The menopause just makes you feel rubbish!

[Pleasedontputthatthere]

I exercise, eat (relatively) healthily, take vitamins and minerals etc but I still feel tired all the time and just not myself.

I am on HRT but there's only so much that can do.

I feel like a washed-up old HAG - bollocks.

I hear ya! Surgical menopause post radical hysterectomy for me…knocked the feet from under me!

My Mum had a full hysterectomy at 39, she had a rough old ride after that!

Same, hysterectomy. Straight into menopause. Struggled with work, thought I’d started early onset dementia, couldn’t sleep, so always exhausted. I couldn't even read a book for the first 10 years. No idea why, I went from an avid reader to not having the concentration necessary to finish a book.

In 2025 I actually managed to read half a dozen books, about the same as I would have done in a month pre hysterectomy, but I was so proud of myself.

Aye it's a pile of shite.

However, I hear it does wear off after a few years (!), I certainly am starting to feel better after a wretched time of it.

Ten years!?

what age did you have the hysterectomy? I only have the capacity for audio books now unless I’m on holiday.

I’m having a terrible time, I’m on hrt but am permanently exhausted & forgetful. My mood is in the toilet too. My mum had a hysterectomy in her 30’s, had a few hot flushes & then was over it 🙄

I thought perimenopause was the root of all my problems as I eat healthily and take supplements but I’ve just found I’m deficient in iron, vitamin B and Vitamin D. I’m hoping an iron infusion will help with my brain fog and aches.

It's my memory that's bothering me more than anything, I just can't seem to retain information at all. It reminds me of baby brain when I had DS, but I can't even blame it on a lack of sleep!

I’m with you on this. It’s horrible. I ache, I can’t sleep. Can’t concentrate. Brain fog. Snappy and impatient. Lost any interest in anything….. and the final straw - now look 6 months pregnant - and nothing I do shifts the weight 😢😩 oh and another avid reader now who can’t read!

It’s not right that you feel like that! Can you get the GP to increase your HRT? Or get testosterone?

What HRT are you on, make sure it's body identical Progesterone, the synthetic stuff isn't always helpful, micronised progesterone is a game changer, I increased mine to 200mg a day and felt loads better.

Yep I feel utterly horrendous - I’m on HRT but on maximum dose of oestrogen (100 mcg) and had a mirena coil put in after surgery (replacing utrogestan) plus testosterone and I still feel bloody horrendous.

it’s impact my life so much that I have genuinely felt I cannot cope with life and every meeting I go into I think I’m going to be sacked because I’m struggling so much

I’m so upset and feel like I’m drowning but GP is useless. I saw Louise Newson and she’s now persona non grata by so many that you even mention you saw her you get dismissed and GPs aren’t interested in working out actually how much you need of HRT

im genuinely struggling and fear for my job I feel so awful

Hi all, I have been on HRT for a year, definitely helped but still was having symptoms. I have now upped my creatine supplement (I do lots of resistance training because of perimenopause) and WOW, I am feeling much.more 'on it'. I am on 10g now, it has really helped my brain fog and energy, I recommend!

Make sure your HRT includes testosterone and lift heavy weights. Isnt a cure all but helped me heaps.

Not everyone feels this way, OP - some of us are just glad to be done with periods. And that's it. A subject line like this is the reason why so many younger women dread it - the reality is that everyone is different, and many women have no or few symptoms.

Sorry it's hitting you so hard. That was not my experience. I've gone through it in my 50s naturally, as in never gone to the GP. Periods went wonky for about six months including flooding but no hot flushes and always slept well. I exercise a little, only supplement is vitamin D, worked and had a teenager at home.

@OneWildandWonderfulLife This gives me hope. I struggle with reading now and keep trying and failing.

I am so sorry to read this. It is not the same for everyone though. I absolutely love mine, loads of energy, super shape, no loss of sexual drive, exercise a lot, active social life, skin and hair great. I eat a diet appropriate for a post menopausal woman, I walk, weight train, swim, paddle board, cycle and boxercise. No hrt for me as ageing naturally seems to suit me.
I am saying this not to brag, it is awful for women who have a bad time, but for younger women there should be some balance of experiences shared.

I am so pleased that some women go through menopause easily and those that don't have my empathy.
I can't take HRT because of other health conditions which is tricky.
The brain fog is the killer for me.

I'm really struggling with concentration and brain fog. I'm utterly useless on a Fri afternoon. It's been really bad today. Googled supplements earlier and find I'm already taking most of them, I'm on HRT too. It worries me because my job is analytical and I need my brain to work. Here I am working late because I couldn't focus consistently earlier. I do wonder if doom scrolling etc can impact it so might try a bit of self control there. Still a big reader but my mind does wander more.

At least we have some things now that help and we can talk about it.
I mean think back to the days women had to just get on with it, and talk about it in their friends groups only.

Im peri at the moment but i do read up on alot so i know whats coming my way.
And thanks to forms like this i can read real storys about it.

Get your vitamin d levels checked too if you can. My brain fog and extreme fatigue all returned. Turned out vit d was through the floor. I was put on a prescription high dose of vit d for a month and slowly reduced down since October. I’m now on 5k per day (with k2) forever. Apparently - especially if you work inside - you only get it from the sun between 11am and 3pm - so although I’d get a bit of sun at weekends and early evening, it wasn’t the right time or enough for my body to absorb it.
Vit D is a specific test and not part of general bloods. I can have one in my lifetime in my county!
I also take a magnesium l threonate daily as advised by my well women practitioner.
Its all made an amazing difference!
Good Luck.

Creatine is a big help with brain fog.