Calling In Sick

By Just MediaMedicine Health & Fitness

Calling In Sick episodes

August 26 It’s "Just Anxiety": Reacting to Medical Gaslighting With Kevin Crosson
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
37 min
August 24 When Politics Enters the Exam Room (ft. Kevin Crosson)
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
1 hr 19 min
August 19 Can you use GLP-1s to treat chronic illness?? (ft. Dr. Zach Spiritos)
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
42 min
August 17 The EDS , MCAS & POTS Trifecta Explained with Dr. Spiritos
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
1 hr 11 min
August 12 Is This Bad Advice for Managing Chronic Illness? (ft. Kati Morton)
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
37 min
August 10 The Cost of Perfectionism, People Pleasing & Craving Control on Chronic Illness (ft. Kati Morton, LMFT)
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
1 hr 12 min
August 05 Peptides 101: What They Are, Recent FDA Votes & Popular Chronic Illness Peptides ft. Max Swiergol
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
36 min
August 03 How to research like a doctor, understanding clincal trials and CAR-T optimism (ft. Max Swiergol)
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
1 hr 5 min
July 29 How to Support Your Nervous System for Chronically Illness (ft. Nitika Chopra)
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
47 min
July 27 The Chronic Illness Identity Trap (ft. Nitika Chopra)
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
59 min

About Calling In Sick

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to the Calling in Sick, hosted by Alex Wildeson and produced by Just Media. On this podcast, Alex shares her unfiltered personal journey battling several autoimmune and chronic conditions…