In this episode of Endo Untangled, Dr Millie Mardon PhD shares how her long trips from Port Augusta to Adelaide as a teenager shaped her work in pain science. She explains how understanding what pain really is can help us change it, slowly but surely.
We talk about where pain discussions go wrong, how what we think, feel and see can shift the way pain shows up, and why personal stories matter in research and recovery.
This one will change how you think about pain.
In Episode 08, we dive deep (no pun intended) with specialist colorectal and pelvic floor surgeon Dr. Chris Gillespie as he lifts the lid on everything your bowels don’t want you to ask. From the anatomy and reflexes behind a good poop, to what’s going on when your colonoscopy is “normal” but symptoms persist, we cover it all. We unravel the role of anorectal manometry, bust common myths (do laxatives really make your bowel “lazy”?), and get his go-to strategies for managing bowel dysfunction in real life. Whether you’re a clinician, patient, or just poop-curious — this one’s for you.
Tune in, flush away the stigma, and get the inside track on what your gut’s been trying to tell you.
Some collaborations begin in boardrooms. Ours began in a cloud of plaster dust, a half-finished practice, a fire engine out the front, and someone quite literally glued to the floor. Out of that chaotic, hilarious day came connection, trust, and the start of a long partnership with pelvic health physiotherapists Alycia Scannell and Carolyn Berry.
In this episode, we talk about what pelvic health physiotherapy actually is, what happens in a consult for someone living with pelvic pain, and why the pelvis can get “cranky.” Alycia and Carolyn explain how overprotective pelvic floor muscles can tighten and guard, leading to bladder urgency, bowel changes, deep pelvic aching, tailbone pain, or painful sex.
They share how treatment goes far beyond exercises. It is about calming the nervous system, teaching the body safety again, and helping people reconnect with their pelvic floor through awareness, breathing, and gentle retraining.
If you have ever been told your pain is “just stress,” or never realised the pelvic floor could overwork, this episode will change the way you think about your body.
In this episode of Endo Untangled, physiotherapist Sophie Sheppard shares her lived experience of chronic fatigue as a teenager and later discovering she is autistic and ADHD. We unpack the science of persistent pain and how it reverberates through the nervous, endocrine and immune systems (the NEI ensemble), and explore how understanding the whole-system impact changes care. Sophie explains how these insights shape her work as a pain-titled physiotherapist, helping people untangle complex pain and reclaim their lives.
Whether you are living with persistent pain, supporting someone who is, or working as a health professional, this episode offers understanding, compassion, and practical insights.
Welcome to the first of our Endo Untangled mini ep series, Fast and Curious.
We met with A/Prof Susan Evans at the recent Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia Annual Practitioner Seminar in Brisbane, to pick her brains on:
- the relationship with the uterus, brain, nervous, and immune system
- Dr Evans' work with Alyra Biotech in the development of some novel therapies for endometriosis and pelvic pain, tapping into the neuro-immune activation that underpins the pain and whole-body symptoms that are associated with endometriosis
- How this new therapy came about, on the grounds of Tokyo University
If you're interested in finding out more about Dr Susan's trial, please visit www.alyrabiotech.com.
From tests to treatment, here’s how to take your next steps with POTS.
In Part 2 of our conversation, Dr Marie-Claire Seeley takes us deeper into the journey of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). We explore what investigations can actually help, practical management strategies that make a difference, and how to start feeling better day to day. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or years into navigating POTS, this episode offers clarity, hope, and real-world tools you can use.
If you find this episode helpful, share it with someone who might need it and follow Endo Untangled for more conversations that bring insight and support.
Unwell in Central Asia. Dismissed as “just anxiety.” Four kids, nursing shifts, and a fight to be believed. Today Dr Marie-Claire Seeley is CEO of the Australian POTS Foundation, using her PhD and lived experience to change care for people with POTS.
Why does endo care feel like a tug-of-war?
Pill pushback • stabbing pains • surgery debates.
Why do so many endo appointments leave patients feeling unheard and doctors feeling stuck? In this episode, GP Dr Alecia Macrow and EP Cherie Noble sit down with Prof Susan Evans and Dr Carmel Reynolds to unpack why care can feel like control, why “they just want to put me on the pill” is such a common refrain in forums, and how sharp “ovary pains” aren’t always what they seem.
We talk about:
This is a constructive, honest conversation for patients, clinicians, and anyone wanting to better navigate endo care.
A/Prof Evans discusses her current clinical trial with Alyra Biotech, you can find more information here:
https://alyrabiotech.com/clinical-trials/
as well as her new book "When Periods Hurt – A guide to periods, pain and endometriosis for Teens" available here:https://www.pelvicpain.org.au/product/whenperiodshurt/
We also discussed some of the great resources available at the Pelvic Pain Foundation, which are available hereLhttps://www.pelvicpain.org.au/find-support/download/
Ep 2: The Pelvic Pain “Super Syndrome” with Dr Sneha Wadhwani
Why the fatigue? Why the headaches? Why the lightning arse?!
In this episode, we dive into the messy overlap of gut issues, pelvic floor dysfunction, heavy periods, and crushing fatigue – and why these symptoms so often show up together. Dr Sneha Wadhwani joins us to explore what we’re calling the Pelvic Pain “Super Syndrome” and how recognising these patterns can completely shift how we approach care.
We talk about:
If you’ve ever felt like your symptoms don’t fit neatly into one box, this episode will help you see the bigger picture.
Check out Dr Sne’s podcast, “Everything from A to V” on Spotify here https://open.spotify.com/episode/1snC82WBvSrfWgtmi1v0m8?si=9SZVDO_zRr6QVbKV70t4pA
Exercise Physiologist Cherie Noble and Endo GP Dr Alecia Macrow talk through the 'why' of Endo Untangled, their personal stories, and what they're most looking forward to in the podcast.
Full series dropping soon