CRAMPED

Melasma, Drugs That Delay Menopause, and Girl Gone Wild with Courtney Kocak Jul 07, 2026

Writer, podcaster, and comedian Courtney Kocak talks about her period pain history, her Hashimoto's diagnosis, and the longevity drug she's currently taking to try to delay menopause and preserve her ovarian reserve. They also get into why perimenopause is basically puberty in reverse, what happens inside your body when an ovarian cyst ruptures in a Taco Bell, and why birth control gave them both a skin discoloration called melasma.

Join the CRAMPED Patreon: https://patreon.com/cramped

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

BEDUCATED QUIZ LINK: https://beduc.at/pd2623-cramped

PEARL Study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12074816/

VIBRANT Study: https://reports.obgyn.columbia.edu/2024-annual-report/ground-breaking-clinical-trial-explores-delaying-menopause/

Courtney's book Girl Gone Wild: https://bookshop.org/p/books/girl-gone-wild-courtney-kocak/f3c06a53692352f1

Courtney's podcast Parts Unknown: https://pod.link/1154304419?view=apps&sort=popularity

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Forgetting Everything I've Learned: Acupuncture, Fertility, and the Sunk Cost Fallacy Jun 30, 2026

PATREON-ONLY EPISODE TEASER

Join the CRAMPED Patreon to listen to the full episode: https://patreon.com/cramped

I've spent spent years learning to advocate for myself, trust my body, and walk out of rooms where I'm not being listened to. So why did I stick with a provider who was dismissing my concerns, prescribing unnecessary medications, and wasting my time and my money?

This is the full story of a fertility acupuncture practice that wasn't right for me from day one, the sunk cost fallacy that kept me going back anyway, and the thousands of dollars in supplements, testing devices, and treatments that I'll never get back.

BEDUCATED QUIZ LINK: https://beduc.at/pd2623-cramped

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Portia Nelson's poem Autobiography In Five Chapters: https://www.mindfulnesstherapy.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/autobiography-in-five-chapters-portia-nelson.pdf

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The Pain Scale Is Useless and Everybody Knows It Jun 23, 2026

Scale of one to ten, how much does it hurt? If you have ever sat in an ER thinking "eleven" and said "seven," Golda Arthur of the Overlooked podcast understands completely. She did the same thing during a thunderclap headache episode, and has been thinking about it ever since.

Kate and Golda dissect the broken language of pain: the useless pain scale, the research showing doctors are trained to hear men's pain as physical and women's pain as emotional, and how even Virginia Woolf in 1926 complained that there aren't accurate words in the English language to describe pain.

Join the CRAMPED Patreon: https://patreon.com/cramped

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

BEDUCATED QUIZ LINK: https://beduc.at/pd2623-cramped

Overlooked Podcast: https://overlookedpod.com/

The Girl Who Cried Pain study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11521267/

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The Comorbidity Queen: EDS, POTS, Endo, Fibroids, Cysts, SIBO, Arthritis, and more! Jun 16, 2026

Content warning: this episode includes a brief discussion of suicide attempts, please listen with care.

Melissa, known on TikTok as the Comorbidity Queen, has endometriosis, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, pelvic congestive syndrome, May-Thurner syndrome, Nutcracker syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, POTS, MCAS, Lyme disease, chronic anemia, and a first rib that doctors want to remove.

In this episode she tells us everything: the nine-hour emergency surgery at 17, the $65,000 in medical debt, the severe depression that pain and overmedication tipped her into, and the treatment that has done more for her in five minutes than any surgery.

BEDUCATED QUIZ LINK: https://beduc.at/pd2623-cramped

Join the CRAMPED Patreon: https://patreon.com/cramped

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

CRISIS SUPPORT:

Call 988 anywhere in the US for free, 24/7 mental health crisis support

Text HOME to 741741

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The Endo Attractiveness Study: Are You F**king Kidding Me?? Jun 09, 2026

PATREON-ONLY EPISODE TEASER

Join the CRAMPED Patreon to listen to the full episode: https://patreon.com/cramped

Did we need a data science professor to tell us why a study titled "Attractiveness of women with rectovaginal endometriosis: a case-control study" is garbage? No, but it's more fun to tear this study to shreds with a professional.

This is a real study: university funded, ethics board-approved, peer reviewed, and published in a real medical journal in 2013. How did this study even get published? Were they even trying to help people with endometriosis? Is there ANYTHING useful we can get from this dumpster fire of a study?

Andrea Jones-Rooy: https://www.jonesrooy.com/

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

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Can Capitalism Fix What the Healthcare System Broke? One Endo App Founder Is Trying Jun 02, 2026

There's a very obvious gap in the healthcare market: millions of people in serious pain every month, and almost no companies trying to solve it. In this episode, Kate talks to Sushma Ravindran, founder of Ask Nomi, an app in beta testing that aims to help people with endometriosis track symptoms, find the right care, and figure out what actually works for their body. Sushma spent 18 years undiagnosed, paid $20,000 out of pocket to finally get answers, and then quit her job to build a solution. They also gets into the genuinely uncomfortable question of whether an app is an adequate solution to a healthcare system that has catastrophically failed people with period pain, or whether it's a Band-Aid over a gaping wound.

Join the CRAMPED Patreon: https://patreon.com/cramped

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

American Heart Association Journal article on endometriosis and heart disease risk: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.115.002224

Ask Nomi link to join the beta test: https://www.asknomi.ai/partners/cramped

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What Does Tinnitus Have To Do With Your Hormones? An Audiologist Explains May 27, 2026

Your ears are pretty far away from your uterus, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE NOT LISTENING.

Dr. Natalie Crossland, an audiologist who specializes in tinnitus management (and also has endometriosis), explains the surprising ways that hormones, hearing, and the nervous system are all in conversation with each other. Like why estrogen levels affect your ability to hear in background noise, why tinnitus might pop up during hormonal shifts, and what you can actually do about it besides being told to ignore it.

Join the CRAMPED Patreon: https://patreon.com/cramped

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Dr. Natalie Crossland: https://www.newyorkhearingdoctors.com/team/natalie-crossland-au-d/

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Using AI To Help Get To A Diagnosis May 12, 2026

Pelvic floor physical therapist Caroline Gamwell experienced a strange constellation of symptoms from the time she was 4. After decades of misdiagnoses, unnecessary surgery, and overmedication, she brought her search to an AI chatbot.

Is it possible to use AI well in this situation? How do you protect yourself from potential AI hallucinations? Can someone with no medical background use AI to help get to a diagnosis?

The New York Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/02/well/live/ai-illness-claude-chatgpt.html?smid=url-share

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Join the CRAMPED Patreon: https://patreon.com/cramped

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Your Period Blood Has a Weird Origin Story: Spiral Arteries, Uterine Milk, and Monkey Eyeballs May 08, 2026

PATREON-ONLY EPISODE TEASER

Join the CRAMPED Patreon (even at the free tier!) to listen to the full episode: https://patreon.com/cramped

I started research for a totally normal episode about spiral arteries in the uterine lining, and SHIT GOT WEIRD.

Get ready for a deep dive into where period blood comes from, all the new organs and tissue you grow every month, and how science got the info on how it all works.

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

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PMDD, Intrusive Thoughts, Hormones & Medication: Riven's Diagnosis Story Apr 28, 2026

When Riven first got her period at age 10, the debilitating cramps weren't even the worst part. Instead, she felt completely out of control for the first day or two of her period, sometimes sobbing for hours, sometimes losing time. But the scariest symptom was the intrusive thoughts of harming herself that came with her period pain. It took over 10 years, but after an incident involving her kid brother, she got a diagnosis of PMDD and a medication that she says saved her life.

CRISIS SUPPORT:

Call 988 anywhere in the US for free, 24/7 mental health crisis support

Text HOME to 741741

PMDD Support (not Crisis Support): International Association for Premenstrual Disorders - IAPMD.org

Studies mentioned in the episode:

Prevalence of depression in women vs men: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5532074/

Female-specific pharmacotherapy in ADHD: premenstrual adjustment of psychostimulant dosage: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10751335/

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Join the CRAMPED Patreon (even at the free tier!) for ad-free & bonus episodes, plus the discord community and online ClamBakes! https://patreon.com/cramped

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Sex Ed with DB: Testosterone, Pleasure, and the Libido Myth Apr 21, 2026

Today we have a guest episode from another excellent science-based podcast: Sex Ed with DB!

What even is testosterone -- and why do so many menopausal women swear by it? DB and her mom Dr. Rebecca Levy-Gantt dive into a recent New York Times article "I’m on Fire’: Testosterone Is Giving Women Back Their Sex Drive — and Then Some" by Susan Dominus. What does testosterone actually do? Who could benefit from taking it? What are the risks? And why are the only people who can easily access it cis men? (You know why.)

Guest details (please include if possible): Dr. Rebecca Levy-Gantt is an obstetrician and gynecologist who has been taking care of women of all ages for more than thirty years. Learn about her consulting services at premierwomenshealthconsulting.com.

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The Boner Pill That Might Cure Period Pain Apr 14, 2026

We know Viagra (sildenafil citrate) as a treatment for...one specific male problem. But a 2013 study showed it could potentially be SHOCKINGLY effective for dysmenorrhea. So what happened in that study? Why would a boner pill work for period pain? and why didn't it go anywhere?

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Join the CRAMPED Patreon (even at the free tier!) for ad-free & bonus episodes, plus the discord community and online ClamBakes! https://patreon.com/cramped

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Taking No Shit From Her Endo Specialist: Daphne's Diagnosis Story Apr 08, 2026

You've heard MY diagnosis and treatment story - now I'm handing the mic over to other people who have been through the period pain fire and come out the other side.

Daphne had been on birth control since she was 10 for severe period pain, and every time she tried to come off it, the excruciating pain would come back, putting her right back in the puke-til-you-go-to-the-ER club. After finally getting a diagnosis from a specialist, she opted to find a different specialist to continue treatment with, because of the unacceptable way that doctor spoke to her about her body.

You can find Daphne on Instagram @GodLovesDivorce, and check out her podcast, Love Is a Trip.

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Join the CRAMPED Patreon (even at the free tier!) for ad-free & bonus episodes, plus the discord community and online ClamBakes! https://patreon.com/cramped

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How To Spot A Garbage Period Pain Study with Prof Jones-Rooy Apr 02, 2026

PATREON-ONLY EPISODE TEASER

Join the CRAMPED Patreon (even at the free tier!) to listen to the full episode: https://patreon.com/cramped

We don't get very many studies on menstrual pain - so when we finally get one, and IT SUCKS, we don't just ignore it. We get data science professor Andrea Jones-Rooy to tell us exactly why it sucks and how we can spot a bad study.

Get more Andrea Jones-Rooy: https://www.jonesrooy.com/

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

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An Endometriosis Historian Breaks Down 2000 Years of Medical Misogyny Mar 24, 2026

Endometriosis Historian & Professor of Medical Humanities Dr Maria Rovito comes on CRAMPED to talk 2000 years of endometriosis, wandering wombs, and hysteria. Her new book, Crippling Endometriosis: Feminist Disability Histories and Reflections on Power and Pain is out now!

Dr. Rovito's website (where you see the classes she teaches & find book links): https://www.mariarovito.com/

Support CRAMPED on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/CRAMPED

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

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Can Talking About Cramps Improve Your Sex Life? Mar 17, 2026

Obviously we're big on communicating about your pain here at CRAMPED - we've covered the research that shows talking about your pain actually reduces your pain levels - but what about PLEASURE? Could improving our communication skills around our pain lead to better sex lives? Kate brings on sex communication experts Kels and Tess from Squirm, a company dedicated to helping you gain skills around talking about sex and pleasure. They get into the stigmas that keep both sexual pleasure and period pain from being out-in-the-open topics, the systems that keep it that way, and how to break free and shout both your pain AND your pleasure from whatever rooftop you want!

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Period Pain in Fiction: Two Artists Who Turned Their Diagnosis Into Art Mar 10, 2026

If you've been looking up some Oscar-nominated short films to watch before the awards show, you may have noticed one called "Jane Austen's Period Drama". Seeing this in theaters inspired Kate to finally release two interviews with indie artists - one feature filmmaker, and one novelist - who have released work about their period pain!

Novelist Grace Daly, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of The Scald Crow, has experienced debilitating symptoms from her endometriosis, adenomyosis, M-CAS, EDS, and POTs since she was 11, and has struggled to get doctors to take her seriously or treat her. She's woven those experiences into a classic haunted-house story with many twists that is SO FUN to read!

Find the Scald Crow by Grace Daly anywhere that books are sold, or order on bookshop.org here: https://bit.ly/4uehIlD

Filmmaker Brooke H. Cellars had period pain so excruciating it made it impossible for her to finish college or hold down a full time job. It took her 20 years to finally get diagnosed and treated surgically for endometriosis. Post-surgery, with hormone treatments to manage the endo, she was able to finish college and begin a career in writing and directing. Her feature film The Cramps: A Period Piece blends her real-life experience with a "darkly colorful", campy 80s aesthetic.

Watch the trailer on youtube here: https://bit.ly/4cziaER

__________

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Support CRAMPED by joining the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/CRAMPED

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Menstrual Leave Is Already Happening in More Places Than You Think Mar 03, 2026

Can you imagine waking up with death cramps, and instead of dragging yourself to work with your heating pad and a bucket of ibuprofen or using up one of your sick days, you could just...use a PAID menstrual leave day??

Menstrual leave is a reality in more places than you might think!! Does it already exist where you live? Is there CURRENTLY a bill in your state senate requiring companies to provide it? What are the arguments AGAINST this policy? Kate gets wonk-level deep into the landscape and the history, just for you!

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Endometriosis, Hysterectomies, and Rebellious Ovaries: A Trans Comedian's Surgery Saga Feb 17, 2026

Comedian Max Gross is back on CRAMPED for an update on his adventures with endometriosis, hysterectomies, and rebellious ovaries! Max and Kate try to figure out how big their internal organs actually are, what the best "medical green flags" are, and why speaking in "dad talk" to doctors works so well.

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Support CRAMPED by joining the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/CRAMPED

Find Max Gross on Instagram @maxgotjokes

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Has Period Pain Education Gotten Better for Teens? We Asked a High Schooler Feb 11, 2026

What's it like to get period pain in middle or high school today? It's been 20 YEARS since my own pretty abysmal menstrual health education, and I wondered - has it gotten better? Has the internet helped? Are there more resources and support out there for a young cramper?

To answer my questions, I turned to Kat Samedova, who recently graduated from Kingston High School and is the former vice president of the Period Power! Club there. I also talked with the Period Power Club's advisor, Tina the Tampon Lady, and the TMI Project's Organizational & Programs Manager.

LINKS:

Period Power! Club website: https://www.periodpowerclub.com/

Period.org: https://period.org/

Period Power Stories: https://tmiproject.org/period-power-stories/

TMI Project website: https://tmiproject.org/

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Support CRAMPED by joining the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/CRAMPED

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sasheer Zamata Doesn't Want To Ride a Horse on her Period Feb 03, 2026

Sasheer Zamata (SNL, Agatha All Along, Ghosts) hangs out for a little 2 person "clam bake" to tell the story of her period pain and fibroids, how she changed her approach to healthcare, and what it's like to do standup about her period pain to 22 million people.

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Support CRAMPED by joining the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/CRAMPED

Sasheer on Instagram: @thesheertruth

Sasheer's website: https://sasheer.com/

Watch Sasheer's new special, The First Woman, on Hulu.

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Diet, Exercise, and Period Pain: What You Might Be Missing Jan 27, 2026

Have you ever sought help for your period pain and been told "just lose some weight", or "exercise more", or "just cut out [insert any food group here]"?

We know that diet and exercise is important, and when we're dealing with period pain (or any of the conditions that cause it), we try to "eat healthy" and "move our bodies". But is there something missing from this equation that's sabotaging our efforts?

Kate brings on Allison Yamamoto (certified fitness & nutrition coach specializing in menstrual disturbances) to answer her questions about about diet, exercise, and period pain.

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Support CRAMPED by joining the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/CRAMPED

Links Mentioned in Episode:

IOC Consensus Statement: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/57/17/1073

Allison's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allisonyamamoto/?hl=en

Allison's Website: https://www.koaathletic.health/

Direct link to subscribe to Allison's newsletter: https://subscribepage.io/f4BQFI

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Is Period Pain All In Our Heads? A Pain Psychologist Explains What's Actually Happening Jan 13, 2026

Dr. Laura Payne, the best-named clinical & research psychologist studying menstrual pain, joins us to talk about how our brains process the sensations of pain. Are there psychological interventions that can actually relieve chronic pain? Does having severe period pain mean we're doomed to chronic pain forever? What's the difference between a doctor telling you "you're just anxious" and a pain psychology specialist helping you reprocess your pain pathways? Will Dr. Payne ever start a band? LETS FIND OUT!

Listen to the full episode and support CRAMPED by joining the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/CRAMPED

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

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The State of Period Pain Research and Treatment in 2025: A Year in Review Dec 11, 2025

In our last episode of 2025, Kate looks back on 2025 and attempts to answer the question "Are crampers better off in 2025?" We take a tour through SUPER FUN stuff that impacts people with period pain like federal funding decisions, new endometriosis research centers, new pain medications, and medical guidance releases. We get a zoomed-out sense of the state of dysmenorrhea in 2025, and what we have to look forward to next year.

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Could Your Menstrual Cup Diagnose Endometriosis? Scientists Are Working On It Nov 04, 2025

You know how many diseases are diagnosed or monitored by drawing blood from a vein in your arm and running tests on it? Would those tests still work if you ran them on menstrual blood? It's not THAT crazy, right? So why did the first research into this only start TWELVE YEARS AGO??

In this subscriber-only episode, Kate covers the (brief) history of how western medicine has thought of menstrual blood, and introduces you to three organizations currently developing diagnostic tests to be done on period blood. What if you could dip a test strip in your menstrual cup and find out if you have endometriosis?? Or diabetes, or cervical cancer, or an STI? What if a natural bodily fluid that's been thought of as "stinky and useless" throughout the course of modern medicine could...actually be the key to solving the mysteries of these diseases?

To listen to the full episode, join the CRAMPED Patreon at any level: https://www.patreon.com/c/CRAMPED

Check out the ROSE Study here: https://www.northwell.edu/news/insights/outsmarting-endometriosis

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Recurring UTIs, BV, and Yeast Infections: The Vaginal Microbiome Oct 21, 2025

Kate brings on a friend for a Case Study episode all about recurring UTIs and the vaginal microbiome. They take a microbiome test and talk to a health provider to understand how whats living in their "villages" impacts yeast infections, UTIs, BV, fertility, and so much more.

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Support CRAMPED by joining the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/CRAMPED

You can find Vienna here: https://thecuntsultant.com

More info on Daye: https://www.yourdaye.com/en-us/

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Patient Advocacy Actually Changed OB-GYN Education - How Tight Lipped Did It Sep 30, 2025

Everybody's always telling us patient advocacy is the way to solve systemic issues in women's healthcare - ok so what exactly IS patient advocacy? What does it look like? HOW does it get us better care, research and treatments? Kate asks these questions to Noa Fleischacker, executive director of Tight Lipped, a grassroots movement by and for people with chronic vulvovaginal and pelvic pain that's actually been able to make change in OB-GYN education programs.

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Support CRAMPED by joining the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/CRAMPED

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why It's So Hard to Talk About Period Pain & How to Start Sep 16, 2025

Why does it feel so hard to talk about our period pain? Who benefits when we stay quiet? How do we build a world where information about period pain travels as easily as a casual chat?

In this how-to episode, Kate gives some tips on what helps her speak up - in one-on-one situations with friends & family & coworkers, and in organizing groups of people with uteruses to share information and support.

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Support CRAMPED by joining the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/CRAMPED

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pelvic Floor PT for Period Pain & Why You're Probably Peeing Wrong Sep 04, 2025

Kate talks to Dr. Sara Reardon, aka The Vagina Whisperer - a board-certified pelvic floor physical therapist and author of the new book Floored, a woman's guide to pelvic floor health at every age and stage. They discuss what the pelvic floor even is, how pelvic floor muscles are involved in period pain, and how we're all peeing and pooping wrong!

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Support CRAMPED by joining the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/CRAMPED

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Endometriosis Excision Surgery: What the Day of Surgery and 6-Week Recovery Actually Look Like Aug 07, 2025

Kate is back from surgery! In Part 2 of this 2 part episode, Kate walks through the day of the surgery, from arriving at the hospital to the 4 weeks of recovery thus far, and the surgical and pathology results that finally gave her answers to questions about her cramps she's had for 22 years. Hopefully this episode is helpful to anyone curious about endometriosis excision surgery, or anxious about recovery.

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Support CRAMPED by joining the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/CRAMPED

Patreon members will get access to subscriber-only episodes, ad-free episodes, and the CRAMPED Discord community.

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I Got Endo Surgery: The Imaging Results & Costs Jul 29, 2025

Kate is back from surgery! In Part 1 of a 2 part series, she goes step by step through the imaging result that gave her the information that lead her to commit to surgery, and the physical, administrative, and financial preparations for her surgery. Get ready to hear real numbers and honesty about the factors contributing to the decision. Hopefully this episode is helpful to anyone on the fence about the decision or trying to figure out how to make surgery feasible.

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Support CRAMPED by joining the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/CRAMPED

Patreon members will get access to subscriber-only episodes, ad-free episodes, and the CRAMPED Discord community.

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What Actually Happens to Your Body When You Go Off Hormonal Birth Control Jul 22, 2025

In this Case Study episode, Kate brings on Deanna Hart-Nokes, who just went off hormonal birth control for the second time in 20 years, and has been experiencing some mysterious symptoms. Kate deep-dives into the clinical research to understand how hormonal birth control works, and what might be causing Deanna's increased period pain, soreness, and increased sensation.

CRAMPED episodes are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, and are not medical advice.

Support CRAMPED by joining the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/CRAMPED

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80% of People With a Uterus Will Get Fibroids - Why Don't We Know Why? Jul 15, 2025

Fibroids are a super common cause of severe period pain - up to 80% of people with a uterus will get fibroids at some point! So...why don't we know why they grow? Why don't they get caught and treated sooner? Kate talks with Jonelle Henry from The White Dress Project, an organization that spreads awareness, education, and resources about fibroids. Jonelle tells her own story of how fibroids impacted her life as a high-powered political journalist, having to leave the room where the president was addressing the press to manage a period that fibroids made unbearable.

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Is Tracking Your Period with an App Actually Cycle Tracking? (Probably Not) Jul 11, 2025

Kate talks to Laura Federico and Morgan Miller, authors of The Cycle Book, all about cycle tracking. What is it? How do I do it? Am I already doing it if I'm tracking my period with an app?

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Endo's Last Stand - Surgery & Spitefulness Jul 03, 2025

Kate is getting endometriosis excision surgery today! She shares some details, and a story of her (hopefully last) experience with "death cramps".

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Ovarian Cysts: Why Doctors Keep Calling Them "Normal" and What That Misses Jun 26, 2025

Kate talks to her friend Taylor Hallam, who has struggled with ovulation pain and ovarian cyst ruptures since getting off 19 straight years of hormonal birth control. Taylor has questions, and Kate dives into the research to find answers. What causes ovarian cysts? What are they filled with? Why do doctors often say they're "normal" and offer no options other than birth control? Are there other ways to treat ovarian cysts?

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Your Questions Answered: Why Do My Cramps Change Every Month? What Does 'Normal' Labs Actually Mean? The MTHFR Gene? Jun 18, 2025

Kate answers some questions that listeners asked her to research for them, including:

What do I do when my doctor says my lab results are "normal"?

Does the MTHFR gene mutation affect periods?

Why are my cramps excruciating one month and fine the next month?

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CRAMPED is back: Season 1.5 Jun 11, 2025

CRAMPED is back with new episodes - but we need your help! Subscribe to our Patreon to make our work possible at www.patreon.com/cramped

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The Evolutionary Reason We Get Periods, And What It Explains About the Pain Apr 08, 2025

In season 1's final episode, Kate calls up biological anthropologist Kate Clancy to find out why we're even in this pain to begin with. Then Kate throws a period party, and gives the details on how she's been treating her period pain and endometriosis.

Sound Design & Mixing: Kelly Kramarik at Maven Post Media

Associate Producer: Katelyn Sabater

Theme song: Farideh

Podcast art: Nicholas Scheppard

This podcast is supported by the Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture Initiative

Fiscal partnership is provided by the Arkansas Podcast Collaborative

Published in partnership with Multitude. Contact them for advertising inquiries at https://multitude.productions/ads

This publication is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and does not represent itself as medical advice.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why Is There No Period Pain On The Internet (or TV, or Movies)? Apr 01, 2025

If 51% of the population has a uterus, and 91% of menstruating people experience period pain, why do we literally never hear about it in the media we consume?? Whether its TV, film, podcasts (aside from this one), or social media, it's practically impossible to find stories of periods and period pain. Why?? And how does this lack of visibility affect all of us?

Sound Design & Mixing: Kelly Kramarik at Maven Post Media

Associate Producer: Katelyn Sabater

Theme song: Farideh

Podcast art: Nicholas Scheppard

This podcast is supported by the Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture Initiative

Fiscal partnership is provided by the Arkansas Podcast Collaborative

Published in partnership with Multitude. Contact them for advertising inquiries at https://multitude.productions/ads

This publication is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and does not represent itself as medical advice.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feminists in the '70s Knew More About Their Bodies Than We Do Now. What Happened? Mar 25, 2025

Kate talks to her mom about joining the Boston Women's Health Movement in the 1970s. Why was body literacy such a big part of feminism in the 70s, but when Kate became an active feminist in Boston in the 2000s, she didn't get information about body literacy? To learn more, Kate talks to Laura Prieto, program director of Our Bodies, Ourselves.

Sound Design & Mixing: Kelly Kramarik at Maven Post Media

Associate Producer: Katelyn Sabater

Theme song: Farideh

Podcast art: Nicholas Scheppard

This podcast is supported by the Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture Initiative

Fiscal partnership is provided by the Arkansas Podcast Collaborative

Published in partnership with Multitude. Contact them for advertising inquiries at https://multitude.productions/ads

This publication is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and does not represent itself as medical advice.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Medical Trauma from Period Pain Is Real. Here's What It Actually Looks Like Mar 18, 2025

Kate checks in with comedian and recent hysterectomy patient Max Gross, as well as therapist Suzanne Garrison to figure out - what is medical trauma, and do we have it? How does undiagnosed and untreated pain affect mental health?

Sound Design & Mixing: Kelly Kramarik at Maven Post Media

Associate Producer: Katelyn Sabater

Theme song: Farideh

Podcast art: Nicholas Scheppard

This podcast is supported by the Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture Initiative

Fiscal partnership is provided by the Arkansas Podcast Collaborative

Published in partnership with Multitude. Contact them for advertising inquiries at https://multitude.productions/ads

This publication is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and does not represent itself as medical advice.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I Got a Diagnosis! Now What? Mar 11, 2025

Kate sees a specialist and finally gets a diagnosis for the condition causing her severe period pain. But instead of relief and a clear treatment plan, she just has more questions. She interviews her doctor, Dr. Iris Kerin Orbuch, and influencer Emma Maxwell.

Sound Design & Mixing: Kelly Kramarik at Maven Post Media

Associate Producer: Katelyn Sabater

Theme song: Farideh

Podcast art: Nicholas Scheppard

This podcast is supported by the Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture Initiative

Fiscal partnership is provided by the Arkansas Podcast Collaborative

Published in partnership with Multitude. Contact them for advertising inquiries at https://multitude.productions/ads

This publication is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and does not represent itself as medical advice.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How Do I Balance My Hormones? Mar 04, 2025

Kate gets sucked down a rabbit hole of "hormone balancing" content on TikTok, and wonders...this whole time, have her cramps just been due to a hormone imbalance? She talks with Alex Sujong Laughlin (Normal Gossip, Defector) about her experience trying to balance her hormones with info from TikTok, and then gets real answers from Dr. Thara Vayali on hormone function, cortisol, and how our hormones ACTUALLY work.

Transcript & sources: www.katehelendowney.com/episode-5-transcript

Sound Design & Mixing: Kelly Kramarik at Maven Post Media

Associate Producer: Katelyn Sabater

Theme song: Farideh

Podcast art: Nicholas Scheppard

This podcast is supported by the Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture Initiative

Fiscal partnership is provided by the Arkansas Podcast Collaborative

Published in partnership with Multitude. Contact them for advertising inquiries at https://multitude.productions/ads

This publication is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and does not represent itself as medical advice.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Inside the Lab Actually Trying to Cure Period Pain Feb 25, 2025

Kate takes a field trip to Evanston, Illinois to visit the Gynecology Research Laboratory, where a team of doctors and researchers are doing groundbreaking studies to understand period pain and find new treatments. What can they tell us about what causes severe dysmenorrhea, and is there hope for relief?

Episode transcript and citations: https://www.katehelendowney.com/episode-4-transcript

Editorial Producer: Kelsey DiLanzo

Sound Design & Mixing: Kelly Kramarik at Maven Post Media

Associate Producer: Katelyn Sabater

Theme song: Farideh

Podcast art: Nicholas Scheppard

This podcast is supported by the Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture Initiative

Fiscal partnership is provided by the Arkansas Podcast Collaborative

Published in partnership with Multitude. Contact them for advertising inquiries at https://multitude.productions/ads

This publication is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and does not represent itself as medical advice.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We Don't Know How Many People Have Severe Period Pain, And That's a Problem Feb 18, 2025

It seems like a simple question, right? How many other people out there are experiencing "death cramps"? It turns out...not so much.

Kate brings on her sister Maeve, who also gets death cramps, to figure out why they never talked about the horrible pain they were both in. They look at a meta-study of the prevalence of severe period pain, and bring in data scientist Andrea Jones-Rooy to explain why the data on this is so bad.

Episode transcript and citations: https://www.katehelendowney.com/episode-3-transcript

Editorial Producer: Kelsey DiLanzo

Sound Design & Mixing: Kelly Kramarik at Maven Post Media

Associate Producer: Katelyn Sabater

Theme song: Farideh

Podcast art: Nicholas Scheppard

This podcast is supported by the Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture

Division

Fiscal partnership is provided by the Arkansas Podcast Collaborative

Published in partnership with Multitude. Contact them for advertising inquiries at https://multitude.productions/ads

This publication is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and does not represent itself as medical advice.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why the ER Often Doesn't Help With Period Pain Feb 11, 2025

When you're in severe pain and can't figure out how to make it go away, you might seek help at an ER or Urgent Care. But if you're experiencing severe PERIOD pain, you may not get what you need.

Kate and guest Sydney Battle trade stories of ER visits gone wrong, then Kate brings their questions to ER doctor and Good Morning America medical correspondent Dr. Darien Sutton for some answers and advice.

Episode 2 Transcript & Citations available here: https://www.katehelendowney.com/episode-2-transcript

Editorial Producer: Kelsey DiLanzo

Sound Design & Mixing: Kelly Kramarik at Maven Post Media

Associate Producer: Katelyn Sabater

Theme song: Farideh

Podcast art: Nicholas Scheppard

This podcast is supported by the Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture

Division

Fiscal partnership is provided by the Arkansas Podcast Collaborative

Published in partnership with Multitude. Contact them for advertising inquiries at https://multitude.productions/ads

This publication is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and does not represent itself as medical advice.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Death Cramps: Is This Normal? Feb 04, 2025

Just how bad are Kate's "really bad cramps"? And what could be causing them?

In the first of ten episodes, host Kate Helen Downey describes what happens when "death cramps" strike at work. Gynecologist and author Dr. Karen Tang explains what she looks for when a patient has severe period pain, and why someone might spend years in diagnosis limbo.

Transcript & citations available here:

https://www.katehelendowney.com/episode-1

Editorial Producer: Kelsey DiLanzo

Sound Design & Mixing: Kelly Kramarik at Maven Post Media

Associate Producer: Katelyn Sabater

Theme song: Farideh

Podcast art: Nicholas Scheppard

This podcast is supported by the Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture

Division

Fiscal partnership is provided by the Arkansas Podcast Collaborative

This publication is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and does not represent itself as medical advice.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Introducing Cramped Nov 04, 2024

One nerd’s quest to find out why we know next to nothing about period pain. Tired of suffering from "death cramps" with no diagnosis for 20 years, Kate Downey has to look for her own answers. She interviews top doctors and researchers, and delves into topics from Greek history to sitcoms to TikTok wellness scams, all to figure out why menstrual pain is so often dismissed and untreated. What she finds will change how you think about your own body and the medical system. Because having a microphone gets you more answers than having a uterus.

Season 1 launches weekly episodes starting February 2025.

CREDITS:

Host & Show Creator: Kate Downey

Editorial Producer: Kelsey DiLanzo

Associate Producer: Katelyn Sabater

Theme song: Farideh

Podcast Art: Nicholas Scheppard

Sound Design & Engineering: Kelly Kramarik

Published in partnership with Multitude Productions

This podcast is supported by the Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture Division

Fiscal partnership provided by Arkansas Podcast Collaborative

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.