Ok, so what happens afterwards???

[ImWearingPantaloons]

I’m 54, on HRT which is helping somewhat (think I need a review soon as it’s not working as well as it should).

Starting to get anxiety, and everything sodding well hurts after a day at work.

Knackered my rotator cuff which has healed, now done a mischief to my elbow. The physio I saw told me it’s because I’m not really making much collagen now, so these things are common.

Anyway, my question is all these miserable menopause symptoms are well documented, but what happens when it’s all over and you’re post menopause?

Will I suddenly wake up one morning having slept all through the night bright eyed and sharp minded, with nothing aching and a restored zest for life?

Or is this it forever - creaking aching joints, fuzzy brain, poor concentration, broken sleep, just minus all my oestrogen - until I die?

I'm 65 and I don't think there's any end to it. Those hormones ain't coming back.
A good night's sleep is a distant memory and the anxiety is real.

Following

I haven't had a period for 18 months, possibly longer (I was taking the mini-pill to stop flooding and irregular periods from my late 30's and my periods eventually stopped on it).

I feel fine, just older than I was (55)! I walk to and from work now and we take the dog for a long walk every evening. I sleep really well. I take quite a few supplements (folic acid, B3, iron, magnesium, calcium and omega 3) but I take those because I am Coeliac, and became very unwell before I worked out what was wrong (I worked out, not my GP worked out, despite seeing them 4 times).

Im 60 and I feel much better than I did 10 years ago. Been in HRT most of that time. I do strength training and walking. The one thing that is troubling me now is lack of libido which is not just linked to desire. Im going to ask again that my GP looks at this, I’ve asked before and were ignored. I follow Dr Louise Newson
. one of the things I’ve learned is having bio identical HRT is the closest to your own body. Don’t be afraid to ask, ask and ask again, to be heard. Good luck

I am 54. Not on HRT any more.Post menopause.
I don't sleep all that well, but I don't have aching joints, and I have enough energy.
I am very physically active. Not sure if that makes a difference.

I'm 63.

Sleep like a log; recently lost 7kg to a and will deadlift 100kg this year (not bad after only stepping into a gym for the first time in July 2025). Gave up a 50 year smoking habit, learning to play the piano, about to have my first novel published. Have written the follow up. Out of a dead relationship (gracefully) and having amazing fun playing the field.

Nah, life after the menopause is shite...

Thanks all. I’ve had a Mirena coil for years so I have zero clue if my periods have stopped (and am too scared to have it removed in order to see if they have or not!).

I exercise regularly and lift weights (carefully, under the watchful yet bossy eye of my PT) and my diet is pretty good so hopefully a HRT tweak is all I need for now.

Not looking forward to this state of being continuing forever though it must be said 😂. How the HELL am I going to be able to work until I’m 66? Work will need to provide my with a thousand adaptations at this rate!

I'm 5 years post menopause (57 was my last period). I do/can not take HRT due to a previous heart issue.

To be honest, it varies. Sometimes I think hot flushes are done, then I have 3 in an hour. My legs ache after a long day, lack confidence, can't sleep... then the next day is just fine. Having more fine days than not was a big step forward.

I do still have hot flushes. That's the hardest thing..Not sure how I forgot that.
Workwise, I can't put in long hours as I used to, but I do come up with lots of great ideas.

I’m 54 & wondering the same!

I thought HRT would help the lack of sleep but it’s not made much difference. I’m on a low dose Evorel 25mg patches & wonder if a higher dose would help.

I wonder about testosterone too but my GP wasn’t encouraging -all the women I know who are ok it went privately.

But vaginal oestrogen - the cream -has been revolutionary so at least that’s a success story!

Congratulations this is wonderful!

I'm 60+. The achy joints have turned into mild arthritis and ibuprofen gel is great for that. The mild anxiety has gone, I've run out of fucks to give. 😏
My sleep is generally much better, however I'm now getting up 2 or 3 times a night for wees. And the latest thing is vaginal atrophy.
Yes, its just the gift that keeps giving. My libido hadn't suffered much up until now, but sex while feeling like you've got a UTI? Not gonna happen. By the time my estriol cream has sorted this out, there's bound to be some other thing, guaranteed.

Very cool 👌 😁

I am post menapause 2 years and i have seen a gradual reduction in symptoms. I am now on only one pump of HRT. It did get better for me. I still have disturbed sleep patterns but nothing like i did

I never took HRT and peri menopause wasn't a thing or much known about 15 years ago. I had a merina coil but always got a day of bleeding so I know my last period was aged 52 I'm now 68.
The hot sweats were intense for two years but didn't start until my periods ended. My joint pain turned out to be rheumatoid arthritis. Don't fall into the trap of thinking everything is because of menopause and risk missing a diagnosis. Isn't that what doctors do to women, blame their age for everything.
Otherwise post menopause was bliss in many ways because there was no longer a 28 day cycle of being up or down, no pms, no periods.
I would say my body thermostat has never gone back to normal and my sleep has been crap since I was first pregnant in 1995 so I can't blame menopause for that,

You realise she was being sarcastic, right?

The joint stuff and lack of collagen and all that is pretty much life now, OP. Getting old sucks, but it beats the alternative most of the time.

64, still getting anxious days, still breaking out the electric fan for the sweats. You get used to it.

Oh yeah, libido? Gone...

Everyone is different.
Postmenopausal is different for each women just as perimenopause is.
Im 53, 10 yrs Postmenopausal.
On enough HRT to sink a small boat, still zero labido, GSM, insomnia and occasional hot flushes.

This is as good as it gets for me.

Great, well done! Are you on HRT (if you don't mind me asking)?

Read the full post everyone!

So what can be done about all the joint pain?

Everyone is different.
Postmenopausal is different for each women just as perimenopause is.

This is the best answer.

Some women find many of the symptoms clear up after a few years; some continue to have most of them for life.

The reduced collagen production, slower muscle growth, and reduced ability to build bone are permanent. Any mood swings are likely to go away once hormones stabilise. Hot flushes and sleep, who knows? You may be fine in 5 years, or still having those problems at 80.

Try to keep your weight down, regular exercise, ibuprofen gel and eat oily fish at least once a week.

Well I’m 64 and never had Mirina out ! I forgot about it if I’m honest - I had an awful few years between 50 and 55 - but improved afterwards - I was suprised when recent bloods showed I still had 35% of the ‘feminine’ hormones! I’m not fit but do go dancing class once aweek, do my 10,000 a day and no knee or hip issues. I do get more tired than I did but nothing awful - only joint issues I am prone too is around neck so do stretching exercises there when I remember - I’m still running our business and about to go for a ton of investment on a secondary one. The biggest thing I’ve noticed is the slight creep of inability to be able to recall names or words instantly (occasionally) - I eat better and lost 3 stone in last 4 years ( gradually and no WLIs) -