Maiden Mother Matriarch with Louise Perry The Woman's Disease - Linda Griffith | Maiden Mother Matriarch Episode 167
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Oct 12, 2025 
Linda Griffith, a Professor at MIT and director of the Center for Gynopathology Research, dives into the complexities of endometriosis. She shares her personal journey from debilitating symptoms to eventual diagnosis, highlighting the challenges of misunderstanding and the need for better clinician awareness. Linda discusses the historic biases that led to missed diagnoses in adolescents and emphasizes the importance of recognizing endometriosis early. Her advocacy and insights into women's pain shed light on the urgent need for improved treatment and education.
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Early Onset Debilitating Symptoms
- Linda Griffith began having severe menstrual and GI symptoms before her first period and describes fainting, vomiting, and missing classes.
- She organized her life around predicting periods and hiding symptoms while seeking diagnosis and relief.
Misleading Diagnosis And Harsh Treatments
- Linda recounts being told surgery would be minor but waking up the next day with very advanced endometriosis.
- She tried harsh drugs like danazol and menopause-inducing treatments that caused serious side effects like bone loss.
Diagnostic Bias In Textbooks
- Historical medical texts described typical patients as intelligent, anxious, and perfectionist, creating a diagnostic bias.
- That bias steered clinicians away from diagnosing adolescents and atypical patients early on.