I was caught off guard by this perimenopause. For some reason thought I had a few years left before I had to worry about this. So this question may seem a little stupid. I know that as we go through the various stages of menopause that our ovaries quit working. And I know that our ovaries are responsible for making estrogen. So my question is, after we are post menopausal do we still have estrogen? Do we still make it? Or do we just dry up? If estrogen is so vitally important to us women, where will it come from? Are we destined for a lifetime of hrt? Is that where we get it? Or do we just cease to need it anymore?

Yes your body will still make it, but in quantities much less than we are accustom to. Also if your adrenals are tired you will make even less than you should, if you are slim, you will make less. Some people just can not function without some estrogen supplementation because their own bodies are making so little. Even your ovaries continue to produce estrogen in minute amounts. But if your estrogen levels get really low, you will feel like crap (well most of you will!!) and you will have health issue associated with low E....in my opinion.

Floater is right. It's important to do all we can to not stress the adrenals and give them what they need--to sleep by 10, minimal sweets and carbs, B-complex vitamins, pantothenic acid, Vit C. Books on adrenal fatigue are more detailed, such as the ones by Jacob Teitelbaum, and Wilson.

Another thought--hormones are made of cholesterol, so going on a low-to-no cholesterol diet is not a good idea.

Thank you guys so much. Like I said this is all new to me, I appreciate the information.

You'll just have to see how you feel when you finally do officially go into full menopause kenc.
Obviously if you're feeling like crap by then you're going to want to do something to help yourself feel better.I don't remember the first year of menopause being that bad but the last 3 have been really up & down for me.One thing you can always count is that your body is always changing.What might work at one phase of peri or menopause might not work later on so you have to stay open minded and not give up until you find something that will work for you at the time.You might not need hormone supplementation right away or you might not be able to sleep, live and and think clearly without it.The most important thing though is that you've come to the right website if you're looking for help with whatever phase you're in.Thank God theres always someone who's already been through what you're going through and who's story about her experience will be of help to you.

Again, thank you guys so much. Don't know what I would do without you all.

Adrenals and fat cells, and ovaries still make some small amount. We have estrogen in our body but at lower level, that does not support ovulation and pregnancy.
Mainly the estrogen is made from adrenal hormones and from fat cells, is estrone, not the estradiol we get in our child baring years.
HRT is personal choice, to treat symptoms, not as preventive measure, IMHO, but some women thing of it as it is.
There are other sources of estrogen, aka phytoestrogen, so you can get it from food if you eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, soy, etc.
Some overweight post-meno ladies can have more estrogen than slim 30 yo, so in short, no, we still have estrogen even post menopause.
HTH

Ditto, if you cut out all fat from your diet, you will lose estrogen, cholesterol is precursor to all hormones. Also, since ovaries continue to produce testosterone, the estrogen is still made from testosterone, so you will have some to support vital functions.