Endometriosis Excision Surgeon

Dr. Michael Fox

Jacksonville, Florida

At a Glance

Strengths

  • Listed in multiple endo specialist directories and appears to perform a high volume of excision surgeries within a reproductive medicine practice
  • Articulates a clear pro-excision position publicly, critiquing ablation directly
  • Multiple YouTube videos and public content on endometriosis, excision, and the limits of hormonal suppression
  • A number of patient accounts describe strong surgical outcomes, including restored fertility and significant pain relief

Worth Knowing

  • Primary training and identity is as a Reproductive Endocrinologist, not a dedicated excision specialist; fellowship was in REI (reproductive endocrinology and infertility), not endometriosis excision
  • Endometriosis does not appear in top treatment categories on Healthgrades
  • No endo-specific publications found on PubMed despite many citations
  • A documented pattern across Reddit, Nancy's Nook, and direct patient accounts of telling patients recurrence after surgery is impossible; patients returning with symptoms have reported being dismissed
  • Multiple patients report Dr. Fox cut the presacral nerve (a nerve in the pelvis) during surgery without fully explaining that the side effects are permanent and irreversible. This procedure is called a presacral neurectomy.
  • A consistent pattern of weight stigma and dietary pressure across multiple platforms and years
  • Reviews require careful reading; negative accounts are serious in nature

From the Editor

Dr. Fox is one of the few reproductive endocrinologists who has built an active excision practice rather than defaulting to ablation or hormonal management. The public-facing case for excision is clear and consistent, and the practice appears to see a meaningful volume of endo patients, some of whom describe great results.

 

That said, this profile warrants careful reading before booking a consultation. The concerns documented here are not minor. A pattern of telling patients recurrence is impossible, combined with serious informed consent questions around presacral neurectomy, and a well-documented tendency toward body shaming, appears across enough independent accounts and platforms to be taken seriously. The positive and negative accounts can both be true at once, but patients deserve to go in knowing both sides of what the record shows.

Patient Feedback

Patterns Across Patient Feedback


Positive pattern

Mixed or notable

Recurring concern

A consistent pattern of strong surgical outcomes appears across Nancy's Nook, FertilityIQ, Healthgrades, and Reddit spanning multiple years. Accounts describe significant pain relief, restored fertility, and in several cases life-changing results after years of failed ablation procedures. A 2024 Nancy's Nook account describes a patient who had undergone three prior ablation surgeries achieving four years of pain-free life after excision with Dr. Fox. A 2026 Reddit account describes living nearly pain-free after a stage 3 diagnosis and excision surgery the prior December.

Multiple accounts describe Dr. Fox as willing to listen, thorough in consultations, and attentive to the whole patient rather than rushing to IVF or suppressive medications. A 2022 FertilityIQ reviewer describes being the only doctor who believed them about endometriosis and scheduling surgery promptly. A 2019 FertilityIQ account describes a consultation lasting over an hour with time for questions. A 2017 FertilityIQ account describes Dr. Fox explaining every step clearly and breaking down unfamiliar terms. 

Bedside manner is described as cold, dry, and impersonal across multiple platforms and years, including FertilityIQ (2014, 2017), RateMDs (2011, 2012, 2014), and Nancy's Nook (2024). Common descriptions include not smiling, dismissing questions, and treating patients as interchangeable. Some reviewers frame the directness positively, describing it as efficient and fact-based. Others found it alienating, particularly during difficult diagnoses. The pattern is long-standing and consistent enough that patients should go in prepared for a clinical rather than warm style.

A strong emphasis on low-carbohydrate and ketogenic diet is documented across multiple platforms and years. Several accounts describe this approach positively, particularly patients with PCOS or metabolic factors contributing to infertility. Others describe the recommendations as excessive or applied without adequate individualization. Dr. Fox holds an equity stake in DietDoctor, a nutrition platform where he contributes content on low-carb approaches to fertility. Patients should be prepared for dietary discussions as part of the consultation.

A well-documented pattern across Reddit (2024, 2025, 2026), Nancy's Nook (2024), and direct patient accounts describes Dr. Fox telling patients that endometriosis cannot return after excision surgery performed at the practice. Multiple independent accounts describe being dismissed or told their symptoms were impossible to be endo-related when returning with recurrent pain. One Nancy's Nook account describes Dr. Fox raising his voice and denying having previously acknowledged the possibility of recurrence, despite the patient having written notes from that earlier appointment. A 2025 Reddit account describes a televisit in which Dr. Fox dismissed a patient's recurrent pain, denied any endo connection, and recommended an immediate full hysterectomy based on a single phone call. This pattern is corroborated across multiple independent sources and years.

Multiple independent accounts raise serious concerns about how presacral neurectomy (a procedure that cuts a nerve in the pelvis to reduce pain, with permanent and irreversible effects) is presented to patients before surgery. A direct patient account submitted to Wulf Women describes being told the only possible complication was constipation. That patient later experienced permanent loss of bladder sensation and sexual sensation. A 2024 Nancy's Nook account also describes feeling pressured toward the procedure. Patients considering surgery with Dr. Fox should ask explicitly about all potential side effects of any nerve-cutting procedure before consenting.

A consistent pattern of comments about body weight appears across multiple platforms and years. A 2011 RateMDs account describes a patient who weighed 120 lbs being told she was overweight and warned she would develop diabetes and heart disease if she did not follow a strict no-carb diet. A second 2011 RateMDs account describes a patient at 185 lbs being told she would likely lose her pregnancy; that patient ignored the dietary advice, had no complications, and delivered a healthy baby. A 2024 Reddit account describes being fat-shamed by Dr. Fox at age 19. A 2024 Nancy's Nook account describes being chastised for riding a Peloton as a PCOS patient. These accounts span more than a decade and multiple platforms.

A direct patient account submitted to Wulf Women describes Dr. Fox performing a uterine septoplasty (a procedure to correct a uterine abnormality) during surgery without prior discussion or consent. The patient had explicitly stated before surgery that she did not want children. The justification provided after the fact was fertility-related. The account states the procedure caused complications requiring multiple follow-up visits. This is one account only and has not been corroborated by a second source.

A 2025 Healthgrades account describes post-surgical complications including a fluid-filled fallopian tube and ovarian cyst causing torsion, with the recommendation that the tube be removed, following June 2024 surgery performed specifically to preserve fertility. One account only.

One direct patient account submitted to Wulf Women states that Dr. Fox does not personally perform surgery and that a Dr. Yoo at the same practice is the operating surgeon. This account is not corroborated by any other source reviewed; multiple other patients across platforms name Dr. Fox as their operating surgeon. This claim cannot be verified or ruled out from publicly available information and is included here because it was submitted directly. Patients should ask explicitly who will be in the operating room before scheduling surgery.

Endometriosis Focus

Excision Within a Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Practice

Dr. Fox is Medical Director of Jacksonville Center for Reproductive Medicine (JCRM), also operating as Advanced Reproductive Specialists. The practice's primary focus is reproductive endocrinology and infertility, including IVF and assisted reproductive technology. Within that context, Dr. Fox has built an active excision practice and publicly frames endometriosis as a condition that should be treated surgically rather than suppressed with medication.

Dr. Fox's published position is that excision is curative for endometriosis, and the JCRM website states this explicitly, describing the practice as one of a small number in the country offering complete excision to fertility patients. Endometriosis is listed among the conditions treated, and patient accounts confirm a meaningful volume of excision surgeries.

However, Healthgrades treatment frequency data lists Fallopian Tube Disorders and Myomectomy above Endometriosis in Dr. Fox's top categories, and the primary credential and fellowship training is in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, not dedicated endometriosis excision. Patients seeking a surgeon whose practice is centered on endometriosis and pelvic pain rather than infertility should take this context into account.

Surgical Method

Laparoscopic Excision With Presacral Neurectomy Offered Routinely

Dr. Fox performs laparoscopic excision surgery for endometriosis and has publicly stated a clear preference for excision over ablation, describing ablation as ineffective because it does not remove the underlying disease. A 2026 YouTube video explains that excision removes stem cells and that ablation allows lesions to regenerate.

Presacral neurectomy, a procedure that cuts a nerve in the pelvis to reduce pain and carries permanent, irreversible effects, appears to be offered routinely as part of surgery. Multiple patient accounts across Nancy's Nook and other platforms describe it being recommended or performed. Patient accounts also document additional intraoperative procedures including round ligament resection, inguinal hernia repair, ureterolysis, fimbrioplasty, and uterine septum repair. No public information is available on what determines which procedures are included for a given patient.

Ask directly

  • Do you use robotic or manual laparoscopy, and does that vary by case?
  • What procedures do you anticipate for my case specifically, and what are all of the potential side effects of each?
  • What are the full and permanent side effects of presacral neurectomy, and what is your reasoning for recommending it in my case?
  • Who will be performing the surgery, and will any other surgeons or physicians be involved?

Other Areas of Specialty

Reproductive Endocrinology, Infertility, and Metabolic Fertility Treatment

The primary scope of the practice is reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Services include IVF, IUI, treatment of PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), recurrent pregnancy loss, diminished ovarian reserve, and male-associated infertility. Dr. Fox is also an assistant professor and serves as Division Chief for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility in the OB-GYN residency program at the University of Florida Health Science Center Jacksonville.

A significant focus on nutritional and metabolic approaches to fertility is documented across the practice and Dr. Fox's public content. Dr. Fox holds an equity stake in DietDoctor, a nutrition platform focused on low-carbohydrate diets, and contributes content there on fertility and women's health.

Multidisciplinary Approach

Limited Public Information on Specialist Collaboration

No public information has been found confirming a formal multidisciplinary team structure for complex endometriosis cases at JCRM. A 2025 Reddit account describes Dr. Fox stating he would have a general surgeon in the room to handle bowel or fistula involvement if needed, which suggests some capacity for collaboration, but no formal arrangement is publicly documented. No information has been found on pelvic floor physical therapy referrals or pain specialist involvement as part of the standard treatment approach.

Ask directly

  • Do you work with colorectal, urological, or thoracic surgeons for complex cases, and how is that coordinated?
  • Do you recommend pelvic floor physical therapy as part of treatment, and do you have providers you refer to?

Diagnosis Methods

History-Based Diagnosis and Early Surgical Intervention

Dr. Fox has stated publicly that the practice correctly identifies endometriosis in over 98% of cases based on patient history alone, sometimes combined with basic ovarian reserve screening. A post on Nancy's Nook from Dr. Fox criticizes the broader medical community for continuing to search for a diagnostic test when clinical history is sufficient.

The practice website advocates for surgery at the first suspicion of disease, including in adolescents, arguing that early excision can prevent fertility loss and earlier menopause. No public information has been found specifically addressing what imaging is used pre-operatively, or the diagnostic process for patients who have never had surgery.

Ask directly

  • Do you consider a negative ultrasound or MRI sufficient to rule out endometriosis?
  • What is your process for diagnosing endo in a patient who has never had surgery?

Educational Presence

Practice-Produced Video Content and Professional Memberships; No Endo-Specific Publications Found

Dr. Fox has authored textbook chapters in OB-GYN and reproductive endocrinology texts covering endometriosis, female infertility, and male-associated infertility, and states having published numerous journal articles. However, no endo-specific peer-reviewed publications are findable on PubMed. A search of 36 total PubMed citations referencing Dr. Fox confirmed none are about endometriosis. The practice website references a poster presentation at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) on excision outcomes, described as supporting a cure with resection, but no abstract title, year, or identifier is publicly available.

Dr. Fox is a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL), the Society of Reproductive Surgeons, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, and The Endometriosis Association. No listing was found in the public AAGL member directory.

Video content on endometriosis is available on YouTube through the JCRM practice channel, including a 2022 video explaining endometriosis symptoms and treatment philosophy and a 2026 video on excision versus ablation. This content is practice-produced rather than personally run by Dr. Fox. No personal social media accounts have been found. No appearances on known endometriosis podcasts were found.

Dr. Fox contributes content to DietDoctor and holds an equity stake in that platform. While not endo-specific, this represents a significant public-facing presence in the nutrition and fertility space.

Post-Surgical Care

Estrogen Supplementation Post-Surgery; Recurrence Concerns Not Well Received in Multiple Accounts

A 2026 video from the JCRM Facebook page shows Dr. Fox discussing estrogen supplementation after surgery, describing many patients in their 30s as having low estrogen due to declining egg production and supplementing accordingly. No mention of balancing estrogen with progesterone is documented in that video. In endo patients, unopposed estrogen (estrogen given without progesterone to balance it) carries a documented risk of stimulating disease recurrence. Patients should ask directly about this before surgery.

Multiple patient accounts describe Dr. Fox as unresponsive or dismissive when patients return with symptoms after surgery. The recurrence denial pattern documented in the Patient Feedback section is relevant here. No public information has been found on standard follow-up timing, how long patients are seen after surgery, or whether follow-up appointments are with Dr. Fox personally.

Ask directly

  • Do you see patients personally at follow-up appointments, or does someone else from your team?
  • How soon after surgery is the first follow-up appointment?
  • For how long do you continue to see patients after surgery?
  • If you recommend estrogen after surgery, do you also prescribe progesterone, and what is your reasoning given the risk of endo recurrence with unopposed estrogen?

Philosophy and Fit

Excision as Curative, Surgery at First Suspicion, and Strong Views on Diet and Hormonal Treatment

Dr. Fox's stated position is that endometriosis is a surgically treated disease and that excision, performed completely, is curative. The practice website states explicitly that endometriosis is curable and critiques both the broader medical community and ACOG (the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) for continuing to promote hormonal suppression as a primary treatment. Dr. Fox has stated in public content that drugs do not cure the disease and that surgery is the only answer.

The practice also advocates for early intervention, including in adolescents, arguing that waiting allows inflammatory damage to the ovaries and accelerates fertility loss. This position is more aggressive than the mainstream endo-excision community's stance, which recognizes excision as the gold standard but acknowledges recurrence risk. The documented pattern of telling patients recurrence is impossible is directly at odds with established understanding of the disease.

Nutritional philosophy is a significant component of the practice approach. Dr. Fox advocates strongly for low-carbohydrate and ketogenic diets as part of fertility and endo treatment. Multiple patient accounts describe dietary recommendations as non-negotiable or delivered without individualization. Patients who have a different approach to diet, or who have been advised otherwise by other providers, should be prepared for this to come up.

A 2024 Nancy's Nook account describes Dr. Fox making a patient feel dismissed because she takes medication for mental health. Patients managing mental health conditions alongside endometriosis should be aware of this account.

Ask directly

  • What percentage of your surgical cases involve endometriosis?
  • Do you treat patients who want to preserve fertility, and how does that affect your surgical approach?
  • If adenomyosis is found during surgery, how do you handle that in a patient who wants to preserve fertility?
  • What is your position on the possibility of endometriosis returning after excision surgery?

Sources

  1. Jacksonville Center for Reproductive Medicine - Dr. Michael Fox provider page
  2. Jacksonville Center for Reproductive Medicine - Endometriosis Is Curable
  3. HCA South Atlantic - Dr. Michael D. Fox, MD physician profile
  4. Healthgrades - Dr. Michael Fox
  5. RateMDs - Dr. Michael Fox
  6. FertilityIQ - Dr. Michael Fox at Jacksonville Center for Reproductive Medicine
  7. DietDoctor - Dr. Michael D. Fox contributor profile
  8. YouTube - What is Endometriosis? | Michael D. Fox, MD (JCRM, 2022)
  9. YouTube - Dr. Fox Shares Insights on Endometriosis and Infertility | ARS/JCRM (2026)
  10. YouTube - Getting to Know | Michael D. Fox, MD (JCRM, 2022)
  11. Nancy's Nook - surgeon listing and patient accounts
  12. Reddit - patient accounts
  13. Wulf Women - direct patient accounts