Learn about estrogen, the effects of low estrogen in your 40s and 50s and all the available treatments.

Learn why you're experiencing hot flashes, the medical treatments to reduce them and some simple lifestyle changes you can make to manage them.

Learn why you're experiencing night sweats, the medical treatments to reduce them and some simple lifestyle changes you can make to manage them.

Learn why you're experiencing brain fog, the medical treatments to reduce it and some simple lifestyle changes you can make to manage it.

Vaginal dryness is pretty much what it sounds like - feeling not well lubricated, itchy and irritated, and even “too tight.” It can make sex anything from uncomfortable to extermely painful.

For the first half of our lives, there are clear marching orders for women’s health appointments: Time for your pap? Go to your OBGYN or your PCP. Having a baby or want one? See an OBGYN or a reproductive endocrinologist and they’ll put you on an appointment schedule. But into our 40s, it can feel like someone forgot to hand out the memo.

With menopause, what comes to mind for me are infinity mirrors you see at fun houses. They’re the ones that show you reflections of yourself receding into infinity.

Going through menopause means a lot of things to a lot of women. While many parts of the “transition” are individual (for instance, my sister suffered nary a hot flash while I was continually bathed in sweat), one universal truth is this: our bodies change.

The hormonal, physical and psychological ramifications of menopause are not just limited to things like hot flashes, mood disorders and weight gain. They're lurking in the evening hours, too, when all you want to do is sleep.

Why not get right to the point? Menopause brings many changes, with one of the peskiest being the way your vagina feels, including itchiness, dryness, irritation (even bleeding) and trouble with intercourse.

The thing is, menopause is a relief. But the other thing is, menopause is a passage into a new phase of life, and it ushers in a new set of challenges in exchange for its presence.