How to Advocate for Yourself When the Doctor Says It's All in Your Head ft. Belinda Balscheit

"Your Bloods Look Normal" Is Not a Diagnosis: Patient Advocacy & Perimenopause ft. Belinda BalscheitListener Amanda was so passionate about today's guest, she sent a voice message to make sure we booked her. She was right. Belinda Balscheit is a two-time cancer survivor, women's health advocate, and patient advocacy powerhouse based in Basel — and this conversation is one of the most important we've had on the show.If you've ever been told your symptoms are all in your head, dismissed by a doctor despite knowing something is deeply wrong, or simply felt lost in a medical system that wasn't built with women in mind — this one's for you.About Belinda Balscheit:Belinda works in a global pharmaceutical company in Basel and is a fierce patient advocate for women's health. Diagnosed with a rare cancer at 29 and breast cancer at 37 — with three girls under three — she navigated 11.5 years of treatment, two rounds of menopause, and a near-complete nervous system collapse before anyone connected the dots. She's writing a book called Biologically Dismissed: You Were Never the Problem, and she's currently on Instagram documenting all 142 symptoms of menopause, one by one. Follow her — it's essential viewing.What You'll Learn:Why your doctor may be working off a 30-year-old study — and what that means for your careHow Belinda went through menopause twice — and what that taught her about hormones, dismissal, and survivalThe practical advocacy toolkit: symptom tracking, building your case, and walking into appointments with evidenceWhy "your bloods look normal" and "it's probably stress" are not diagnoses — and what to say backThe statistic that stopped everyone cold: 94% of women on HRT report a significant reduction in suicidal thoughtsHow to fire a doctor who isn't listening (yes, you can, and yes, you should)Why perimenopause and menopause aren't diseases — but untreated, they can cause onesReal Talk Moments:Belinda shares the moment she discovered she had 47 out of 49 menopause symptoms — and 40 of them were an eight out of ten in severity. She also opens up about reaching a point where she didn't want to be here anymore after three doctors in three weeks told her it was all in her head. Danna shares her own experience of arriving at a doctor with a list of 24 symptoms and being sent home with the same dismissal. The rage was mutual. The solidarity was real.Belinda's Parting Wisdom:"Knowledge is empowerment. Once you have it, run."Connect with Belinda:instagram.com/belindabalscheitlinkedin.com/in/belindabalscheitGet in touch!Check out the So Frickin' Healthy WebsiteLeave us a VoicemailJoin the So Frickin' Healthy CommunityWatch us on YouTubeConnect with us on SubstackK, love you, byeeeeeChapters:00:00 Menopause Care Gap05:17 Belinda’s Cancer Journey27:37 Advocacy Through Tracking32:13 Medical Gaslighting Reality35:52 System Gaps and Data51:14 Advocacy Playbook and WrapMentioned in this episode:So Frickin' Healthy is a proud member of and produced by the SwissCast NetworkDiscover more great podcasts for English-speaking SwitzerlandSwissCast NetworkYour body's been dropping hintsTime to listen! Check out the Urban Cleanse and give yourself the refresh you deserve.Organilicious - Danna, Functional Medicine Health Coach