Dr. Streicher’s Inside Information: THE Menopause Podcast

Men have always had the clear advantage of being able to inspect their genitals with very little effort on their part. Women’s genitals are not quite as accessible, resulting in a lot more uncertainty about what’s normal and what’s not. No wonder women are frequently blindsided by not only the physical changes that occur with the onset of menopause but also symptoms like dryness, painful sex, itching, recurrent urinary tract infections, and that constant “gotta go” feeling!  Why the term VAGINAL ATROPHY is problematic GENITOURINARY SYNDROME OF MENOPAUSE- What it is and what it means The PHYSICAL CHANGES that result from a lack of estrogen The genital and urinary SYMPTOMS that women experience because of LACK of ESTROGEN Options to Treat GSM Lubricants  Long-Lasting Moisturizers  Local Vaginal Estrogen  DHEA  Ospemifen                                         Dr. Streicher is now on Substack!                 A transcript of this episode with related videos, podcasts, and graphics can                                     be found on  Dr. Streicher’s FREE Substack                                    https://substack.com/@DrStreicher                                                    Replens™ Brand                  Thank you to Replens™ Brand for Sponsoring This Episode                                          Follow Replens on Instagram                              For more information on Replens Products Related Episodes: Episode 4: Is Your Lubricant Helping or Hurting Your Vagina? Episode 5: Vaginal Estrogen- Rings, Creams, and Other Things  Episode 27:  Using Vaginal Estrogen but Sex Still Hurts Like Hell  Episode 44 A Deep Dive into RECURRENT UTI Episode 63 DHEA-An Estrogen Alternative for Vaginal Dryness  Episode 74 Ospemifene- A Pill a Day to Keep Dryness Away                   Sign up to receive DR. STREICHER’S FREE NEWSLETTER   Books by Lauren Streicher, MD  Slip Sliding Away: Turning Back the Clock on Your Vagina-A gynecologist’s guide to eliminating post-menopause dryness and pain Hot Flash Hell: A Gynecologist's Guide to Turning Down the Heat Sex Rx- Hormones, Health, and Your Best Sex Ever The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy                                      To Find a Menopause Clinician Midi Health   www.Joinmidi.com Midi Health is a telehealth company that provides high-level menopause care and takes insurance in all 50 states. Dr. Streicher is Midi’s Medical Director of Education and Community Outreach and is familiar with their medical protocols, which are all regularly updated and set by the top academic menopause experts in the country.  The Menopause Society- Certified Menopause Practitioner List Menopause.org To find a menopause practitioner: https://portal.menopause.org/NAMS/NAMS/Directory/Menopause-Practitioner.aspx Put in your zip code and designate NCMP or CMSP to get a certified menopause practitioner.  While all people on this list have passed a competency examination, Dr. Streicher does not vouch for every one of these clinicians. Most are excellent.   Major Medical Centers It also may be helpful to check with major medical centers in your area. Many have menopause clinics or lists of doctors who have an interest and expertise in menopause.  If you are in the Chicago area, the center founded by Dr. Streicher:  The Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause Sexmedmenopause.nm.org    Dr. Streicher’s Inside Information podcast is not intended to replace medical advice and should be used to supplement, not replace, care by your personal healthcare clinician. Dr. Streicher disclaims liability for any medical outcomes that may occur because of applying methods suggested or discussed in this podcast.

Studies reveal that 70% of women experience a sense of being overlooked socially and professionally once they hit 50. The term for this phenomenon is Invisible Woman Syndrome. In this episode, I am joined by Christine Morrison, who writes about the social constructs in the fashion, beauty and wellness industry that inform the way society views women, and the way women often feel about themselves as they get older. Christine Morrison’s writing has appeared in print and online vehicles such as The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The Quality Edit and Margot Magazine, among others, and in advertising campaigns for Alastin Skincare, French Connection, Juicy Couture and more. Prior to focusing on writing full-time, Morrison held leadership positions in the fashion and beauty industries, including serving as Global Vice President of Beauty and Apparel Marketing for Calvin Klein.  Her forthcoming book, “Clothes Minded: Fashionable Essays About Finding Yourself,” – in which she reflects on the meaning behind, and the humor in, the relationship between her sartorial self and formation of identity – is slated to publish Spring, 2026. This episode will change the way you think about aging   For information about my upcoming retreat with Dr. Ellen Gendler: Information About the Mastering Menopause Retreat                                                Christine Morrison                                          Writing In Black and White                           https://www.writinginblackandwhite.com/                          https://writinginblackandwhite.substack.com/             Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/writinginblackandwhite/                                                           SUBSTACK Lauren Streicher MD: Inside Information https://substack.com/@DrStreicher Christine Morrison -Writing in Black and White https://writinginblackandwhite.substack.com/ Lorraine Devon Wilk: Musings of a Creative Loudmouth https://substack.com/@lorrainedevonwilke                  Sign up to receive DR. STREICHER’S FREE NEWSLETTER Lauren Streicher, MD is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, the founding medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause, and a Senior Research Fellow of The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University. She is a certified menopause practitioner of The Menopause Society. She is the Medical Director of Community Education and Outreach for Midi Health.  Dr. Streicher is the medical correspondent for Chicago’s top-rated news program, the WGN Morning News, and has been seen on The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, NPR, Dr. Radio, Nightline, Fox and Friends, The Steve Harvey Show, CBS This Morning, ABC News Now, NBCNightlyNews,20/20, and World News Tonight. She is an expert source for many magazines and serves on the medical advisory board of The Kinsey Institute, Self Magazine, and Prevention Magazine. She writes a regular column for The Ethel by AARP and Prevention Magazine.  DrStreicher.com Instagram @DrStreich Facebook @DrStreicher YouTube @DrStreicherTV LinkedIn @DrStreicher           Books by Lauren Streicher, MD  Slip Sliding Away: Turning Back the Clock on Your Vagina-A gynecologist’s guide to eliminating post-menopause dryness and pain Hot Flash Hell: A Gynecologist's Guide to Turning Down the Heat Sex Rx- Hormones, Health, and Your Best Sex Ever The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy                                      To Find a Menopause Clinician Midi Health   www.Joinmidi.com Midi Health is a telehealth company that provides high-level menopause care and takes insurance in all 50 states. Dr. Streicher is Midi’s Medical Director of Education and Community Outreach and is familiar with their medical protocols, which are all regularly updated and set by the top academic menopause experts in the country.  The Menopause Society- Certified Menopause Practitioner List Menopause.org To find a menopause practitioner: https://portal.menopause.org/NAMS/NAMS/Directory/Menopause-Practitioner.aspx Put in your zip code and designate NCMP or CMSP to get a certified menopause practitioner. While all people on this list have passed a competency examination, Dr. Streicher does not vouch for every one of these clinicians. Most are excellent.   Major Medical Centers It also may be helpful to check with major medical centers in your area. Many have menopause clinics or lists of doctors who have an interest and expertise in menopause.  If you are in the Chicago area, the center founded by Dr. Streicher:  The Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause Sexmedmenopause.nm.org    Dr. Streicher’s Inside Information podcast is not intended to replace medical advice and should be used to supplement, not replace, care by your healthcare clinician. Dr. Streicher disclaims liability for any medical outcomes that may occur because of applying methods suggested or discussed in this podcast.

I give two to three lectures a week. No matter who I am talking to or what the topic is, the part I like the best is the Q and A. It’s always different and I never know what I am going to get. In this episode I answer 37 questions in  a 45 minute webinar I did on behalf of Midi Health where I am the Medical Director of Community Education and Outreach. If you are looking for in-depth explanations like I often give, you won’t get that in this episode. But, if you would like more detailed information I have listed some of the questions below along with past episodes that covered the topic in more depth.  Some sample questions that were covered... ·      Can a woman over age 60 take HT? Episode 123 Hormone Therapy After Age 60 with Dr. James Simon ·      I went to see my doctor and she only prescribes Prempro- is it OK to take Prempro ? Episode 124 All Hormones Are Not Created Equal with Dr. James Simon ·      Is it OK to take a break in HT? ·      What is the typical cost of HT?- How many types? Is it covered by most insurance?  ·      Is it appropriate to order blood testing to optimize treatment? ·      Is it best to wait a full 12 months without a period to start HT?  ·      Will hormone therapy help my uterine prolapse get better? Episode 38 Pelvic Organs Dropping? How to STOP the POP! ·      What are the chances that Testosterone will help my libido and what are possible side effects?  Episode 21:  Say Yes! to Testosterone for Women ·      Why would a Dr. Prescribe Veozah instead of Estrogen? Episode 77 Fezolinetant! A New Non-Hormonal Hot Flash Drug ·      What causes periods to be irregular in perimenopause? Episode 23:  Welcome to Peri-menopause ·      My hot flashes came back after a long hiatus. Should I start estrogen? Episode 53 Not All Hot Flashes  Mean Menopause   ·      My Calcium score is Zero- can I take HT ? Episode 123 Hormone Therapy After Age 60 with Dr. James Simon ·      I am still using Nuva Ring for Birth control- when should I transition to HT? Episode 23:  Welcome to Peri-menopause ·      Does Estroven work? Episode 95 Non-hormonal options to treat VMS- Herbs Spices &Wishful Thinking  ·      Is it normal for orgasms to get weaker and what can be done to make it stronger?    Episode 15: Post Menopause Orgasm- Everybody Come!                                                     About Midi Health                                                               JoinMidi.com               Midi is a virtual clinic specializing in perimenopause and menopause.         Midi offers both hormonal and non-hormonal evidence-based care from experts.                                   The Next Midi Ask Me Anything Webinar                        https://www.instagram.com/midihealth/p/DBwlpqkRYTv/                                November 20, 2024  2:00 PM/3:00 PM ET Lauren Streicher, MD is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, the founding medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause, and a Senior Research Fellow of The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University. She is a certified menopause practitioner of The Menopause Society. She is the Medical Director of Community Education and Outreach for Midi Health.  Dr. Streicher is the medical correspondent for Chicago’s top-rated news program, the WGN Morning News, and has been seen on The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, NPR, Dr. Radio, Nightline, Fox and Friends, The Steve Harvey Show, CBS This Morning, ABC News Now, NBCNightlyNews,20/20, and World News Tonight. She is an expert source for many magazines and serves on the medical advisory board of The Kinsey Institute, Self Magazine, and Prevention Magazine. She writes a regular column for The Ethel by AARP and Prevention Magazine.  DrStreicher.com Instagram @DrStreich Facebook @DrStreicher YouTube @DrStreicherTV LinkedIn @DrStreicher                   Sign up to receive DR. STREICHER’S FREE NEWSLETTER Books by Lauren Streicher, MD  Slip Sliding Away: Turning Back the Clock on Your Vagina-A gynecologist’s guide to eliminating post-menopause dryness and pain   Hot Flash Hell: A Gynecologist's Guide to Turning Down the Heat Sex Rx- Hormones, Health, and Your Best Sex Ever The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy                                      To Find a Menopause Clinician Midi Health   www.Joinmidi.com Midi Health is a telehealth company that provides high-level menopause care and takes insurance in all 50 states. Dr. Streicher is Midi’s Medical Director of Education and Community Outreach and is familiar with their medical protocols, which are all regularly updated and set by the top academic menopause experts in the country.      The Menopause Society- Certified Menopause Practitioner List Menopause.org To find a menopause practitioner: https://portal.menopause.org/NAMS/NAMS/Directory/Menopause-Practitioner.aspx Put in your zip code and designate NCMP or CMSP to get a certified menopause practitioner. While all people on this list have passed a competency examination, Dr. Streicher does not vouch for every one of these clinicians. Most are excellent.     Major Medical Centers It may also be helpful to check with major medical centers in your area. Many have menopause clinics or lists of doctors who are interested in and expertise in menopause.      If you are in the Chicago area, the center founded by Dr. Streicher:  The Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause Sexmedmenopause.nm.org    Dr. Streicher’s Inside Information podcast is not intended to replace medical advice and should be used to supplement, not replace, care by your personal healthcare clinician. Dr. Streicher disclaims liability for any medical outcomes that may occur because of applying methods suggested or discussed in this podcast.

Most women are very familiar with the concept of a moisturizer since they have been conditioned to constantly apply one to their face and neck to avoid dire consequences like wrinkles and fine lines While the tissue that lines the vagina is not the same as the skin on the rest of your body, when estrogen declines, both the skin on your face and the “skin” that lines the vagina, become dry and thin. Over-the-counter long-lasting vaginal moisturizers are intended to be used regularly in anticipation of sexual activity. Moisturizers hydrate and thicken vaginal tissue to restore natural lubrication. In addition, regular use of vaginal moisturizers may also help with non-sexual symptoms like burning, irritation and dryness.  ·      The difference between vaginal lubricants and long-acting moisturizers ·      Why products are often labeled as moisturizers when they are lubricants ·      The two categories of vaginal moisturizers that have been shown in clinical trials to change tissue  o   Polycarbophil (Replens™ Long-lasting Vaginal Moisturizer) o   Hyaluronic Acid (Reveree™, Hayalo Gyn™)  ·      HOW these products work  ·      How well these products work compared to other products ·      Why maintaining a healthy vaginal pH is important.  ·      How to best use a long-acting vaginal moisturizer. ·      Liv-Ring™- a new vaginal ring that states it is both a lubricant and moisturizer.    Lauren Streicher, MD is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, the founding medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause, and a Senior Research Fellow of The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University. She is a certified menopause practitioner of The Menopause Society. She is the Medical Director of Community Education and Outreach for Midi Health.  Dr. Streicher is the medical correspondent for Chicago’s top-rated news program, the WGN Morning News, and has been seen on The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, NPR, Dr. Radio, Nightline, Fox and Friends, The Steve Harvey Show, CBS This Morning, ABC News Now, NBCNightlyNews,20/20, and World News Tonight. She is an expert source for many magazines and serves on the medical advisory board of The Kinsey Institute, Self Magazine, and Prevention Magazine. She writes a regular column for The Ethel by AARP and Prevention Magazine.  DrStreicher.com Instagram @DrStreich Facebook @DrStreicher YouTube @DrStreicherTV LinkedIn @DrStreicher                                      Sign up to receive DR. STREICHER’S FREE NEWSLETTER   Books by Lauren Streicher, MD  Slip Sliding Away: Turning Back the Clock on Your Vagina-A gynecologist’s guide to eliminating post-menopause dryness and pain   Hot Flash Hell: A Gynecologist's Guide to Turning Down the Heat Sex Rx- Hormones, Health, and Your Best Sex Ever The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy                                      To Find a Menopause Clinician Midi Health   www.Joinmidi.com Midi Health is a telehealth company that provides high-level menopause care and takes insurance in all 50 states. Dr. Streicher is Midi’s Medical Director of Education and Community Outreach and is familiar with their medical protocols, which are all regularly updated and set by the top academic menopause experts in the country.    The Menopause Society- Certified Menopause Practitioner List Menopause.org To find a menopause practitioner: https://portal.menopause.org/NAMS/NAMS/Directory/Menopause-Practitioner.aspx Put in your zip code and designate NCMP or CMSP to get a certified menopause practitioner. While all people on this list have passed a competency examination, Dr. Streicher does not vouch for every one of these clinicians. Most are excellent.   Major Medical Centers It also may be helpful to check with major medical centers in your area. Many have menopause clinics or lists of doctors who have an interest and expertise in menopause.    If you are in the Chicago area, the center founded by Dr. Streicher:  The Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause Sexmedmenopause.nm.org    Dr. Streicher’s Inside Information podcast is not intended to replace medical advice and should be used to supplement, not replace, care by your personal healthcare clinician. Dr. Streicher disclaims liability for any medical outcomes that may occur because of applying methods suggested or discussed in this podcast. .  ,