The Endometriosis Podcast is a monthly discussion of what's new in the world of endometriosis research, new discoveries, surgical techniques, and anything else of interest in the endometriosis world. Hosted by Nicholas Fogelson, MD and Shanti Mohling, MD of Northwest Endometriosis and Pelvic Surgery.
For clinical consultation, call Northwest Endometriosis and Pelvic Surgery in Portland, OR at 503-715-1377 or email: newpatients@nwendometriosis.com
Recovering from Endometriosis Surgery: What to Expect and How to Heal Well
Dr. Nicholas Fogelson and Dr. Shanti Mohling discuss realistic expectations and strategies for healing after endometriosis surgery, emphasizing personalized recovery timelines and the importance of listening to one's body.
2 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT
Could GLP-1s Shape the Future of Endometriosis Care?
Dr. Shanti Mohling and Dr. Nicholas Fogelson interview each other about the potential of GLP-1 receptor agonists to alleviate endometriosis symptoms and inflammation.
28 Apr 2026
Olympian Brittany Brown on Endometriosis as an Elite Athlete
Olympic sprinter Brittany Brown joins Dr. Nicholas Fogelson to talk candidly about living, training, and competing with endometriosis at the highest level. From years of painful and heavy periods, to receiving dismissive medical advice, to eventually undergoing surgery in the middle of an elite track career, Brittany shares what it took to advocate for herself and what recovery actually looked like. They discuss the physical toll of endometriosis, the mental challenge of adjusting expectations after surgery, and why more honest conversations are needed about diagnosis, treatment, and life after "pushing through."
Episode Highlights:
Brittany shares how endometriosis symptoms began in college and gradually intensified during her rise as an elite sprinter
How chronic pain, fatigue, and inflammation affected Brittany's body on and off the track
Her medical journey and experience with medical dismissal, including being told to consider a hysterectomy or having a baby as a solution
What surgery and recovery looked like for a professional athlete trying to return to high-intensity competition
Brittany reflects on advocacy, visibility, and supporting other athletes navigating endometriosis and surgery
For clinical consultations: contact Northwest Endometriosis and Pelvic Surgery in Portland, OR at (503) 715-1377 or email us at newpatients@nwendometriosis.com
Follow us on Instagram: @Nicholasfogelson and @drshantimohling
Download a transcript of this episode.
4 Apr 2026
Inside Healing Mama Africa: Endometriosis Care, Advocacy, and Surgical Innovation in Kenya
In this special episode of The Endometriosis Podcast, Dr. Nicholas Fogelson travels to Kerugoya, Kenya, for the Healing Mama Africa Bootcamp and Conference, where surgeons, advocates, and educators from around the world come together to expand access to endometriosis care in Africa. Through a series of on-the-ground conversations, the episode explores what it means to deliver complex surgical care in a low-resource setting, why patient advocacy and education matter so deeply, and how collaboration across borders is helping change the future of endometriosis treatment.
Highlights:
Dr. Joe Njagi shares the vision behind Healing Mama Africa and how one ambitious idea grew into a groundbreaking conference bringing expert training, complex surgery, and long-overdue care to patients across the continent.
Endometriosis advocate Arti Shah reflects on her decades-long journey with endometriosis in Kenya and explains why patient empowerment, better information, and tools like her educational game Endo Quest are essential for changing the landscape.
Dr. Myriam En Nosse discusses her highly specialized work in female genital mutilation reconstruction and brings a broader global women's health perspective to the conversation, centered on dignity, healing, and surgical restoration.
Dr. Ahmed Al Minawi brings a regional surgeon's perspective from Egypt, reflecting on healthcare in Egypt broadly, the unusually severe and fibrotic endometriosis cases seen at Healing Mama Africa, and the extraordinary dedication behind offering these surgeries free of charge.
For clinical consultations: contact Northwest Endometriosis and Pelvic Surgery in Portland, OR at (503) 715-1377 or email us at newpatients@nwendometriosis.com
Follow us on Instagram: @Nicholasfogelson and @drshantimohling
Download a transcript of this episode.
15 Feb 2026
ReceptivaDx: What the BCL6 Test Reveals About Endometriosis
In this sponsored episode of The Endometriosis Podcast, Dr. Nicholas Fogelson and Dr. Shanti Mohling are joined by Dr. Bruce Lessey—the researcher who identified BCL6 as a marker of endometrial inflammation—and Chris Jackson, CEO of Cicero Diagnostics, the company that brought his discovery to market as the ReceptivaDx test. Together, they explore how a gene first studied in lymphoma research became a tool for detecting progesterone resistance and inflammation linked to endometriosis. The conversation covers how the test works, who it's most useful for, how accurate it is, what its limitations are, and where non-invasive diagnostics for endometriosis may be heading next.
Highlights:
What BCL6 is and how it disrupts progesterone signaling and implantation
How Dr. Lessey's research became the ReceptivaDX clinical test
When this test is most helpful in infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss
What a positive result does—and doesn't—mean
Why earlier, less invasive diagnosis could change endometriosis care
For clinical consultations: contact Northwest Endometriosis and Pelvic Surgery in Portland, OR at (503) 715-1377 or email us at newpatients@nwendometriosis.com
Follow us on Instagram: @Nicholasfogelson and @drshantimohling
Download a transcript of this episode.
31 Dec 2025
Hysterectomy & Endometriosis: Myths, Realities, and When It Actually Helps
In this episode of The Endometriosis Podcast, Dr. Nicholas Fogelson and Dr. Shanti Mohling take on one of the most emotionally charged and misunderstood topics in pelvic pain care: hysterectomy. Drawing on decades of surgical experience, they unpack common myths, clarify confusing terminology, and explain when hysterectomy may—or may not—be an appropriate part of endometriosis treatment. This thoughtful, nuanced conversation emphasizes individualized care, informed consent, and the importance of excision surgery alongside any uterine decision
Highlights:
Why hysterectomy does not cure endometriosis—and why it can still be helpful for some patients with pelvic pain
The difference between hysterectomy, ovary removal, and fallopian tube removal (and why the distinctions matter)
Adenomyosis, fibroids, and other uterine pain sources that can influence surgical decisions
Effects of hysterectomy on hormones, menopause timing, sexual function, and pelvic organ support
How surgical technique, experience, and thorough excision impact long-term outcomes and recurrence risk
For clinical consultations: contact Northwest Endometriosis and Pelvic Surgery in Portland, OR at (503) 715-1377 or email us at newpatients@nwendometriosis.com
Follow us on Instagram: @Nicholasfogelson and @drshantimohling
Download a transcript of this episode.
20 Oct 2025
Beyond Estrogen Myths: Rethinking Hormone Therapy and Endometriosis
In this episode, Dr. Nick Fogelson and Dr. Shanti Mohling take on one of the most persistent gray zones in gynecology: how to safely use hormone replacement therapy in patients with current or past endometriosis. Moving beyond the simplistic “estrogen bad” narrative, they explore what the data actually show about recurrence, cancer risk, and quality of life. The discussion weaves clinical insight with case studies, examining how progesterone’s protective role, surgical completeness, and individualized dosing all shape outcomes.
Highlights:
The lingering misconceptions from the Women’s Health Initiative study and what modern research now shows about the safety of hormone replacement.
Why bioidentical progesterone should often accompany estrogen—even in hysterectomized patients with prior endometriosis.
Real-world case studies revealing how residual disease and incomplete excision affect postmenopausal pain and risk.
The broader benefits of HRT—stronger bones, cardiovascular protection, cognitive support—and how fear-based medicine often obscures them.
Updates from the surgical front: robotic excision of endometriosis in outpatient centers, plus a preview of the next episode on MyReceptiva’s diagnostic test for endometriosis.
For clinical consultations: contact Northwest Endometriosis and Pelvic Surgery in Portland, OR at (503) 715-1377 or email us at newpatients@nwendometriosis.com
Follow us on Instagram: @Nicholasfogelson and @drshantimohling
Download a transcript of this episode.
15 Sept 2025
Are Adenomyosis and Endometriosis the Same Disease?
In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Nicholas Fogelson and Dr. Shanti Mohling delve into new research that challenges how we understand adenomyosis in relation to endometriosis. They break down the proposed subtypes of adenomyosis— from interna and externa to intramural and adenomyomas— and discuss how these patterns may arise from childbirth, uterine surgery, or molecular changes shared with endometriosis. Along the way, they revisit century-old theories, weigh the evidence for different pathways of disease development, and explore what this means for treatment decisions, fertility preservation, and patient pain.
Highlights:
Defining adenomyosis and how it differs from—and overlaps with—endometriosis
Subtypes of adenomyosis: interna, externa, intramural, and adenomyomas
Theories of origin: tissue injury and repair, retrograde menstruation, embryonic remnants, and genetic mutations
Why hysterectomy can sometimes relieve pain when conservative surgery cannot
Understanding why patients with minimal disease may have severe pain while others with advanced disease experience little or none
For clinical consultations: contact Northwest Endometriosis and Pelvic Surgery in Portland, OR at (503) 715-1377 or email us at newpatients@nwendometriosis.com
Follow us on Instagram: @Nicholasfogelson and @drshantimohling
Download a transcript of this episode.
8 Aug 2025
Functional Medicine and Endometriosis: What the Research Really Says
In this illuminating episode, Dr. Shanti Mohling and Dr. Nicholas Fogelson dive into the science behind supplements and functional medicine approaches to managing endometriosis. From NAC and curcumin to the role of Vitamin D and the gut microbiome, they explore which anti-inflammatory tools hold real promise—and which ones may not. They also tackle a listener's question about persistent post-op symptoms and break down why the term “IBS” isn’t always the end of the diagnostic road.
Highlights:
The anti-inflammatory mechanisms of NAC, alpha-lipoic acid, curcumin, and fish oil
Why Vitamin D deficiency may worsen endometriosis—and how much to take
Discussing the limits of zinc and resveratrol in treating symptoms
The role of probiotics and gut health in managing “endo belly”
Why supplement research is underfunded and how politics shapes what gets studied
For clinical consultations: contact Northwest Endometriosis and Pelvic Surgery in Portland, OR at (503) 715-1377 or email us at newpatients@nwendometriosis.com
Follow us on Instagram: @Nicholasfogelson and @drshantimohling
Download a transcript of this episode.
6 Jul 2025
Endometriosis and Sciatica: Pioneering Research on Nerve Entrapment, Vascular Compression, and Surgical Solutions
Doctors Nicholas Fogelson and Shanti Mohling explore the connection between endometriosis and nerve-related pelvic pain, highlighting surgical solutions for nerve entrapment and vascular compression, in an interview about managing cyclical sciatica.
1 Jun 2025
Spontaneous Conception After Endometriosis Surgery: What the Research Shows
Dr. Nicholas Fogelson and Dr. Shanti Mohling discuss a study on spontaneous conception after endometriosis surgery, examining factors like excision versus ablation and inflammation's impact, in this interview episode.
1 May 2025
Episode 5: Bowel Surgery for Endometriosis: Conservative vs. Radical Approaches
Doctors Nicholas Fogelson and Shanti Mohling discuss conservative versus radical bowel surgery approaches for endometriosis, examining disease severity, nerve preservation, and surgical judgment in shaping patient outcomes in this interview.
12 Sept 2019
Episode 4: Robotic Surgery vs. Excision, Medical Treatment Post Excision, Endometriomas and Fertility
Surgeon Nicholas Fogelson and researcher Libby Hopton address listener questions and explore current research on robotic surgery versus excision for endometriosis, medical treatments, and fertility in this interview episode.
1 Jun 2019
Episode 3: Ablation vs. excision for superficial endo, hormonal contraceptives, the "Endobiota" and more
Dr. Nicholas Fogelson and Libby Hopton explore recent studies comparing endometriosis treatments like ablation and excision, hormonal contraception, and the potential role of the microbiome.
29 Apr 2019
Episode 2: Removing abdominal wall endo after c-section, Visanne, surgery center vs. hospital and more
Dr. Nicholas Fogelson and Libby Hopton explore endometriosis topics, including abdominal wall removal after C-sections and Visanne studies, offering insights for patients in this interview.
29 Apr 2019
Episode 1: Research production, BPAs, resection of bladder endometriosis and more
Dr. Nicholas Fogelson and Libby Hopton explore endometriosis research, BPA's impact, and bladder endometriosis resection outcomes in this interview episode.
Inside a recent episode
Recovering from Endometriosis Surgery: What to Expect and How to Heal Well
Published 11 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] I'm like, you know, when you feel like you can do it, it's not causing you pain. Like I tell patients, you can't break what I did. If I go in and remove endometriosis, you're not going to put the endometriosis back in there no matter what you do. You can't really break open your port sites very easily either. Like by the time five or six days have gone by, you've already got fiber and stuff holding there. And then you got suture. Like you'd have to do a pretty significant trauma to the abdominal wall to break open your port sites. And by two weeks, you just won't even be able to do it no matter what you do. […]
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