The Intro

You probably hear the phrase “no pain, no gain” frequently and this has pretty much been what I’ve lived by, hence the blog title “Aches & Gains”. My name is Kirsten and I was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome hypermobility type and fibromyalgia after years of battling with widespread chronic pain from the age of 16. I am now 28 years old.

I took the leap and quit my job as a biomedical scientist to spend the last 7 months solo travelling across South East Asia (medication-free). This is something I previously never thought would be possible considering the plethora of pain medication I took daily, at times being unable to walk the length of myself unassisted. From the range of amazing people I have met during this trip, I shared my story with only a few. Now, I am sharing it with all of you.

Everyone I met was beyond shocked to discover that the apparent fit and healthy young woman standing before them was told at 20 years old, that in 3-5 years time she would likely be in a wheelchair. Reflecting on more difficult times definitely allows you the perspective to see how far you have come.

I am by no means claiming to be an expert, nor am I saying that what has worked for me will work for everyone else suffering from the same or similar conditions. I am all too aware of the varying severities of chronic pain disorders. However, if me sharing my journey inspires or gives hope to even one person, then I will be absolutely delighted.

Don’t be fooled, the road to recovery has absolutely not been easy. It has taken years of trial and error, extremely hard word and dedication, along with probably some stubbornness on my part. It hasn't been linear, either. There have been more ups and downs than I can count, and many times where I believed I was getting better only to end up back in bed, getting through each day solely due to my walking sticks and enough tramadol to put a hefty Clydesdale on its arse.

Am I cured? Technically, no. EDS is a condition I will need to live with and manage likely my whole life. But my quality of life has improved exponentially, and I deem myself as being fit and healthy (with the exception of Bali belly at the time of writing), but most importantly: happy. Words I never thought I would be able to use to describe myself 5 years ago.

I will be using this blog to document my journey, what has worked for me and what I have learned over the years. Discussing everything from diagnostic testing and assessments, medication and side effects, exercise and education, the importance of a strong support network and the accompanying mental health burden, to unhelpful advice from medical professionals and anything else I will inevitably ramble on about along the way.

So stay tuned or don’t, and if it doesn’t apply directly to you, then hopefully this will raise awareness of the difficulties faced by people living with chronic pain, perhaps affecting someone close to you. And if you’ve made it this far, then thank you very much for reading.

Much love, Kirsten xo