Season 1 (Part 2) | Episode 5: The Doctor Said What?

☎️ Episode 5: The Doctor Said What?Have you ever dragged yourself to yet another doctor’s appointment, hoping for some answers, but got misogyny instead?If you’ve ever watched your health spiral while doctors assured you everything was fine, Jessica Rizos’ story will feel achingly familiar.Welcome to Episode 5 of Hysteria Hotline, today we introduce our first guest, Jessica Rizos, who shares the year everything came crashing down. Navigating her son’s difficult transition into school, receiving her own ADHD diagnosis, and then, just as she began finding her footing, watching her health unravel faster than anyone would take seriously.What starts as fatigue quickly escalates into:* Severe iron deficiency and repeated infusions* An IUD inserted without pain relief, followed by months of bleeding* Swollen lymph nodes, fevers, weight loss, gastric symptoms, night sweats* A blur of specialists, scans, colonoscopies, biopsies, and blood tests, but still no clear diagnosisBut instead of urgency or investigation, Jess is met with the familiar script of medical misogyny; “It’s stress”, “Do you think that maybe it’s depression?”, “It’s not that bad”, “You know anxiety can cause this”. Her declining health becomes a mirror for the system’s reflex to psychoanalyse women instead of examining their bodies. Jess is forced to justify her symptoms and defend her sanity in the very places that are supposed to be helping her. All while she’s navigating care systems, running her own business, parenting, managing school crises, and trying to survive each day through fevers, pain, and fear.Together, we unpack:* How misogyny and bias shape “acceptable” levels of women’s suffering* Why women are expected to function through symptoms that would hospitalise a man* The emotional labour of masking pain until your body collapses* The shame, self-doubt, and internalised minimising that medical dismissal createsJess’s story is a raw, powerful reminder that women shouldn’t have to break, bleed, or become hysterical to be believed. Her courage in sharing, while still in the thick of it is a testament to every woman who has ever been dismissed.💌 Subscribe for real conversations about invisible illness, women’s health, and resilience, because being believed shouldn’t be this hard.Listen now → 🎙️ Episode 5: The Doctor Said What?(Available wherever you get your podcasts.)Disclaimer:Hysteria Hotline is for listening, laughing, and occasionally raging, not for medical advice. This podcast contains strong language, sensitive topics, personal stories, blunt opinions, biting truths, and the horrors of the patriarchy. By tuning in, you accept that we’re here to expose bias, share experiences, and spill the tea on medical nonsense — not prescribe treatment, give medical advice or diagnose.If you have health concerns, always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition. For everything else like commiseration, validation, and a healthy dose of outrage, then you’re in the right place.Side effects may include laughter, rage, validation, and the sudden urge to demand better care.By listening, you acknowledge that the hosts and producers of Hysteria Hotline are not responsible for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hysteriahotline.substack.com