Endo Battery

Endo Battery Fast Charged: #16; When Your Body Calls In Sick But You Can't

• Alanna • Episode 136

Share episode

Send us a text with a question or thought on this episode

Endometriosis impacts every aspect of life—physical health, relationships, mental wellbeing, career, and finances—not just the reproductive system. Research validates what patients experience: this disease is systemic, serious, and requires comprehensive care approaches beyond dismissive "solutions" like yoga or positive thinking.

• Medical gaslighting occurs when clinicians discount or dismiss patient concerns, eroding trust and worsening health outcomes
• Women and people from marginalized communities experience heightened levels of medical dismissal
• "Kissing ovaries" visible on imaging can signal deep infiltrating endometriosis requiring surgical intervention
• Chronic pain from endometriosis physically rewires neurological systems affecting emotion regulation and cognitive processing
• Research shows endometriosis significantly impacts employment with higher rates of missed work and job loss
• Adolescents with endometriosis experience lower quality of life across physical, emotional, and academic domains
• Early intervention and patient-centered care dramatically improve long-term outcomes
• Validation of symptoms as legitimate biological experiences rather than emotional overreactions is essential

LINKS

Gaslighting of Inpatients-A threat to nursing care and a violation of relational autonomy. Nurs Ethics 2025 Mar 29:9697330251331194. 


Endometriosis, a Common but Enigmatic Disease with Many Faces: Current Concept of Pathophysiology & Diagnostic Strategy. Jpn J Radiol. 2024 Aug;42(8):801-819.


Understanding Psychological Symptoms of Endometriosis from a Research Domain Criteria Perspective. J Clinical Medicine. 2023; 12(12):4056.

Does endometriosis affect professional life? A matched case-control study in Switzerland, Germany & Austria. BMJ Open 2019;9:e019570.


Impact of Endometriosis on Quality of Life in Adolescents. J Adolesc Health. 2018;63(6):766-772.

van Stein K, et al. 



Continue advocating for yourself and others. Your experiences are real, measurable, and deserve comprehensive care.


Website endobattery.com

Speaker 1:

Welcome to Endobattery Fast Charged, a series dedicated to keeping you informed and empowered in the realm of endometriosis. Teaming up with board-certified patient advocates, we bring you the latest articles, research and insights to equip you with accurate information and a deeper understanding. Whether you're expanding your knowledge, staying updated or seeking clarity, you're in the right place. I'm your host, alana, and this is Endobattery Fast Charged charging and empowering your life with knowledge. Welcome back to Endobattery Fast Charged. Today we're tackling a not so fun fact that many of us know all too well Endometriosis isn't just a uterus problem, it's an everything problem. It messes with your physical health, sure, but also your job, your relationship, your mental health, your sex life, your sleep and your bank account. And, honestly, I wouldn't be shocked if it's out here messing with our Wi-Fi signal too. So in this episode, we're diving into the research that validates what you probably already screamed into the void at least once this disease is not just in your head and it's not just bad periods. We're looking at how endo shows up in adolescence, how it affects your ability to show up for work or life in general, and why early intervention and patient-centered care is essential, not optional. Now, before we go too deep, I have to throw in a quick science disclaimer. Correlation does not equal causation. Just because two things appear together, like, say, pelvic pain and anxiety, doesn't mean one caused the other, although after enough bad doctor visits I'd argue gaslighting might be the cause. Still, science needs a little more than vibes to call it causation. That said, the more research that comes out, the more we're seeing the very real toll this disease takes. So if you've ever felt like you were losing your mind because of endo or like your symptoms were somehow your fault, this one's for you. We're connecting the dots with care, compassion and a touch of sarcasm, because if we don't laugh sometimes we might just scream into the pillow, and you know what we support that too, let's get into it.

Speaker 1:

Have you ever walked into a doctor's office, list your symptoms with the clarity of a TED talk and still somehow leave wondering if maybe you imagined it? All that dizzying loop of self-doubt isn't just in your head. It's got a name. It's called medical gaslighting. According to the study titled Gaslighting of Impatients a Threat to Nursing Care and a Violation of Relational Autonomy. It's what happens when clinicians discount deny sliding of impatience a threat to nursing care and a violation of relational autonomy. It's what happens when clinicians discount, deny or dismiss patients' concerns to the point where patients themselves start to second-guess their own reality. It's like being handed a do not disturb sign instead of actual care. And spoiler alert, it's not just annoying, it's harmful.

Speaker 1:

Now, if you've lived with a condition like endometriosis, a disease so poorly understood, it might as well wear an invisible cloak. You've probably encountered this gaslighting firsthand. We're talking about the classics. It's just bad cramps. Lose some weight, you're just stressed. Have you tried yoga? Or, my personal favorite, your labs are fine, so you must be fine. It's the medical equivalent of being ghosted and then told you're imagining the ghost.

Speaker 1:

Research shows medical gaslighting isn't just an individual problem. It's a systemic one. Structural racism, cultural bias and gender discrimination throw more gasoline on the fire. Women, people of color and especially those living at the intersection of multi-marginalized identities are the most impacted when doctors dismiss you, delay your care or brush off your test results. It erodes the trust and reinforces a cycle where illness gets worse and mental health takes a hit. Gaslighting doesn't just hurt your feelings, it can literally hurt your prognosis. So what does this all lead to? Anxiety, depression, ptsd and a deep, soul-weary exhaustion that no amount of chamomile tea or inspirational quotes can fix. It creates a harmful feedback loop. Your physical pain gets labeled as psychological, your mental health worsens under the weight of being unheard and the actual condition you're dealing with goes untreated. It's like being stuck on a treadmill built entirely out of you're fine, while your body screams otherwise. What we need desperately is a healthcare environment where patients aren't treated like unreliable narrators of their own medical stories, a space where saying I'm in pain doesn't get met with a skeptical eyebrow or a prescription for kale and Pilates. It's time we retire the toxic dynamics that allow gaslighting to thrive and replace them with actual listening, informed compassion and maybe, just maybe, a few doctors who don't treat Google like their nemesis when patients come in well-researched, because at the end of the day, patients don't need to be tougher or more positive, they need to be believed.

Speaker 1:

Alright, friends, let's talk about something that sounds kind of romantic but is well not Kissing ovaries. Despite the cute name, there's nothing hallmark about it. In medical speak, it means both ovaries have cozied up like way too close Thanks to pelvic adhesions, usually from endometriosis. They're practically spooning. On imaging, whether ultrasound, ct or MRI, it looks like a snuggle session, but in reality it's a giant red flag waving, please send help, often signaling deep infiltrating endometriosis and possible need for surgical intervention.

Speaker 1:

Now, according to the study titled Endometriosis a common but enigmatic disease with many faces current concept of physiology and diagnostic strategy, endometriosis is what they call a common but enigmatic disease, which science speak for. We see it all the time, but it still manages to confuse us, like a plot twist in a telenovela. The article dives deep into the many faces of endo, noting that it doesn't just show up one way. Sometimes it's subtle, sometimes it's dramatic, sometimes it's kissing, and this variability makes diagnosis a whole circus. They explain how imaging has become a key tool, especially advanced MRI, to catch those sneaky signs like adhesions, endometriomas and you guessed it kissing ovaries. What's tricky is that, while we can see kissing ovaries on imaging, it's often missed or misinterpreted, especially if the person reading the scan isn't familiar with endometriosis. This article underscores the need for radiologists to be trained in spotting subtle but meaningful patterns Because, let's be real, if your organs are rearranging themselves like they're trying to win a game of twister, that deserves more than a casual shrug and let's wait and see.

Speaker 1:

Even more frustrating, the severity of findings like kissing ovaries often correlates with infertility, deep pain and higher stages of disease, meaning people who are really struggling may still be waiting years for an accurate diagnosis. It's like being on fire and being told it's just a warm breeze. This is why recognizing kissing ovaries and similar signs isn't just an academic exercise. It's a game changer. It shifts the conversation from maybe it's nothing to let's take this seriously, because endometriosis isn't just about period pain. It's about recognizing patterns, respecting symptoms and getting people the care they need without making them feel like they have to earn it with suffering. So next time someone mentions kissing ovaries, don't let the name fool you. It's not romance, it's a medical SOS, and the sooner it's recognized, the better chance someone has at getting real help.

Speaker 1:

Let's talk about something that doesn't get nearly enough airtime the psychological toll of endometriosis, because yes, it's about physical pain, but it's also about how the pain rewires your brain over time. According to a 2023 study in the Journal of Clinical Medicine titled Understanding Psychological Symptoms of Endometriosis from a Research Domain Criteria Perspective, researchers dove into the psychological symptoms of endometriosis from a research domain criteria perspective. Researchers dove into the psychological symptoms of endometriosis using something called research domain criteria framework, which sounds very fancy, but basically they just took a full body, full mind, science-backed approach to understanding how endo messes with your head and your heart. Spoiler alert it's not just anxiety or depression, although those are definitely in the mix. What they found is that consistent, unmanaged pain of endo can disrupt entire neurological systems emotion regulation. And what they found is that consistent, unmanaged pain of endo can disrupt entire neurological systems emotion regulation, stress responses, cognitive processing, even reward and motivation pathways. In plain speak, when you're constantly hurting and not being believed, your brain goes into survival mode and it stays there.

Speaker 1:

This isn't about mental illness being separated from physical illness. It's about how physical pain of endo literally shapes the brain over time. The foggy, exhausted, anxious feeling, that's not weakness, that's your nervous system doing overtime without benefits. And no, yoga alone isn't going to fix it, but early, patient-centered care might. Here's the kicker. The study stresses how crucial it is to validate these symptoms as part of the disease, not a side hustle of drama or fragility, because when clinicians dismiss the psychological impacts, patients are left trying to think positive their way through very real, very neurological storms and frankly, that's a lot to put on someone who's already living in pain.

Speaker 1:

So what's the takeaway here? We need more than a prescription. We need providers who see the whole person. We need systems that treat endo as a condition that affects everything from how you move to how you feel, to how you show up in the world, because treating the whole body without considering the brain is like patching the roof while the foundation is crumbling. You're not too emotional, too dramatic or too sensitive. You're enduring something that science is finally catching up to, and your experiences are not only real, they're measurable and, most importantly, you deserve care that sees and supports all of you. And speaking of seeing all of you, let's just rip the band-aid off.

Speaker 1:

Endometriosis doesn't clock out when you clock in. According to a powerful case study published in BMJ Open titled Does Endometriosis Affect Personal Life, a match case study control in Switzerland, germany and Austria took a good look at this and the results Yikes. People with endo reported lower employment rates, more missed days of work, reduced productivity and increased risk of job loss. But please tell us more about how we should just push through it. Here's the thing. This isn't just about having a bad pain day or two. We're talking about chronic illness that hijacks your functional status, physically, mentally, socially, sexually and oh yes, financially. It's not just the body that pays. It's the careers, self-esteem, relationships and rent checks too. The researchers found that many people with endo had to make serious career sacrifices, like changing jobs, reducing hours or leaving the workforce entirely, not because they weren't capable, but because they weren't being supported.

Speaker 1:

What makes the difference? Early intervention and patient-centered care Shocking? I know when patients are believed, properly diagnosed and treated based on what they need, not what someone thinks a typical pain threshold should be, they're more likely to thrive at work and everywhere else. So if you've ever had to call in sick because your insides felt like they were hosting an MMA fight and someone responded with I get bad cramps too, you're not imagining the impact. Your health and your work life do intersect, and recognizing that isn't weakness, it's wise. It's time we stop asking patients to push through and start asking what support they actually need to stay in the game.

Speaker 1:

And this doesn't just impact adults. This impacts a wide range of people, including teenagers. Imagine being a teenager awkward growing spurts, pop quizzes, social landmines and, oh yeah, unrelenting pelvic pain that no one takes seriously. That's the reality for many teens living with endometriosis and, according to a 2018 study in the Journal of Adolescent Health titled Impact of Endometriosis on Quality of Life in Adolescents. Endo and adolescence seriously impacts the quality of life across the board physical, emotional, social, academic. The researchers found that adolescents with endo reported lower scores in almost every domain of life compared to their peers. Fatigue and emotional distress were common, and many said they felt isolated or misunderstood.

Speaker 1:

And let's be honest when you're 15 and already dealing with chronic pain, being told just toughen up or wait until you're older and it'll even out is about as helpful as a soggy band-aid on a bullet wound. Here's what this study makes crystal clear a soggy band-aid on a bullet wound. Here's what this study makes crystal clear. Endometriosis isn't too grown up to affect teens, and it's not just a rite of passage. The earlier the intervention, the better long-term outlook, not just physically, but emotionally and socially too. Teens deserve validation, accurate diagnosis and treatment plans that acknowledge their entire reality, not just their uterus. So let's drop the wait and see and pick up, listen and believe, because teens with endo aren't being dramatic. They're being dismissed, and dismissal has a real consequence that can ripple into adulthood, unless we decide collectively to do better.

Speaker 1:

If there's one thing I hope today's episode made clear, it's that endometriosis doesn't play by simple rules. It's not just a reproductive issue, and it's definitely not something you can yoga or positive think your way out of. The research is catching up to what so many of us have already known. Endo affects everything mind, body, work, life, friendships, finances and, yes, your sanity on some days too. But here's the hopeful part, when science starts to zoom out to connect neurological symptoms, hormonal shifts, systemic bias and chronic pain.

Speaker 1:

It's not about blaming you. It's about understanding the bigger picture so we can finally build care that makes sense. You're not too sensitive, you're not imagining it and you're definitely not a mystery diagnosis waiting to be solved. You're a whole person navigating a whole body disease that deserves wholehearted care. So, as always, keep asking the questions, keep pushing for answers and know that you're never alone in this. I'm right here with you, podcast mic in hand, cheering you on and reminding you. Your endo battery might get a little low, but there's always a recharge Until next time. Continue advocating for you and for others. Bye.