PREMIUM UNLOCKED: Cramping My Style
Summary
Host Alex Goldman interviews Kate Downey, creator of the podcast *Cramped*, about her decade-long battle with severe, undiagnosed period pain. They explore the medical catch-22 of endometriosis, where official diagnosis requires invasive surgery, and discuss how systemic research gaps and male-centric medical standards leave women’s pain untreated. The conversation highlights emerging non-invasive diagnostic tools, such as menstrual effluent testing by Rose Labs, and emphasizes the critical role of social connection in reducing pain.
Topics discussed
Promo for Only If You Get Caught
Sponsor: Jack Archer Tech Pants
Intro: Unlocking a premium interview
Kate Downey's struggle with undiagnosed pain
History of 'death cramps' and medical dismissal
Explaining endometriosis and its symptoms
The diagnostic catch-22 and out-of-pocket costs
Discovery of blocked fallopian tube
Sponsor: Gusto Payroll Software
Sponsor: Momentous Creatine
Post-surgery recovery and relief
Frustration with research priorities
Gender bias in medical data and medication
The role of hormonal birth control
Rose Labs: Non-surgical diagnosis via period blood
Next Gen Jane: Innovative menstrual tech
The importance of social connection in pain
Outro and fun fact about cats
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