All Episodes
E111
December 18, 2025
Orgasm After Menopause: Vibrators, Testosterone & Solutions with Dr. Lauren Streicher (Pt. 2)
Watch on your favorite platform
apple podcasts spotify Amazon Music youtube

In our last episode of unPAUSED, we began a conversation with Dr. Lauren Streicher about orgasm, sexual function, and why these topics are still so taboo. Because there was so much to talk about, we decided to make this a two-part episode. So today, Dr. Mary Claire Haver continues this conversation. 

Dr. Streicher is a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, the host of Dr. Streicher's Inside Information Podcast, and the creator of Come Again, a 30-episode audio series on sexuality and sexual function. She's been at the forefront of sexual medicine for decades, pushing conversations forward that most clinicians still avoid.

In this episode, we're diving into why vibrators work when nothing else does and what the research shows about vibration versus other types of stimulation. Dr. Streicher explains non-hormonal arousal creams, CBD oil for the clitoris, and whether these products actually help. We discuss the role of neurotransmitters in orgasm and walk through the FDA-approved libido drugs Addyi and Vyleesi, including why testosterone is often the preferred option for women and why pellets are problematic. Dr. Streicher breaks down the orgasm gap between men and women and explains why it actually narrows with age. She walks us through her clinical approach when a patient comes in struggling with orgasm, why pain must always be addressed first, and how to find a sexual medicine expert. We also talk about what gives her hope for the future of this field and why not every woman needs to have an orgasm for sex to be pleasurable and successful.

Guest links:

Books:

    Subscribe to COME AGAIN: Sexuality and Orgasm DrStreicher.com/comeagain         
    Use code UNPAUSED20 for 20% off (This code expires Dec 23)

    Gyne Hacks! (Including how to How to Get a Hands-free Free Vulvar View)

    Other Resources:

    Articles:

    Chapters

    00:00 — Sponsor: Repairing Hair Damage with K18
    01:21 — Why Sex Ed Ignores Pleasure (and How That Impacts Women)
    02:15 — Welcome Back: Continuing the Orgasm & Sexual Function Conversation
    03:19 — What This Episode Covers: Tools, Hormones, Meds & Hope
    04:21 — Vibrators Are “Tools,” Not Toys: Why Vibration Works
    06:19 — How Aging Changes Nerve Endings (and What Still Works)
    07:03 — Suction vs. Vibration: What Devices Actually Do
    08:13 — Travel, TSA & the Sonicare Toothbrush Warning
    09:31 — Gyn Hacks: Hands-Free Vulvar Viewing & Practical Tips
    11:05 — Non-Hormonal Arousal Creams & CBD: What We Know So Far
    13:45 — The Brain–Pelvis Connection: Neurotransmitters & Hormones
    15:51 — FDA Libido Drugs, Testosterone & Why Pellets Are a Problem
    23:10 — The Orgasm Gap: Why It Narrows With Age
    27:27 — Clinical Approach: What to Do When Orgasm Stops
    31:49 — Finding Sexual Medicine Care & The Future of the Field

    About the guest

    Dr. Lauren Streicher

    Lauren Streicher, MD, is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and the founding medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause. She is a Certified Menopause Practitioner of The Menopause Society, serves on the Editorial Board of the journal Menopause, and is a Senior Research Fellow for the Kinsey Institute, Indiana University. She is the host of two podcasts: Dr. Streicher’s Inside Information: Menopause, Midlife, and More, and COME AGAIN: Sexuality and Orgasm. Streicher is the best-selling author of multiple books, including  The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy, Sex Rx- Hormones, Health, and Your Best Sex Ever, Slip Sliding Away: Turning Back the Clock on Your Vagina, and Hot Flash Hell: A Gynecologist’s Guide to Turning Down the Heat. Essays, videos, and educational guides can be found on her Substack, Dr. Streicher’s Inside Info. She is routinely interviewed as a reliable, accurate source for national publications such as The New York Times, Newsweek, the Associated Press, and dozens of magazines. She writes columns for Prevention magazine and The Ethel from AARP. She is currently working in collaboration with AARP as their menopause expert and will release a comprehensive book on menopause next year.

    Dr. Streicher was the 2019 recipient of the North American Menopause Society Media Award and has been honored with numerous other recognitions. Dr. Streicher is the medical correspondent for Chicago’s top-rated news program, the WGN MorningNews, and has appeared multiple times on outlets such as The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, NPR, Dr. Radio, Nightline, Fox and Friends, The Steve Harvey Show, The Dr. Oz Show, CBS This Morning, ABC News Now, NBC Nightly News, 20/20, and World News Tonight. In addition to her consumer books and articles, Dr. Streicher has authored multiple scientific publications and serves on many advisory boards.