Hotmail email lost when it was converted over to Outlook.

I have had an Hotmail account and use "reply" to keep continuing conversations with my friends. The emails are no longer in my account. Zero emails. I do not have their addresses in the address book to re-start the conversations either. Is there anyway for me to retrieve these please? Thanks.

PS. I find it fascinating that Microsoft would impose this policy on users. My Gmail and Yahoo account save all emails forever!!!