Are you 'post' menopause and feel much better?

[whatisheupto]

I was thinking, you never really hear from women who have come out the other side of the menopause journey and say life is better now than it was during peri.

Can anyone say "hey, it's OK, I feel a lot better now! 8 years ago I had brain fog and tiredness and joint pain. But don't worry, even though I'm 8 years older I feel better than I did then!"

I'd love to hear stories like this if anyone can point me in their direction? Hoping life at 50 might look better than life at 40!!

I had a hysterectomy and feel much better. I never had joint pain and brain fog though but did have terrible, debilitating periods. I eat very well and barely drink though. And walk a lot.

Good to hear @Holluschickie , I'm glad you're better!

Yes, I'm 64 now.
My memory is still shit but the brain fog isn't as bad, and I'm less anxious and sleeping much better.

When I was peri, I was in a stressful job doing shiftwork with 3 teens and pets.
I wasn’t a happy camper, although no aches pains or fog just no rose tinted glasses.
post meno is lovely; retired, kids moved out, still no aches and the lack of rose tinted glasses is also okay.

Oh wow@CurlsnSunshinetime4tea that sounds blissful!!

I'm only just menopausal, I'm a little bit beyond the 12 months required to be period free. I think I had an easier time of it compared to what others describe. I was peri for about 10 yrs, but my emotions and brain fog status were steady throughout the whole of that part of my life, in that periods were light but PMS emotions were significant and it wasn't worth l worse in peri. My hot flushes were also really contained to just a few months really, the odd one here and there but for a few months it was every hour or two and it was pretty crazy.

In menopause I would say that my skin and hair need a lot more care, as had been the case since peri kicked in, but that's it for me. I don't need HRT. I'm happy.

Went through it many years ago and never had any problems then or now. NO HRT aaa I didn't want or need it.

Mum is late 70s and still on (a low dose of) HRT, has terrible night sweats when she stops.
So for her, there wasn't really a 'coming out he other side', merely controlling symptoms with HRT and continuing to do so.
You don't need to suffer!

I am on HRT by the way for hot flushes .
Emotions are a bit all over the place tbh. But I think that may be due to the state of the world!

Great question!

Im just starting perimenopause now, Im 49, still have periods but aching, so tired!!

Plus brain fog, just had blood tests to confirm so decide if HRT, the mix one, forgotten its name, the one where you still have periods is suitable.

Not had periods for 2 years. No HRT.
Peri was awful. Brain fog, intense anger/ depression. V heavy periods. Breast pain. Night sweats. Plus a load more.
Still get night sweats. Brain is OK but not back to where it was. Emotions settled.
Still find winter tough
But I have zero sex drive. Like a switch has been flicked. No interest at all.
I am 54.

My symptoms increased after the menopause. I went on HRT 2 years after my last period.

Nobody regains their natural oestrogen so there is no 'other side'. Some women adapt to the lack of oestrogen though and symptoms diminish. Some women never have symptoms in the first place. It varies so much.

I've tried coming off HRT but my debilitating symptoms returned after about 5 days.

I'm 60 and had my last period around late 40s. Not having periods outweighs any menopausal issues I might have had, though apart from horrendous night sweats I didn't have that many.

@whatisheupto , great idea for a thread , I’ve been wondering about this as well .

This is what I was going to say - there's no such thing as 'post menopause' - you never get those lost hormones back.

Brilliant thread! We need hope!

Just hell! Every bloody symptom known to man.
Post meno by 6 years.

No HRT permitted due to secondary breast cancer, which is oestrogen driven. I wouldn't wish this on my worse enemy. It wasn't so long ago, I was wishing euthanasias was legal in this country!

And there is no " other side" as far as I'm concerned. Once hormones have gone, they've gone. The body just adjusts ( or not ) I suppose.

I feel fine. Never noticed perimenopause, no hot flushes etc. I had some weird stiffness in my hands at one point for a few months, each morning but on getting up it went after a few minutes. That was a few years ago and never had it since.
My periods just stopped suddenly.
I love not having periods or the menstrual migraines I had for decades.
Embrace it OP 🙂

I am happier/ feel better than I did since the whole period business started

I’m 49 as noticeable peri symptoms only started this year. No doubt I have been in it for longer than that but only since January have I had irregular periods, hair thinning etc

I too was hoping for more positive stories about “coming out the other side” but it seems as though it’s not that straightforward.

You don't go through the menopause.. it doesn't end until you die.
You probably get less symptoms.. a lot less but it doesn't magically end.
I had Hysterectomy 30 years ago.
Was on HRT for 15 years.. l absolutely loved HRT?
I'm now 66.. but l still get hot flushes and memory fog and other side effects now and again.
But I'm much better than l was.

I went through what was in hindsight a very horrific natural menopause in my 30s, no woman in her 40s or 50s would have been treated the way I was. I was finally allowed hrt when my blood tests showed I was post menopausal, by which point my Dr decided there was probably no point as I had "done the difficult bit but it's up to you".

I feel the most mentally stable I have in my life and certainly the most stable I've been for around 5 years so I'm struggling to decide whether to put the hormones back into my system or not. I'm also enjoying not having a period!

@IWantToBeASleepingCat

Did you choose to come off HRT?

If you didn't, there is no time limit. Or an age when you have to stop.

I've friends over 70 still taking it .

My consultant has women aged 80+ still using it.

I've used HRT for around 15 years. I did stop briefly for various reasons and within 4 weeks the flushes and insomnia were back. (Am in my 60s.)

I have plenty of friends not using HRT.
Some are okay but others have established osteoporosis and others have issues sleeping.

I think there is a tendency amongst a lot of women (and not judging here- just saying) to have various symptoms/ illnesses post menopause and put it down to 'normal ageing' (which it is because they've lost estrogen.) But it can be prevented and treated with HRT unless there are contraindications.