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

Using AI To Help Get To A Diagnosis

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

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

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

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

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 [https://www.iapmd.org/] Studies mentioned in the episode: Prevalence of depression in women vs men: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5532074/ [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/ [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 [https://patreon.com/CRAMPED?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

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

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" [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/22/magazine/testosterone-women-health-sex-libido-menopause.html] 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 [http://premierwomenshealthconsulting.com] 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 [http://premierwomenshealthconsulting.com]. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

The Boner Pill That Might Cure Period Pain

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