

Bendy Bodies with Dr. Linda Bluestein
Dr. Linda Bluestein
Whether you’re bendy with all the benefits or hurting in all the wrong places, you’ve come to the right place for all things hypermobility. Connective tissue disorders like Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS) are often dismissed or overlooked by healthcare providers as a cause of chronic pain. But if you or someone you care about struggles with the life-altering symptoms of hypermobility, you should know YOU ARE NOT ALONE! At the Bendy Bodies Podcast, we understand.Each week, join Dr. Linda Bluestein (The Hypermobility MD) as she pulls back the curtain on how to prevent injury and unnecessary suffering in “double-jointed” individuals seeking a more comfortable life in their unique, complex “bendy bodies.” When you tune in, you’re engaging in more than a podcast. Both on-air and online, you’re joining a supportive community where patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals trade insights, life hacks, and inspiring stories to embrace our Bendy Bodies journey together!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 28, 2025 • 1h 16min
Truth Bombs & Backlash with Kate Colbert (Ep 159)
After a wave of passionate listener feedback sparked intense conversations behind the scenes, The Bendy Bodies Podcast returns with a candid and heartfelt follow-up. In this episode, Dr. Linda Bluestein is joined by author and communications expert Kate Colbert to openly address the concerns raised about recent content and to set the record straight. From questions about language and lived experience to the emotional cost of being misunderstood, Dr. Bluestein and Kate hold nothing back. Together, they unpack what went wrong, what they stand by, and what they’ll do differently moving forward. This is the episode that proves growth is messy, but worth it.
Takeaways
What sparked intense pushback from listeners this season
Why language matters more than ever in the chronic illness community
Why science isn't always black and white
The frustrations of medical and scientific uncertainty
What happens when a podcast decides to grow in public
Find the episode transcript here.
Want more Kate Colbert?
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katecolbert/
Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD?
Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/.
YouTube: youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast
X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/
Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/
Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd
Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them.
Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/.
YOUR bendy body is our highest priority!
Use this affiliate link for Algonot to get an extra 5% off your entire order: https://algonot.com/coupon/bendbod/
Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com
Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com
Part of the Human Content Podcast Network
FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 14, 2025 • 14min
Discussing Your Feedback: Pain, Autism & hEDS Diagnostic Criteria | Office Hours (Ep 158)
In the season five finale of the Bendy Bodies Podcast, Dr. Linda Bluestein reflects on powerful listener feedback and opens up important conversations about language, intent, and identity in medicine. She clarifies the purpose behind episodes on pain neuroscience and mast cells in autism, acknowledges the concerns raised, and discusses the fine line between supporting physiology and honoring identity. She also addresses concerns raised about the neuroplasticity episode, reaffirming that the intent was never to minimize anyone’s pain or suggest a one‑size‑fits‑all approach. Instead, the goal was to share information that some may find empowering while honoring the reality and validity of every person’s experience. Dr. Bluestein also revisits the ongoing “Road to 2026” diagnostic criteria update for hEDS (hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome), highlighting why labels matter for some patients and not for others. This wrap-up episode closes the season with transparency, humility, and a call for continued dialogue in the community.
Takeaways
Why pain is always real—even when labeled “non-structural”
How mast cell research intersects with autism without erasing identity
Why a hEDS diagnosis matters for some patients—but not for all
What the upcoming 2026 hEDS criteria changes could mean for the community
How listener feedback shapes the future of Bendy Bodies
Find the episode transcipt here.
Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD?
Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/.
YouTube: youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast
X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/
Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/
Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd
Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them.
Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/.
YOUR bendy body is our highest priority!
Use this affiliate link for Algonot to get an extra 5% off your entire order: https://algonot.com/coupon/bendbod/
FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links
Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com
Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com
Part of the Human Content Podcast Network
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 12, 2025 • 1h 10min
Can Pain Education Lessen Chronic Pain with Adriaan Louw, DPT? (Ep 156)
In this illuminating episode of the Bendy Bodies Podcast, Dr. Linda Bluestein sits down with pain neuroscientist and physical therapist Dr. Adriaan Louw to explore the power of education in managing chronic pain. With a passion for helping people understand the "why" behind their symptoms, Dr. Louw breaks down the science of how the brain processes pain, why knowledge can reduce fear, and how changing your understanding can actually decrease your pain experience. Through engaging stories and evidence-backed insight, he shares how rewiring the nervous system starts not with a pill, but with a conversation.
Takeaways
Why pain persists even after healing has occurred
Connecting fear, misunderstandings, and pain
What you can learn about pain to start to reduce it
What clinicians often miss when treating chronic symptoms
How to approach pain as a brain-and-nervous-system issue—not just a body issue
References:
Bio & publications – https://www.evidenceinmotion.com/
Podcast appearance on PNE+ – Ihttps://www.integrativepainscienceinstitute.com/
Pain Neuroscience Education: Teaching People About Pain –https://www.amazon.com/Pain-Neuroscience-Education-Teaching-People/dp/1492544723
Why Do I Hurt? – https://www.amazon.com/Why-Do-Hurt-Adriaan-Louw/dp/0985718617Radical Relief: A Guide to Overcome Chronic Pain – Integrative Pain Science Institute
Louw et al. (2016) “The Clinical Application of Pain Neuroscience Education” – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26828801/
Want more Dr. Adriaan Louw?
X: https://www.twitter.com/EIMTeam
IG: https://www.instagram.com/eimteam/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/EIMTeam
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evidence-in-motion-eim-
Website: https://whyyouhurt.com/
Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD?
Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/.
YouTube: youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast
X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/
Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/
Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd
Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them.
Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/.
YOUR bendy body is our highest priority!
Use this affiliate link for Algonot to get an extra 5% off your entire order: https://algonot.com/coupon/bendbod/
Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com
Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com
Part of the Human Content Podcast Network
FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 7, 2025 • 1h 26min
Could Your Gut Pain Be EDS-Related? with Dr. Pradeep Chopra (Ep 157)
In this episode of the Bendy Bodies Podcast, Dr. Linda Bluestein sits down once again with fellow pain specialist Dr. Pradeep Chopra to take listeners on a guided “walk” through the GI tract. From teeth to the stomach and beyond, they uncover how connective tissue disorders like EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes) and HSD (Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders) along with POTS (Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) and MCAS (Mast cell activation syndrome), can trigger unexpected abdominal pain and digestive challenges. Along the way, they explore overlooked diagnoses like Eagle Syndrome, SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth), and MALS (Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome), while also revealing hacks and strategies that empower patients to better understand and manage their symptoms. This is part one of a two-part deep dive into GI issues you won’t want to miss.
Takeaways
Why EDS patients often have “dancing teeth” and unique dental vulnerabilities
How Eagle Syndrome can masquerade as severe TMJ pain or headaches
The hidden role of MCAS in driving throat and GI inflammation
Why overlooked compression syndromes like MALS and SMA cause devastating abdominal pain
A surprising at-home hack with beets that can reveal slowed gut motility
Note: If you found Dr. Chopra's comments about teeth intriguing, we will address listener feedback in Episode 159, coming soon.
Find the episode transcript here.
References:
AGA Clinical Practice Update on GI Manifestations and Autonomic or Immune Dysfunction in Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: Expert Review: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40387691/
Want more Dr. Pradeep Chopra?
Find previous Bendy Bodies episodes with Dr. Chopra here: https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/guests/dr-pradeep-chopra/
Website: https://www.painri.com/
Contact Dr. Chopra’s Office: snapa102@gmail.com
Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD?
Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/.
YouTube: youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast
X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/
Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/
Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd
Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them.
Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/.
YOUR bendy body is our highest priority!
Use this affiliate link for Algonot to get an extra 5% off your entire order: https://algonot.com/coupon/bendbod/
Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com
Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com
Part of the Human Content Podcast Network
FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 24, 2025 • 55min
Gluten, MTHFR, Mast Cells, and More | Office Hours (Ep 155)
In this solo episode of the Bendy Bodies Podcast, Dr. Linda Bluestein tackles a series of complex listener questions originally submitted by clinicians after her guest appearance on The Curbsiders internal medicine podcast. From the flaws in the EDS diagnostic criteria to the misunderstood role of MTHFR gene (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase), SVT (supraventricular tachycardia), celiac disease, and mast cell medications, she offers guidance, clarity, and practical advice. She also digs into how to find a provider who actually understands dysautonomia and shares personal hacks that empower patients to ask smarter questions during appointments. This episode is a toolkit for patients and providers alike, packed with real-world insights you won’t want to miss.
Takeaways:
Why Beighton scoring alone doesn’t cut it for diagnosing EDS
The truth about MTHFR variants and their link to EDS
The overlap between SVT, POTS, and when to worry
What to ask your doctor if you’re not sure they "get" dysautonomia
A breakdown of meds like LDN, ketotifen, and cromolyn—and who they help most
References:
The Curbsiders Podcast EP 480 - Hypermobility with Dr. Linda Bluestein: https://thecurbsiders.com/curbsiders-podcast/480-hypermobility-with-dr-linda-bluestein
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38523329/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
hEDS Diagnostic Criteria Checklist
Red Flags Guide (credit: Clair A. Francomano, MD): https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/p/redflags/
Hope for Hypermobility
Article: https://www.nursingcenter.com/cearticle?an=00587875-202304000-00001&Journal_ID=3402523&Issue_ID=6649307
Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/hypermobilitymd/p/navigating-treatment-for-hedshsd
Find the episode transcript here
Bendy Bodies EP 133: How Internists Think About Complex Illness with Dr. Matthew Watto: https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/how-internists-think-about-complex-illness-with-dr-matthew-watto-ben-133/
Bendy Bodies EP 139: Hidden Histamine Threats with Dr. Theoharis Theoharides: https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/hidden-histamine-threats-with-dr-theoharis-theoharides-ep-139/
Cromolyn Douche Article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30964355/
https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/videos/connective-tissue-disorders-and-lipedema-with-karen-herbst-md/
LDN episode: https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/lower-your-eds-pain-office-hours-ep-138/
LDN resource: https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/p/low-dose-naltrexone-ldn-for-chronic-pain-eds/
Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD?
Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/.
YouTube: youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast
X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/
Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/
Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd
Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them.
Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/.
YOUR bendy body is our highest priority!
Use this affiliate link for Algonot to get an extra 5% off your entire order: https://algonot.com/coupon/bendbod/
Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com
Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com
Part of the Human Content Podcast Network
FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 17, 2025 • 1h 18min
Revising the Hypermobile EDS Criteria with Dr. Pradeep Chopra (Ep 154)
Dr. Pradeep Chopra, an internationally respected EDS expert and pain medicine specialist, joins the conversation to tackle the complexities of hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS). They discuss significant flaws in the 2017 diagnostic criteria and how these shortcomings might overlook male patients. Listeners learn about the potential surgical risks, including craniocervical instability, and practical tips for hypermobile patients navigating medical procedures. Plus, hear the inspiring story of how Dr. Chopra influenced Dr. Bluestein’s career!

Jul 10, 2025 • 1h 22min
Why Do Some GI Problems Hide from Every Test? with Dr. Zachary Spiritos (Ep 153)
Dr. Linda Bluestein dives deep into the tangled web of gastrointestinal disorders with neurogastroenterologist Dr. Zachary Spiritos. They tackle the silent struggles of patients with EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome), POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), and MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome), especially those whose GI tests always come back “normal.” From misunderstood motility problems to surprising treatment twists, this episode is full of revelations that might change the way you think about your gut. And yes, there’s even a how-to on better pooping.
Takeaways:
Why your GI test results might be “normal”… but your symptoms are anything but.
How slow motility and visceral hypersensitivity often masquerade as IBS.
The overlooked connection between hypermobility, dysautonomia, and GI dysfunction.
Why some patients are misdiagnosed for years—and how that’s finally changing.
A surprising but effective tip to improve your daily bathroom routine.
References:
Breath-Test for SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth): https://www.triosmartbreath.com/
Mark Pimentel, MD: https://www.cedars-sinai.org/provider/mark-pimentel-887112.html
Episode 127: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ngUY9VPRcc
Want more Dr. Zachary Spiritos?
Website: https://www.everbettermedicine.health
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drzacspiritos/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zachary.spiritos/
Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD?
Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/.
YouTube: youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast
X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/
Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/
Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd
Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them.
Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/.
YOUR bendy body is our highest priority!
Use this affiliate link for Algonot to get an extra 5% off your entire order: https://algonot.com/coupon/bendbod/
Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com
Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com
Part of the Human Content Podcast Network
FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 3, 2025 • 1h 11min
What Can Difficulty Swallowing and Voice Fatigue Mean? (Ep 152)
Speech-language pathologist and vocal specialist Stacy Menton joins Dr. Linda Bluestein to expose the surprising links between connective tissue disorders like EDS and common (but misunderstood) issues with voice, breathing, and swallowing. From overlooked diagnostics to cutting-edge therapies and startling new research, this conversation peels back the curtain on symptoms often dismissed or misdiagnosed. A must-listen for patients, clinicians, and anyone who's been told "everything looks normal."
Takeaways:
Hypermobile patients often experience voice, breathing, and swallowing issues—but go undiagnosed.
Imaging and scope studies often miss the root causes of symptoms in EDS patients.
Certain vocal exercises may actually harm people with fragile connective tissues.
Sniffing can break a dangerous airway cycle caused by inducible laryngeal obstruction.
An international team is working to create speech therapy protocols specifically for EDS.
Find the episode transcript here.
Want more Stacey Menton?Website: http://staceymenton.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077671590313
Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD?
Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/.
YouTube: youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast
X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/
Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/
Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd
Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them.
Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/.
YOUR bendy body is our highest priority!
Use this affiliate link for Algonot to get an extra 5% off your entire order: https://algonot.com/coupon/bendbod/
Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com
Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com
Part of the Human Content Podcast Network
FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 26, 2025 • 1h 19min
Mast Cells: Friend or Foe? with Dr. Theoharis Theoharides (Ep 151)
What if your brain fog, fatigue, and hypersensitivity weren’t “just anxiety”—but signs of a much deeper immune malfunction?
In this episode, Dr. Pradeep Chopra co-hosts a rare and revealing conversation with Dr. Theoharis Theoharides, the scientist who first discovered that mast cells communicate with microglia in the brain. Together, they dive into groundbreaking research on neuroinflammation, autism, histamine, stress, and why brain fog may not be “all in your head”—but inflammation inside it.
From overlooked biomarkers to misunderstood triggers, this episode unpacks the science most doctors still don’t know… but patients desperately need
Takeaways:
What you didn’t know about the link between stress and mast cell activation in the brain.
A surprising breakdown of how mast cells could be fueling neuroinflammation and foggy thinking.
Why autism and MCAS might share more than we think—especially in early development.
The overlooked role of environmental stressors in triggering immune responses that affect cognition.
How one researcher’s journey into mast cells rewrote everything we thought we knew about inflammation.
Fine the episode transcript here.
Want more Dr. Theoharis Theoharides?
Website: https://www.drtheoharides.com/Podcast Link: https://algonot.com/Blogs: https://www.nova.edu/nim/neuroinflammation-research/index.htmlLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theoharis-theoharides-ms-phd-md-faaaai-67123735
Want more Dr. Pradeep Chopra?
Website: https://www.painri.com/
Reference Episodes:
Episode 70: https://youtu.be/BoRyQh12X2cEpisode 71: https://youtu.be/yDT3JTzfiJkEpisode 72: https://youtu.be/CYhnKkVjIxMEpisode 73: https://youtu.be/2OxtZGNswfoEpisode 77: https://youtu.be/d9A1aJB5GRo
Episode 139: https://youtu.be/u1pxvAzXh7M
Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD?
Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/.
YouTube: youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast
X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/
Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/
Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd
Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them.
Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/.
YOUR bendy body is our highest priority!
Use this affiliate link for Algonot to get an extra 5% off your entire order: https://algonot.com/coupon/bendbod/
Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com
Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com
Part of the Human Content Podcast Network
FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 19, 2025 • 49min
Misunderstood and Overlooked: hEDS, FND & Autism | Office Hours (Ep 150)
You asked. I answered. In this solo Q&A, I tackle some of the biggest and most misunderstood questions from our Bendy Bodies community. From toddlers flagged for autism to adults fighting for an EDS diagnosis, from altitude flares to functional neurologic disorder, this episode pulls no punches.
I talk low-dose naltrexone (LDN), altitude hacks, medication struggles, and the quiet panic of a diagnosis that suddenly shifts under you. Plus, we look ahead to the 2026 hEDS (hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) classification changes and the stigma that still haunts hypermobile bodies. Whether you're a patient, a provider, or somewhere in between—you’ll hear something in this episode that makes you feel seen.
Takeaways:
How the diagnosis of functional neurologic disorder (FND) is often misused—and what that means for bendy patients.
What one family doctor learned when her toddler was flagged for autism... and EDS.
The truth about low-dose naltrexone—and why it’s not a quick fix.
Why a change in your diagnosis doesn’t change your reality.
A life-saving strategy for traveling to high altitudes with EDS or POTS.
Find the episode transcript here.
Connect with YOUR Hypermobility Specialist, Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD at https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/.
Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them.
Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/.
YOUR bendy body is our highest priority!
Use this affiliate link for Algonot to get an extra 5% off your entire order: https://algonot.com/coupon/bendbod/
Connect with the HypermobilityMD:
YouTube: youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast
X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/
Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/
Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd
Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com
Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com
Part of the Human Content Podcast Network
FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices