This Is Fibro. This Is Larry.

September is Pain Awareness Month.
And we’re not here to give you medical definitions or listicles about what pain can look like.
We’re here to give you something better: Larry.

If you’ve ever called HiDow, you might already know him. Larry’s been on the front lines of our support team for years. Customers love him because he’s kind, real, patient, and honest.

What most people don’t know? Larry also lives with fibromyalgia.
This is his story.

Before I Knew What It Was

Larry was 29 when he had surgery for a ruptured disc in his lower back. Recovery took years. By the summer of 2002, he was running again. That November, he finished a half-marathon in Kansas City.

The symptoms started the following year. Slowly at first, then all at once. Full-body pain that didn’t make sense. Soreness that lingered. Fatigue that never fully lifted. A body that felt like it was short-circuiting.

“It’s possible that my body had a traumatic response to the back surgery,” he says. “I started getting fibromyalgia symptoms in the middle of 2003.”

It would be years before anyone called it that. Until then, there was confusion. Disbelief. Pain that didn’t show up on scans.

Getting the Diagnosis

Larry’s mother also lived with fibromyalgia, which gave him a head start in understanding what was happening. “My diagnosis wasn’t as difficult as it would be for most people,” he says. “I had a pretty good idea what was happening around 2006.”

Still, it took five years and multiple doctors before his experience was given a name. In 2010, it was finally diagnosed.

“Even though my symptoms were obvious to me, it wasn’t apparent to the doctors I visited. But in 2009, I was able to begin taking Gabapentin, and that made a huge difference.”

A diagnosis didn’t fix it. But it helped him stop thinking he was imagining it.

What I’ve Tried

Larry’s tried it all: painkillers, physical therapy, muscle relaxers, rest, stretching, diet changes. Some things helped for a little while. Nothing worked across the board.

With fibromyalgia, it’s rare to find real relief without some kind of medication. The goal isn’t zero pain. It’s staying functional, staying sane, and getting through the day.

The pain doesn’t just stay in one place—it shifts. Feet, hands, shoulders. Then there’s the fatigue, which Larry says is the hardest part. “The chronic fatigue makes it hard to do even daily things like housework, shopping, or just being up and around.”

When Larry joined HiDow in 2018, he hadn’t used any of our products before. But once he did, they became part of his personal routine.

“It’s not possible to put gel pads on all the places I hurt. But I discovered that if I place them at the top of my shoulders, where my stress builds during the day, it brings my overall pain down,” he explains. “That shoulder tightness can be debilitating on its own, and this helps me manage it.”

Today, Larry’s the one people call when they need support. And that’s exactly why he’s so good at it. He remembers what that feels like. He doesn’t just know the tools. He knows the pain.

What I Wish People Knew

“My wife sees my pain. But at work, it’s a good day when no one notices,” Larry says. “Fibro is a silent illness. But some things are obvious. Stiff joints. The old-man groans when I stand up.”

He pauses, then smiles. “I’m not the only old guy in the office, so you’ll hear a few of us throughout the day.”

There’s no single way fibromyalgia looks. And no one with it wants to be defined by it. But there’s power in talking about it.

“Fibro is hard to explain,” he says. “You might know someone who has it, and that helps. But you won’t find names in the definition. Just symptoms. And everyone’s symptoms hit at different levels.”

This next part? It’s why we wanted Larry to tell this story:

That’s the truth of chronic pain, especially fibromyalgia. It’s not invisible. Just misunderstood. And stories like Larry’s help clear the fog.

Why This Story Matters

Pain Awareness Month isn’t about ribbons or hashtags. It’s about making space for people like Larry to be heard.

HiDow makes FDA-cleared, Class II medical devices for pain management and muscle stimulation. That includes TENS/EMS tools used by people living with chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia, arthritis, neuropathy, and more.

Are they a cure? No. But they can help. And when you’re living with daily pain, help matters.

Pain doesn’t always have a perfect fix.
But real tools, real relief, and real stories?
That’s a good place to start.

We’re starting with Larry.

If you’re navigating fibromyalgia or any kind of chronic pain,
we see you, and we’re here when you’re ready.