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When I found out I was in menopause, it was from a message in my patient portal as I boarded a plane home. It said, "In menopause. Any questions?" And yes, I had a million questions.

For a long time before that, one weird thing after another had been happening to my body. Heavy periods. Hot flashes. A burning tongue. Belly fat that would not budge no matter what I ate. I was struggling to read the teleprompter at work and leaving myself notes so I wouldn't forget things. I was frustrated and confused, and I had no idea all of it was connected.

So I did what I know how to do. I put on my journalist's hat and started asking questions. It took me six doctors before I found a clinician certified in menopausal medicine who knew the latest research and made me feel comfortable talking about every single symptom. I also believed for years that hormone therapy was off the table for me because of my family history of breast cancer. It turned out that was a myth, and I wish someone had told me sooner.

That is why I put this page together. I have spent years sitting down with the doctors, researchers and women who know this stage of life best, on The Tamsen Show and here on my blog, and I want you to have the answers I didn't have. You will find my conversations about hormone therapy with Dr. Sharon Malone and other leading doctors, what happens to the brain in menopause with neuroscientist Dr. Lisa Mosconi, why sleep gets so hard and what actually helps with Dr. Shelby Harris, and what is really going on with belly fat with leading menopause experts. There is also the full list of symptoms I wish I had known about, including the strange ones nobody warns you about, and the questions to ask before you choose a menopause specialist.

Here is what I want you to remember. Menopause looks different for every woman. Some sail through it, and others have a much harder time. Neither one means you did something wrong. You deserve a doctor who listens, real information instead of Google University, and a plan that fits your body and your life.

If you are just getting started, download my free Menopause MAP. It is a practical action plan to help you speak up in the doctor's office, bring the conversation to work and take charge of your care. Then pick the topic that is keeping you up at night and start there.

None of this replaces a conversation with your own doctor. But I hope it helps you walk into that conversation feeling informed, prepared and a lot less alone. When I finally got answers, I learned that menopause was about to be the most enlightened time of my life. I want that for you too.

I am also pushing for better menopause care at work, in medicine and in our laws. See my menopause advocacy work.