Hi everyone,
Has anyone in their 30s been put on HRT for their osteoporosis? If so, what are the benefits, risks and side effects?
I'm not clear what it even does.
I have tried looking it up online and can only find advice for people going through the menopause!
hello I’m sorry but you can only go on HRT if you are menopausal? Or peri menopausal? You certainly can’t go it purely to help osteoporosis? Is this what you mean ?
I’m 66 and have osteoporosis and the last three years I’ve privately secured HRT for myself which they say CAN help osteoporosis and if I had been given HRT at 50 I doubt I’d have osteoporosis but that’s another story
I’m 64 and just starting HRT, 15 years post menopause - hopefully it will improve my bone situation
Thanks for your reply. I'm 35 with a long history of amenorrhea rather than menopause or peri, so I don't have menopause symptoms. HRT is being suggested to help purely with my osteoporosis.
I'm 75 and just started HRT for osteoporosis! I would recommend reading 'Estrogen matters' by Avrum Bluming.
Hi I'm 73 and my doctor is reluctant to put me back on hrt. I stopped taking it about 18 years ago when there was a scare about it being linked to cancer. I would love to go back on it as I still have lots of menopausal symptoms. Can you tell me how you've managed to get it at your age? Any advice appreciated. Thanks
I went private and had a video appointment with a doctor at Newson Health who gave me a prescription. I will try to swap to nhs after my second appointment in 3 months.
Thanks.
I'm 70, started hrt 2 years ago for osteoporosis. Had to go private to St a rt with.
yes I’m private and go still will not prescribe
After 2 months they were able to prescribe on nhs. Ask again.
This happened to me in the 90s because my mother had severe osteoporosis. It was thought to be passed down the female line in families, more so than the male line.My doctor agreed & I started what turned out to be 10 years on HRT. I felt great but on Dr's advice stopped the HRT.
I later found out that any benefit stopped when HRT was stopped . So really within 1 month all benefit was gone & I was back to where I was 10 years previously.
I now have severe Secondary Osteoporosis & have lost 5 inches in height due to ongoing long term use of Prednisolone.
Take all the advice you can before embarking on this treatment as I'm sure the thinking will be different now. Good luck
Thank you! Yes, I'm in my thirties and was asked about whether I had plans for children etc as taking it would impact that. There's so much to think about.
Hi, I’ve been on HRT since 52 years old 12 years ago as my consultant for osteoporosis I was peri menauposal my GPS have tried to take me off HRT but bone specialist said don’t let them and don’t let them change you to creams or patches it have to be oral for bones. My height has remained stable at 64 and my osteoporosis has not got any worse at all and slightly better in some bones. My Mum had osteoporosis and lost many inches in height and had a total humpedback by the time she was my age. Thankgod for HRT. Speak to a bone specialist please for your own sake.
I think your wrong that it has to be oral HRT for bones
I got mine through Louise newsom clinic for my bones, have be using patches. Asking for another dexa tomorrow so will see, been on it for nearly 2 yrs now.
Why does it have to be patches? Would the spray not work as well? I didn't realise that certain forms of HRT patch, gel, spray would give a different outcome for osteoporosis
Thank you! Were there any side effects from taking it? Do it do anything to periods or body weight?
gaelianbr22 I hope you don't mind me asking, but which type of HRT are you taking please? Has it changed over the years? [below extract is from the ROS website].
"HRT comes in the following three forms.
Sequential combined therapy: You take oestrogen every day and progestogen for around 12 days per month. The progestogen causes you to have a bleed like a menstrual period.
Continuous combined therapy: You have both oestrogen and progestogen every day, so you won’t have periods. The progestogen stops your womb lining from getting too thick. You need to be at least a year past your last period before having continuous combined therapy, or it may cause irregular bleeding.
Oestrogen-only HRT: This doesn’t contain any progestogen. You can have oestrogen-only HRT if you’ve had an operation to remove your womb (a hysterectomy). You won’t have any periods.
Regulated bio-identical hormones: These medications, often called body-identical hormones, are designed to be identical to the hormones we produce naturally. An example is micronised progesterone. Some clinicians prescribe this with oestrogen, instead of standard progestogen, as it's less likely to cause side effects or increase risks of blood clots and stroke. It may also be less likely to increase the risk of breast cancer. There hasn't been as much research into these newer products, which is why many doctors still prescribe standard progestogen."
Source: theros.org.uk/information-a...
Hi Youseef, I am now on Zumenon for Oestrogen plus Progesteron. The people who are questioning why oral the Professor said absorption of the HRT was too important for me and absorption of patches or sprays can be variable.
Do you have osteoporosis? My Dr knowing my mother has it advised that I take vit d calcium and magnesium and I have a yearly blood test to make sure they are at a good level. I'm perimenopausal (46) so after the dexa scan results come back they said they will discussed hrt but seem more concerned that I'm adequately eating and exercising.
Yes, my scores are around -3, -3.5. I can't remember the exact for spine and hip without looking but certainly about that. I've been on magnesium for years and also take vit d (and calcium). What are your thoughts about taking HRT now? (I'm in my thirties).
I'd be happy to take HRT, having watched my mum get smaller and break bones I see her as the safest option.
More information and support
Hormone Replacement Therapy: bit.ly/3HHSMNc
Early menopause, Osteoporosis and Bone Health discussion with British Menopause Society: bit.ly/3Jmc3VB
Complementary therapies: bit.ly/40g28qT
NHS HRT: bit.ly/3HIdtZe
Women's Health Concern: bit.ly/3Rk1zs4
Drug treatments - Medication Support - Bone Matters: bit.ly/3CddAYP
British Menopause Society: bit.ly/3gHeeEn
This is amazing, thank you so much! I think I will be contacting one of your nurses via the helpline.
When does amenorrhea become classed as early menopause?
One supplement often not mentioned because doctors don't know about it (dentists do) is Vitamin K2. It, as well as magnesium, is very important for making sure calcium actually gets into the bones. Whatever other treatment you require I do suggest it's important to take Vitamin K2 (not K1). The Australian RDA is 180 mcg per day (have not found RDA for any other country). My capsules are 100 mcg so I take two, one in the morning, one at suppertime.
I assume investigations have been done to determine the cause of the amenorrhea and HRT the best treatment for that, with improved bone density a hoped for effect? Best wishes for a good recovery. 🍀
HeronNS I have been looking at buying some Vitamin K2 and the Holland and Barrett one is only 50ug (mcg) taken once a day, rather than the 100/180 that you mention! Quite expensive if I take four a day. I hope you don't mind me asking but where do you purchase yours? Have you noticed an improvement in your oestoporosis?
I live in Canada and I just buy it at a local store (not a pharmacy, a store which sells health products). Not sure how much it costs. I think there are other ways to get K2, although I haven't tried myself. Some people use a mouth spray.
Vitamin K2 is available in food, although mostly in small amounts. The source for our supplements is Japanese fermented soy, called natto, which I understand is an acquired taste! It was Japanese researchers noting how little osteoporosis occurred in places in Japan where natto was regularly consumed compared to places where is wasn't which led to them figuring out how important a nutrient it is for bone health. If you can find natto and bear it (I've heard it described as being both crunchy and slimy at the same time, but some people love it) that would work!
Smaller amounts are found in grass fed (never grain-fed) animals, and some fermented foods besides natto (e.g. some cheeses, like Brie, or vegetables like sauerkraut). We also can convert Vitamin K1 into K2 although I think probably not in anywhere near the amount we need if we are at risk of bone thinning.
I have not had osteoporosis, but I used to have very sensitive teeth. So sensitive I remember calling my husband one day from my volunteer job and asking him to bring me my sensitive teeth toothpaste so I could put some on my teeth they hurt so much. Within a few months of starting to take Vitamin K2 I no longer had anything like this amount of sensitivity and I think it has continued to improve to this day. Certainly I've never been one to like biting into icecream, not even as a child, but cold water doesn't hurt now! There is no other change which could have helped with this. I had already been taking calcium and Vitamin D for years before I learned about K2.
Is this price any better than what you found? Of course I don't know the reputation of this brand:
naturesbest.co.uk/vitamins/...
Thank you HeronNS for taking the time to write such a detailed reply AND look for K2 sold in the UK ☺️I actually found some earlier today before seeing your message, with Health4All. They make them from natto and come in 200mcg tablets with 180 in a pot. I did a bit of looking into to see if they are legitimate and they seem to be. I also looked further into it all and found an interestingpeer-reviewed study that people on here might like to read. It mentions different recommended amounts and it is just as you say - for bone health we actually need a great deal more than most RDA - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
No, just history taken. I've had it for years and I think it has been assumed it is linked with my history of anorexia. But it also started around when I got a weird virus that lasted a few days. so it could also be that then compounded by the ED which came a bit later. I don't know! Blood tests were done recently to see what my estrogen levels are like - the results haven't come back yet and it is a few months before I will have a follow up appointment about it.
Thank you K2! I have read a bit about that on here. Have you noticed it make a difference at all? I've read it is best taken at the same time as Vit D
Causes of Osteoporosis 
Osteoporosis and Exercise
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Osteoporosis information
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