EPISODE LINK

GET READY FOR CONVERSATIONS WITH PRIME WOMEN: A MIDLIFE EVENT HOSTED BY HOT FLASHES & COOL TOPICS

Come join us for an incredible afternoon of conversation and celebrating prime women in midlife and beyond! The event includes live panel discussions with midlife experts and celebrities, shopping, socializing, and more!

Buy your tickets at conversationswithprimewomen.com !

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Shannon Cohn is a lawyer, activist, and filmmaker. One of her recent projects, Endo What?, is a feature documentary on endometriosis that has been hailed as “the first step in a plan for change” by Newsweek and has received numerous amounts of praise from critics. In today’s episode, we sat down with Shannon to discuss Endometriosis, treatment options, the current state of endometriosis medical research, and what questions to ask your doctor when seeking an endometriosis diagnosis.

First, we asked Shannon to define what endometriosis is. She explained that endometriosis occurs when tissue begins growing outside of the uterus and potentially spreads to other organs. Endometriosis affects 10-15% of all women at a reproductive age, and it takes an average of 10 years from the start of symptoms before a person receives a diagnosis. Shannon herself started experiencing symptoms of endometriosis at 16, and the diagnosis was not even brought up to her as an option until she was 29. While no definitive cause has been confirmed, research shows that environmental and endocrine factors can play a role in endometriosis. The disease can also be genetic and passed between sisters or mothers and daughters. There are a few treatments for endometriosis, but Shannon said that the most effective one is a procedure called excision surgery, where a qualified surgeon goes in and cuts the endometriosis out of one’s body. Once the surgery is done, the body can then start to heal through an anti-inflammatory diet and learning what foods trigger symptoms. Other forms of treatment for endometriosis are medications and birth control.

Despite the efficacy of the surgery, not enough doctors and OBGYNs are taught how to do it, leaving limited availability for those seeking surgery. This also makes it even harder for women suffering to receive a diagnosis, for not enough doctors are trained to understand how endometriosis affects the body. Also, most surgeons performing the operation do not take insurance. However, there are resources available to help. Shannon mentioned that for those seeking affordable excision surgery, a Facebook page called “Nancy’s Nook Endometriosis Education” has a list compiled of doctors who do take insurance.

When dealing with endometriosis in menopausal women, Shannon debunked a popular misconception. Many believe that going through menopause alleviates or gets rid of symptoms entirely. However, endometriosis does not go away with menopause, and symptoms can persist or even worsen during that time. With so many misconceptions about endometriosis running rampant, Shannon has spent her career determined to change the narrative and educate the public. She has worked with U.S. senators such as Orrin Hatch and Elizabeth Warren and screened one of her endometriosis films, Below the Belt, to an audience of members of congress. At the screening, she presented a five-point action plan funding research and education for endometriosis. Her work has helped immensely in the fight for women’s health, and Shannon is determined to continue spreading the word and using her platform and activism for change.

Finally, we asked Shannon what questions a woman should ask her doctor when trying to get an endometriosis diagnosis. She told us that the most important thing is to come to your doctor’s appointment prepared. Keep a list of your symptoms in a journal and bring it with you to the appointment. It is also important to bring up endometriosis as a possibility and advocate for yourself to get a diagnosis and find a treatment plan that fits your life circumstances.

Shannon Cohn

Shannon Cohn is a filmmaker, lawyer and activist. Her films and TV series have aired on PBS, Nat Geo, Discovery Channel, Amazon and Netflix in over 190 countries. She produced and directed Endo What?, a feature documentary on endometriosis hailed as “the first step in a plan for change” by Newsweek and “film of the year” by The Guardian. Her film, Below the Belt, which approaches endometriosis as a social justice issue, will premiere nationally on PBS in 2023. Before becoming a filmmaker, Shannon practiced international law and was an aid worker in Africa. Shannon is a Board Member of the Foundation of AAGL (American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists) and All Kings, a New York-based non-profit dedicated to empowering people affected by the criminal justice system. She has a law degree from Vanderbilt University and attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Film Program.

In this episode, we discuss…

• [0:01] Introduction
• [1:28] Guest Introduction
• [5:15] Start of Interview
• [5:50] What is Endometriosis?
• [13:56] Endometriosis Treatments
• [18:34] Limited Availability for Endometriosis Treatment
• [21:55] Endometriosis in Midlife and Government Involvement
• [24:56] What to Ask Your Doctor
• [28:28] Closing Thoughts
• [28:55] Outro

Useful Resources:

Shannon’s LinkedIn I [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-cohn/]

Shannon’s IMDb I [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3101571/]

Shannon’s Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/shancohn/?hl=en]

Nancy’s Nook Endometriosis Education Facebook I [

]

Shannon’s Films

Endo What? I [https://endowhat.com/]

Below the Belt I [https://www.belowthebelt.film/]

Can’t Get Enough? Find Us Here!

Website I [http://hotflashescooltopics.com/]

Mail I [[email protected]]

Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/hotflashesandcooltopics/]

Facebook I [

]

Twitter I [https://twitter.com/CoolFlashes]

YouTube I [https://www.youtube.com/@HotFlashesCoolTopics]

Pinterest I [https://www.pinterest.com/hcooltopics/]

Want to Leave a Review for Hot Flashes and Cool Topics? Here’s How:

For Apple Podcasts on an iPhone or iOS device:

• Open the Apple Podcast App on your device.
• Click on the “search” icon
• Type into the search bar “Hot Flashes and Cool Topics” and click on the show
• Towards the bottom, look for “Ratings and Reviews”
• Click on “Write a Review” and leave us your thoughts and comments!

For Apple Podcasts on a computer:

• On the Apple Podcasts website, go to the search bar and type “Hot Flashes and Cool Topics”
• After clicking on the show, find the “Listen on Apple Podcasts” button and click on it
• The “Hot Flashes and Cool Topics” podcast should open on the Apple Podcasts application
• Keep scrolling on the page until you see “Ratings and Reviews”
• Click on “See All”
• If you want to give us a five-star rating, hover over the empty stars!
• If you want to leave your thoughts and comments, click on “Write a Review”!