In this episode of The Babymakers Podcast, Dr. Danica Thornberry meets with Dr. Rayan Elkhattah (aka “Dr E”), an endometriosis excision surgeon making a big difference in the Los Angeles fertility community.

Together they unpack why endo is so frequently misunderstood and therefore misdiagnosed; setting the stage for an empowering episode about self advocacy + partnership with our providers when we’re on the path to baby/healing.

The term “medical gaslighting” is discussed and how it still occurs in modern healthcare (particularly in gynecology & infertility practices), to highlight the pivot that occurs when we work with a physician who listens to their patients.

Dr. Elkhattah explains how endometriosis isn’t a clear cut surgical disease, and why even the best excision surgery has limits—if the nervous system, immune system, gut health, trauma history, and lifestyle factors aren’t also addressed.

One focus of the conversation is central sensitization, a situation where chronic pain derails the nervous system, such that the body continuously fires pain signals even after adhesions are removed, suggesting that healing isn’t linear, and recovery often requires a multidisciplinary approach (including pelvic PT, integrative nutrition, acupuncture, mind-body tools, stress reduction, and trauma-informed care).

If you’ve been told your pain or infertility is “stress-related”, implying you need to “just relax”, or if you’ve wondered why pelvic surgery didn’t fix infertility, this episode offers clarity, validation, and insight for a more hopeful—more complete—path forward.

To schedule with Dr Elkattah or to learn more about the Iris Wings Sanctuary for Endometrosis and their multi-modal, holistic approach to healing endo, visit IrisWings.com, and @IrisWings on Instagram.

Interested in working with Dr. Danica? Click here to book a session: http://wellpeoplehealing.janeapp.com/

✨This episode is sponsored by SeedFertility.com, where you’ll find “A Holistic Guide to Healing Endo”, an online course offering other expert interviews including Dr Iris Kerin Orbuch and leading fertility specialists, discussing what makes them suspect endometriosis and how to decide if surgery is your next step.

Listeners can use PROMO CODE: BABYMAKERS to save 20% on any Seed Fertility course.