Dr. Ginevra Liptan – Fibromyalgia Podcast®

Episode 158: Powerful Partnerships: Changing The Face Of Fibromyalgia Education with Dr. Ginevra Liptan and Sharon Waldrop

April 22, 2025

When you receive a fibromyalgia diagnosis, it’s natural to wonder if things will ever get better. With the lack of fibro education in medical schools, many of us received our diagnosis alongside a statement that we “just have to learn to live with it”. With such a bleak prognosis, it‘s no wonder the road ahead becomes much more difficult.

The good news is, we can all feel better. A fulfilling life with fibromyalgia is possible, and recognizing that makes a significant difference. Far from the doom and gloom statements many of us have encountered, there is so much you can learn and do to improve your fibromyalgia symptoms. Even if you think you’ve tried it all, there’s always something else to try.

Today, Tami is joined by fibromyalgia educators and advocates, Dr. Ginevra Liptan and Sharon Waldrop. Dr. Ginevra and Sharon recently launched The Fibro Show on YouTube as part of their mission to spread awareness and empower people living with fibromyalgia. They’re sharing their fibro journeys and sharing resources you can access to improve your life with fibromyalgia.

In this conversation, Dr. Ginevra, Sharon, and Tami discuss Dr. Ginevra’s progress since her last time as a guest, her decision to create a YouTube show, Sharon’s fibromyalgia journey and the challenges she faced at a young age, her decision to form the Fibromyalgia Association and how it has evolved, the difficulties she faced in finding adequate support after her diagnosis, the important recognition that a fulfilling life is possible despite her fibromyalgia diagnosis, Dr. Ginevra and Sharon’s mission for The Fibro Show, how the Fibromyalgia Association expanded into a national community with international reach, the need for support groups to focus on education and actionable solutions, plans for the upcoming Fibromyalgia Awareness Day Conference, what you can expect to experience at the virtual conference, actionable strategies for self-care, why sponsors are critical, the advantages of virtual events for accessibility and comfort for people with fibro, what it’s been like creating a YouTube show for fibromyalgia education, upcoming interviews and the format of the new YouTube show, why collaboration is crucial to enhance awareness and support in the fibromyalgia community, funding issues for fibromyalgia initiatives and the need for financial support, educating healthcare providers about fibromyalgia, Tami’s experience speaking to medical students about pain and fibromyalgia awareness, the lack of fibro education in the medical school curriculum, Dr. Ginevra’s plans for the next stage of her career, making space for new experiences and personal growth, Sharon’s upcoming plans and her focus on menopause coaching, the overlap between menopause and fibromyalgia symptoms in women, upcoming Fibromyalgia Awareness Day events in the US and Europe, and more.

If you have ever felt alone in your fibromyalgia or frustrated at the lack of awareness and resources, this episode is for you.

Episode 117: Is Fibromyalgia an Autoimmune Disorder? with Dr. Ginevra

September 26, 2023

“Whenever there’s a lot of interest and dollars put into fibromyalgia research, patients only stand to benefit.” – Dr. Ginevra Liptan

During the pandemic, a potentially game-changing research article showed us that the immune system is involved in creating fibromyalgia pain. The results of this study were remarkable and began to address one of the most common questions about fibromyalgia – whether it is an autoimmune condition. It’s a huge question and an important one for us to keep asking because, at the end of the day, we need more research.

For this episode, Tami interviews Dr. Ginevra Liptan, fibromyalgia specialist and author of The Fibro Manual and The Fibro Food Formula. Tami and Dr. Ginevra discuss the game-changing mouse antibody study that showed the involvement of the immune system in fibromyalgia pain and the potential autoimmune component, how the study could potentially change the treatment approach for fibromyalgia, why Dr. Ginevra is hopeful for significant progress within a decade, fibromyalgia as an orphan disease that no speciality wants to claim, the relationship between antibodies and fibromyalgia symptoms, Dr. Ginevra’s hypothesis on how and why central sensitization is triggered in fibromyalgia, the complexity of the immune system and the challenges in understanding it, the misconception that inflammation is not involved in fibromyalgia, potential benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for fibromyalgia and other conditions, the upcoming Stanza app which uses behavioral therapy techniques to calm the fight or flight response, Tonix pharmaceuticals’ phase three trial for a new fibromyalgia medication, exploring the possibility of transmitting fibromyalgia symptoms through blood donation, the search for effective fibromyalgia treatments, how to navigate the overwhelming and confusing nature new fibromyalgia research, the role of intuition and personal research in choosing treatment, recognizing that there is no magic bullet solution, why we advocate for combining different approaches for better results, and more.

Episode 113: Help Your Doctor Help You with Dr. Ginevra Liptan

August 1, 2023

As patients, we must take control of some aspects of our health care to get what we need.

Many fibromyalgia patients are familiar with the feeling that we know more about fibromyalgia than our healthcare providers do. How can you get help from someone who knows less about your condition than you? When you combine that feeling with the broken healthcare system in the US and things like fibro fog, many of us leave our appointments feeling like we’re no better off than when we went in.

Today’s episode is a segment from our July Fibromyalgia Stories of Hope and Healing event featuring our special guest commencement speaker, Dr. Ginevra Liptan. In her speech, Dr. Ginevra breaks down the three main friction points and how you, as a patient, can help overcome them and help your doctor to help you.

Dr. Ginevra discusses the knowledge gap between healthcare providers and patients and how it impacts fibromyalgia treatment, challenges of the fragmented and struggling US healthcare system, how fibro fog and other fibro factors affect the patient-doctor interaction, how resources like The FibroManual can help you bring the correct information to your provider, taking a curious, collaborative approach to your relationship with your healthcare provider, Dr. Ginevra’s tips for getting around the fragmented and siloed healthcare system, why you might want to request an extended appointment, the benefits of telemedicine especially for fibromyalgia patients, how you can maximize your appointment time regardless of fibro fog, why you should consider tracking your symptoms, taking control of certain aspects of your healthcare to ensure you receive the necessary support and treatment, and more.

In addition to these tips, studies have shown that the more you work with a coach, the better your results will be. A Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® can help you prepare for your doctor visits and implement what your doctor has asked you to do. You don’t have to take this journey alone.

Episode 106: When Life Implodes with Dr. Ginevra Liptan

April 11, 2023

Fibromyalgia can feel like an endless taking away of things. Whether you’re newly diagnosed and struggling to find your way, or you think you have it all figured out, boom, life happens.

We’ve all had hopes and dreams that ultimately died or were taken away. Living your best life doesn’t mean avoiding anything terrible happening – that’s impossible. Instead, the key is knowing how to take care of yourself when life implodes.

For this episode, Tami interviewed Dr. Ginevra Liptan, fibromyalgia specialist and author of The Fibro Manual and the Fibro Food Formula. While in medical school, Dr. Ginevra was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and has since devoted her career to helping other fibro patients. With all her expertise, it’s easy to assume her fibro would be permanently under control, but none of us are immune from life’s ups and downs. In this conversation, Tami and Dr. Ginevra discuss how Dr. Ginevra’s life fell apart during the pandemic, dealing with the worst fibro flare since she first got sick, the power of reconnecting with your deeper purpose, Dr. Ginevra’s drive to help people with fibromyalgia, giving yourself the grace to slowly build the pattern of accomplishing things, figuring out who you are after your diagnosis, finding meaning and direction from the pain, how Frida Kahlo has inspired Dr. Ginevra, why therapy was life-changing after her divorce, how to separate your vision from your purpose, what it was like for Dr. Ginevra to lose the Freedom Center so close to getting her divorce, the struggle to find a new identity after a life implosion, why Dr. Ginevra doesn’t identify with the typical Western medical doctor-patient dynamic, the terrible experience Dr. Ginevra had when taking her son to the doctor to investigate potential fibro symptoms, her work to help other doctors improve their standard of care for fibro patients, how you can help your doctor help you, why so many primary care doctors are burned out, the magic combination of a fibromyalgia health coach with a fibromyalgia doctor, Dr. Ginevra’s message for anyone dealign with a life implosion, and more.

If you’re struggling on your fibro journey, Tami hopes today’s interview will help you feel less alone. Be kind to yourself, take advantage of every available resource, and take small steps toward your goals. Brighter days are possible, and there can be a silver lining to the clouds you face.

Episode 18: CBD for Fibromyalgia with Dr. Ginevra Liptan

September 3, 2019 00:59:13

CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is one of the active ingredients found in the cannabis plant. As a non-psychoactive component, CBD will not alter your brain or make you feel “high”. It does, however, affect your body. In this episode, we’ll talk about those effects specific to the fibromyalgia body. Should you talk to your doctor about using CBD? Dr. Ginevra Liptan will offer insight from a medical standpoint and provide resources to help further your own research.

Episode 05: What is Fibromyalgia? Part 2 with Dr. Ginevra Liptan

April 3, 2019

Dr. Ginevra Liptan had to keep her own diagnosis secret, in fear of being harshly judged by her peers in medical school. While we have come a long way from the stigma that was once attached to fibromyalgia, there are still far too many of us suffering in silence. In this episode, Dr. Liptan sheds light on the latest research and treatment options that give her hope.