Mounjaro, Menopause and HRT at 52. Because Apparently Losing Eight Stone Wasn't Enough! 🥵😂

There are certain things nobody really prepares you for when you reach your 50s.

Reading glasses, for example. Why is everything suddenly printed in a font designed exclusively for people with microscopic vision?

Or walking into a room and completely forgetting why you're there.

Although, to be fair, I've been doing that for years. 🙈

But one thing I really wasn't expecting was to find myself navigating menopause at exactly the same time as losing a substantial amount of weight on Mounjaro.

Honestly, body. Could we perhaps deal with ONE major life event at a time?

Apparently not.

I started Mounjaro in October 2024, weighing just under 20 stone. By the time I started HRT in April 2026, I'd lost around seven stone, was feeling considerably healthier and had made some enormous changes to my life.

And yet, despite all those improvements, I was absolutely exhausted, permanently grumpy, struggling to remember things at work and spending half the night changing sweat-soaked bedding.

Oh, and my weight loss had decided to take an extended holiday.

Wonderful.

Welcome to menopause. 🥵

Cold one minute, boiling the next. Make your mind up! 🤦‍♀️

One of the things I'd noticed as the weight came off was how much colder I felt.

I suppose when you've lost several stone, there's considerably less insulation keeping you warm.

I'd gone from being somebody who was frequently too hot to someone who occasionally needed an extra layer.

Quite a pleasant change, actually.

Except my body then decided to introduce a completely different temperature-management system.

HOT FLUSHES.

And naturally, they never arrived when I was standing on a freezing railway platform and could have done with warming up.

Oh no.

They'd appear when I was packed onto a busy London Underground train, surrounded by people, wearing entirely the wrong clothes and with absolutely nowhere to escape.

One minute perfectly comfortable, the next feeling as though somebody had switched on a central-heating boiler somewhere inside my chest.

And there was no thermostat.

No off switch.

Just me, standing on the Tube, wondering whether spontaneously combusting was a genuine possibility. 🔥😂

At first, I could laugh about it.

But then the night sweats started.

And that was an entirely different matter.

Sleep? Oh, I remember that. Vaguely. 😴

I've never particularly struggled with falling asleep.

My problem was staying asleep.

I'd go to bed, drift off quite happily and then wake up absolutely drenched in sweat.

Not slightly warm.

Not a little bit uncomfortable.

SOAKED.

At its worst, I was waking almost every hour, throwing off the covers, trying to cool down and then attempting to get back to sleep.

Only to repeat the whole performance an hour later.

I was changing the bedding daily.

And, frankly, I don't think anybody should have to do that much laundry unless they've voluntarily opened a small hotel. 🙄

The exhaustion was dreadful.

I was tired, irritable and increasingly struggling to concentrate.

Initially, I blamed everything else.

Work was busy. Life was stressful. I was losing weight. I was getting older.

There always seemed to be another perfectly reasonable explanation.

But eventually, I had to acknowledge that something wasn't right.

And the thing that really frightened me wasn't actually the hot flushes or the night sweats.

It was what was happening to my brain.

Excuse me, has anybody seen my brain? 🧠🙈

I've spent years working in a professional environment where I regularly attend meetings, discuss projects and deal with complicated information.

It's something I've always been comfortable doing.

Until suddenly, I wasn't.

I'd be sitting in a meeting, perfectly aware of what I wanted to say, and then find myself completely unable to remember the name of the project we were discussing.

The information was in there somewhere.

I knew it was.

But apparently my brain had decided to lock the filing cabinet and go home early.

And when you're sitting in front of colleagues, trying to sound reasonably intelligent, that's not particularly reassuring.

I became terribly self-conscious.

I started questioning myself in a way I never had before.

Was I losing my ability to do my job?

Was I becoming less capable?

Was this simply what happened when you got older?

Looking back, I think that was one of the most upsetting parts of the whole experience.

I'd spent so much time working on improving my health and feeling better about myself, only to find my confidence being undermined by something I didn't really understand.

And because I wasn't sleeping properly, everything felt about ten times harder.

It's amazing how much more manageable life seems after a decent night's sleep.

Unfortunately, I wasn't getting many of those.

Meanwhile, the scales had apparently gone on strike ⚖️

As if all of that wasn't quite enough, my Mounjaro weight-loss journey was becoming frustrating too.

By the time I started HRT, I'd lost around seven stone.

SEVEN STONE! 🎉

An absolutely extraordinary achievement, and something I never imagined I'd manage when I started.

But then my weight loss stalled.

And stalled.

And continued stalling.

I was still taking Mounjaro, still trying to make sensible choices, still doing the things that had helped me lose all that weight.

Yet the scales seemed entirely uninterested.

I also noticed that being exhausted made eating well considerably more difficult.

Chocolate suddenly became much more appealing.

Now, I've always appreciated chocolate. I'm not going to pretend otherwise. 🍫😂

But when you're permanently tired and feeling dreadful, it's much easier to reach for something comforting than summon the enthusiasm to prepare a balanced meal.

I wasn't experiencing the same overwhelming food noise I'd had before Mounjaro, but I certainly noticed more hunger and cravings.

And exercise?

When you've barely slept, the prospect of going swimming or heading out for a walk can feel considerably less attractive than collapsing onto the sofa.

For a while, I wondered whether Mounjaro had simply stopped working for me.

Or whether menopause was making weight loss impossible.

Or whether starting HRT had something to do with the plateau.

The problem is that I was experiencing several enormous changes at once.

I'd already lost a substantial amount of weight. My body was smaller. I was exhausted. My hormones were changing. My food choices weren't always as good as they'd been.

And HRT entered the picture around the same time as the plateau.

So which of those things was responsible?

I genuinely don't know.

And I don't think it would be fair to claim that I do.

What I do know is that the plateau eventually ended, although it took roughly three months before the scales began moving again.

The later stages of my weight loss have been much slower than the earlier ones.

Frustrating? Absolutely.

But I've come to realise that slower progress is still progress.

Even when the scales appear to be enjoying an extended holiday. 🏖️

So why did I finally decide to try HRT? 💊

I have to admit, I was quite hesitant about starting hormone replacement therapy.

I've never been particularly enthusiastic about taking medication unnecessarily, and I was already taking Mounjaro.

Mounjaro had made such an enormous difference to my life, and I'd been fortunate to experience relatively few side effects.

The last thing I wanted was to introduce something new and potentially upset everything.

I also didn't know enough about taking HRT alongside Mounjaro to feel comfortable making that decision without proper advice.

So I put up with the symptoms for quite a while.

Probably longer than was particularly enjoyable.

Eventually, though, the night sweats, exhaustion and brain fog were affecting my everyday life so much that I knew I needed to do something.

I was extremely fortunate to have access to Bupa's Menopause Plan through work.

And I have to say, the consultation was excellent.

I had time to discuss my symptoms properly with a doctor trained in menopause care. We talked about my health, the medication I was already taking and all the things I was worried about.

Including Mounjaro.

It wasn't simply a case of explaining that I was having hot flushes and being handed a prescription.

I felt listened to.

I could ask questions.

And, perhaps most importantly, I came away understanding why a particular treatment had been recommended for me.

I received a personalised care plan, with recommendations that could also be shared with my NHS GP.

I appreciate how fortunate I was to have that support available through work, because not everybody has the same access to specialist appointments.

But for me, having that proper conversation made all the difference.

Two weeks later, something rather wonderful happened 😍

I started HRT in mid-April 2026.

My prescribed routine involves oestrogen gel in the morning and micronised progesterone at night.

And I have to say, I was rather astonished by how quickly things began to improve.

Within about two weeks, the night sweats had almost completely disappeared.

TWO WEEKS!

After months of waking up drenched, changing bedding and feeling permanently exhausted, I was suddenly sleeping through most of the night.

It was glorious.

I genuinely don't think I'd appreciated how dreadful I'd been feeling until I started feeling better.

The first few days weren't entirely straightforward.

I felt rather emotional and tearful, and my enthusiasm for chocolate reached impressive new heights. 🍫🙈

I can't say for certain whether those changes were caused by HRT, but they happened around the time I started treatment.

Fortunately, they settled quite quickly.

Within about a month, I felt confident that starting HRT had been the right decision for me.

My brain fog improved enormously too.

I'd estimate it's around 80% better.

Not completely gone, admittedly.

I still occasionally forget what I walked into a room for.

But I suspect some of that is simply being a normal human being with approximately 47 things going on at once. 😂

The important difference is that I'm no longer sitting in meetings wondering whether my brain is about to abandon me halfway through a sentence.

I feel much more like myself.

And that's something I hadn't realised I'd been missing quite so much.

Is everything perfect now? Of course not! 🙄

I wish I could tell you that HRT has transformed me into a permanently well-rested, energetic woman who never forgets anything and wakes up every morning looking fabulous.

Unfortunately, I still have to work with the body I've got.

I occasionally wake during the night, although nothing like before.

I still experience a little brain fog.

And I've discovered that alcohol and my night sweats are not particularly good friends.

A glass of wine with dinner, or a couple of drinks on an evening out, is usually fine for me.

But if I have more than that, there's a good chance I'll be reminded of those dreadful sweaty nights.

Which is rather inconvenient, although I suppose at least I know what to expect.

It's become a question of whether another drink is worth the possible consequences.

Sometimes the answer is probably no. 🍷😂

But overall, I'm delighted with how much better I feel.

I'm sleeping more consistently, I have more energy and I'm finding it much easier to keep up with the healthy habits I've developed during my weight-loss journey.

Not because HRT has magically made me lose weight.

But because feeling well makes everything else so much easier.

Mounjaro and HRT. An unlikely double act? ❤️

One of the questions I had before starting HRT was whether it would affect my experience of Mounjaro.

And I think that's a perfectly reasonable thing to wonder about when you're already taking medication that's made such a difference to your health.

In my own experience, I haven't noticed HRT changing the way Mounjaro feels for me.

My appetite remains manageable, and I've continued losing weight, albeit more slowly.

But I don't want to make claims about how the two medications interact, because that's a medical question rather than something I can establish from my own experience.

What I can say is that improving my sleep and energy has made it easier to look after myself.

It's easier to go swimming when you're not exhausted.

It's easier to make sensible food choices when you don't feel dreadful.

And it's considerably easier to maintain a positive attitude towards your weight-loss journey when you haven't spent the previous night changing your pillowcase every hour.

Who knew sleep was so important? 😴

Well, probably everybody.

But I certainly appreciate it a great deal more now.

Would I have started HRT sooner?

Interestingly, no.

I know that might sound a little strange, considering how much better I feel now.

But for me, I think the timing was right.

When my symptoms were relatively mild, I wasn't particularly keen to start another medication.

As they became more severe, I took time to understand my options, research my concerns and eventually speak to someone who could give me proper advice.

By the time I started HRT, I felt comfortable with my decision.

That's not to suggest that anybody else should wait until they're absolutely exhausted before seeking help.

Quite the opposite.

We all have different circumstances, symptoms and medical histories, and everyone deserves appropriate support when they need it.

I'm simply saying that, looking back, I don't regret the decision I made or when I made it.

And I certainly don't regret how much better I'm feeling now.

Apparently, midlife is quite the adventure! 😂❤️

I sometimes look back over the last couple of years and wonder quite how so much has happened at once.

I started Mounjaro, lost more than eight stone, rediscovered my mobility, made enormous changes to my eating habits and began feeling healthier than I had in years.

And somewhere in the middle of all that, menopause arrived and decided it wanted a starring role too.

Typical.

I think one of the biggest lessons I've learned is that it's very difficult to separate everything happening in our bodies.

Weight, hormones, sleep, appetite, energy and stress all overlap.

And when several things change at once, it's not always possible to work out exactly what's responsible for what.

I've stopped expecting every stage of my weight-loss journey to be straightforward.

Some months the scales move.

Some months they don't.

Some weeks I feel absolutely wonderful.

Other weeks I feel like I need a holiday, a very large cup of tea and possibly a new brain. ☕🧠

But I'm learning to appreciate the bigger picture.

I'm more than eight stone lighter.

I'm sleeping better.

I'm no longer spending my nights drenched in sweat.

And I feel far more confident and capable at work again.

None of that means everything is perfect.

But goodness, it's an improvement.

And if there's one thing I've discovered about being a woman in my 50s, it's that our bodies certainly know how to keep us entertained.

I'd quite like a few quieter years now, though.

Just saying. 😂💕

I'd love to hear about your experience! 💬

Are you navigating menopause while taking Mounjaro or another GLP-1 medication? Have you tried HRT? And have you found it difficult to work out whether changes in your weight, appetite, energy or sleep are related to menopause or something else entirely?

I'd love to hear how you're getting on.

And if you're currently experiencing brain fog, night sweats or disrupted sleep, please know that you're not the only one trying to work out what's going on. ❤️

Links to NHS site on menopause & details of the prepayment certificate

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause-and-perimenopause/treatment/
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescription-costs/nhs-hormone-replacement-therapy-prescription-prepayment-certificate-hrt-ppc?utm_source=chatgpt.com

I'm sharing my own experience of Mounjaro, menopause and HRT, not providing medical advice. Treatment decisions, including taking HRT alongside other medication, should be discussed with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional who understands your individual circumstances.