in the new year. You will also review what didn't work, what you want less of in the new year, and what kind of help you'll need to make those changes stick. Grab your journal, your favorite pen, and a cup of tea and settle in for your year-end review. In our next episode, we will begin creating the plan for you to have your best year ever next year! For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/52.

While 2020 has been a year of social isolation for everyone, many of us with fibromyalgia were already too familiar with isolation. Pain and fatigue often keeps us from enjoying social events and interferes with our relationships. In this episode, Tami interviews Jodi Taub, a psychotherapist with multiple chronic illnesses of her own, about how we can protect our mental health and cope with social isolation and the loss of our holidays — whether it was brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic or simply fibromyalgia. In addition, Jodi provides practical advice on how to know if it's just sadness vs. clinical depression and what steps to take to get the help you need. Jodi says, "We didn't choose to have our diseases, but we can choose to make things easier." For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/51.

In this Ask the Coach episode, Tami answers the question, "Should I take medication for fibromyalgia?" The good news is that there are many ways of treating fibromyalgia. It's not a choice between medication or nothing! Instead, you get to choose whether or not medication is the right choice for you AND if you want to try other treatment options. Tami gives six key points to consider as you make your choice. As always, anyone wishing assistance in this decision-making process should consider scheduling a consultation for more personalized assistance. For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/50.

You're going along fine and then BOOM! Fibromyalgia flare! You try to figure out what pushed you over the edge this time and it all seems so minor. But our mental, physical, and emotional capacity isn't defined by one thing. Instead, our capacity is more like a bucket. All the little — and big! — things go in the bucket and add up. If you're not careful, your bucket overflows and that's when you trigger a flare. The Bucket Theory is a way of understanding your capacity so that you can make better choices that lead to less pain, more energy, and fewer flare ups. For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/49.

There are things you know you don't know, like rocket science, maybe. But there are also many things that you don't know that you don't know, like your unconscious habits or how your body will respond to a particular fibromyalgia treatment option you never knew existed. In this special replay, Eva Minkoff, host of the [Human]care podcast, interviews Tami to uncover the two lowest points in Tami's fibromyalgia journey, the thing that turned it all around for her, and how she guides her clients into "knowing what you don't know." Be warned! There is a lot of laughter and fun in this episode! In fact, Tami describes this interview as one of the most fun interviews she's ever done! Enjoy! For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/48. Note: This interview was originally shared in April 2019 on the Invisible Not Broken podcast. Eva has recently launched her own podcast, [Human]care, and includes a re-issue of this episode.

Ever wish you had an owner's manual for your body? Something you could reference to see exactly what to do to keep your body feeling its best? Often, it seems like fibromyalgia symptoms create a guessing game of, "What did I do this time?" One minute you're fine, the next you've crossed the line into a fibromyalgia flare. In this episode, you'll learn how to write your very own owner's manual for your body. Tami calls this your "Book of You", a guide to managing your fibromyalgia symptoms and creating more predictable energy and pain levels. Included in this episode are prompts and examples to help you begin. For more information, the Getting To Know You worksheet, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/47.

Brain fog can be one of the most difficult fibromyalgia symptoms to treat. Many doctors don't know what to do with our brain fog and act as if it will take care of itself once our pain and fatigue is managed. However, there are many tips, tricks, and tools that you can use to set up your life so that brain fog has a smaller impact. In this episode, Tami shares her top ten brain fog tips and the tools she uses every day to stay on top of her business and personal life. All ten of these tips you can implement right now, today. No prescription or doctor required! For more information, free copies of Tami's books, and full show notes visit: FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/46.