What is post menopause like?

[DustyLee123]

For those of you who are post menopause and not on HRT, what is it like? Do you still get some symptoms or have they gone now?

How is taking daily medication depressing?

Mostly because it means something isn't working?

Incidentally, that's what it says on the NHS website too. Menopause is the actual cessation of menstruation, once it's happened, it's finished. It's not a term that describes your state after menstruation stops.

I agree to a point but the best thing to do is look at what the experts say.

There is a very good 5 min video on BMS website with Prof John Stevenson who is a metabolic consultant and expert in osteoporosis. In the video he says the exercise has little effect.

https://www.johnstevenson.org.uk/osteoporosis.html

Treatment

Diet and exercise alone are not able to prevent or treat osteoporosis. Most treatments for osteoporosis are with drugs that reduce bone breakdown, and hence prevent bone loss. When such drugs are first given, there is often a gain in bone mass, because the reduction in bone breakdown exceeds that in formation, and thus a “positive” bone balance exists for some months or even years. There are now some drugs which primarily increase bone formation rather than just reducing breakdown.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) prevents bone breakdown, and may also increase bone formation to some extent. It is very effective in preventing the development of osteoporosis and fractures in postmenopausal women. It is usually given to those identified as being at increased risk, and is as safe and effective as any other currently available treatment (see Menopause and HRT section). It can also be used for the treatment of osteoporosis in women who already have the disease. It does not have the same long term adverse effects as the bisphosphonates and other drugs (see below).

The TV prog about LNewson raised the point that women's health is neglected.

A lot of osteo etc could be caught early if women were screened for their bone density like they are for cervical cancer. It kills many more women and disables others for the last 10-20 years of their lives (my late MIL was one.)

I'm not pushing hrt but saying that it should be considered as part of the picture of long term health and women make up their own minds. Having a scan after a fall and break is too late.

For you, ideally, you should try to get a DEXA scan at 60 and see what's going on.

I still have symptoms. (Achy joints, bad sleep) but not bad enough to warrant HRT. I'm 2 years post menopause

That's incorrect.
You are peri meno before meno.

Menopause is one day 1 yr after last period in over 50, 2 years if under)

The next day you are post menopause for ever.

I was told this by more than one medical practitioner

60, no HRT and 10 years since I had a period.

For me the menopause was very definitely a one off, finite event.
I thought I would have the symptoms for ever (aching joints, swollen hands, hot flushes, raised levels of anxiety, low mood) but they all disappeared. I wish someone had told me that you come out the other side.

When I hit the menopause I took myself in hand because I was struggling and felt like I'd lost myself. I lost three stone that had been weighing me down for years, started walking and sea swimming and gave up meat and alcohol. I couldn't be sure, but think it helped me hugely.

Post menopause I feel absolutely like my old self again, younger, fitter and much calmer, more relaxed and happier.

@FifiFalafel I really hope my experience is like yours! It seems there is no way to tell, but I'm sure the healthy living makes a huge difference.

I see HRT as a way of levelling out all the crazy ups and downs, not as a lifelong way to prevent ageing. But I'm still in peri and have a way to go, so I might change my mind.

On Osteoporosis - just pre menopause I had a year where I broke three bones in separate accidents. It was a BAD year. I had a scan because osteoporosis was obviously a concern. At the time my bone density was ok but less than it should have been, so as a result I was signed up for regular DEXA scans.

I retired, became very active after a sedentary job. I moved to a national park and spent days walking in the hills with my dog, renovating my house and gardening. Also made the health and diet changes I mentioned in my previous post.

My bone density improved and, last year at 59 they said I don't need to go any more. Certainly in my case making some changes and doing lots of weight bearing exercise has helped.

I wonder if the bone density problems experienced by some women are in part a result of slowing down as we age.

I intend to get to 80 without breaking a hip! I never want to break a hip!

Much better than I was peri-menopause. No hot flushes and joint pains, insomnia and anxiety much much less. No HRT here and I'd say I feel better emotionally than I ever did during my reproductive years. I used to get severe PMS so its a relief not to get that anymore; I do wonder if my severe PMS was in fact PMDD. It's quite a surreal feeling looking back to see how my hormones disrupted my life and I feel quite angry that there was inadequate health support for that. I really do think more research on women's hormonal health is needed and ideally I'd like to see more holistic support, beyond just hormones. I was lucky enough to work with a naturopath during my early long covid days and I learnt loads about my nutritional deficiencies, gut health, detoxification etc and the things I could do to support my body. Knowing how to adapt my diet etc for my body is definitely helping.

Depends…..I am now prescribed vaginal oestrogen ( it doesn’t cross the blood stream like hrt so considered much safer) ……I was getting loads of utis due to vaginal atrophy ……which happen a lot……I will stay on this for life now.

Now in my 70's so some 20 years post menopause. I still get the dizzy spells and the hot flushes but not nearly as badly. Skin and hair much drier. I (and many women my age) did menopause without HRT because there were fewer options and they were less successful with more side effects. I wouldn't use Premarin and the patches I did use made me a raging throwing things dangerous harpy. I tried all the complementary stuff and nothing helped. Got through it on wearing natural fibres, drinking more watery drinks, staying cool and swearing a lot. I maintain that for me, menopause and post menopause are a walk in the park after all the years of PMS. A word for Gina which has been a godsend in managing vaginal dryness and itching and general itchy skin.

Two years post menopausal. Sex drive has disappeared somewhere, hair is thinning and arthritis is starting to really kick in. Apart from that......😐 I tried to talk to my doctor about the symptoms and she asked if I was going through the menopause!!!! Grrrr

these are semantic definitions. So long as we all know what we are talking about, does it matter?

Our menopause ‘expert’ has no medical training.

She started her talk about Trans Women. Moved onto men. At 25 minutes into a 35 minute talk she finally mentioned Adult Human Females.

Tbf GINA is HRT.

Not in my experience or in the experience of people I know. Its worth remembering too that women were "designed" for most of them to die shortly after menopause. We are now living longer after we stop being fertile, many of us live longer after menopause than before it.

I'm in the 'never want to break a hip' club too and really focus on balance exercises.

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/nov/02/can-you-stand-on-one-leg-for-10-seconds-why-balance-could-be-a-matter-of-life-and-death-and-how-to-improve-yours

In my experience and that of the women I know, things do balance out. Not that you return to being 30 again but you settle into a new pattern that is perfectly fine. The women I know who have the best experience post menopause are those who look after themselves holistically and keep moving.

All those things you used to get away (alcohol, burning the candle at both ends, junk food, lots of sugar) come and bite you on the bum post menopause if you let them.

57 and my last period was 16 months ago. It’s fabulous, no periods after 5 years of horrendous long heavy heavy periods. I did make a big effort when the periods finally stopped and lost the 2.5 stone I had gained and am now exercising too. I am happier, calmer, feel stronger and fitter than I have in years. Libido has returned.

Downsides are my thick hair stayed to go once I hit 50 and is thin now. Grey streaks too and I look my age but that’s absolutely fine. I wake frequently during the night and still get some night sweats, not bad by any means but a bit annoying. I change my nightie most nights and change sheets two or three times a week. This is partly necessity and partly because we got a gorgeous new big wooden bed and new mattress (old one was in a terrible state) to celebrate no more periods and I love getting in with my kindle every night. My current challenge is giving up alcohol, for October to start and possibly for ever. It has been a crutch throughout menopause and I think I might get rid of the mild night sweats if I ditched it.

I'm 55, I have a mirena coil, but it's 6 years old, so it's probably minimal progesterone left, if any. I tried HRT last year to see if it helped my sleep, but it didn't, so I stopped it. I have no other symptoms.
I'm fitter and feel better than I have for years. I don't think there is a how menopause is, as it varies so much woman to woman

I feel old and tired, and everything aches.

I don't think there is a how menopause is, as it varies so much woman to woman

exactly this. I know many women are relieved to no longer have periods because they had terrible PMS or painful/heavy periods however I never had any of that so not having periods really doesn’t make much difference to me (other than in my purse!)

if you sail through menopause the way I sailed through having periods then that’s brilliant but not everyone does. There is no one “right” way to go menopause, there’s only what’s right for you

Yes but I didn't take it to get through menopause. Don't misunderstand me, if HRT then had been as good as HRT is now, I would have taken it happily and used it as long as needful. The vaginal dryness is of comparatively recent onset and I didn't start the Gina until it went off prescription on the basis of might as well give it a go. I was actually pleasantly surprised about how quickly and well it worked

this.