Calling In Sick

This week on Calling in Sick, Kevin Crosson is back and we’re getting into a NEW SEGMENT… "This Cannot Be Real” where we talk through some of the most unhinged things people (like doctors or family and friends) say to us, the chronic illness community. And trust me… we’re not holding back ;) We're reacting to: "It's probably just anxiety — have you tried an SSSD?" "Just give it time — your body will heal on its own." "We just don't have enough research yet to help you." "But you look fine." "Everyone I know who got the vaccine is totally fine." "At least you survived / at least you don't have cancer." "If you were really injured you'd be completely anti-medicine.”  This one is for everyone who has ever been handed a dismissal instead of an answer or support. 🤍 xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Which of these has someone actually said to YOU — drop it below 👇 TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:00:23 Introducing Kevin Crosson and "This Cannot Be Real" Dismissive Remarks in Medicine & Community: 00:01:20 Medical gaslighting and "anxiety" labels 00:04:45 Magical thinking vs. time to heal 00:06:15 The struggle with a lack of research 00:08:08 Navigating the "but you look fine" phrase 00:10:25 Survivorship bias around vaccines and medications 00:14:11 Invalidating comparisons of suffering 00:16:55 Balancing medical injuries with necessary medications Systemic Issues & Treatments: 00:19:02 Government transparency and unreported side effects 00:21:35 Insurance obstacles and theories on MCAS 00:26:31 Successes and setbacks with IVIG therapy Conclusion: 00:31:30 Thank you & Don't forget to subscribe on YouTube, Apple, and Spotify ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest, Kevin Crosson: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/crossonspeaks?igsi=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@kevin.crosson • Website - https://crossonspeaks.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #MedicalGaslighting #VaccineInjury #ChronicIllness #ThisCannotBeReal #MCAS #IVIG #PatientAdvocacy #InvisibleIllness #SpoonieLife #RareDisease #ChronicIllnessCommunity #LongCOVID #VaccineInjured #ChronicPain #KevinCrosson #MedicalDismissal #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicIllnessAwareness #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Kevin Crosson — advocate, speaker, and one of the most documented cases of vaccine-induced cardiac and immune injury in the country. And this conversation is not what you think it is. This is an episode about what happens when a rare but real medical event becomes so politically charged that the patients suffering from it can't get diagnosed, treated, or believed. We're diving into: ⚡ The three cardiac events that changed everything 🏥 75 doctors across Mayo Clinic, Cedars-Sinai, Stanford & UCLA… until he was helped 🔬 What finally got him diagnosed 🔗 What happens when a patient's condition becomes politically inconvenient to acknowledge 🧠 How losing his health in his 20s caused a serious identity shift This episode is for everyone who has ever been dismissed, gaslit, or made to feel like their suffering was inconvenient. 🤍 xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Have you ever had a doctor shut down the moment you started talking? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:00:35 Introducing Kevin Crosson When Medicine Gets Political: 00:01:51 The beginning of Kevin’s chronic illness story 00:12:34 Medical gaslighting and "anxiety" labels 00:18:13 The political charge around medication injuries 00:22:01 Why so many patients slip through the cracks in western medicine 00:28:54 Patient self-advocacy & tips for managing appointments Reaching a Diagnosis: 00:38:47 Kevin’s final diagnosis 00:44:51 The difficulty of making personal health choices 00:50:04 Navigating the left vs. right-wing political lens that impacts chronic illness 01:03:43 How Kevin’s chronic illness story shifted his identity and dreams Conclusion: 01:08:54 One Brain Cell Show: Criminal Minds & The Tuner 01:12:55 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest, Kevin Crosson: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/crossonspeaks?igsi=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@kevin.crosson • Website - https://crossonspeaks.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #VaccineInjury #MedicalGaslighting #ChronicIllness #MCAS #POTS #RareDisease #LongCOVID #PatientAdvocacy #KevinCrosson #InvisibleIllness #spikeproteins #AutoimmuneDisease #IVIG #InsuranceDenial #ChronicIllnessCommunity #MedicalDismissal #RareDiseaseCommunity #ChronicPain #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, Dr. Zach Spiritos is back for to chat about one of the most exciting developments in chronic illness treatment that almost nobody is talking about. Microdosing GLP-1s,  not for weight loss, but inflammation and disease management. Specifically, we're diving into: 🧬 How GLP-1s actually work in the gut — the natural peptide that regulates GI homeostasis, repairs tight junctions in the intestinal wall, reduces systemic immune activation, and supports a diverse microbiome 🤯 The "flipped clinic" phenomenon — patients prescribed GLP-1s for diabetes are seeing secondary improvements in Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, asthma, eczema, and MCAS that nobody predicted 🧠 The MCAS symptoms breakthrough — Dr. Zach's clinical experience micro-dosing GLP-1s in an MCAS patient with profound post-meal bloating, and what happened to her brain fog, neuroinflammation, and food sensitivities ⚠️ Who should NOT use GLP-1s — eating disorder history, baseline nausea, severe constipation, and the cautions every patient needs to hear before asking their provider 📋 The 3-week runway protocol — how Dr. Zach phases treatment, monitors small wins, checks for adverse reactions, and determines if patients can eventually titrate off antihistamines or cromolyn 🔗 The trifecta connection — how GLP-1s don't directly reverse hEDS or POTS but can dramatically turn down the volume on mast-cell-driven inflammation, joint pain, and POTS flares Plus the honest conversation about where the research actually is, the systemic bias against women's health in clinical trials, and why cautious optimism is the right posture for this community right now. 🤍 xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Have you ever tried a GLP-1 for anything other than weight loss — and what happened? TIMESTAMP: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:00:22 Introduction of Guest Dr. Zack Spirtos Use of GLP-1s Beyond Weight Loss: 00:05:58 What is a GLP-1? 00:07:51 Pre-clinical and Observational Data 00:11:00 Exploring GLP-1s as a Treatment Modality for IBS and MCAS 00:12:28 The "Flipped Clinic" effect of GLP-1s How to use GLP-1s for Chronic Illness Management: 00:14:09 Responsibly Micro-Dosing Chronic Illness Patients 00:17:13 Assessing Good Candidates and Cautions for Eating Disorders 00:20:07 Titrating Medications and Phased Treatment The Future of Chronic Illness Research: 00:24:21 Squeaky Wheels and Shifting Paradigms in Medical Funding 00:28:00 Accessibility and the Role of Compounding Pharmacies 00:30:26 Academics vs. Independent Providers in Western Medicine 00:31:55 Turning Down the Volume on POTS, MCAS, and hEDS Conclusion: 00:35:58 Thank You for Listening to the 100th Week of Calling in Sick!! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our Guest, Dr. Spiritos! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drzacspiritos/?hl=en • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.zac.spiritos • EverBetter Medicine - https://everbettermedicine.health/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #GLP1 #GLP1ForChronicIllness #MCAS #MastCellActivationSyndrome #ChronicIllness #Ozempic #Semaglutide #BrainFog #GutHealth #ChronicIllnessTreatment #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #DrZachSpiritos #EverBetterMedicine #Dysautonomia #POTS #hEDS #Trifecta #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick — it’s EPISODE 100!!! And for this milestone, we brought back the MOST REQUESTED guest in the history of this podcast… Dr. Zach Spiritos. He’s a double board-certified neurogastroenterologist at EverBetter Medicine and this week we’re getting into his zone of expertise. Come back on Wednesday for our discussion on GLP-1s as a new treatment option! But today, we’re diving into: 🫀 POTS — what is actually happening in the body when you stand up, why only 15-20% of patients actually faint, the POTS subtypes, and the full treatment toolkit 🦴 hEDS — the TLDR on EDS and the subtypes that exist, the groundbreaking Norris Lab research linking hEDS to the immune system's complement pathway, the "loose yet tight" paradox that explains why hEDS patients have such rigid tense muscles, and new cutting-edge treatments 🦠 MCAS — why mast cell activation syndrome is so much broader than hives and anaphylaxis, the comorbidities of MCAS, medication trauma, and the epithelial barrier theory that explains why modern industrial environments are making this community sicker (and explains the vacation phenomenon!!) 🔗 Why these three travel together — the upstream immune and nervous system drivers that connect all three, why the fragmented medical specialty system keeps failing this population, and what it actually takes to find a quarterback provider who can treat all three simultaneously 🤍 xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Do you have one, two, or all three of the trifecta? If so, how long did it take you to get diagnosed? TIMESTAMP: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:00:31 Introduction of Guest Dr. Zack Spiritos The 411 on POTS: 00:02:55 Deep Dive into POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) 00:04:40 Subtypes & Mechanisms of POTS 00:07:43 POTS Diagnostic Testing (Nasaline vs. Tilt Table Test) 00:11:17 Treatment & Lifestyle Changes for POTS Patients The 411 on EDS & hEDS: 00:19:13 Demystifying hEDS (Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) 00:26:42 Treatment Strategies 00:34:01 Fragmented Healthcare & Finding a "Unicorn" Provider The 411 on MCAS: 00:37:54 Unpacking MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome) & Barrier Theory 00:43:10 The Connection Between MCAS and Endometriosis 00:46:24 The "Vacation Phenomenon" & Environmental Factors The Trifecta: 00:53:59 Identifying Less Obvious Symptoms (Brain Fog & Severe Bloating) 00:56:36 Medical PTSD & Formulating Compound Medication Conclusion: 00:58:59 One Brain Cell Segment: Shrinking (Apple TV) 01:04:08 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our Guest, Dr. Spiritos! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drzacspiritos/?hl=en • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.zac.spiritos • EverBetter Medicine - https://everbettermedicine.health/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #MCAS #POTS #EDS #hEDS #Trifecta #MastCellActivationSyndrome #PosturalOrthostaticTachycardiaSyndrome #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #DrZachSpiritos #EverBetterMedicine #EpithelialBarrier #ChronicIllnessTrifecta #Dysautonomia #ConnectiveTissue #AutoimmuneDisease #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Wednesday on Calling in Sick, Kati Morton, LMFT is back for the a new segment… “Is this Bad Advice?!” We are taking the most common mental health advice given to people with chronic illness and asking one specific question: is this actually good advice… or is it secretly spiking your need for control? Tune in to hear Kati and my honest verdict on: 🚩 The wellness advice that sounds helpful but sends chronic illness patients deeper into control-seeking behavior 🚩 The dismissive phrases that make health anxiety and hypervigilance measurably worse 🚩 The "acceptance" and "letting go" advice that creates more pressure than it relieves 🚩 The positivity and self-care messaging that becomes a control ritual — and breaks you when it doesn't prevent the flare 🚩 The grief advice that is true but dangerously incomplete — and why grief and control cannot coexist Join us for a conversation about why some very well-meaning advice lands so badly in bodies that are already white-knuckling everything. 🤍 xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Which piece of advice on this list has frustrated you the most — and what do you wish people said instead? TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 Intro to guest Kati Morton IS THIS BAD ADVICE: 00:00:34  "Just focus on what you can control." 00:02:22  "Anxiety is causing your chronic illness." 00:05:03  "You need to just accept your illness and let go." 00:07:41  "Mindfulness will help you with your chronic pain." 00:12:44  "Having a rigid routine is the best thing for your chronic illness." 00:15:07  "Health anxiety is just hypochondria." 00:16:23  "You need to grieve the life you had before." 00:22:05  "Self-care will help manage your chronic illness." 00:22:32  "Your mindset affects your physical health, so just work on your mindset." 00:22:50  "If therapy isn't working for you, you just have the wrong therapist." CONCLUSION: 00:28:10 Connect with Kati Morton online and read her books 00:30:41 Thank you for listening, subscribing, and calling in sick with us! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest, Kati Morton! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/katimorton/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton • YouTube -  https://www.youtube.com/user/KatiMorton • Podcast (Ask Kati Anything) - https://www.youtube.com/@askkatianything • Website - https://katimorton.com/ • Buy her latest book here - https://amzn.to/3RYiSDG ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #ChronicIllnessMentalHealth #KatiMorton #BadAdvice #ChronicIllness #HealthAnxiety #ToxicPositivity #MentalHealth #TherapyTools #Acceptance #ChronicIllnessAdvice #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #Perfectionism #PeoplePleasing #ChronicPain #Mindfulness #SelfCare #WellnessCulture #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Kati Morton, LMFT — licensed marriage and family therapist, author of Why Do I Keep Doing This, Traumatized, and Are U Ok?, and one of the most trusted voices in accessible mental health online with 1.5 million YouTube subscribers.  This Monday, we're diving into: 🧠 The psychology of control — why humans are wired to need it, why chronic illness amplifies that need to a dangerous degree, and what happens in the brain and body when it's taken away 😤 The maladaptive ways control shows up in chronic illness patients — and why most of us don't even recognize them as control behaviors 🛠️ The CBT tools that actually help If you have ever found yourself white-knuckling your routine, your diet, your relationships, or your work schedule while your body does whatever it wants… this episode is going to explain so much. 🤍 xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What is the ONE area of your life where you notice the need for control showing up the most? TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:47 Intro to the Psychology of Control with guest Kati Morton The Need for Control & Chronic Illness: 00:01:20 The illusion of control and body responses 00:05:51 Duality and processing freeze energy vs. toxic positivity Maladaptive Control Coping Scenarios: 00:11:37 Breakdown of people pleasing behaviors 00:14:26 Perfectionism and “earning worth” 00:20:00 Eating disorders, exercise addiction, and lifestyle rigidity 00:25:51 All-or-nothing thinking cycles Relational Control & Caregiver Dynamics: 00:26:50 The social impacts of chronic illness (e.g. canceling plans and how it impacts you AND others) 00:29:48 Why caregivers get burnt out 00:36:06 Catching anxiety before the fight, flight, or freeze state Healing and Coping Tools: 00:38:29 The "Inner Detective" reframe and addressing past trauma 00:49:12 Reprogramming the brain's negativity bias 00:54:27 CBT tool: "Play it Out" (Worst, best, and most likely case) 00:57:32 Somatic releases and moving out of freeze mode Conclusion: 01:00:00 One Brain Cell Show: Ted Lasso, Gilmore Girls, and some good reads 01:04:32 Connect with Kati Morton online 01:05:47 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest, Kati Morton! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/katimorton/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton • YouTube -  https://www.youtube.com/user/KatiMorton • Podcast (Ask Kati Anything) - https://www.youtube.com/@askkatianything • Website - https://katimorton.com/ • Buy her latest book here - https://amzn.to/3RYiSDG ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #ChronicIllnessAndControl #MentalHealth #ChronicIllness #KatiMorton #PeoplePleasing #Perfectionism #CBT #TherapyTools #ChronicIllnessMentalHealth #InvisibleIllness #SpoonieLife #EatingDisorders #ExerciseAddiction #PassiveAggression #CopingMechanisms #ChronicPain #Anxiety #TherapyTikTok #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, Max Swiergol is back for a deep dive on one of the most viral and most misunderstood topics in the chronic illness and wellness space right now… PEPTIDES!!! You've seen them all over TikTok. You've probably heard of BPC-157. And you have almost certainly seen someone claim a peptide changed their life. But the clinical research is almost nonexistent… and that gap between popularity and evidence is exactly where this community is most vulnerable. We're diving into: 🧬 What peptides actually ARE — strings of 4 to 50 amino acids that can alter gene expression, regenerate tissue, decrease visceral fat, and increase growth hormone. The science is genuinely fascinating. 📋 The FDA regulatory peptide update — the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee just voted to recategorize peptides to compoundable status (BPC-157, TB-500, KPV, Matrixtide, Semax, Epitalon, DSIP) 💉 Is BPC-157 the future for chronic illness? — what it is, how it works, why it's so prominent in the chronic illness space, and what the honest assessment of the evidence actually looks like 🔬 The ENDO-205 Clinical Trial Update — what it is, what Phase 1 clinical trial status means, and should you be excited The bottom line from this conversation: peptides are genuinely promising. The research is genuinely lacking. And this community deserves to know the difference. xx,  Alex 💬 Comment: Have you ever tried a peptide, and what was your experience? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! The Viral Rise of Peptides 00:00:16 What are peptides and why are they viral? 00:04:44 Navigating the peptide market as a chronic illness patient FDA Regulatory Discussions and Prominent Peptides: 00:08:21 Why the government is talking about recategorizing peptides 00:09:20 The Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee vote outcomes 00:11:14 A deep dive on BPC-157 in the chronic illness space 00:14:08 Dr. Abud Bakri and peptide transparency (ne1.study) 00:17:07 Endo 205 and endometriosis research 00:20:08 AI drug discovery and peptide predictors 00:24:00 New research around testing for Endometriosis Conclusion: 00:28:03 Where to find Max Dose online 00:29:18 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Max Swiergol! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/themaxdose/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@themaxdose • YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Themaxdoseyt • Sign up for his newsletter - https://tr.ee/TdjGmsOp4V ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Relevant Episode Links: • Dr. Abud Bakri - https://www.instagram.com/p/DZDYBIShrjW/ • Peptide Research Transparency - https://ne1.study/ • ENDO-205 - https://seed.nih.gov/portfolio/nih-portfolio-company-showcase/endocyclic-therapeutics #Peptides #BPC157 #Endo205 #FDAPeptides #ChronicIllness #PeptideTherapy #Endometriosis #ChronicIllnessTreatment #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #GLP1 #PersonalizedMedicine #PatientAdvocacy #ClinicalTrials #WellnessResearch #ChronicPain #AutoimmuneDisease #PeptideResearch #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Max Swiergol, osteopathic medical student, research enthusiast, and one of the most accessible voices translating cutting-edge science for the chronic illness community online. This episode is one of the most practically useful we have ever done. We're diving into: 📊 How to actually evaluate a medical study — impact factor, the evidence pyramid, and why a study of 10 people is not the same as a study of 10,000 🚩 Selection bias and predatory journals — how content creator physicians and supplement brands cherry-pick small studies while ignoring 99% of conflicting research 💊 The FDA drug approval process — the full timeline from pre-clinical to Phase 3, why only 1 in 20,000 drugs ever makes it to approval, and what that means for chronic illness patients watching clinical trials 🧬 What treatments are actually coming — CAR-T therapy for autoimmune disease, gene editing, ASOs, and the new FDA guidance that could fast-track treatments for ultra-rare conditions If you have ever read a study online and not known what to do with it, or seen a supplement brand quote research and felt something was off, this episode is going to give you all the tools you need. AND! Come back on Wednesday to hear our chat about… PEPTIDES! xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Have you ever brought a research paper to a doctor's appointment? What happened? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:00:11 Meet Max Swiergol How to Read & Understand Medical Research as a Patient: 00:05:44 How to find good research 00:07:30 What medical journals carry credibility (and which don’t!) 00:09:34 Identifying selection bias online 00:13:28 The hierarchy of medical evidence (The Evidence Pyramid) 00:18:30 Conflicts of interest and the peer-review process Personalized Medicine & Treatments & the Clinical Trial Process: 00:25:36 The transition to personalized care for treatment 00:31:02 How CAR-T cell therapy is revolutionizing autoimmune treatment 00:39:40 FDA Approval Process(Pre-clinical testing, Phase 1-3) 00:45:57 Why it takes so long to approve medications Conclusion: 00:54:33 One Brain Cell Show (YouTube travel vlogs) 00:56:52 Where to find Max Dose online 00:58:28 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Max Swiergol! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/themaxdose/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@themaxdose • YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Themaxdoseyt • Sign up for his newsletter - https://tr.ee/TdjGmsOp4V ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ One Brain Cell YT Shows: The everlasting fish ponds: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/longyou-caves Relevant Episode Links: • New PPD Treatments - https://reunionneuro.com/2026/01/20/reunion-neuroscience-presents-full-data-from-reconnect-phase-2-clinical-trial-of-re104-for-the-treatment-of-postpartum-depression-ppd-at-acnp-annual-meeting/ • ENDO-205 - https://seed.nih.gov/portfolio/nih-portfolio-company-showcase/endocyclic-therapeutics #MedicalResearch #ChronicIllness #CARTTherapy #GeneEditing #FDAApproval #ChronicIllnessTreatment #PatientAdvocacy #ResearchLiteracy #AutoimmuneDisease #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #ClinicalTrials #PersonalizedMedicine #ChronicIllnessAwareness #MedicalBias #SupplementIndustry #ChronicPain #HealthResearch #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, Nitika Chopra is back to discuss the ONE thing that a lot of people in the chronic illness community have been quietly waiting for someone to say out loud. We're getting into the tools and identity shifts that don't always get talked about in this space, the ones that feel a little vulnerable to share, and the ones that have actually moved the needle. Tune in to hear more about: 🔮 The Vedic astrologer who told Nitika her illness wasn't about illness at all (?!?!) 🧠 The nervous system coach who helped her body remember what a parasympathetic state felt like + the dramatic impact it had on her symptoms 💊 What Nitika's chronic illness actually looks like now that she’s combined body + mind healing modalities ⚡ Viewing chronic illness as intelligent adaptation (you don’t want to miss this part!!!) 🌀 The fight-or-flight piece and why being stuck in survival mode can change your behavior in ways that are easy to misread 🔥 Chronic illness hot takes: Nitika and I get honest about things like positive thinking, wellness brands, alternative medicine, and whether you actually have to be grateful for what your illness has taught you xx,  Alex 💬 Comment: Have you ever explored energy healing or nervous system work… and did it help? Share your approach!!!! TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:00:06 Intro to Nitkia Chopra The Astrologer and the Nervous System Coach: 00:00:24 Nitika’s diagnosis and the decision to seek an alternative approach 00:03:50 The confrontational astrologer session and "ego death" 00:04:15 Chart readings and unpacking survival mechanisms and pathologies 00:07:06 Transitioning from fight-or-flight through nervous system work 00:10:18 Discussing the MANY routes you can take to support your nervous system Perspectives on Fight-or-Flight and Victimhood: 00:11:42 Addressing undercurrents of victimhood and trauma states 00:13:56 Understanding chronic illness as an intelligent adaptation by the nervous system 00:16:01 Understanding how others can interpret our seasons of deep fight-or-flight 00:17:34 Nitika’s current state of illness and managing active symptoms 00:19:13 Analyzing chronic illness as a blended space of biology and emotion Chronic Illness Hot Takes: 00:27:14 Can positive thinking heal chronic illness? 00:29:55 Should you 100% leave western medicine behind for alternative medicine? 00:32:24 Should you be grateful for what your illness has taught you? 00:34:51 Do wellness brands actually care about chronically ill people? Conclusion: 00:37:03 One Brain Cell picks of the week (Survival of the Thickest on Netflix, Famesick by Lena Dunham) 00:39:00 Where to find Nitica Chopra (@niticachopra) 00:40:36 Thank you for listening (Like, Follow, and Subscribe!) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest: Nitika Chopra! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nitikachopra/?hl=en • Website - https://nitikachopra.com/ • Join ChroniCon - https://chronicon.co/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #Prednisone #SteroidSideEffects #PrednisoneWeightGain #SteroidRage #PrednisoneSurvivalGuide #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #MedicalGaslighting #ChronicPain #HealthJourney #Inflammation #SteroidWithdrawal #PrednisoneTaper #MentalHealth #SteroidAnxiety #SpoonieSupport #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Nitika Chopra, founder of Chronicon, chronic illness advocate, and someone who has been navigating life with a body that doesn't cooperate since she was 10 years old. We discuss everything from our lifelong fights with chronic illness to finding identity outside of the fight. Tune into hear more about: 🧒 Nitika’s diagnosis story (psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis) — what growing up feeling completely separate from everyone around her actually felt like + being bombarded by toxic positivity messaging that made her feel responsible for her own illness ⚡ What triggered her neuromuscular disease — six months of terrifying undiagnosed symptoms including double vision, neuroinflammation, inability to smile or swallow, before finally being diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis 💊 The Prednisone impact - rapid weight gain & the treatment reality that nobody glamorizes 🪞 The chronic illness identity shift — Nitika's realization that she was only allowing herself to build an identity around chronic illness and being sick, and why she refuses to let the community feel like they have to stay sick to still belong 🤍 The duality of chronic illness — and why remission can feel as complicated as a flare This one hit close to home for me personally. We are in the peaks AND the pits of this life. And this conversation is for both. xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Has your chronic illness ever become part of your identity in a way that felt hard to let go of? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:00:10 Intro to Nitika Chopra Nitika’s Diagnostic History: 00:02:04 Nitika’s first chronic illness diagnosis at age 10 00:05:42 Growing up in Ohio & feelings of separateness 00:06:17 Developing psoriatic arthritis 10 years later Young Adulthood & Career Evolution: 00:11:36 Dealing with severe chronic flare-ups in Nitika’s early 20s 00:12:01 The impact of toxic positivity and damaging self-help culture 00:14:03 Physical isolation, medication shifts, and accepting help 00:23:58 What is Myasthenia Gravis & Nitika’s diagnosis story 00:29:44 Weight swings and rapid 40-pound gain from prednisone The Duality of the Chronic Illness Identity: 00:36:24 Nuances of the chronic illness identity and outgrowing aspects of it 00:41:27 The juxtaposition of needing a freedom to heal while also needing the community that get’s the pits of chronic illness 00:45:00 How Alex’s pregnancy remission state has shifted her identity and relation to chronic illness for the time being Conclusion: 00:49:25 One Brain Cell picks of the week (Survival of the Thickest (Netflix), Famesick by Lena Dunham) 00:51:22 Where to find Nitika Chopra (@nitakachopra) 00:52:57 Thank you for listening (Like, Subscribe, and Share!) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest: Nitika Chopra! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nitikachopra/?hl=en • Website - https://nitikachopra.com/ • Join ChroniCon - https://chronicon.co/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #ChronicIllnessIdentity #NitikChopra #Chronicon #Psoriasis #PsoriaticArthritis #MyastheniaGravis #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicIllnessCommunity #ToxicPositivity #RemissionGuilt #ChronicIllnessAwareness #IdentityShift #BelongingWithoutBeingSick #ChronicPain #MentalHealth #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I’m answering all your pregnancy Q&A! We're diving into: 🥬 My Cyclospora anxiety — what foods I’m avoiding and why I’m mad at the government (lol) 🩺 How to actually start your pregnancy journey with chronic illness — the preconception appointment you NEED to make now!!! 👶 Second trimester update — autoimmune status, ultrasound anxiety during gap, and how I’m feeling overall 🧬 Why we’re NOT scared about passing on my chronic illness to our kids 💉 My birth plan — My thoughts on my delivery, epidural & pain medication, and if I feel guilt about my decisions 🍼 Feeding plans — How I’m thinking about breastfeeding, freeze-dried donor milk, and formula 🛏️ Sleep planning — How we’re trying to stay ahead of the sleep deprivation (lol!!) 🛒 My top Registry picks — and the things that have already changed !!! xx,  Alex 💬 Comment: What's the one pregnancy question you wish someone had answered honestly for you? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:00:54 Coping with pregnancy anxiety, food rules, and parasite fears 00:01:56 Substack updates: group chats and weekly posts Q&A - Pregnancy & Chronic Illness Planning: 00:02:56 Navigating pregnancy planning with chronic illness 00:05:42 Mid-pregnancy check-in 00:11:28 My thoughts on genetic testing and passing on chronic illnesses Q&A - Nursery, Birth Plans & Registries: 00:14:01 What we’ve done to prep his nursery so far 00:16:00 My thoughts on preparing for labor 00:17:44 Ditching the medication guilt during pregnancy 00:19:04 How we are (trying!!) to prepare for postpartum life + sleep deprivation 00:22:13 The HARDEST picks on my registry - Strollers, mattresses, and pumps Conclusion: 00:26:14 Are we going to change our minds… again!? 00:27:28 Thank You for Listening!!! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #PregnancyQA #ChronicIllnessPregnancy #HighRiskPregnancy #LupusPregnancy #AutoimmunePregnancy #BabyRegistry #BirthPlan #SecondTrimester #PregnancyWithChronicIllness #MaternalFetalMedicine #NightNurse #BabyBoy #MomToBe #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #PregnancyAnxiety #GeneticTesting #Breastfeeding #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I’m answering all your chronic illness Q&A! We're diving into: ⚖️ The NUMBER ONE rule I live my life by and navigate chronic illness with💉 My top tips for preparing for an infusion⚠️ The Amazon supplement warning you need to hear!!💼 How I navigate work with chronic illness (corporate America and entrepreneurship)🔬 The Endometriosis medication trial you NEED to hear about (Endo 205 Peptide) Plus my thoughts on toxic positivity, my thoughts on optimization culture, riding the waves of life's dualities, and why community is the thing that actually keeps me going on the hard days. xx,  Alex 💬 Comment: What's your number one chronic illness life hack that has actually moved the needle for you? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:00:29 RSVP for Calling in Sick’s Next Virtual Event (Fourth Wing Book Club) Q&A - Finding Balance & Life Hacks: 00:01:53 Finding positivity while chronically sick 00:03:51 My #1 TIP for managing life and chronic illness 00:05:53 How I prepare for and navigate immunotherapy and chemotherapy infusion days Q&A - Wellness Culture, Supplements & Career: 00:07:53 My HOT TAKE on optimization culture and the wellness industry 00:10:56 The truth about the supplement market 00:13:49 Navigating corporate America with a chronic illness 00:16:47 Managing entrepreneurship on the hard days 00:19:25 How the Calling in Sick podcast got started 00:24:00 Exciting advancements in women's health (Endo 205 peptide) Conclusion: 00:27:12 One Brain Cell Show: Love Island (+ California’s new great streaming law!!) 00:28:13 Substack Updates!!! 00:29:38 Thank You for Listening!!! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #ChronicIllness #LupusPregnancy #AutoimmuneRemission #Endometriosis #EndoResearch #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #ChronicIllnessLife #Lupus #Vasculitis #8020Rule #SupplementWarning #ChronicIllnessCareer #ChronicIllnessMom #PregnancyWithChronicIllness #PatientAdvocacy #Rituxan #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick x Ask Alex, Patrick Casale is back — and we're getting into the overlap that almost nobody talks about - living at the intersection of autism and chronic illness.  Patrick found out he was autistic in 2021. At almost the exact same time, he started choking on his food, regurgitating, waking up gasping. For nearly a year he was told it was acid reflux. Or GERD. Or — say it with me — anxiety. Have you tried mindfulness? It turned out to be Zenker's diverticulum, a condition affecting a fraction of a percent of the population, most of them over 65. Sound familiar? We're diving into: 🫁 Patrick's diagnostic odyssey — a year of being disbelieved, and the one provider who finally said "you sound like you have this really weird condition" 🧠 Why autism, ADHD, POTS, MCAS, hEDS and chronic fatigue keep showing up together — and why nobody's connecting the dots for you 🚩 The gaslighting-to-self-gaslighting pipeline — how being dismissed enough times teaches you to dismiss yourself 📋 Interoception, people-pleasing & underselling — why you say "a 4" when it's really a 12, and how that delays your care 🎤 Rapid-fire online stereotypes — "ADHD is just a lack of discipline," "you don't look autistic," "everyone's a little bit autistic," "getting accommodations is cheating," "everyone experiences burnout." Patrick gets the mic drop on all of them. 🎭 The masking conversation nobody's having — why "just unmask!" is a privileged take, and when masking is genuinely the right call ♿️ High vs. low functioning — why "high functioning" is not a badge of honor, and how it lands you in burnout Plus: accommodations are your legal right, not a favor. Stop asking. Start telling. xx, Alex 💬 Comment: what's the "ism" you're most tired of hearing? I'll add it to the list. TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Ask Alex! (Ft. Patrick Casale) 00:00:25 Patrick's chronic illness diagnosis (Zenker's diverticulum) Patrick Casale: 00:04:06 Finding the right provider — and the moment you believe yourself again 00:08:44 The crossover of autism and chronic illness 00:13:20 Tips for navigating care (interoception, people-pleasing + reference docs) 00:16:20 Rapid fire online stereotypes (self-diagnosis, masking, burnout, etc) Conclusion: 00:36:10 Where to find Patrick 00:37:20 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest, Patrick Casale, MA: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/patrick.casale/?hl=en • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@patrickcasale • Podcast (All Things Private Practice + Diverging Conversations with Dr. Megan Neff) - https://www.youtube.com/c/allthingsprivatepractice • Substack - https://patrickcasale.substack.com/ • Website - https://www.allthingspractice.com/freebie-vault-2026 • TedX Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyImqW69OY4 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #AutisticBurnout #LateDiagnosedAutistic #ActuallyAutistic #Neurodivergent #AuDHD #Masking #Unmasking #InternalizedAbleism #ChronicIllness #Dysautonomia #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #DisabilityAwareness #NeurodivergentEntrepreneur #PatrickCasale #MentalHealth #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Patrick Casale — licensed clinical mental health counselor, TEDx speaker, host of Diverging Conversations with Dr. Megan Neff, and someone who found out he was autistic at 35.  If you're chronically ill, neurodivergent, or living at the intersection of both, this one is going to hit. We get into what happens when the world's box is simply not built for your body or your brain — and what it costs to keep forcing yourself into it anyway. We're diving into: 🧠 Autistic burnout is NOT workplace burnout — you cannot fix it with a four-day weekend or a spa vacation, and Patrick explains exactly why 🎭 The masking bill comes due — scripting small talk, mimicking facial expressions, not knowing what to do with your hands, and the fatigue that follows 🔍 Diagnosed at 35 — the internal ableism, the imposter syndrome, and the "grief-relief paradox" of finally having a name for your whole life ⚡️ "An exposed nerve ending going through life" — the line a friend said to Patrick that reframed everything 👋 The great friend shedding — why people say "you're always sick now," and how you find the ones who move to the shade for you ❤️‍🩹 Reparenting your inner child — the fidget toy, the little girl at a 100 person dinner, and repairing the kid who never got support We also go WAY down an Anthony Bourdain rabbit hole, because of course we did. xx, Alex 💬 Comment: tell me about the person in your life who accommodates you without ever making it a “thing”. TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! (Ft. Patrick Casale) Patrick Casale: 00:04:43 What is autistic burnout? (And why a spa weekend won't fix it) 00:07:50 Introduction to Patrick — background, career + the ADHD diagnosis 00:18:34 Pursuing an autism diagnosis at 35 — masking, assessment, disclosure 00:29:00 Coming to terms with autistic identity (the grief-relief paradox) 00:31:55 Internalized ableism 00:35:52 The great friend shedding 00:43:55 Reparenting your inner child Conclusion: 00:47:07 One Brain Cell Show: Apple TV, cooking competitions & comfort rewatches 00:53:03 Where to find Patrick 00:54:15 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest, Patrick Casale, MA: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/patrick.casale/?hl=en • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@patrickcasale • Podcast (All Things Private Practice + Diverging Conversations with Dr. Megan Neff) - https://www.youtube.com/c/allthingsprivatepractice • Substack - https://patrickcasale.substack.com/ • Website - https://www.allthingspractice.com/freebie-vault-2026 • TedX Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyImqW69OY4 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #AutisticBurnout #LateDiagnosedAutistic #ActuallyAutistic #Neurodivergent #AuDHD #Masking #Unmasking #InternalizedAbleism #ChronicIllness #Dysautonomia #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #DisabilityAwareness #NeurodivergentEntrepreneur #PatrickCasale #MentalHealth #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick x Ask Alex, I'm sitting down with Dr. Rachel Zoffness — pain scientist, pain psychologist, Assistant Clinical Professor at UCSF, lecturer at Stanford, and author of Tell Me Where It Hurts. We are getting into the practical side of chronic pain management. Because understanding the science is one thing… but actually having tools you can use today, regardless of your budget or access to care, is another. We're diving into: 🏃 Movement as medicine — where to start when you can barely move, and why even stretching or pedaling your legs while lying down changes your brain chemistry 🧘 Biofeedback — what it is, how it works, and why the American Migraine Foundation says it can be as effective as popular pharmaceutical drugs for migraines 🧠 How your prefrontal cortex magnifies pain — and why distraction and joy are not just "nice to haves" but actual clinical tools 👻 Phantom limb pain — 80% of amputees experience pain in limbs that no longer exist, and what that tells us about where pain actually lives 🔥 Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) — what it is, how it hijacks your physiology, and why the cycle of avoiding movement makes it worse 📚 Accessible resources — Dr. Z's workbooks and protocols for people who cannot access or afford private clinical care xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What activity or moment has ever given YOU unexpected relief from your chronic pain? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:00:04 Guest Intro: Dr. Rachel Zoffnes, pain scientist and clinical psychologist Improving Accessibility in Pain Management: 00:01:48 Dr. Zoffnes’ workbooks and pro bono work for free access to treatments 00:02:35 Movement as Medicine: Starting where the body and brain are ready & the biological benefits 00:03:52 "Fuzz Therapy": The data-backed impact of pets on pain Biofeedback and the Mind-Body Connection: 00:04:41 Introduction to Biofeedback: Using sensors to read biological processes 00:07:02 The science of stress: How fight-or-flight affects skin temperature & what to do about it 00:09:16 Biofeedback effectiveness for migraines compared to pharmaceuticals Understanding Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): 00:10:12 Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): Physiological hijacking and symptoms 00:13:52 The cycle of protection: How lack of movement amplifies pain 00:15:20 The Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) as a magnifier of physical sensations… and how using distractions can lower the “pain volume” Conclusion: 00:18:14 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest, Dr. Rachel Zoffness, PhD: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/therealdoczoff/?hl=en • Resources - https://www.zoffness.com/resources • Website - https://www.zoffness.com/ Buy her book here: https://amzn.to/4aDThGb ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #ChronicPain #PainScience #BiopsychosocialModel #PainPsychology #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #DrRachelZoffness #TellMeWhereItHurts #PainManagement #NeuroplasticPain #CentralSensitization #TraumaAndPain #ChronicPainAwareness #PainRecipe #PainDial #PainReprocessing #MentalHealth #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Dr. Rachel Zoffness — pain scientist, pain psychologist, Assistant Clinical Professor at UCSF, lecturer at Stanford, and author of Tell Me Where It Hurts. If you have chronic pain, chronic illness, or you've ever been told your pain is "just stress" or "all in your head" — this episode is going to change the way you think about your body forever. We're diving into: 🧠 The biopsychosocial model — why pain lives at the intersection of biology, psychology, AND sociology, and why treating only one is failing patients 🍳 Your pain recipe — the ingredients driving your pain up and down, and how to identify YOUR low-pain recipe ⛽️ The pain dial — how emotions act as a volume knob for pain, and why joy and laughter are actually medicine 👻 Phantom limb pain — the proof that pain is constructed in the brain, not just in tissue 😴 The ingredients most people never connect to pain — sleep, stress, trauma, diet, and your nervous system 💊 What actually works — biofeedback, CBT-I, pain-science PT, trauma-informed therapy, and why insurance covers surgery but not the treatments with the best evidence This is not a hopeless conversation. Dr. Z's message is clear: chronic pain has more tools than we are told. And there are ingredients in your pain recipe that haven't been targeted yet!!! xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What's one thing in your life that you've noticed turns your pain dial UP — and what turns it DOWN? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:00:04 Guest Intro: Dr. Rachel Zoffnes, pain scientist and clinical psychologist Understanding Chronic Pain: 00:02:52 Acute vs. Chronic Pain: The distinction and definitions 00:04:30 Addressing the myth that pain is "all in your head" 00:05:44 Phantom limb pain and how the brain constructs pain 00:07:05 The "Pain Recipe": Identifying high pain vs. low pain ingredients The Biopsychosocial Pain Model: 00:12:38 Intro to the Biopsychosocial Model (Biological, Psychological, Sociological) 00:14:14 The Psychological Domain: Shared neural real estate between emotions and pain 00:18:41 The Sociological Domain: Trauma, socioeconomic status, and environmental factors 00:21:04 Exploring the somatic (physical) components of every emotion Trauma, Sensitivity, and Recovery: 00:24:13 Trauma's role in priming a hyper-sensitive nervous system 00:27:02 The Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) and susceptibility to chronic pain 00:32:17 Expanding horizons: Finding the right providers (PT, OT, Biofeedback, CBT-I, EMDR) 00:42:22 Gaps in medical education regarding pain science & the insurance part Conclusion: 00:47:12 One Brain Cell Show: Awakening (Oliver Sachs) Robin Williams Stand-up comedy (everywhere) and Clarkson’s Farm (Amazon Prime) 00:51:10 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest, Dr. Rachel Zoffness, PhD: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/therealdoczoff/?hl=en • Resources - https://www.zoffness.com/resources • Website - https://www.zoffness.com/ Buy her book here: https://amzn.to/4aDThGb ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #ChronicPain #PainScience #BiopsychosocialModel #PainPsychology #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #DrRachelZoffness #TellMeWhereItHurts #PainManagement #NeuroplasticPain #CentralSensitization #TraumaAndPain #ChronicPainAwareness #PainRecipe #PainDial #PainReprocessing #MentalHealth #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick x Ask Alex, Alec Bradbury, FNP is back for round two — and we're getting into what's actually on the cutting edge of chronic pain. New research, new healing modalities, what we're both genuinely excited about, and where to pump the brakes before you hand over your money. If you've ever been told your pain is "of unknown origin," or you've been burned chasing a miracle cure, this one is for you. We're diving into: 🧠 Nociplastic pain — the THIRD pain type (only formally named in 2017!) and why it finally validates conditions like fibromyalgia, IBS, and chronic low back pain 📊 Function over the pain scale — why "rate it 0-10" fails you, what to document instead (especially if you're seeking disability), and the BPI 🔬 What's a real breakthrough — the PRT trial (66% pain-free or nearly so after 4 weeks, with results holding at 5 years) + EAET for trauma 💊 What's new in meds + tech — suzetrigine (the non-addictive Nav1.8 blocker), closed-loop spinal cord stimulators, and AI "digital twins" 🍄 The hopeful frontier — ketamine, psilocybin & MDMA therapy, PRP, and why Alex calls ketamine a turning point in her CRPS 🚩 Buyer beware — the stem cell clinic stats that'll scare you, and the rule: if anyone sells you a silver bullet, RUN xx, Alex 💬 Comment: what's a chronic pain treatment you're curious about — or one that actually worked for you? 🎧 New here? Go back to Monday's full episode with Alec for the foundation on how pain is taught (and mistaught). Timestamps: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! What's changing in how pain is talked about + documented Nociplastic pain — the third pain type, finally named Function over the pain scale (and why it matters for disability) The humanness of pain + implicit bias on what pain "should" feel like Believing your patients — lived experience vs. taking it at face value Genuine breakthroughs: the PRT trial + 5-year follow-up EAET for trauma — and how trauma changes pain physiology New meds + tech: suzetrigine, spinal cord stimulators, AI digital twins The hopeful frontier: ketamine, psilocybin, MDMA + Alex's CRPS story PRP, PEMF, infrared — "woo woo" going mainstream Buyer beware: stem cells, false claims + the silver bullet rule Thank you for listening! Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Find Alec: https://www.instagram.com/alecbradburyfnp/  Alex's Picks of the Week: Since we're talking pain, here are my two favorite pain management tools 💊 ✨ CBD Living Topical CBD — THC-free, nano-sized CBD for better absorption + a menthol cooling effect. The ONLY topical that's ever given me real relief (note: not pregnancy-safe) — https://go.shopmy.us/p-54591626 ✨ Salonpas Lidocaine Patches — pregnancy-safe, ~$10/pack, lasts about a month. Always in my purse, hospital go-bag, and chemo bag — https://amzn.to/4wfu3X5 #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #PainManagement #NociplasticPain #NeuroplasticPain #PainReprocessingTherapy #KetamineTherapy #Fibromyalgia #CRPS #PainResearch #MindBodyConnection #ChronicPainAwareness #PatientAdvocacy #AlecBradbury #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Alec Bradbury, FNP — the provider you've probably seen on socials making chronic pain feel a whole lot less terrifying, isolating, and lonely. He's a nurse practitioner doing street medicine for the unhoused in Orange County, he teaches the next generation of providers about chronic pain, AND he runs a 1:1 coaching program. Basically, a badass. We get into what providers are actually taught about pain in school… and the rude awakening Alec had when he started practicing and hit the bottom of the "toolbox" over and over again. If you've ever been told your scans look "fine" while you're in very real pain, this one is FOR YOU. We're diving into: 🧠 How pain is really taught in school — and why that framework fails chronic pain patients 🔬 "Real and biological" — central + peripheral sensitization, and why neuroplastic pain is NOT "all in your head" 🩻 The MRI myth — why disc degeneration shows up in people with zero pain (96% of 80-year-olds!), and why we're "treating imaging, not patients" 🤝 Mind AND body, not mind OR body — the biopsychosocial approach, PRT, and the trauma of being dismissed 🗣️ How to actually be heard at appointments — bring a buddy, lead with curiosity, and make them document the rationale And of course… reach out to us with any questions!!! xx, Alex 💬 Comment: what's a time you felt dismissed at an appointment — and what did you do? 🎧 New to PRT? Go back to our December 2024 episode with Vanessa Blackstone for the full download on pain reprocessing therapy. Timestamps: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:02:10 Alex's Picks of the Week 00:03:40 Meet Alec Bradbury, FNP — street medicine, teaching + coaching 00:07:15 Rapid fire: fact or fiction about chronic pain 00:11:00 How chronic pain is taught in school (and why it falls short) 00:15:00 Why new pain research isn't reaching the clinic yet 00:18:15 The moments Alec started questioning the toolbox 00:22:30 Rabbit holes: John Sarno, mind-body medicine, PRT 00:27:30 Mind AND body — and the trauma of "it's all in your head" 00:34:00 What actually changes in the nervous system (sensitization) 00:38:30 The MRI myth — degeneration in pain-free people 00:44:30 Treating imaging vs. treating patients + meeting people where they are 00:50:30 Why Alec started posting online (his 1-year anniversary!) 00:55:00 Communication that works: feel understood first 00:58:30 Your patient toolkit: bring someone, top 3 concerns, curiosity, documentation 01:03:00 Duvet day pick: anime, Frieren + Studio Ghibli 01:05:30 Thank you for listening! Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Find Alec: https://www.instagram.com/alecbradburyfnp/  Alex's Picks of the Week: Since we're talking pain, here are my two favorite pain management tools 💊 ✨ CBD Living Topical CBD — THC-free, nano-sized CBD for better absorption + a menthol cooling effect. The ONLY topical that's ever given me real relief (note: not pregnancy-safe, sadly) — https://go.shopmy.us/p-54591626 ✨ Salonpas Lidocaine Patches — pregnancy-safe, ~$10/pack, lasts about a month. Always in my purse, hospital go-bag, and chemo bag — https://amzn.to/4wfu3X5 #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #PainManagement #NeuroplasticPain #MindBodyConnection #PainReprocessingTherapy #ChronicPainAwareness #InvisibleIllness #MedicalGaslighting #PatientAdvocacy #BiopsychosocialPain #ChronicPainWarrior #AlecBradbury #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick x Ask Alex, Dr. Tracy Shevell is back and we are busting every pregnancy myth I've heard online this year. Sushi. Sleep position. The "12 week rule." Glowing pregnancies. ALL of it!! We're diving into: 🤰 Why I announced my pregnancy at 5.5 weeks — and why Dr. Shevell says waiting 12 weeks can actually be detrimental  😤 Restrictive laws on women’s healthcare and the pregnancy implications 🍣 The sushi myth — what's actually safe to eat and what isn't, and why it's about the bacteria, not the fish 😴 The sleep position myth — when sleeping on your left side actually matters and when it doesn't 😤 Stress does NOT cause miscarriage — what actually does, and why this myth needs to die ✨ Why "glowing" is not a requirement — it is completely normal to feel awful and hate being pregnant Plus the bigger conversation about bodily autonomy, restrictive healthcare laws, and why trusting your own intuition matters more than ever… especially in the third trimester. xx, Alex 💬 Comment: what’s your number one tip for someone THINKING about starting their pregnancy journey!!! TIMESTAMP: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Early Pregnancy and Support: 00:00:10 Sharing pregnancy announcements early (five weeks?!) 00:02:06 Miscarriage statistics and reducing shame 00:04:02 Living in Texas and fears regarding first-trimester complications 00:06:51 The impact of restrictive laws on women's healthcare 00:10:32 Myth busting pregnancy myths: sushi, listeria, hot tubs and more 00:21:15 Pregnancy myths Dr. Shevell wishes to eliminate Conclusion: 00:22:27 Balancing loving and hating pregnancy 00:26:26 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Alex’s Picks of the Week: Since we’re chatting about high risk pregnancy… here’s two of my favorite pregnancy-safe supplement brands!  ✨Needed. protein powder — https://amzn.to/4oIffh8 ✨Ritual pre-natal vitamins: ⁠https://go.shopmy.us/p-64830281⁠ ( 50% off until 6/30!! ) #PregnancyMyths #PregnancyTips #HighRiskPregnancy #MaternalFetalMedicine #MiscarriageAwareness #PregnancyAnnouncement #ChronicIllnessPregnancy #PregnancyJourney #MomToBe #FirstTrimester #BodilyAutonomy #PregnancyFacts #DrTracyShevell #ChronicIllness #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down (AGAIN!) with Dr. Tracy Shevell, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist (aka high-risk pregnancy OBGYN), to demystify everything about what a high-risk pregnancy actually means and is. So whether you have a chronic illness, you're newly pregnant, or you're just trying to understand if you need to see an MFM… this episode is your full 411. We're diving into: 🩺 What is an MFM? — the OB/GYN subspecialty most people have never heard of, and why it matters ⏰ When to actually see an MFM — and why pre-conception appointments are a great idea 🚩 What "high-risk" actually means — maternal conditions, fetal conditions, and everything in between 💊 The medication myth that needs to die — why stopping your meds during pregnancy is often more dangerous than staying on them 📝 The phrase that changes everything — what to say when you feel dismissed at an appointment And of course… reach out to us with any questions!!! xx, Alex 💬 Comment: what’s your biggest question around high-risk pregnancy? TIMESTAMP: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Understanding MFM and High-Risk Pregnancies: 00:00:41 What is an MFM (Maternal Fetal Medicine) doctor? 00:06:51 Who needs to see a high-risk OB-GYN? 00:13:50 What to expect at first MFM appointments 00:20:16 The TRUTH about stopping meds and pregnancy 00:27:03 Conditions that are contraindications to pregnancy 00:37:11 Managing stress, anxiety, and depression during pregnancy 00:38:36 Building a "village" and practical registry ideas 00:44:06 Preparing for MFM appointments and asking the right questions Conclusion: 00:49:03 Understanding hospital admissions and late-pregnancy monitoring 00:55:18 Final advice for "chronic illness girlies" considering pregnancy 01:05:01 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Alex’s Picks of the Week: Since we’re chatting about high risk pregnancy… here’s two of my favorite pregnancy-safe supplement brands!  ✨Needed. protein powder — https://amzn.to/4oIffh8 ✨Ritual pre-natal vitamins: https://go.shopmy.us/p-64830281 ( 50% off until 6/30!! ) #PregnancyMyths #PregnancyTips #HighRiskPregnancy #MaternalFetalMedicine #MiscarriageAwareness #PregnancyAnnouncement #ChronicIllnessPregnancy #PregnancyJourney #MomToBe #FirstTrimester #BodilyAutonomy #PregnancyFacts #DrTracyShevell #ChronicIllness #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, we’re sharing everything about our gender reveal and closing out my first, first trimester!! We're diving into: 💙 WHY we found out early  👀 How we accidentally used the Sneak Peek at-home test for our gender reveal party (WHOOPS!) 🤢 First trimester wrap up and what's finally starting to ease up 💊 Chronic illness update (the good, the bad and the thing making me frown) and why that’s making me start nesting at 12 weeks!! So excited to share this moment with y’all!!!! xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Were you right on your guess if Baby Wild is a boy or a girl?! TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! The Gender Reveal: 00:01:28 The quick TLDR; about this episode 00:05:36 Why we chose to find out the results privately BEFORE the gender reveal party (and why you should too!!) 00:09:16 Everything about our gender reveal party (+ how to make yours accessible and inexpensive!!) 00:17:15 Are old wives tales… right?!?! 00:24:43 First trimester symptom updates: nausea, fatigue, and "baby brain” 00:27:56 Impact of pregnancy on chronic illness symptoms + am I getting my port removed?! 00:31:27 How my risk tolerance has changed… and why that’s making me nest EARLY Conclusion: 00:33:30 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Alex’s Picks of the Week: These are a few of the products I mentioned in this week’s episode!! ✨SneakPeek At-Home Gender Test — https://amzn.to/4e8Td3p —> This is the EXACT one I ordered!!! ✨Susie Cakes custom cakes & cupcakes — https://susiecakes.com/national-menu/ —> GF options available upon request!!!! #GenderReveal #ItsABoy #ChronicIllnessPregnancy #LupusPregnancy #FirstTrimester #PregnancyAnnouncement #BabyBoy #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmunePregnancy #Lupus #IVIG #PregnancyUpdate #BabyBrain #HighRiskPregnancy #MotherhoodJourney #ChronicIllnessMom #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick x Ask Alex, Dr. Taylor Reyes is back for the deeper dive, and we are getting into one of the HARDEST things for us sick chicks in the chronic illness community. Movement. This is not a "just do yoga" episode. This is a real, practical, judgment-free guide to moving your body when your body doesn't always cooperate. We're diving into: 🛠️ The PT toolbox (manual therapy, cupping, dry needling, scraping, and more) 🍫 How to use movement snacks to get daily exercise 🛋️ Exercises that meet you where you are 🔋 Energy conservation & why exercise doesn't have to look like athleisure and sweat 🏠 Habit stacking to get movement in during your daily activities If you've ever felt like exercise was designed for someone with a completely different body than yours, then this episode is your permission slip to start anyway. 🤍 xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What's your favorite low-effort movement snack? Drop it below so we can steal it! 👇 TIMESTAMP: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Ask Alex! 00:00:03 Introduction of Dr. Taylor Reyes and the focus on accessible movement Tools and Philosophy of Physical Therapy: 00:00:21 Different types of physical therapy tools: cupping, manual therapy, and dry needling 00:02:21 Holistic approach to chronic illness management Strategies for Accessible Movement: 00:03:32 Turning activities of daily living (ADLs) into exercise 00:04:00 Introduction to "Movement Snacks" 00:06:50 Overcoming mental blocks and fear of post-exercise malaise Conclusion: 00:08:18 Final thoughts and wrap-up 00:09:10 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Alex’s Picks of the Week: If this episode resonated, you probably should look at the Alex’s picks for this week… ✨MomCozy Pregnancy Pillow — https://amzn.to/49GLKpM ✨Corkcicle Sierra Leakproof Waterbottle — https://go.shopmy.us/p-51565745 #PelvicFloorPT #PelvicFloor #PelvicFloorPhysicalTherapy #ChronicIllness #Endometriosis #EDS #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #PregnancyPT #PostpartumRecovery #DiastasisRecti #PrenatalFitness #PelvicHealth #WomensHealth #SpoonieLife #ChronicPain #PostpartumFitness #DrTaylorReyes #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Dr. Taylor Reyes, a physical therapist specializing in pelvic floor health. Something I WISH I knew about after my endometriosis surgeries, and am relieved I know about before giving birth!!! Whether you have chronic illness, you're pregnant, postpartum, or just a human with a pelvis, this conversation is for you. We're diving into: 🦴 What the pelvic floor actually IS 💊 How pelvic floor PT supports chronic illness (endometriosis EDS, connective tissue disorders and more) 🤰 Prenatal PT (what to do before you give birth to reduce tearing, improve labor positioning, and actually prepare your body) 💪 Postpartum recovery (diastasis recti, abdominal pressure management, and why your soft tissues deserves actual rehab post birth) Plus the fact or fiction rapid fire you’ve been waiting for… like are kegels actually the answer for everyone, should you rest completely during a flare, and what does birth trauma look like even when there's no visible tearing? xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Have you ever seen a pelvic floor PT — and if not, what's stopped you? TIMESTAMPS Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:00:58 Alex’s Picks of the Week (Mom Cozy Pregnancy Pillow, Corkcicle No-Leak Water Bottle) Guide to Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy: 00:02:30 Meet the wonderful Dr. Taylor Reyes!! 00:11:53 The TLDR on physical therapy and pelvic floor physical therapy 00:20:15 When to Seek Pelvic Floor PT: Pain with Sex, Endometriosis, and More 00:27:38 Prenatal and Postpartum Care 00:53:21 Fact or Fiction: Common Pelvic Floor Myths Conclusion: 01:08:12 One Brain Cell Show: Zelda and Spark of the Everflame 01:14:04 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Alex’s Picks of the Week: If this episode resonated, you probably should look at the Alex’s picks for this week… ✨MomCozy Pregnancy Pillow — https://amzn.to/49GLKpM ✨Corkcicle Sierra Leakproof Waterbottle — https://go.shopmy.us/p-51565745 #PelvicFloorPT #PelvicFloor #PelvicFloorPhysicalTherapy #ChronicIllness #Endometriosis #EDS #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #PregnancyPT #PostpartumRecovery #DiastasisRecti #PrenatalFitness #PelvicHealth #WomensHealth #SpoonieLife #ChronicPain #PostpartumFitness #DrTaylorReyes #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick x Ask Alex, Dr. Jolene Brighten is back, and we are getting into something that I wish someone had explained to me years ago. If you have a neurodivergent brain and have ever felt like your symptoms get dramatically worse at certain points in your cycle… you are not imagining it. Your hormones are doing that. And there is ACTUALLY a lot you can do about it. We're diving into: 🧠 How your menstrual cycle affects your neurodivergent brain 📉 Why you feel like you crash out during your luteal phase 💔 How hormones effect PMDD ⏰ Why you may enter perimenopause earlier if you have ADHD 💊 What to actually do: hormone therapy, progesterone, testosterone, estrogen, thyroid health, etc. This one is a saver. Send it to every neurodivergent woman in your life. 🤍 xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Have you ever noticed how during specific points in your cycle, you symptoms get worse?! Tell us when 👇 TIMESTAMP: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Ask Alex! 00:00:05 Introduction of Dr. Jolene Brighten and her new book on ADHD and women Hormones, Cycles, and the Neurodivergent Brain: 00:01:12 What actually happens during the menstrual cycle? 00:04:41 How hormonal shifts uniquely impact neurodivergent women 00:07:34 The connection between ADHD, Autism, and PMDD 00:09:34 Understanding the GABA system and "mouth filters" 00:10:52 How the brain recalibrates and prunes during the cycle 00:12:04 Pain receptors and cycle-based sensitivities Endometriosis and it’s Co-Morbidities: 00:13:03 Co-morbidities: Endometriosis, autoimmune disease, and connective tissue disorders 00:16:35 How medications (ADHD, anxiety, depression) interact with cycles Cycles and Neurodivergence: 00:18:28 How our cycles impact ADHD 00:22:45 Utilizing hormone therapy for neurodivergent brains 00:24:38 When to start the conversation about hormone therapy 00:28:51 The role of testosterone in energy, "gumption," and impulsivity 00:31:05 Estrogen therapy and cognitive symptoms (Time blindness, memory)  Conclusion: 00:36:09 Where to connect with Dr. Brighten 00:37:05 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Alex’s Picks of the Week: Apparently… pregnant woman sunburn MUCH faster than usual… so here are my top 2 pregnancy safe, non-toxic sun safety picks!!! ✨Tower28 SOS Spray (for when you burn) — https://go.shopmy.us/p-61563905 ✨OSEA Mineral Sunscreen — https://go.shopmy.us/p-61563949 #Endometriosis #EndoAwareness #EndoWarrior #ChronicIllness #ADHD #ADHDWomen #AutoimmuneDisease #POTS #PMDD #DrJoleneBrighten #BeyondThePill #PelvicPain #EndoSurgery #ExcisionSurgery #ChronicPain #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #WomensHealth #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with THE Dr. Jolene Brighten, board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist, bestselling author of Beyond the Pill, Is This Normal and soon-to-be-released ADHD and Women, and someone who personally lives with endometriosis, adenomyosis, ADHD, and autism. And she is connecting every dot that conventional medicine keeps ignoring. We're diving into: 🩸 What endometriosis actually IS 🧠 The diagnosis conversation 🔬 What excision surgery vs. ablation actually means 💔 The comorbidity nobody is talking about (ADHD, autism, PMDD, POTS and autoimmunity) 🌿 What a real endo management plan looks like Plus a session of fact or fiction you DON’T want to miss!!! xx, Alex 💬 Comment: How long did it take you to get your endo diagnosis… and what finally got you there? TIMESTAMP: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:01:48 Alex’s Picks of the Week (Tower 28 SOS spray, OSEA mineral sunscreen) Deep Dive into Endometriosis with Dr. Jolene Brighten: 00:04:17 Dr. Jolene Brighten's personal health journey and background 00:11:12 What is endometriosis? 00:13:37 Misinformation in medical education and the role of Pharma 00:16:47 Surgical options: Excision vs. Ablation 00:23:04 The importance of imaging and proper diagnostics 00:30:32 Global experts and the cost of specialized care 00:35:03 Commonly missed symptoms and systemic effects 00:40:05 Steps to finding the right provider and advocating for yourself 00:47:43 Emerging research and treatments (HIFU, GLP-1s) 00:52:19 Fact or Fiction: Common myths in women's health Conclusion: 01:05:42 One Brain Cell Show: OUR TOP Reading Recommendations 01:12:18 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Alex’s Picks of the Week: Apparently… pregnant woman sunburn MUCH faster than usual… so here are my top 2 pregnancy safe, non-toxic sun safety picks!!! ✨Tower28 SOS Spray (for when you burn) — https://go.shopmy.us/p-61563905 ✨OSEA Mineral Sunscreen — https://go.shopmy.us/p-61563949 #Endometriosis #EndoAwareness #EndoWarrior #ChronicIllness #ADHD #ADHDWomen #AutoimmuneDisease #POTS #PMDD #DrJoleneBrighten #BeyondThePill #PelvicPain #EndoSurgery #ExcisionSurgery #ChronicPain #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #WomensHealth #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick's Ask Alex, I'm getting into something I've wanted to talk about for a while!! The communication strategies that have actually made a difference during my first trimester. Best part? Chronic illness taught us most of them. We all know Cooper is Saint Coop for a reason. But this week I'm breaking down exactly WHY he's so good at this, and the framework we've built together that I think every chronic illness couple — pregnant or not — needs to hear. We're diving into: 🤍 The 4 S's of partner support: solidarity, solutions, sympathy and shit-talking (yes, really) 🧠 Decision fatigue: why anticipating needs without being asked is the ultimate act of love 😂 Meet Victoria: how we handle mood swings without taking them personally 📚 How we research together 💪 What I do on MY end xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What's the hardest communication topic you've had to navigate with your partner during chronic illness or pregnancy? TIMESTAMP: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! How Chronic Illness Prepared Me and My Partner for Pregnancy: 00:01:55 The single question to ask your partner: "What kind of support do you need?" 00:03:09 Anticipating needs: executing without being asked 00:05:09 How we manage hormonal mood swings without taking them personally 00:06:33 Collaborative research: how we figured out my due date together 00:07:27 Bidirectional accountability: supporting the primary caregiver Conclusion: 00:08:21 We want to hear your hardest communication points!!! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/⁠ • TikTok - ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod⁠ • Facebook - ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568⁠ • Substack - ⁠https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod?⁠ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- ⁠https://www.justmediahouse.com/⁠ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/⁠ Alex’s Picks of the Week: We get into nausea this week, here’s my top 2 picks for managing it!! ✨Sea Bands — ⁠https://sea-band.com?sca_ref=11335860.28aQZwoPI5g⁠ Use code ALEX10 for 10% off at checkout!! ✨Preggie Pops — ⁠https://amzn.to/3PFqZUk⁠ #ChronicIllnessPregnancy #FirstTrimester #AutoimmunePregnancy #PregnancyWithChronicIllness #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #PregnancyNausea #MorningStickness #DuvetDay #HighRiskPregnancy #ChronicIllnessMom #FirstTrimesterSymptoms #PregnancyTips #SpooniePregnancy #TTCCommunity #MotherhoodJourney #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm getting honest about something I was maybe a little overconfident about going in. I thought 25+ years of managing a complicated, unpredictable chronic illness had given me ALL the tools I'd need for managing my first trimester of this pregnancy. Turns out… I was kinda wrong. We're diving into: 🧠 How chronic illness ACTUALLY prepared me  😴 Where pregnancy has TOTALLY humbled me 🤢 My honest nausea remedy ratings 🤱 The pregnancy things NOBODY warned me about ✨ The update on my autoimmune symptoms right now!!! If you're pregnant with chronic illness, thinking about it, or just want the unfiltered honest version of first trimester… this one's for you. xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What's your NUMBER ONE nausea tool?! TIMESTAMP: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 4:14 Alex’s Picks of the Week (Sea Bands, Preggie Pops) How Chronic Illness Prepared Me for Pregnancy: 00:06:27 Is pregnancy nausea and fatigue the SAME as chronic illness?! 00:10:43 My NUMBER ONE fatigue tip 00:13:46 How I’m ACTUALLY managing nausea 00:20:20 How I’ve been eating during my first trimester, and why it’s been surprising to me 00:23:51 How I’ve been handling all the ADVICE that comes with pregnancy, and chronic illness 00:26:33 The MOST surprising pregnancy symptom NOBODY prepared me for Conclusion: 00:32:29 One Brain Cell Show: Off-Campus series (Amazon Prime) 00:35:06 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Alex’s Picks of the Week: We get into nausea this week, here’s my top 2 picks for managing it!! ✨Sea Bands — https://sea-band.com?sca_ref=11335860.28aQZwoPI5g Use code ALEX10 for 10% off at checkout!! ✨Preggie Pops — https://amzn.to/3PFqZUk #ChronicIllnessPregnancy #FirstTrimester #AutoimmunePregnancy #PregnancyWithChronicIllness #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #PregnancyNausea #MorningStickness #DuvetDay #HighRiskPregnancy #ChronicIllnessMom #FirstTrimesterSymptoms #PregnancyTips #SpooniePregnancy #TTCCommunity #MotherhoodJourney #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick x Ask Alex, Ali Moresco and I are getting into everything happening in the Lyme disease world RIGHT NOW. It's Lyme Awareness Month, ticks are predicted to be worse than ever this year, and there is actually some hopeful news coming out of Washington for the first time in a long time. We're diving into: 🏛️ HHS takes on Lyme: what the new government roundtable, updated standards of care, and brand new tick-borne illness website actually mean for patients 💉 The Lyme vaccine in development: where it stands and what it signals about how seriously this disease is finally being taken 🔬 LymeX: the $25 million public-private partnership working to develop accurate standard lab testing (because the current one misses up to 78% of cases) 🧬 The pathobiome nobody talks about: how Lyme commonly shows up alongside POTS, MCAS, EDS, mold toxicity, and immune deficiencies, and what that means for treatment 💆 Integrating Western medicine with healing modalities that also work: lymphatic drainage, TCM, infrared saunas, red light therapy, and why dismissing these is failing patients Plus the hot take on medical providers online who are invalidating patient experiences… and why that attitude is doing serious damage to trust in this community. xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Did you know May is Lyme Awareness Month? Have you or someone you love been affected by Lyme disease? TIMESTAMPS: Everything Lyme & Ticks with Alli Moresco: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:02:21 HHS roundtable discussion and involvement of top researchers and doctors 00:03:33 Updated standards of care and new HHS Lyme website4 00:04:14 Lyme vaccine in development5 00:04:39 LymeX: A public-private partnership for improved lab testing6 00:05:44 New website resources and updated disease statistics7 00:06:43 Comorbidities of Lyme (POTS, MCAS, EDS, and mold toxicity)8 00:08:43 Theories on chronic illness susceptibility and weakened immune systems9 00:11:24 Integrating Western medicine with traditional and functional practices10 00:14:20 Frustrations with medical provider attitudes on social media11 00:18:56 Favorite healing modalities: manual lymphatic drainage and traditional Chinese medicine 00:22:59 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest, Ali Moresco! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alitmoresco/ • Project Lyme - https://projectlyme.org/from-the-desk-of-ali-moresco/ • Moresco PR - https://www.amorescopr.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Alex’s Picks of the Week: This week we’re talking about Lyme disease, so here are my TOP PICKS for tick prevention and control!!! ✨Wonderside Flea & Tick Spray — https://amzn.to/43dIUoh ✨The Tick Mitt — https://amzn.to/4uOGgRF #LymeDisease #LymeAwareness #LymeAwarenessMonth #TickBornIllness #ChronicLyme #LymeWarrior #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #MedicalGaslighting #LymeTesting #AliMoresco #ProjectLyme #TickSeason #LymePrevention #ChronicPain #PatientAdvocacy #InfectiousDisease #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Ali Moresco, Lyme disease advocate, founder & CEO of Moresco PR, and Executive Board Chair of Project Lyme, to talk about the tick-borne illness epidemic that is growing faster than most people realize. 31 million people will get bit by a tick this year. In some counties, 1 in 2 ticks carry Lyme. And most people still have no idea what to do when it happens. We're diving into: 🦟 The 411 on Lyme disease: what it actually looks like, why the bullseye rash is a myth, and what to do in the first 72 hours after a tick bite 🩺 Why standard Lyme testing misses up to 78% of cases, and what accurate testing actually looks like 💔  Why Lyme is one of the most politically charged and dismissed illnesses in medicine 🔥 Why Lyme disease is so polarizing Plus on Wednesday’s episode, we're getting into what's happening in the Lyme world RIGHT NOW: new research, the vaccine in development, and HHS’ taking on Lyme. If you've ever been bit by a tick, love someone with Lyme, or just want to actually understand what's happening with this illness… this episode is for you. xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Have you ever been bit by a tick? Did you know what to do? TIMESTAMPS Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:01:57 Alex’s Picks of the Week (Wonderside Flea and Tick Spray, Tick Mitt) Everything Lyme & Ticks with Ali Moresco: 00:03:34 Intro to Ali Moresco, her background and her story with Lyme Disease 00:15:20 The basics of Lyme disease and transmission 00:20:59 Other tick-borne illnesses (Alpha-gal, Babesiosis, Bartonella) 00:25:07 Why Lyme has prevalence right now & the current statistics 00:27:14 Prevention: Where ticks hide and how to do a tick check 00:31:49 Post-bite protocol: Proper removal, testing, and treatment 00:38:13 Misinformation, politics, and the "Lyme Wars" 00:50:01 Future outlook and reasons for hope Conclusion: 00:52:36 One Brain Cell Show: Bravo (Real Housewives) 00:55:23 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest, Ali Moresco! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alitmoresco/ • Project Lyme - https://projectlyme.org/from-the-desk-of-ali-moresco/ • Moresco PR - https://www.amorescopr.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Alex’s Picks of the Week: This week we’re talking about Lyme disease, so here are my TOP PICKS for tick prevention and control!!! ✨Wonderside Flea & Tick Spray — https://amzn.to/43dIUoh ✨The Tick Mitt — https://amzn.to/4uOGgRF #LymeDisease #LymeAwareness #LymeAwarenessMonth #TickBornIllness #ChronicLyme #LymeWarrior #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #MedicalGaslighting #LymeTesting #AliMoresco #ProjectLyme #TickSeason #LymePrevention #ChronicPain #PatientAdvocacy #InfectiousDisease #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Calling in Sick x Ask Alex, I’m joined by Cortney Gensemer, PhD - scientist, chronic illness patient and mom - to talk about the questions so many of us with chronic illness are quietly worried about. Motherhood. And obviously, as someone who is newly pregnant, I had a LOT of questions for Cort!! So this week, we're diving into: 🤰 What pregnancy actually looked like with hEDS, POTS & MCAS 🏥 Why MFM appointments are every chronic illness woman’s favorite appointment ever 👶 The genetic question everyone is afraid to ask: will my child have my chronic illness? 💼 How Cortney found a sustainable balance for work, health and motherhood 🩺 How chronic illness actually prepares you to be an incredible mother And we also answer YOUR questions! Including: 🤍 How to manage burnout as a parent with CFS 🤍 What a genetic mutation in COL5A1 or COL5A2 actually means for cEDS 🤍 How to ask for help when your body just can't keep up xx,  Alex 💬 Comment: What's the one question about chronic illness and motherhood you've been afraid to ask? TIMESTAMPS Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick’s Ask Alex! Motherhood and Chronic Illness: 00:02:29 Courtney's motherhood & postpartum journey 00:08:00 Why chronic illness patients love their Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialists  00:14:15 What sharing our pregnancies publicly was like 00:17:15 The concerns about passing down chronic illness conditions 00:23:42 How pregnancy has shifted our mindsets towards life with chronic illness 00:25:29 Chronic illness parenting hacks 00:31:12 What navigating a medical crisis for your child is like, while YOU are managing YOUR chronic illness 00:39:20 How Cortney has juggled her career, motherhood and chronic illness Audience Q&A: 00:43:25 Chronic Illness Burnout Tips  00:48:22 Pain medication and juggling the long-term risks 00:50:33 MFM and Preconception Planning 00:56:06 Genetics and EDS Conclusion: 01:00:11 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest: Cortney Gensemer! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cortdoesscience/ • Substack - https://cortneygensemer.substack.com/ • Website - cortneygensemer.com 🔗 If you have a complex chronic illness, check out Chronicle Connect and patient participation opportunities at chroniclebio.com  ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Alex’s Picks of the Week: Things that have been helping my chronic illness — and now my first trimester too!! ✨Salonpas Lidocaine Pain Patches — https://amzn.to/3P6rAON ✨Momcozy Pregnancy Pillow — https://amzn.to/4nEIlgZ #ChronicIllnessResearch #hEDS #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #POTS #MCAS #MastCellActivation #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #PatientAdvocacy #CortDoesScience #ChronicleBio #ChronicIllnessCommunity #MedicalGaslighting #PatientScientist #Omics #ChronicPain #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with someone who lives this chronic illness life from both sides of the equation. Cortney Gensemer, PhD is a scientist at ChronicleBio, a patient with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, MCAS, POTS, and adrenal insufficiency, and the creator behind @CortDoesScience, and she is not holding back. This week we're diving into: 🔬 What it's actually like to study your own disease 🩺 The challenges of specialized care and diagnosis for the chronic illness population 🧬 How "omics" research is what’s connecting the dots across chronic illnesses to move beyond labels and actually find answers 💊 Our hot takes on if: diagnostic labels 100% helpful, wellness culture is actually toxic, patients are more informed than their providers, and so much more xx,  Alex 💬 Comment: What's one thing you wish your doctor actually understood about your condition? TIMESTAMPS Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:04:48 Alex’s Picks of the Week (Abercrombie, Rag & Bone, MOTHER Denim) My chat with Cortney Gensemer: 00:02:50 Cortney's journey: From athlete to patient to scientist 00:09:36 What researching her own disease did for her identity and diagnosis journey 00:23:25 What being a patient and scientist is like 00:26:23 Starting @CortDoesScience" on social media 00:30:34 Developing patient-science training and lab accessibility 00:37:07 Transitioning to biotech at ChronicleBio Chronic Illness Hot Takes: 00:47:04 Are diagnostic labels meaningless? 00:49:51 Should patients read primary literature? 00:54:41 Is it the doctor's fault if they don't understand your condition? 00:56:47 Is social media harmful or helpful for our community? 01:01:51 How should we be evaluating the wellness industry? Conclusion: 01:14:04 One Brain Cell Show: Love is Blind, Working Moms, I'm Sorry 01:18:20 Where to connect with Cortney Gensemer 01:20:01 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest: Cortney Gensemer! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cortdoesscience/ • Substack - https://cortneygensemer.substack.com/ • Website - cortneygensemer.com 🔗 If you have a complex chronic illness, check out Chronicle Connect and patient participation opportunities at chroniclebio.com  ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Alex’s Picks of the Week: Things that have been helping my chronic illness — and now my first trimester too!! ✨Salonpas Lidocaine Pain Patches — https://amzn.to/3P6rAON ✨Momcozy Pregnancy Pillow — https://amzn.to/4nEIlgZ #ChronicIllnessResearch #hEDS #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #POTS #MCAS #MastCellActivation #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #PatientAdvocacy #CortDoesScience #ChronicleBio #ChronicIllnessCommunity #MedicalGaslighting #PatientScientist #Omics #ChronicPain #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GET YOUR TISSUES READY!!!! Because this week, on Calling in Sick, I’m sharing the biggest news yet… after 7 years of praying, delayed timelines, a miscarriage and so many set backs. We. Are. FINALLY. PREGNANT!!!!!!  And today I'm getting into ALL of it: 🌍 How we found out in Amsterdam ❤️ What telling our families was like  🤰 How I’m feeling at 6 weeks 🤯 What my autoimmune symptoms have been like  🍼 Why we decided to share this news early  For anyone in their own motherhood journey right now, whether you’re deep in TTC or just curious about what motherhood could like like for you… I see you, I love you, and I hope this episode gives you a little hope. 🤍 xx, Alex, Coop and Baby W 💬 Comment: Do you think we’re having a BOY or a GIRL?!?! TIMESTAMP:  Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:01:00 Alex’s Picks of the Week (Kroma 24K Chicken Bone Broth, Wow Butter) We’re Pregnant!: 00:02:44 How we found out (and why we were SHOCKED!!) 00:09:23 How we told our families 00:21:31 Why we shared the news so early 00:23:37 How my autoimmune diseases are doing, and thoughts on a chronic illness pregnancy 00:26:36 My thoughts on being pregnant with a chronic illness 00:30:57 What sex ed didn't teach us about pregnancy…. 00:34:10 Current symptoms and cravings Conclusion: 00:38:46 One Brain Cell Show: Running Point (Netflix) 00:40:37 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Alex’s Picks of the Week: I’m in my first trimester, which means I’m fighting pregnancy nausea. But!!! I think I’ve found a hack. PROTEIN! Here’s my on-the-go anti-nausea snacks I keep on my person, all the time: ✨Kroma Bone Broth — go.shopmy.us/p-56202425 ALEXANDRA20 for 20% off ✨WOW!Butter — https://amzn.to/4elhC6k #ChronicIllnessPregnancy #PregnancyAnnouncement #AutoimmunePregnancy #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #PregnancyWithChronicIllness #ChronicPain #TTC #TTCCommunity #ChronicIllnessMom #Spoonie #MotherhoodJourney #Progesterone #HighRiskPregnancy #MFM #PregnancySymptoms #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've been following me on socials, you already know this, and if you don’t, then sit down for this new…. Saint Cooper and I are PREGNANT!! 🎉 We spent last week celebrating this surprise, and I took the week of from podcasting. So this week I'm re-releasing my two favorite episodes about my chronic illness and motherhood journey… and honestly, Alex in those episodes had absolutely NO idea what was coming for her this year. 😭 Next week, Saint Coops and I are dropping a full episode giving you the download on this pregnancy journey: how it happened (the old school way, yes really!!!), what finding out was like, how I'm feeling so far, our boy // girl predictions, and everything in between. We'll also be doing an Ask Alex episode answering ALL of your questions about this new chapter: send yours here: https://forms.gle/YYPREsLgYuEPhx4Y9 So much love!! 🤍 Saint Coop, Alex & our little lovie Revisit: This week on Calling in Sick, Saint Coop and I are sitting down for one of the most vulnerable conversations we’ve had yet. We’re talking about the reality of trying to have a baby while living with chronic illness: the planning, the fear, the logistics, the IVF part, and the emotional nuance that doesn’t always make it to Instagram. In this episode, we dive into: • Why we chose IVF instead of trying to conceive naturally • How we are processing this chapter differently (while not being mad at each other) • The caregiving dynamic and how a baby could shift it • Our fears around health, tapering medications, and timing We also revisit our embryo update and give more context to how we’re thinking about implantation, preparation, and what this season of life really looks like behind the scenes. So if you’ve ever wondered about becoming a parent while juggling chronic illness… put your headphones on and turn up the volume. 🎧 Don’t forget: our weekly Ask Alex episode drops Wednesday at 9 AM CST, where we answer your submitted questions (including IVF costs, tapering meds, and filming during flares). xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What’s the biggest fear or question you have about parenthood and chronic illness? TIMESTAMP: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:01:37 Life Updates & Yapping 00:09:14 Alex’s (& Coop’s) Picks of the Week (Hatch, Lola, AG1 and Uni) Chronic Illness & Trying to Become Parents: 00:16:22 Why we are doing IVF & what our experience has been like so far 00:23:24 Why we will only name ONE embryo & how we picked July as the implantation date 00:26:24 How being a caregiver & husband has given Cooper a different emotional experiencing around trying-to-conceive (TTC) 00:33:01 What sharing my chronic illness fertility journey online has been like 00:37:55 The fears and worries we are carrying around having a baby with a chronic illness 00:43:18 Why we’ve decided it’s time to go to Couples Therapy!! 00:44:44 How Cooper and I are diving up the logistics of planing for parenthood & the one thing that made us have a FIGHT 00:54:02 What’s next for our TTC journey Conclusion: 00:57:05 One Brain Cell Show: The Burbs (Peacock) 00:59:20 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Alex’s Picks of the Week: Since we’re talking about all things baby this week… these are two things we already own that I *think* will come in handy with baby!!! ✨Hatch (alarm clock) — https://go.shopmy.us/p-32414449 — ALEXWILD gives you 55% off at checkout! ✨Lola (blanket) — https://go.shopmy.us/p-37229531 — ALEXWILD gives you 55% off at checkout! And Saint Cooper was SO excited to throw in his most recent favorite products too... ✨AG1 (greens mix) — https://go.shopmy.us/p-40888857 — pro tip, mix with Pineapple and coconut water!! ✨ Uni (lotion) — https://go.shopmy.us/p-43912973 — ALEXANDRA15 for 15% off at checkout! #TryingToConceive #IVFJourney #ChronicIllnessPregnancy #AutoimmuneDisease #HighRiskPregnancy #EmbryoTransfer #FertilityJourney #MotherhoodWithChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #ChronicPain #IVFSupport #CaregivingSpouse #MedicalGaslighting #HealthJourney #ChronicIllnessCommunity #DisabilityAwareness #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices