The DIY Doctor

The DIY Doctor Treat yo self with Sharon Thompson, PT, DPT, CSCS. She's a physical therapist who specializes in orthopedic and pelvic floor health.

06/12/2026

After getting a concussion in PT school, I had a slew of symptoms that never fully went away.

For years, I didn’t tell anybody, even my closest friends. The only person who really knew I was having symptoms was my husband.

I didn’t even think it was weird.

Until 2020, when I was having daily migraines from the stress, and my husband asked, “How come you’re not telling your family? How come you won’t tell your friends when we’re hanging out that you’re having a debilitating headache or migraine? Or that you can’t sit in the seat facing the sun because it will trigger a headache?”

And I realized he was right.

I would rather get the headache than be an inconvenience or admit that I was having symptoms of any kind.

I would mask my symptoms and pretend everything was fine. I was happy and excited to be with people, but I was also in a lot of pain all the time.

And I didn’t even know that I could tell people I wasn’t fine.

This is the experience of so many people with chronic pain.

It’s one of the reasons I ask my patients multiple times how they’re actually feeling. I want them to have permission to tell me what their body is feeling and to know they’ll be believed.

But it’s so hard to admit you’re not fine.

And I get it.

Anybody else?

04/01/2026

Unfortunately not an April Fool’s Joke 🙃

And yes, there are amazing gynecologists who specialize in endometriosis, have actual excision training, use imaging well, and collaborate when cases are complex. These are rare precious jewels and we TREASURE THEM.

But most gynecologists don’t get solid endometriosis education in school. What they know depends heavily on residency and whether they pursued more training after. There’s research showing many resident OBGYNs don’t feel confident diagnosing or treating endometriosis which reflects the education level (honestly I’m happy they don’t feel more confident given what they know).

At the same time, there are many providers who feel confident to diagnose and treat you but are working off completely outdated or simply incorrect information.

So endo warriors get gaslighted, misdiagnosed, and told that pregnancy or hysterectomy will solve all of their symptoms. 👁️ 👄 👁️ Or birth control is offered as a cure and not explained as a symptom management option that may or may not help and also has risks (like any medication).

Gynecologists may even tell you that they are an endo excision specialist when they have minimal experience with identification of atypical endo lesions so they end up missing huge portions of the disease. Or they are focused on certain outcomes like fertility but not in removing endo or looking for it throughout the pelvic and abdominal cavities.

And ironically endometriosis isn’t even strictly a gynecological disease though thats who you will be told to see. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Endo routinely affects the re**um and abdominal cavities and can be found in many other parts of the body which can each require a different type of surgeon to operate.

I’m a couple hours off of the last day of but the advocating doesn’t end. Unfortunately if you suspect you have endometriosis my best advice is to assume that your provider is in the majority and doesn’t know anything about endo until they prove otherwise. Do lots of research, check out other endo warriors lists and recommendations, and ask a LOT of questions.

Sending love,
Sharon aka The D

What’s your favorite? 💘Send one to your spoonie valentine. Or a normie that gets it 🥹🥰Much love to you all this valentin...
02/14/2026

What’s your favorite? 💘

Send one to your spoonie valentine. Or a normie that gets it 🥹🥰

Much love to you all this valentines💞

Did you win?? 🏆 All jokes aside if you have chronic illness, I see you. It is not for the faint of heart.Here’s to a 202...
12/31/2025

Did you win?? 🏆

All jokes aside if you have chronic illness, I see you. It is not for the faint of heart.

Here’s to a 2026 full of remissions, successful treatments, practitioners who believe you and help you, friends and family that support you and a nervous system that chills out.

Love,
Sharon
aka the DIY Doctor, your friendly neighborhood integrative physical therapist and specialist in pelvic health, chronic pain and chronic illness.

Eds MCAS endometriosis migraine me/cfs long covid spoonie new year

In theory, this season is supposed to be relaxing, joyful, and full of community. But the holidays can be a tricky time,...
12/23/2025

In theory, this season is supposed to be relaxing, joyful, and full of community. But the holidays can be a tricky time, especially if you are navigating chronic illness or chronic pain.

Spoons are getting spent left and right. Expectations are higher for yourself and from other people. The weather is not in favor of your dysautonomia or mast cell issues. You might not be exercising quite as often or eating according to your dietary needs.

It’s hard to say no. It’s also hard to explain when people don’t understand. It’s especially hard when you have an invisible illness. Sometimes it might simply be too exhausting to explain why you can’t do certain things, why you need to come late, or why you need to miss the event entirely. Sometimes it feels easier to just show up and do what everyone is expecting.

What you do in this season entirely depends on what nourishes your nervous system. I am here to give you permission to do that in whatever way that looks like for you. If that means setting more boundaries or taking more time for yourself, you can do that. If that means pushing yourself further than you normally do but knowing that you will have time to recuperate after, that is also a choice you get to make.

Don’t forget all of your tools in this season. Sometimes in the busyness it gets hard to remember the simple things that make your life easier, whether that is making a visit to your care team providers, getting an IV, wearing your compression gear under your Christmas pajamas, mixing electrolytes into your hot chocolate, bringing your noise reduction earbuds or headphones, bringing an ice pack or a hot pack to the holiday party, or telling Aunt Karen for the thousandth time that your disease is not going to go away if you do yoga.

I support you. I’m sending you as many spoons as I can, and I hope your holidays bring you joy in some way.

Much love,
Sharon

EDS MCAS POTS endometriosis me/cfs long covid post concussion syndrome TBI nervous system Christmas holiday shareable

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1525 Mesa Verde Dr. E #210
Costa Mesa, CA
92626

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