Melissa McCurley, who started Bouncing Back after her own journey with autoimmune disease, sits down with Dr. Linda Bluestein an anesthesiologist specializing in hypermobility disorders and performing arts medicine, and host of the Bendy Bodies podcast. Dr. Bluestein opened her hypermobility clinic in late 2017 and shares how she finally got her own Ehlers-Danlos syndrome diagnosis in 2012, after years of unexplained injuries and symptoms.

Together they break down POTS, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), and MCAS three conditions that so often occur together including why MCAS risk jumps 35-fold in people with hypermobile EDS/HSD and POTS.

🎧 Hosted by: Melissa McCurley

🎤 Featuring:

Linda Bluestein is an anesthesiologist and specialist in hypermobility disorders, integrative pain medicine, and performing arts medicine. As the founder of Hypermobility MD and Bendy Bodies, she provides specialized care for complex conditions like hEDS, POTS, and MCAS. She combines personal experience with clinical expertise, hosts the Bendy Bodies podcast, and serves on committees for the International Consortium on EDS and HSD.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ How joint hypermobility, POTS, and MCAS can quietly explain a lifetime of unexplained injuries and symptoms

✔️ Why an accurate connective tissue disorder diagnosis can take a decade and what finally helped Dr. Bluestein get hers

✔️ The real difference between becoming a "patient" versus a "client" when seeking specialized care across state lines

✔️ What actually defines a POTS diagnosis and why you do not need to faint to have it

✔️ Why MCAS risk jumps 35-fold in people with hypermobile EDS/HSD and POTS

✔️ How to tell the difference between joint hypermobility, tissue fragility, and skin changes as core features of EDS

✔️ Where to find free, doctor-vetted education instead of relying on unmoderated Facebook groups

✔️ How to get informed and take ownership of your health before your next doctor's appointment

📇 Connect with Linda Bluestein:

🌎 Website → https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/

📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/

🎙 FOLLOW MELISSA & BOUNCING BACK:

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/groups/bouncingbackpodcast/

📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/melmccurley/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-mccurley/

📺 Youtube → https://www.youtube.com/@BouncingBackwithMelissa

📱Pinterest → https://www.pinterest.com/bouncingbackwith

🔖 DON’T FORGET TO LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, AND COMMENT BELOW!

In this episode of the Bouncing Back podcast, host Melissa McCurley sits down with Lauren Freedman—a menopause lifestyle coach, patient advocate, and host of the award-winning Uninvisible Pod.

Together, Melissa and Lauren dive deep into the "perfect storm" of chronic illness, neurodivergence, and perimenopause. They discuss why women are the "canaries in the coal mine" for broken societal systems, how to navigate workplace accommodations without fear, and the exact script you need to advocate for yourself when a doctor dismisses your symptoms. If you're a high-performing professional juggling a chronic condition or approaching perimenopause, this episode is packed with validating insights and actionable tools.

🎧 Hosted by: Melissa McCurley

🎤 Featuring: Lauren Freedman, Chronic Coach

Lauren Freedman (NBC-HWC, CNC, CIHC) is a nationally board-certified health and wellness coach specializing in chronic illness, neurodivergence, burnout, and hormonal transitions. Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Patient Advocacy, she draws on her personal health journey to help clients navigate complex conditions like autoimmune diseases and chronic fatigue. She also hosts the award-winning Uninvisible Pod®.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ Why neurodivergent women often experience perimenopause symptoms earlier and more severely.

✔️ Why the explosion of autoimmune diseases is a physical revolt against systemic stress.

✔️ How to understand your rights under the ADA and navigate workplace accommodations.

✔️ Why you shouldn't wait until you're 45 to establish a health and hormone baseline.

✔️ Exactly what to say to a medical provider who refuses to run the tests you ask for.

📇 Connect with Lauren Freedman:

🌎 Website → https://www.uninvisiblecoaching.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/uninvisiblepod

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/chroniccoachlauren

🎙 FOLLOW MELISSA & BOUNCING BACK:

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/groups/bouncingbackpodcast/

📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/melmccurley/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-mccurley/

📺 Youtube → https://www.youtube.com/@BouncingBackwithMelissa

📱Pinterest → https://www.pinterest.com/bouncingbackwith

🔖 DON’T FORGET TO LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, AND COMMENT BELOW!

How do you build a successful, self-made career when your body won't always cooperate?

In this inspiring episode of the Bouncing Back podcast, host Melissa McCurley speaks with Gigi Robinson, a keynote speaker, bestselling author, and the force behind Host of Influence. Diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome at 11 years old, Gigi shares her powerful journey of pivoting from competitive swimming to forging her own path in the creator economy.

Gigi gets incredibly candid about the mindset shifts required to gamify your life, the power of focusing on what you can do, and the importance of unapologetic boundary-setting. She also dives into her podcast, Creator Etiquette, which bridges the professional development gap in the creator economy, and shares why self-advocacy is the ultimate skill you need to navigate corporate America with a chronic illness.

🎧 Hosted by: Melissa McCurley

🎤 Featuring: Gigi Robinson, Keynote Speaker & Creator

Gigi Robinson is a keynote speaker, bestselling author, and creator economy strategist. As the founder of the consulting practice Hosts of Influence, she helps creators and brands turn content into profitable businesses. Drawing from her own experience navigating chronic illness, she frequently speaks on the future of branding, business strategy, and digital wellness.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ How an early EDS diagnosis forced Gigi to pivot to building her own digital empire.

✔️ Why focusing on the "opportunity cost of illness" is a game-changing mindset shift.

✔️ How to unapologetically say "no" to social obligations to protect your physical energy.

✔️ How Gigi translates executive leadership skills for digital creators.

✔️ Why self-advocacy is the ultimate key to inclusive workplaces and remote work.

📇 Connect with Gigi Robinson:

🌐 Website → https://www.gigirobinson.com/

🌐 Website → https://hostsofinfluence.com/

📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/itsgigirobinson/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/gigirobinson/

Podcast → https://open.spotify.com/show/27IvxvPHrcUies6UnUxgXB

Podcast → https://open.spotify.com/show/0yhBemYdRiVcJqq6r28wqo

🎙 Follow the Bouncing Back Podcast:

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/groups/bouncingbackpodcast/

📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/melmccurley/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-mccurley/

📺 Youtube → https://www.youtube.com/@BouncingBackwithMelissa

📱Pinterest → https://www.pinterest.com/bouncingbackwithmelissa/

🔖 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate – https://iconsofrealestate.com/