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?

No. Never took it.

I’m 61, didn’t take HRT longer than a few weeks as it made me gain weight and I had breakthrough bleeding.

I am now pretty much anxiety free. I don’t sweat the small stuff, don’t give a shit what anyone thinks of me. I have no problem saying no.

I do ache but that’s because I have arthritis. My mind is sharp again, no brain fog. I sleep really well but I do go to bed early. My circadian rhythm means I function best when I sleep 10 til 6. I am usually in bed by nine.

I’m not sure what you mean. I was asking one specific poster (Eyesopenwideawake), as she hadn’t specified whether her success was linked to HRT or not.
She has replied to me now, so all is well.

@ImWearingPantaloons A very short answer- you need your HRT reviewed and are likely to need a higher dose of estrogen. Everything you write points to that.

Nothing else is important at this point- see your GP, say you think you may need a higher dose.

If you're on 2 pumps of gel, 4 is the max, a 50mcg patch can go to 75 and then 100.

It could be as simple as this.

I've used HRT for years with a private consultant and the dose etc is always discussed etc.

If it's not working for you, something needs changing.

What dose are you on?

You'll only get people with gripes on threads like this is the thing.

@JinglingSpringbells I said in my original post I know it needs tweaking, my question was what happens post menopause as not much is written about that!

Apart from the apparent super woman that is Eyes Open, here for the fans or to make the rest of us feel terrible, who knows.

@ImWearingPantaloons Yes, I understand you said that.

You are likely post menopause now at 54. 80% of women are and all by about 56. I assume you mean what happens if you stop HRT?

Who knows! It's completely individual.

Some women on this forum say they want to continue with HRT for life. Many specialists would agree with that because for many women the risks are small and the benefits outweigh those.
I know women who've been on it for 20 years (now in their 70s) and do not intend stopping unless there is a reason to.

My consultant has patients in their 80s on HRT as they still have flushes etc.

After stopping hrt? Everyone's different. Some women are fine, others aren't but that's bridge to cross when it comes. The advice is to have a break at some point and see how you feel.

If you stop HRT you need to be aware of loss of bone density ( ROS pushed for dexa scan for all women, like smear and breast screening but the government has refused.) And you may want to use vaginal topical estrogen, for ever.

Everyone's experience is different and it should be ok to be frank.I get tired of the constant message that life has to be shit post menopause. It's not unrelentingly shit for me, though yes, some bumps. I am doing solo trips, taking up new hobbies, and meeting new people. Anxiety wise, I am not any more anxious than I waa before.

I think you need tweaking of your HRT, OP.

In my early sixties. I didn't have hrt but do use vaginal oestrogen and will do so for the rest of my life I hope! I sleep better but wake up more - however I get back to sleep quicker because less anxious these days. A few aches and pains due to arthritis, and still the occasional hot flush. I still have a libido but dwindling perhaps. I try to keep reasonably fit and active but need longer to recover. I guess this is all normal ageing - as someone else said upthread it's better than the alternative! Menopause wasn't terrible for me, but it did go on for over a decade so I'm heartily relieved that it's mostly behind me now. Sometimes it's hard to disentangle what's menopause, what's other health stuff, and what's the impact of emotional things (bereavement in my case).

Might I venture that not everything is menopause? DH forgets stuff these days. He thinks that's natural. So do I.

I am post menopause and I feel great these days. I have never been on HRT. I have to watch out for anxiety but that might be doom scrolling related rather than hormonal. I gave up alcohol as part of a health kick a few years ago, that helped my insomnia. If I reduce screen time I am noticeably more chilled. Physically my straight silky hair is a wavy frizzy mess unless I grapple it into submission. I feel like I have entered into a new chapter and I feel great.

I realise not everyone is the same. But that is why I have added this, everyone’s experience of periods, peri and post menopause are different. For some people, it’s ok. It is not a given that it is a struggle after the menopause.

@ImWearingPantaloons TBH no one can tell you! All you will get here is a range of experiences. Yours will be yours.

If your HRT tweak gets rid of the symptoms you have now, that is likely how you will carry on feeling on HRT. If you choose to stop HRT you might go back to all the horrible symptoms you have now. OR you might not.

My Mum had flushes and insomnia into her 80s but her GP wouldn't allow her HRT when she was 'only' 60- regarded as too old. That's not how it is now.
She has slept badly for over 30 years.

The stats show that around 15% of women have no menopause symptoms, 75% have moderate ones and the rest have severe symptoms that can last for decades.

You will only know with hindsight where you are!

You are likely post menopause now at 54. 80% of women are and all by about 56

This is not true. I'm 57 and still have periods. My mum did until she was 62.

Ok, there are always outliers.
The medical range is 45- 55. There are always people at the other extremes.

Any women with bleeding at 62 need to get it checked out and not assume it's a period as it can be uterine cancer. Many women ignore this and assume it's periods.

Segue, but I had to stop listening to some popular midlife podcasts because they were so doom-and-gloom about menopause. They would have a really impressive woman on, some bestselling author or gold medal winning athlete, and badger her to confess all her menopause woes, even if she didn't have any.

Hello ladies!!
65, menopaused 10 years.
No HRT, zero libido.
Awful anxiety at times, I always used to be quite happy-go-lucky, now I find myself making excuses not to do things I used to enjoy.
Wake up every morning as stiff as a board
Bleugh who'd be a woman 😬
I'm coming back as a cat next time 😉

I've assumed I'll feel this way forever! And I'm 48.

Been on HRT for 4yrs including testosterone from GP (though my recent blood test showed my levels are through the floor again!)

Always knackered. In the last ten years I've gone from running half marathons to no running (thanks achilles insertional tendinitis, plantar fascitis, prolapse one, two and three), to not being able to walk after midday in case I wet myself and aching allll the time.

I eat an exceptionally good diet. All the fibre, all the protein. I exercise loads, in fact apart from running, I've never stopped. I've been doing weights since early 30s and I swim and walk (before midday 😭)

I'm constantly twinging things or pulling. I live for my bed at night.

I don't take vitamins except D/K2 plus magnesium at night.

My ferritin is 108.

I think this is the way it'll always be I had so many lovely retirement plans too! Id love to do loads of walking and exploring but my pelvic floor is too fucked.

Just to add - I do however have a massive libido thanks to the Testosterone....

Started HRT 4 weeks ago and just had really heavy period so that must be a side effect.

Also had the most painful elbow for one week. Absolute agony at work, exploring acupuncture as off work today

I sleep like the dead.

I'm on
100mcg patch oestrogen
Mirena
Testogel

I've never woken up and worried in the night though like some people do and if I do wake up I just go back to sleep. There's nothing to be gained from worrying in the night time. You can't improve a situation. You might as well sleep instead.

Definitely increase your oestrogen if you are happy to. 25mcg is such a low dose.

Look into nerve flossing. A BUPA physio sent me nerve floss exercises to do for my elbow. It was a trapped nerve. They feel stupid but they are amazing and work.

I'm nearly 64 and it doesn't seem that bad. I didn't take HRT. I do get stiff joints and sleep not as good as it used to be but nothing terrible as I still manage to work full time in a pretty demanding job. I wouldn't say I have anxiety or brain fog. Obviously getting older sucks to a degree anyway for both sexes but beats the alternative.

Only you can make you feel terrible.

You can also make you feel wonderful.

It's your choice.