“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 life, the importance of processing emotions rather than suppressing them, the biological benefits of crying, how our beliefs about stress influence how stress affects our bodies, self-compassion and processing your feelings, the various forms of grief and why it’s not limited to situations involving death, coming to terms with the fact that we cannot fix everything, giving yourself space to process your emotions, what unapologetic self-care looks like, focusing on foundational self-care practices, seeking mental health support through counseling, meditation, and community, finding joy amidst the struggles, how understanding your Fibromyalgia Wellness Style℠ can help you to better manage your fibro, the role of a coach in navigating stress and uncertainties, holding onto hope as a guiding light during difficult times, borrowing hope from others who have overcome similar struggles, finding a supportive community to navigate challenges together, setting boundaries for personal well-being, navigating health insurance complexities, ableism and its impact on those with chronic illnesses, becoming an advocate for yourself in navigating healthcare systems, why educating yourself about fibromyalgia is crucial, and more.

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.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

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®.

“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 these conditions differ from each other, vestibular migraines and their connection to vertigo symptoms, medications such used to treat vertigo and their effects on patients, vestibular rehabilitation therapy and why it’s essential for recovery, specific exercises used in vestibular rehabilitation to improve balance, how the Epley maneuver helps with BPPV-related vertigo, what research shows about the benefits of whole body vibration for treating vertigo, Tami’s current medications (including Scopolamine (patch), Dramamine Less Drowsy (meclizine), Zofran (ondansetron), Phenergan (promethazine)), and more.

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.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

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 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, why she created an email newsletter to document her journey, the therapeutic value of sharing her experiences, how she managed the challenges of sharing her diagnosis, her decision to rely on her medical team rather than searching for information online, the fear of sharing personal stories and the uncertainty of others' reactions, surprising interactions she had with during her treatment, how she learned to handle different responses to her health updates, unexpected support and unsolicited advice she received during her treatment, the importance of sharing stories for both the storyteller and those who listen, how sharing her experience helped others in unexpected ways, why specific offers of assistance were much easier to accept, how to think about who receives personal updates during health challenges, why Meg chose to be transparent about her day-to-day experiences during treatment, the lessons she learned about accepting help from others, recognizing that fun and joy have an important place in healing, how storytelling can help to process fears and difficult experiences, writing as a therapeutic tool, the importance of expressing pain and emotions, how you can get started with sharing your story, preparing for and managing your response to others’ reactions to your stories, and more.

If you haven't come out of the closet, so to speak, about your fibromyalgia, Tami hopes this episode gives you some inspiration and some practical tips to try in sharing your story.

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.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

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®.