Olivia lived with chronic pelvic pain for years - a constant dull, dragging ache on her left side that worsened when she sat or bent down - while doctors dismissed her fatigue and brain fog as just being a tired mother. What finally explained it wasn't the vascular surgeon who wanted to remove a vein in her leg. It was an interventional radiologist who suspected pelvic congestion syndrome, sent her for the right imaging, and found she also had May-Thurner syndrome. That diagnosis led her to dedicate her Instagram and a new symptom-checker platform to helping other women connect the dots. We go through her full story and what treating pelvic venous disorders actually involves.
Thank you to our sponsors for making sure these conversations stay free for everyone:
Pelva: https://lddy.no/1pmrf?afmc=TWTC10 Use code TWTC10 at checkout to receive 10% off your first order.
Origin: http://theoriginway.com/twtc Use promo code TWTC to get your first month of Origin's On-Track membership free:
Connect with Olivia:
Connect with Mathilde:
00:00:00 Intro
00:04:21 Pain Onset, Suspected Muscle Strain
00:05:26 Constant Pain, Sitting & Bending
00:06:23 Dull Dragging Ache, Left Pelvic Floor
00:07:00 Postpartum Fatigue, Brain Fog, Dismissal
00:08:12 Varicose & Spider Veins Explained
00:09:50 Non-Healing Wound, Circulation Clue
00:10:22 Diagnostic Delay, Grief
00:11:39 PCOS Misdiagnosis, MRI Denied
00:13:15 Interventional Radiologist vs Vascular Surgeon
00:14:00 Nearly Unnecessary Surgery, Second Opinion
00:14:50 Being Believed, MRI Referral
00:16:33 Duplex Ultrasound, MRI with Contrast
00:17:15 Venogram, Real-Time Blood Flow
00:18:56 Sponsor: Pelva
00:20:45 Sponsor: Origin
00:22:20 Pelvic Venous Disorders, Umbrella Term
00:23:38 Congested vs Compressed Veins
00:24:18 May-Thurner, Left Iliac Vein, Stents
00:25:55 Pregnancy, Vein Stretching; Men
00:27:16 Hypermobility, EDS Correlation
00:28:06 ISSWSH, Siloed Medicine, Comorbidities
00:29:38 Everything Is Connected
00:30:35 Procedure 1: Coil Embolization
00:31:05 Procedure 2: Laser Ablation, Recovery
00:32:20 Procedure 3: Sclerotherapy
00:33:21 Pain-Free, Stress-Related Flare-Ups
00:34:09 Life After Treatment, Brain Fog Gone
00:35:00 Grief for Lost Years, Validation
00:36:40 Why Closing a Vein Works
00:37:51 Realistic Expectations
00:38:33 Tools: Walking, Hydration, Inflammation
00:39:50 When to Seek Answers, Getting a Referral
00:41:14 Finding Trusted Specialists
00:43:14 Where to Find Olivia
00:44:28 Support the Podcast
