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Send us a text with a question or thought on this episode ( We cannot replay from this link) What if the reason pelvic pain won’t budge isn’t another mystery lesion, but a pressure problem hiding in plain sight inside your veins? We’re back with Dr. Brooke Spencer, board-certified interventional radiologist and venous disease specialist, to talk through the questions that come right after diagnosis: when iliac vein stenting makes sense, what a high-quality workup looks like, and why May-Thurner syndrome, nutcracker syndrome, and pelvic venous insufficiency can mimic everything from endometriosis to bladder disease. We get concrete about the procedure itself: venography, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) measurements, how hydration can change vein sizing by millimeters, and the real-world risk profile patients worry about most (migration, clotting, back pain). Dr. Spencer also shares what she’s seeing with newer venous stent techniques, why EDS fears don’t always match the data, and how a newer non-opioid pain option (Journavx) may change recovery for people who have already been through too much. Then we connect the bigger dots: positional pelvic pressure, POTS-like symptoms, mast cell activation and histamine pathways, long COVID inflammation and microclotting, and pelvic floor varices that may contribute to pudendal neuralgia, vulvodynia, and painful intercourse. We also talk about building better patient education and access through the Sapphire nonprofit and why multidisciplinary decision-making matters, especially for younger patients and severe disability. If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with someone stuck in the chronic pelvic pain loop, and leave a review so more patients can find these leads. Support the show Website endobattery.com Instagram: EndoBattery

Send us a text with a question or thought on this episode ( We cannot replay from this link) What if the “mystery” behind chronic pelvic pain isn’t another diagnosis—but a blood-flow problem that was never fully evaluated? In this episode of Endo Battery, we sit down with Dr. Brooke Spencer, a board-certified interventional radiologist and venous disease specialist, to explore the often-overlooked world of vascular compression syndromes and pelvic venous disorders. We break down May-Thurner syndrome (iliac vein compression), Nutcracker syndrome (left renal vein compression), and pelvic venous disorders—including why the term “pelvic congestion syndrome” can sometimes create more confusion than clarity. Dr. Spencer explains how impaired venous flow can cause blood to reroute through collateral veins and why vascular problems may show up as symptoms that seem completely unrelated to the vascular system—including pelvic pain, nausea, hip and back pain, bladder and bowel symptoms, leg discomfort, fatigue, and other difficult-to-explain symptoms. We also discuss the potential overlap between vascular compression, hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS), POTS, dysautonomia, and long COVID, including how venous pooling and impaired venous return may contribute to symptoms such as brain fog, headaches, fatigue, heat intolerance, and orthostatic symptoms. And then we get practical. What can standard imaging actually see? What can it miss? Why might venography with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) provide information that other imaging does not? And how do physicians determine when venous compression is clinically significant enough to consider treatment such as a venous stent? We also talk honestly about the evolving evidence surrounding venous stenting, patient selection, treatment thresholds, and why long-term data—particularly in younger patients—is still developing. If you have endometriosis or chronic pelvic pain and have ever wondered, “Does endometriosis really explain all of this?” this conversation offers another piece of the diagnostic puzzle—not a promise of a hidden diagnosis, but a framework for asking better questions and knowing what may deserve further evaluation. This episode is about expanding the differential, understanding your vascular anatomy, and becoming a more informed participant in your own care. Subscribe to Endo Battery for evidence-based conversations about endometriosis, chronic illness, pelvic pain, and the complicated systems that can intersect with them. Charging our lives when Endometriosis drains us. Support the show Website endobattery.com Instagram: EndoBattery

Send us a text with a question or thought on this episode ( We cannot replay from this link) What if the question running through your mind every time a new symptom appears isn’t “What is this?”—but “Am I in pain, or am I in danger?” When you live with chronic pain, endometriosis, pelvic pain, EDS, PCOS, Hashimoto’s, MCAS, or other overlapping conditions, your nervous system can learn to treat every new sensation like an emergency. After years of delayed diagnosis, medical trauma, and having your symptoms dismissed, that fear makes complete sense. But what if there’s another way to respond? In this Quick Connect episode of Endo Battery, we’re joined by Dr. Taylor Reyes, a licensed physical therapist and board-certified functional manual therapist, to explore the connection between chronic pain, the brain, the nervous system, movement, and healing. We unpack the “onion layers” of healing and why symptoms can change, move, or show up differently as your body and nervous system evolve. Dr. Reyes explains how to distinguish pain from signs of true medical danger without dismissing or minimizing what you feel. We also explore a powerful cognitive behavioral therapy grounding statement: “I’m in pain, but I’m not in danger.” And we get practical about what you can actually do when pain shows up—including gentle therapeutic movement, working within a pain-free or tolerable range of motion, understanding the difference between sharp pain and safe discomfort, and using a forceful exhale to create core support and make movement feel more comfortable. Plus, we talk about another layer that can complicate the picture for many people in their late 20s and 30s: perimenopause, changing hormones, and new or shifting symptoms. If you’ve ever felt afraid of your own body because you don’t know what the next pain, sensation, or symptom means, this conversation is for you. In this episode, we discuss: • Chronic pain and the brain • Pain neuroscience and the nervous system • Endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain • EDS, PCOS, Hashimoto’s and MCAS • Why symptoms can shift over time • The difference between pain and medical danger • “I’m in pain, but I’m not in danger” • Retraining chronic pain patterns • Cognitive behavioral therapy and pain • Therapeutic movement and pain-free range of motion • Sharp pain vs. safe discomfort • Breathing, exhalation and core support • Pelvic health and physical therapy • Perimenopause and changing symptoms • Building trust in your body again 🎧 Press play, subscribe to Endo Battery, and share this episode with someone who needs a different way to think about chronic pain. And if this conversation helped you, leave a review—it helps more people find the information, validation, and community they deserve. Endo Battery is here to help you recharge your knowledge, challenge outdated thinking, and navigate endometriosis, chronic pain, pelvic health, and life with chronic illness. Support the show Website endobattery.com Instagram: EndoBattery

Send us a text with a question or thought on this episode ( We cannot replay from this link) We talk with Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani about why neurodivergent people with chronic illness can miss hunger cues, struggle with meal planning, and feel overwhelmed by fullness. We connect the dots between sensory experience, shame, and restriction, then look at how treating ADHD can make nourishment feel more doable.  • how neurodivergence changes hunger cues and interoception  • sensory factors like texture, smell, and fullness that can drive avoidance  • why the system is built around neurotypical expectations  • how shame builds when bright kids cannot fit the mold  • the focus myth of restriction and the real cost of malnutrition  • why disordered eating is biopsychosocial, not an appetite problem  • how ADHD treatment can reduce self-medication through restriction or caffeine  Support the show Website endobattery.com Instagram: EndoBattery

Send us a text with a question or thought on this episode ( We cannot replay from this link) Does endometriosis really “come back” after surgery? And what if what we call recurrence isn’t always recurrence at all? In this episode of Endo Battery, we sit down with Professor Gaby Moawad, a globally recognized leader in robotic gynecologic surgery and endometriosis management, for an honest conversation about one of the biggest questions patients face after treatment: Can endometriosis come back? Dr. Moawad explains why endometriosis recurrence remains so poorly understood, why researchers still struggle to clearly define different disease subtypes, and how genetics, inflammation, immune factors, gene expression, and the extent of disease can all influence what happens after treatment. We also unpack the difference between recurrence and persistent endometriosis, why surgery alone may not be the entire long-term treatment strategy, and why patients deserve realistic information instead of false reassurance. If you’ve ever searched: • Does endometriosis come back after surgery? • Can endometriosis return after excision? • What causes endometriosis recurrence? • How successful is endometriosis surgery? • Can endometriosis be completely removed? • What happens after endometriosis surgery? • How do you prevent endometriosis from coming back? This conversation is for you. Because managing endometriosis isn’t just about treating today’s pain. It’s about understanding the disease, knowing what science actually tells us, and asking better questions about your long-term care. 🎙️ Listen to the full conversation on Endo Battery. Subscribe, share, and leave a review so more people living with endometriosis can find evidence-informed answers. #Endometriosis #EndometriosisAwareness #EndometriosisSurgery #EndometriosisRecurrence #ExcisionSurgery #ChronicPain #EndoWarrior #EndoBattery Support the show Website endobattery.com Instagram: EndoBattery

Send us a text with a question or thought on this episode ( We cannot replay from this link) Your doctor says your endometriosis “isn’t that bad” and you try to believe them. Then you learn the truth: organs fused together, years of pain explained in a single moment, and a realization that the system didn’t just miss your diagnosis, it trained you to doubt yourself. We’re joined by Deb Stark, founder of Wulf Woman, who shares the turning point that changed everything: bringing her surgical photos to an endometriosis specialist who could immediately name what others overlooked. From there, we talk about the brutal gap between what patients experience and what many clinicians are taught, why people end up having to convince doctors to investigate chronic pelvic pain, and how “normal tests” can still coexist with severe endometriosis. Deb breaks down how she turns scattered endometriosis research into practical education, including tools for consultation questions, surgery preparation, and informed consent. We also dig into her Wulf Woman Endometriosis Surgeon Directory, a community-powered project that helps patients research providers using public sources, PubMed work, treatment approach clues, and real patient experiences without pay-to-play listings. Along the way, we explore symptoms that don’t always get linked to endometriosis, like itching and histamine issues, plus the role of pelvic floor therapy, EMDR, and nervous system healing after years of chronic illness. If you’ve ever felt lost, dismissed, or overwhelmed by conflicting advice, this conversation offers a clearer path forward. Subscribe, share with someone who needs better answers, and leave us a review with the biggest takeaway you’re bringing into your next appointment. Support the show Website endobattery.com Instagram: EndoBattery

Send us a text with a question or thought on this episode ( We cannot replay from this link) We talk with pelvic health occupational therapist Karla Ehlers about why uncertainty can dysregulate the nervous system and make pelvic pain feel even harder. We share a clearer map of fight or flight, shutdown, and social safety so you can choose support that actually matches what your body needs.  • noticing early signs of dysregulation and building functional awareness  • understanding sympathetic activation, dorsovagal shutdown, and ventral vagal safety  • choosing grounding tools when anxiety spikes and safe movement when you feel stuck  • using co-regulation and group support to create nervous system safety  • recognizing neuroception and how clinics, partners, and family cues affect pain  Do you have more questions? Keep them coming. Send them in, and I'll bring you the expert answers. You can send them in by using the link in the top of the description of this podcast episode or by emailing contact at indobattery.com or visiting the Indobattery.com contact page. Support the show Website endobattery.com Instagram: EndoBattery

Send us a text with a question or thought on this episode ( We cannot replay from this link) We talk with Dr. Canio Martinelli about why endometriosis and pelvic pain get dismissed and how medical education can train future OBGYNs to reason better, listen better, and act sooner. We also dig into AI, global collaboration, and the research pipeline that could finally clarify endometriosis mechanisms if funding and integrity stay front and center.  • why women’s health care lags behind when research and training start from male-based evidence  • how clinical reasoning breaks down when protocols replace curiosity and context  • using AI as a tool to scale better reasoning without losing human responsibility  • Brain Circulation and training residents through excision surgery exposure, pelvic floor PT, advocates, and patient voice  • why listening is a core clinical skill that improves diagnosis, trust, and tailored care  • Italy vs United States advocacy culture and how systems shape patient expectations  • translational research, and why endometriosis biology needs more clean funding  • where to follow the work through SHRO and peer-reviewed publications on PubMed  continue advocating for you and for others! Support the show Website endobattery.com Instagram: EndoBattery

Send us a text with a question or thought on this episode ( We cannot replay from this link) We talk about what it feels like when your body becomes unpredictable and you stop feeling safe inside it. With pelvic health occupational therapist Karla Ehlers, we share how nervous system support and pre-surgery planning can create steadier recovery and more confidence.  • naming the link between unpredictability, fear, and nervous system dysregulation  • building safety in the body as an individualized skill  • preparing for excision surgery by finding baseline movements that feel good  • avoiding random new exercises post-op by using familiar go-to tools  • using vagus nerve strategies while also addressing what still feels unsafe  • leaning on predictability as a form of nervous system support  Do you have more questions? Keep them coming. Send them in, and I'll bring you the expert answers. You can send them in by using the link in the top of the description of this podcast episode or by emailing contact at indobattery.com or visiting the Indobattery.com contact page.  Support the show Website endobattery.com Instagram: EndoBattery

Send us a text with a question or thought on this episode ( We cannot replay from this link) “Unexplained infertility” can feel like a dead end, especially after you’ve done everything you were told to do and the embryo transfers still don’t stick. We sit down with Dr. Sadikah Behbehani, a double board certified fertility doctor and minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon, to talk through a reality many patients never hear clearly: endometriosis is frequently the hidden cause behind infertility, recurrent implantation failure, miscarriages, and years of confusion, even when pain is mild and imaging looks normal. We get practical about the decision points patients face every day. How do you screen for endometriosis when fertility workups focus on sperm, tubes, ovulation, and “normal” ultrasounds? Why is laparoscopy with expert excision still the only definitive diagnosis, and why does surgeon skill change what gets found, treated, and prevented from recurring? Dr. Behbehani explains how inflammation and scarring can interfere with fertilization and implantation, how endometriomas can affect ovarian response, and why age and timing often matter more than any single lab result, including AMH. We also tackle the hardest planning questions: whether to do IVF before surgery or after surgery, why IVF medications can flare endometriosis pain without clear evidence of worsening disease stage, and when GnRH agonists like Lupron make sense for embryo transfer versus egg retrieval. We discuss symptom management when surgery has to wait, plus nuanced medication decisions including cannabis use, SSRIs, and newer weight loss drugs, with an emphasis on individualized care rather than rigid rules. If you’re trying to protect your fertility while living with endometriosis or adenomyosis, share this with someone who needs clearer options, then subscribe and leave a review so more patients can find it. What decision are you facing right now: surgery first, IVF first, or egg freezing as a backup? Support the show Website endobattery.com Instagram: EndoBattery

Send us a text with a question or thought on this episode ( We cannot replay from this link) Your pelvic floor might be doing its job a little too well. When stress hits, many of us brace without noticing and that tension can land deep in the core, shaping everything from pelvic pain to how safe we feel in our own body. We sit down with Karla Ehlers, a pelvic health occupational therapist and founder of Ocupelvic Health and Wellness, to connect the dots between nervous system states and pelvic floor dysfunction in a way that feels practical, human, and doable. We talk about the pain cycle: fear and past trauma can trigger a protective “guarding” response, which ramps up the sympathetic nervous system, which then feeds more pain and more threat. Karla explains why fight or flight is not the villain, we need it for energy and everyday function, but we also need an off-ramp back to parasympathetic regulation. You will hear concrete examples of where people hold tension most, including pelvic floor tightening, jaw clenching, upper ab gripping, and glute squeezing, plus how sensory stress like constant noise can push the body further into dysregulation. We also dig into interoception, the skill of sensing what is happening inside your body. Chronic pelvic pain, chronic stress, and neurodivergence can make those signals either harder to read or so loud that everything feels like danger. Carla offers a steadier approach: build functional awareness first, notice early signals before they reach 10 out of 10, and practice small releases that support lasting change. If this quick, focused conversation helps, subscribe for more expert insights, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find support. Support the show Website endobattery.com Instagram: EndoBattery

Send us a text with a question or thought on this episode ( We cannot replay from this link) Waiting for a perfect diagnosis can cost your child months or years of support at school, and Dr. Sarah Cohen Solomon wants families to know they don’t have to wait. I sit down with Dr. Cohen Solomon, a board-certified pediatrician who specializes in hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and related conditions like POTS, MCAS, and dysautonomia. She also speaks as someone who has lived through chronic pain, misdiagnoses, and medical gaslighting, which gives her a rare, practical lens on what “whole-person care” looks like for kids who are often dismissed.  We dig into one of the biggest real-world challenges parents face: helping hypermobile students and other kids with chronic symptoms function in school. That includes learners navigating autism, ADHD, endometriosis, fatigue, pain, and sensory overload. Dr. Cohen Solomon explains how the accommodations process can be more than paperwork. Done well, it teaches self-advocacy, helps kids learn when to speak up, and reinforces a powerful message: you’re allowed to take up space and have your needs met. We also talk honestly about the downside, like scarce resources and the frustrating reality that families sometimes have to fight for basic supports.  Then we get concrete about school accommodations and disability rights, including the difference between a 504 plan and an IEP, plus the kinds of symptoms a 504 plan can address. Think far beyond extended test time: mobility challenges between classes, classroom temperature triggers, allergies, and other chronic symptom disruptions can all matter. The most important point: you can request a 504 evaluation based on symptoms, even without a formal diagnosis, and you can start the process with a clear letter to the school.  If this helped, subscribe for more short, expert answers, share this with a parent or educator who needs it, and leave a review so more families can find these tools. Support the show Website endobattery.com Instagram: EndoBattery

Send us a text with a question or thought on this episode ( We cannot replay from this link) Pelvic pain can make your body feel unpredictable, tense, and impossible to trust. But what if that tightness isn’t your body “breaking” at all, and it’s actually a protection strategy from a nervous system that’s been through too much for too long? We sit down with Karla Ehlers, a pelvic health occupational therapist and founder of Occupelvic Health and Wellness, to connect the real dots between pelvic floor dysfunction and nervous system regulation. We get into why strengthening isn’t always the answer, how chronic stress and medical trauma can keep your system stuck, and why symptoms can flare when life feels unsafe, uncertain, or out of your control. If you’re navigating endometriosis, pelvic pain, hypermobility, or that constant bracing you can’t seem to turn off, this conversation offers language and clarity that many of us never get in a doctor’s office. We also talk practical tools you can try right away: building functional awareness, understanding interoception, using sensory supports, and finding what actually helps your body feel safe. Karla explains co-regulation and neuroception, and why healing often speeds up when you’re in the right community, not just doing the “right” exercises. We even challenge spoon theory and explore how you can be “resting” while your nervous system is still burning energy in a spiral. If this resonates, subscribe, share this with a friend who needs validation, and leave a review so more people living with pelvic pain and endometriosis can find these nervous system grounded tools. Support the show Website endobattery.com Instagram: EndoBattery

Send us a text with a question or thought on this episode ( We cannot replay from this link) Chronic illness does not just change a body, it changes a marriage, a home, and the way your kids understand safety. I sit down with writer and advocate Kody Adamson to talk about what happens when your health shifts early in a relationship and you are suddenly trying to hold love, parenting, and survival at the same time. Kody gets brutally honest about the emotional weight that follows: mom guilt, wife guilt, anger, sadness, and the feeling of missing out on your own life. We talk about why humor helps but cannot carry everything, and how couples can “regroup and reconnect” when one person is running on fumes. If you have ever apologized for the dishes, the laundry, or the plans you had to cancel, you will feel seen here. We also dig into the hardest layer: kids. Kody shares what it is like when children grow old enough to realize their family looks different, including how their reactions to seizures change over time. We explore simple, practical ways to build connection on bedbound days, like inviting your child to bring their Legos or drawings to you, turning limited energy into focused closeness. We also discuss therapy for children and partners, plus a powerful communication tool they used during a tough season: a “transparency journal” with a 48 hour response rule. If you are navigating chronic illness, disability, endometriosis related fatigue, caregiving stress, or the mental load of parenting while unwell, this quick connect offers real strategies and real hope without sugarcoating. Subscribe for more short expert conversations, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review with the question you want us to answer next. Support the show Website endobattery.com Instagram: EndoBattery

Send us a text with a question or thought on this episode ( We cannot replay from this link) Fifteen minutes can decide whether you get help or get brushed off, and that reality hits even harder when your symptoms span multiple systems. We sit down with Dr. Sarah Cohen Solomon, a board-certified pediatrician who specializes in hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, hypermobility spectrum disorders, POTS, MCAS, and dysautonomia, and who also knows chronic pain from the inside as a patient. Together, we talk about why endometriosis and connective tissue disorders so often get missed, why patients leave appointments feeling dismissed, and how we can start changing that story earlier, especially for kids and teens. We get practical about walking into a medical visit with a plan: how to prioritize what matters most, how to share a symptom list without setting off alarm bells, and how to protect your own boundaries when fear and time pressure make it hard to speak. We also dig into the “bendy brain” connection, including how neurodivergence like ADHD or autism can shape communication, sensory sensitivity, and even the pain experience, and what trauma-informed care can look like in a real exam room. School support is a major theme too. We break down 504 plans, what accommodations can look like for chronic pain, hypermobility, fatigue, and dysautonomia symptoms, and why you can often start the process based on function and symptoms rather than waiting years for a formal diagnosis. We wrap with a grounded conversation about pain management: reframing pain without minimizing it, medication options that may be considered with your clinician, and why individualized movement matters even when you are starting very slowly. Subscribe, share this with someone who feels overlooked, and leave a review if these conversations help. What question do you want us to ask Dr. Cohen Solomon next? Support the show Website endobattery.com Instagram: EndoBattery