Fibromyalgia and me: my story
Author: Kerstin Goldstein
Last updated: 28. February 2025
Would you like to find out more about me and my own fibromyalgia story?
In this article I share my experiences. Feel free to share your own story with me by email. I’m always curious to hear what other people have experienced and put behind them.
That was the beginning …
Looking back, I realize I had symptoms of fibromyalgia as early as 2005 or 2011, though I wasn’t diagnosed until 2019.
In the mid-2000s, when we were living in Melbourne, Australia, I used to go jogging every week. One day, during a run, a sharp, burning pain suddenly shot through my right knee—so intense that I had to stop immediately. A few days later, I saw a doctor, but he couldn’t find anything wrong.
Weeks passed, then months, but my knee didn’t improve. Instead, the pain spread to my hips. Unsure what else to do, I followed a friend’s advice and tried osteopathy. It turned out to be a lifeline, easing my knee and hip pain enough that I kept up with regular treatments for two years—until we moved to Munich at the end of 2007.
The symptoms spread …
In April 2010, I opened my own boutique gym for women in Munich. At first, I was on fire, pouring my heart and soul into giving my “baby” the best possible start. I worked day and night, driven by passion and determination.
But by early 2011, I knew something wasn’t right. My wrists ached constantly. Over Christmas, we had sent handwritten cards to all our members, and I assumed the unusual amount of writing had caused the pain.
When the discomfort didn’t fade—and instead crept from my hands to my elbows, then to my shoulders—I sought medical advice. An orthopedic doctor and a hand specialist examined me, but neither found anything concerning. Still, following my orthopedist’s recommendation, I tried occupational therapy. It was pleasant, but ultimately, not very helpful.
Around that time, a troubling pattern emerged: every day, a different part of my body hurt. One day my hands, the next my knees, a few weeks later my calves—there was always something. Over the years, I often joked that I had a 10-visit pass for the MRI, just like others had for yoga classes. At this point, I don’t think there’s a part of my body that hasn’t been scanned. The results were always the same: nothing appeared to be wrong. But the pain was very real.
My relentless workload certainly didn’t help. I worked 60 to 70 hours a week, often seven days straight. Some days, I was at the gym for 13 hours, teaching up to seven fitness classes and squeezing in personal training sessions. I pushed through until my lease ended in March 2017—because I had no other choice. My body simply had to endure it.
Most days, I was so drained that it felt like my body was still in sleep mode while I was already at the gym. I had struggled with extreme sleep problems since 1997, but during my years running the gym, they reached a whole new level. I often went nights without a single moment of deep sleep, waking up feeling like I’d been hit by a truck.
Aside from my husband, almost no one knew what I was going through. My motto was simple: put on a smile and push through.
Thankfully, I had a compassionate GP who took my symptoms seriously. She ran countless tests, determined to uncover the reason for my extreme sleep issues and body pain. I went through sleep studies, gastrointestinal endoscopies, full blood panels, and thyroid checks. But aside from minor irregularities, there was no clear diagnosis.
Desperate for answers, I even tried behavioral therapy—twice—but it did nothing to improve my sleep.
Still, I refused to give up. Every few years, whenever my symptoms flared up particularly badly, I sought out new doctors, new treatments, new possibilities. I tried everything—acupuncture, massage, physiotherapy, alternative medicine, even professional gait analysis. I invested thousands of Euros in my health.
But the pain remained.
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Fast forward to September 2019 …
Since 2018, my husband and I had been living in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. The exhausting gym years were now two years behind me. I hadn’t undergone any special treatments since then, yet my joints still ached regularly—even without exertion—and my sleep hadn’t improved.
Despite no longer working 70-hour weeks at the gym and instead running a new business online from home, I felt permanently drained. My body seemed stuck in a state of half-sleep, and I had little energy for anything beyond sitting on the sofa or taking short walks.
Hoping to finally get some answers, I visited a neurologist to figure out why my forearms constantly felt like they were on fire. Unfortunately, the appointment led nowhere.
But I knew something was wrong. Since the neurology tests didn’t bring any clarity, I took matters into my own hands once again. After another deep dive into Dr. Google, I stumbled across a condition that matched my symptoms perfectly: fibromyalgia. I made an appointment with a rheumatologist, who confirmed my self-diagnosis.
Oddly enough, I felt relieved. Finally, the problem had a name.
My doctor believed that the first priority was improving my sleep. She prescribed amitriptyline along with magnesium, vitamin D, and Ayurvedic massages. Over the next two and a half years, my sleep gradually got better, my fatigue eased slightly, and my energy levels improved bit by bit. Most importantly, the brain fog—which had been particularly frustrating in 2019 and had led to many searches on Dr. Google—disappeared almost entirely.
But I was not satisfied …
My sleep was mediocre. So was my energy. On days when I had personal training clients or taught Pilates classes, I was completely drained after just one session. Every time I saw my doctor, I asked, “Is there something else I can try instead of amitriptyline?” or “Can we run some blood tests to see if something else is wrong?” But she always dismissed it as unnecessary. At the time, I still believed that, as a physician and fibro expert, she knew best—so I resigned myself to it.
By the summer of 2022, I had had enough. My body refused to do what I wanted, and I was determined to find a better way. That’s when I came across The Fibromyalgia Podcast by Tami Stackelhouse. A few episodes in, and I realized: there were FAR more options than what my rheumatologist had suggested.
Without hesitation, I stopped taking amitriptyline (without consulting my doctor—please don’t copy this!). Instead, I made a bold decision: I would train under the guidance of Tami Stackelhouse as a Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® at the International Fibromyalgia Coaching Institute (IFCI).
In just a few months of training in fall and winter 2022, I finally achieved restful sleep. My fatigue all but disappeared, and for the first time in years, I had real energy again. On many days, I even felt unstoppable—no comparison to how I had felt before.
How did I do it?
As part of my training, I worked closely with my own Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®, Micky, for seven months. She had fibromyalgia herself and knew what I was going through. Week after week, she guided me, challenged me, and held me accountable for making real changes.
That was the secret.
I needed someone who truly understood. Someone like Micky, who made it clear that if I wanted to feel better, my lifestyle had to change.
And to be honest, my lifestyle—at least in terms of exercise and nutrition—was already pretty good. After all, I had been working in the fitness industry for over 25 years. But I had to make some serious decisions, both professionally and personally.
Now, I know my triggers. I set better boundaries. And I’ve learned to use one of the most powerful word in my healing journey more often: NO.
If you want to learn more about my story with fibromyalgia, listen to the Fibromyalgia Podcast by Tami Stackelhouse Episode #101 “Stories of Hope and Healing” or watch the accompanying video.
And now? Status: January 2025
Let me be honest: I still have a few challenges that I’m constantly working on. My sleep could definitely be better. I have a persistent sore spot on my right leg that shifts between the outer thigh and my glutes. And on some days, when life has been particularly hectic, I feel drained—just normally tired, not completely wiped out.
But over the past few years, since my diagnosis in 2019 and my collaboration with the International Fibromyalgia Coaching Institute in 2022, so much has changed for me. Year after year, I’ve felt a little better.
The first big improvement was mental clarity. The brain fog lifted significantly, and I wasn’t constantly forgetting things anymore.
During our 5 years in Dubai, I started going on day hikes again. If you’ve followed my fitness Instagram over the years, you might have seen a post or two about the stunning mountain landscapes in the UAE. And until about a year ago, looking at my Instagram posts, you would not have noticed that I had fibromyalgia because I never publicly wrote about it.
In the second half of 2023, my husband and I took a seven-month sabbatical, traveling through 16 countries, including Australia, Colombia, Chile, and even Antarctica—an unforgettable experience.
Slowly but steadily, my activity tolerance increased. By spring 2024, I felt ready to commit to a major physical challenge: hiking to Everest Base Camp in Nepal that fall. Nine days at extreme altitude, in basic accommodations, with the ever-present risks of altitude sickness, digestive issues, and physical strain. And yet, I did it—without any major problems. I’m incredibly proud of what my body is now capable of.
I feel great. I feel at home in my body. I can do things that would have been unthinkable a few years ago.
If I can find a way to live well with fibromyalgia, so can YOU.
But let’s be clear: it doesn’t happen with the snap of a finger, through miracles, or by doing nothing. I have to show up for myself every single day—or at least regularly—to maintain the level of health and strength that allows me to do the things I love. I can’t just sit back and hope for the best. Like water shaping stone, consistent effort makes all the difference.
Conclusion: Hope – for you too!
Every person with fibromyalgia is different, each has different symptoms and focuses. But we can all improve our condition and our health. No, fibromyalgia cannot be cured (at least not yet). But you can manage to get your life back to the way you want it to be.
Does it happen overnight as if by magic? Certainly not. But step by step you will feel better. That’s why I’ve made it my mission as a fibromyalgia coach to help you feel better again. Let’s talk and see how I can help you on your way to a more relaxed life with fibromyalgia.
👉 Book your free initial consultation now. Together we will find your way to more lightness and joie de vivre!
