I'm afraid for many of us there isn't ‘out the other side'. The aches and pains, fatigue, flushes, poor sleep etc are also part of the aging process and even HRT can't hold this back.
I am 62 and have been off hrt for over two years now. I found my body simply wouldn't respond positively to hrt anymore - I got erratic bleeding, cramps and frankly the side effects were outweighing any benefits for me, so I came off it.
My body still craves some oestrogen - it's a battle to maintain muscle mass and my energy is poor so I have adjusted my life to cope.
I know this is only my experince and many other women do far better. I believe I am suffering more now because I have had so much stress in my life and pushed myself way too hard over the years and this has now caught up with me.
Aging will inevitably happen and I do think 60 is a turning point where the body truly starts to decline whatever measures we put in place.
All I do know is that diet, keeping the weight down and good exercise are absolutely crucial - eat a good diet and keep moving.
DGx