I’m the author of Hurting Like Hell, Living with Gusto: My Battle with Chronic Pain. My book won a 2018 gold Florida Authors and Publishers President’s Book award. Click here for more information.
I’m a multi-sport athlete who loves almost anything that makes my body move. I believe humans are meant to be in constant motion when awake. I’m that annoying person who bounces her leg under the table at dinner.
I’ve been in pain for years. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in May 2013, and while the diagnosis provided answers, there are no perfect solutions to the pain. Muscle spasms are my worst enemy.
I’ve made a ton of lifestyle modifications in recent years, and most have helped me function better as an athlete and an everyday mortal. I’ve gotten stronger and more knowledgeable by never giving up on looking for solutions.
I’m not dispensing medical advice on this site, nor am I qualified to do so. As with all things, talk to your doctor(s) before trying anything new. My only intention is to share my story and get input from others.
Great philosophy
Thank you, Lee! I appreciate your readership and support. 🙂
Hi there, I am glad I found your blog and will follow with interest for motivation! I too have fibromyalgia (diagnosed about May/June 2013 too after 9 years of pain and countless visits to physio’s/doctors/specialists etc). I wouldn’t classify myself as an athlete at all, but my dream has been to do a marathon (I did a 1/2 about 6 years back and a few smaller races since) and my goal is to do this in March next year. It may be a crazy dream for this 40yr old Mum, but I am determined to do it! Some days it seems impossible even though my mind and willpower tells me it should be possible! So thanks for the motivation and inspiration! All the best! 🙂 Michelle
Michelle,
Good luck with your marathon training! I’ve only ever run a half marathon. I really enjoyed the training (not so much the race, since it started at 6 a.m., LOL). I would give almost anything to feel well enough right now to train for another race. Enjoy every minute that you can run! Thanks for reading my site.
-Fibro Athlete
Hello, nice to “meet” you. I’m glad I came across your blog as it is so nice to read about someone so active and getting on regardless of fibro. I look forward to reading your posts. Take care.
I was just recently diagnosed. At 19 years old and it’s changing my life. It’s been over a year sine I did a Tri, and I just want to go back to being able to do that. I didn’t value it enough in the past.
Girl and pup, I’m sorry to hear that. I hope you’re able to get back to your active life soon! Thank you for reading and commenting. Best of luck to you.
Hi,I’m glad I’ve found your blog its inspiring.I was diagnosed ten years ago and this is the worst pain I have ever been in.I must admit I’ve not done much to help myself,and have only just decided I must move it or loose it.I’m taking up yoga,boxing and will try to jog.Thanks for your inspiration,take care x
Donna,
You can do it! Good for you for deciding to do something to help yourself. Thank you for reading. 🙂
Brilliant Blog.
Please keep it going. I have been suffering from fibromyalgia for the past 3 years. I was a regular swimmer and cyclist commuting 30 miles a day by bicycle and weekly xc mountain biking. I am intrigued how hard it was for you to move to vegan.
Thanks Simon
Simon, most days are easy as a vegan now. Restaurants and friends’ houses are the hardest, but most people understand my diet, especially when I explain that I am vegan primarily to relieve pain and inflammation. I have to make sure I don’t lose too much weight, which means I eat frequently. Frozen bananas make an excellent base for a milkshake-like treat from the blender. Best of luck to you, and thanks for reading!
Hi there! I’m excited that I found your site. I have been suffering from Fibromyalgia for almost 8 years. It took me over 6 years to get to the point where I am right now, medication free and exercising regularly. I have had ups and downs in the last 2 years but I am determined to complete a half marathon! Training is slow but progressive. I am excited to follow you and your experiences. Thank you for sharing!
Amie, I’m glad you found my site, too! Congratulations on being free of medication. I know that’s not easy. I ran a half marathon in 2011. Best of luck in your training! Make sure to stay hydrated. I’ve found that pure coconut water is good for the longer days, especially in warm weather. Let me know how your training progresses! 🙂
Thrilled to find your blog. I was a competitive powerlifter, winning most of the competitions I was in, and started developing fibromyalgia symptoms two years into my competitive powerlifting….but because of all the lifting, no doctors took my pain seriously. After two years of zero lifting with my pain only increasing and severe muscle spasms plaguing my hands and feet and knees and neck…I finally got a referral to a Rheumatologist who could see the bigger picture and was properly diagnosed. But I find my exercise options are severely limited. While I can walk up to 2 hours a day, even engaging in bodyweight low-impact strength exercises leaves me desperate for sleep later in the day and occasionally minor flare-ups.
Ginger, thank you for reading and commenting! I’m sorry you’ve had a hard time with fibromyalgia and doctors. I have similar issues with doctors not knowing what to do for me because I exercise through pain rather than lying around popping pills. It’s almost like they think a body isn’t really in pain if it’s moving! I’m glad you found a rheumatologist and that you’re able to walk some. Are you taking any medications? I’m still avoiding prescriptions, but I did cave to a steroid shot last week. Best of luck to you!
Ginger, that’s exactly what happens to me too. I am a group ex instructor and I lift weights, but everytime I try to be consistent with intense weight training, I end up so exhausted on most days that I can’t do anything else like household chores, paying bills, etc. because I’m so so tired and can’t think straight. Even taking a shower and brushing my teeth feels like a monumental task. (Actually, I feel like that even on days I haven’t trained as well, which is extremely frustrating). All I feel like I can do is take a nap and when I do, I sometimes feel like my lungs are so tired they don’t want to do the work of breathing. ugh
Veronica, how’s your diet? I’ve had to tweak mine constantly to stay feeling okay. I gave up dairy and wheat and felt a lot better.
Wow. I googled “athletes with fibromyalgia” and your blog popped up. I too am a very active person who has been derailed by pain off and on and finally diagnosed as fibromyalgia. I look forward to exploring your site and finding natural, healthy solutions to this road block in my extremely active/healthy lifestyle. 🙂
Danielle,
Thank you for reading my blog and contacting me. I’m sorry to hear of your diagnosis. My best advice is to do what you think is best for yourself. I’ve had doctors and well-meaning people give me tons of advice over the years, and often their advice conflicts from doc to doc. I’ve found that if I make my own path and use their advice as exactly that– advice rather than absolute truth– it’s helpful in making choices that work for me. Best of luck to you!
Stumbled across your blog after receiving my official fibro diagnosis today. I’ve been an athlete on and off for many years, much less so since my symptoms started a few years ago. Your story gives me hope… I, too, am a runner, triathlete, backpacker… Symptoms and injuries have taken me many steps back from where I was, but I’m glad to know that it is possible to keep doing what we love. I look forward to following your continued journey!
Erin, try to take charge of your life and your health. Being my own body’s boss and not allowing too much outside input to determine my decisions has been helpful. I’m a big fan of collecting tons of advice and information, but also of ultimately making my own decision. If I’d followed certain doctors’ orders, I’d be a miserable pill addict and maybe even had unnecessary surgery. As with all occupations, some of them know what they’re doing, and some of them don’t. Good luck to you!
Have you guys heard of Auroral Colello? She is a woman that was diagnosed with MS and going blind, but she went to a holistic center called Center of Advanced Medicine in Encinitas, Ca and she ended up revearsing everything and now she’s successful marathon, etc. I’m gonna call them asap and try to get help from them too. If you want to check out her story go to http://www.auroracolello.com. I’ll let you know how it goes! I’m so sick of being exhausted and not being able to accomplish my dreams. I’ve been just doing my own research and trying different natural approaches but I think I need some professional guidance at this point. I want to figure out exactly what’s going on with me.
Veronica, thanks for sharing! I’ll have to check out the link you sent. I hope you get some answers and feel better.
I just found your blog after searching for athletes with fibromyalgia. It is so motivating to see how determined you are and your commitment to pursue what truly matters to you.
I have had FM for 28 years and was active (hiking, rollerblading, skating, skiing) for 22 years. In the last 5-6 years things changed dramatically for me (not for the best) and I have been on a quest to get back to where I was ever since.
Looking forward to following your blog and finding some insights. Best luck to you.
I used to have those mind numbing headaches for a long, long time. I can send you some information on interventional pain management if you are interested.
Chris, thank you for reading my blog! I’m sorry you’ve had pain for so long. I’m currently seeing a pain management specialist but usually refuse most of his treatments. I had Botox injections for muscle spasms several times, plus steroid/anesthetic injections in my neck, but the side effects were never worth the slight improvement the procedures provided. I’m glad you’ve found something that works for you. Please share whatever you feel comfortable sharing! 🙂
Hi, I just found your blog when I googled fibromyalgia & running. I was diagnosed at 19 and am now 35. I was never much of an athlete, and the fibro certainly didn’t help. I never appreciated my body before like I do now and started exercising more after I was diagnosed. I began with yoga and visited a naturopath after the meds of conventional doctors made me have other problems. I’m a newbie runner. I started running about 2 years ago & then gallbladder removal, pregnancy, my wonderful son and annoying diastasis rectii made me stop until I recently started back. It’s encouraging to me that you are running with fibro and writing about it. Thanks, and I will continue to read! We’ve got this! (Both the fibro and the willingness to not let it run us!)
Maria, thanks for the information. I’m glad you’ve been able to start running again. It’s great for the mental issues that come with fibromyalgia. Best of luck to you! 🙂
hi, great blog 🙂
I was diagnosed with rheumatoid Arthritis 5yrs ago but recently found out that this had significantly improved but the pain I’m experiencing is fibromyalgia. the good news is that fibro won’t damage my joints long term like RA can. anyway I’m also recovering from a myomectomy (removal of fibroids) I had one removed that was the size of a bag of sugar. it was big and painful.
so now I’m healing and will be back at work in two weeks I think it’s time to think of myself as someone who can be active again. I’ve ordered a fitbit and will be getting back to walking regularly. I think I’ll also get back to a wheat,dairy and processed sugar free diet cause I felt good doing that.
so thanks again for the motivation I needed 🙂
Hello,
I’ve always loved to be outside moving too. Because of chronic hip pain I can no longer run, used to do marathons and even an ultra. As a result, I cycle a lot. I can work with pain, but in the past 9 months, I’ve found my legs getting heavier and heavier, and it just seems like I can’t go as fast, or as far, and I’m much more sore afterwards. It’s a bit distressing. I haven’t been able to push through it, like when I am climbing hills, my legs just won’t go. Have you had this experience? I’m not sure how to work with it.
Thanks
Kate
Kate, I haven’t had the heavy-legged feeling you’re describing, but I’m sure it sucks for you. Have you gotten a good massage? Sometimes I feel like lactic acid is built up in my muscles and a good-quality massage helps a lot (and so does drinking enough water). Good luck to you! 🙂
Can you still swim in college with fibromyalgia
I imagine it’s person-to-person for what someone can and can’t do, but swimming is great exercise and almost non-impact.