Dr. Streicher’s Inside Information: Menopause, Midlife, and More

You know what a Hack is…something that solves a problem, simplifies a task or reduces frustration.  Who doesn’t love a good hack? This episode is loaded with  GYNECOLOGIC HACKS ...your gyne never told you. Useful tips, tricks and solutions for frustrating gyne problems. Alternative uses for products that are intended to be used on your vulva or in your vagina.   And if this does well, I’ve got ple...

There is a long history of women not only not knowing nothing about sexual pleasure but being made to feel as if there is something dangerous and wrong with them if they seek it. My guest for this episode is Dr. Laurie Mintz a professor, a therapist, and the author of “ Becoming Cliterate: Why Orgasm Equality Matters- and how to get it”, the groundbreaking book that changed not only how millions o...

Put a group of menopause experts in a room, and there are certain things everyone will agree on. But there are other topics, that do not result in universal agreement. And, usually, when that happens, it’s the battle of the academic purists vs …everyone else. And in the menopause world right now, there is  no more controversial topic than the use of testosterone as part of the standard hormone the...

Something happens to skin after your 40th birthday, and that something isn’t good. So is it just a coincidence that wrinkles and sags show up at the same time your periods disappear, or is it just one of those mid-life things? The answer is both.  P ost menopause skin without estrogen is dryer, thinner, blotchier, hairier, and wrinklier.  So, is TOPICAL ESTROGEN the answer? And is it safe?  The sp...

In a world where women are barraged with information when it comes to how best to manage menopause, it can be overwhelming and confusing. Between having their symptoms dismissed by their regular physician, and then being overwhelmed with information on social media, it’s hard to know what’s fact and hype.  And what do you do when the doctor you trust, tells you that the social media expert you als...

It can be terrifying to have bleeding when you are post-menopause. It’s not just about making the midnight run for tampons, it’s that stomach-dropping fear that “blood equals cancer” that causes women to spend hours consulting Dr. Google for some reassurance. But, although most women imagine the worst, in most cases, postmenopausal spotting or bleeding is not, is not, an indication of anything ser...

In Part 1 on Mid-Life Hair Loss,  I covered hair care strategies, vitamins, and supplements. And pretty much every section ended with the equivalent of “Don’t waste your money.” This episode has useful advice to get those follicles to kick in and significantly increase the hair on your head.  TOPICAL minoxidil  ORAL minoxidil FINASTERIDE Dutasteride Platelet-rich plasma  ( PRP Injections)  Low Lig...

T he market for adult diapers in the US is almost as large as the market for baby diapers. Part of this trend is because birth rates have slowed and longevity continues to lengthen. Still, the other reason why almost 50% of adults experience some form of urinary incontinence is due to an increase in risk factors. Today, with my guest, urologist Dr. Rachel Rubin, I am taking on the taboo topic of u...

For guys, middle-aged hair loss is upsetting, but not something that generally prompts a doctor’s appointment. But that is not the case for women that are suddenly seeing a lot more scalp. While not exactly a medical emergency, it qualifies as an emotional emergency.  This is PART 1 of 2 parts on post-menopause hair loss. This episode covers  hair care strategies, vitamins, and supplements. PART 2...

A recent New York Times article was titled “The Troubling Trend in Teenage Sex”. Before I even clicked, I knew what that troubling trend was since I had recently attended a medical conference where I heard a lecture from Dr. Debbie Herbenick about the increasing numbers of young adults who were including CHOKING as part of their sexual repertoire. Today I am having a conversation with Dr. Herbenic...

“The physician who puts a woman on ‘Premarin’ makes her pleasant to live with once again- something for which husbands are grateful"    1960 Premarin ad The history of hormone therapy goes back over 100 years.  And it didn’t start with horses; it started with cows.  If there is a theme, it is that history continues to repeat itself, and following the money is as important as following the science....

Vaginas are not the only part of the body that change mid-life. With age, muscles start to naturally atrophy- a condition called sarcopenia. Women can lose up to 10% of their muscles mass every decade.  In this episode, my guest is fitness expert Amanda Thebe, who addresses the value and importance of exercise, diet, and lifestyle choices to keep your muscles from getting mushy!  Amanda’s PERSONAL...

When there is a lack of lust decades into an otherwise loving marriage or relationship, many, if not most, women assume their indifference to sex is a result of declining hormone levels and that a prescription for estrogen, testosterone or a libido enhancing drug will re-light the flame. A plunge in hormones can be part of the problem, and sometimes a trip to the pharmacy will help, but there are...

Women who have a history of a blood clot, or a risk factor that makes them at high risk for developing a blood clot are generally told that hormone therapy is not an option. And then there is that terrifying black box warning on every single estrogen product, including local vaginal estrogens, that states, “Using estrogen alone may increase your chances of getting strokes or blood clots” Except no...

There continues to be great confusion regarding the impact of hormone therapy on the breast. And despite the known benefits of hormone therapy, and reassuring data regarding the impact of hormone therapy on breast cancer, most clinicians are still reluctant to prescribe it, and most women are reluctant to take it. Even more so if a woman is high risk for breast cancer or has a breast cancer diagno...

Men have always had the obvious advantage of inspecting their genitalia with essentially no effort on their part. For women, it’s a little more challenging. Combine that with the recommendation that there is no need for women to have a gynecologic exam as they get older, most doctors are also not looking. Today I am joined by Dr. Jill Krapf, a gynecologist whose area of expertise is …the vulva. We...

More likely than not, if you are over 65, your internist has declared everything between your belly button and your thighs to be the “NO NEED” zone. “NO NEED”  for a pap, “NO NEED”  need for a speculum, “NO NEED”  to remove your underpants, and definitely “NO NEED”  to see a gynecologist unless you have a specific problem. But in today’s episode, I am joined by Dr. Shieva Ghofrany to explain the f...

… and how to increase longevity with and without hormone therapy The idea that menopause only lasts for a few years is a common misconception. You may have even been told by a  medical professional that when you no longer have hot flashes, you are done with menopause!   But menopause means you’re no longer producing estrogen. There are hormone receptors throughout the body and there are lifelong c...

When I first learned about PCOS during my training, I was told that once a woman with PCOS hit menopause, irregular periods, excess hair growth dealing with fertility problems and other manifestations of PCOS were in the rear-view mirror. And that’s true, but we now know that women who had PCOS during the reproductive years, are not entirely off the hook down the road and that PCOS early in life i...

While not everyone is necessarily good about regular physical activity, no one questions that it’s good for you. Cardiovascular health, weight management, cognitive function, mood, better sleep and even reducing the risk of many kinds of cancer are all established benefits to moving as opposed to sitting on your butt all day. But, when it comes to the impact of exercise when it comes to reducing h...

The only thing more miserable than a urinary tract infection (UTI) is when it happens again, and again, and again. But, good news, there are ways to prevent post menopause RECURRENT URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS.  But sometimes urinary urgency, burning and that “gotta go” feeling is NOT FROM an INFECTION , and need a completely different kind of treatment.  You need to know the difference.  In this epi...

Every available type of hormone therapy will effectively eliminate hot flashes and other menopause symptoms.   However, all hormone therapy is not the same.  Individual formulations impact bone health, breast health, and cardiovascular health differently.   In episode 123, Dr. James Simon and I discussed starting hormone therapy after the age of 60. In this episode, we discuss the nuances between...

While it has been established that the most optimal time to start hormone therapy is within ten years of the menopause transition or before age 60, one of the most common questions that pops up is, “Is it safe to start hormone therapy after age 60?” In this episode I have a conversation with Dr. James Simon to determine WHO is a candidate for a “late start” and HOW to evaluate if it is safe.   I a...

In 2009 I was invited to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show as a menopause expert to counter the other menopause “expert”, actress turned author Suzanne Somers.   “Dr” Somers is not the only celebrity to help women navigate menopause.  Today, Gwyneth Paltrow, Selma Hayek, Naomi Watts, and others are also doling out advice, and in some cases selling products, to manage menopause symptoms. And now, Dr...

                                Don't Mess with These Menopause Experts! When The Lancet, one of the oldest, most respected medical journals, published a series of articles saying that “menopause had been over-medicalized”, that many symptoms were “just in her head” and that overall, women should navigate menopause “without the need for medical treatments” a group of furious menopause experts went...