HRT help

[Greengen1]

I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in February after a dexa scan. I fractured my shoulder in December 2023. Still suffering with numbness in two fingers and hand and lower arm. I’m waiting on an operation for this although it may never get better. I stopped taking HRT in 2014 because of the breast cancer scare but does anyone know would taking HRT now reverse the osteoporosis? I’m 62 but definitely a young 62, an old punk rocker who loves to go to gigs and jump around. I’m struggling as this diagnosis is taking my personality away from me.

[28Harvey28]

I totally understand how you must be feeling at the moment and the uncertainty around whether an operation will be successful. I am not sure whether HRT can reverse osteoporosis. However, there are treatments you may wish to consider specifically for the treatment of osteoporosis. I am 68 and based on my Dexa scores considered to have severe osteoporosis. I am on Romosozumab which is 2 injections twice a month for 1 year. This helps to build bond and also maintain bone. After this I will be going onto yearly infusions to maintain bone for minimum of 3 years. There is lots of information on the different osteoporosis treatments available on the ROS website. You might find this helpful in making a decision on what treatment is best for you based on your Dexa scores. I know it's easy to say but try to stay positive. Wishing you all the best and hope all goes well with your operation.

[Greengen1 in reply to 28Harvey28]

Thanks so much x

[Rooruby in reply to 28Harvey28]

I am 62 as well with severe osteoporosis. I am now going to have a daily injection for 2 years called teriparatide. I should start this in next week or so this too is bone building I have a T12 fracture in spine since September last year which has got worse not healed so I'm hoping this helps. I to try to be active but this has made it very hard. I was offered HRT but after reading lots of reports I decided against it at 62 Teriparatide is supposed to help build bone so I'm hoping this will be the case for me. Good luck

[28Harvey28 in reply to Rooruby]

Hello. I decided along with my consultant similar to you being a treatment with a bone building ability and not just a maintenance one. Given my dexa scores I really couldn't see the point of maintaining bone health at that score. I am just about to go into my 3rd month of treatment and am now starting to experience bone pain. It was explained prior to starting that this is one of the symptoms and similar to growing pains. Although the thought of more pain is not something I wanted to hear, now that it has kicked in I am trying to view this as a positive and that it is a sign that it is working. Wishing you good luck with your treatment

[Rooruby in reply to 28Harvey28]

Thank you for this it is reassuring and a good way to look at things I just had a x ray review and T12 fracture worse after 12 months they say don't bend but that is so hard lol. Sorry your experiencing bone pain please keep me updated and I will let you know how I go. Xx

[28Harvey28 in reply to Rooruby]

Yes would be good to keep in touch and update. It is hard not to bend but have found just trying to keep back straight and pulling up from core when having to bend does help a little. The ROS do have some tips on their website for this which I found helpful at times.

[Rooruby in reply to 28Harvey28]

Thank you will have a look x

[t1gernidster]

I’m 74 and my GP put my back on HRT over 2 years ago to offset the lansoprazole I have to take for my gastric problems.

[Ludovic4 in reply to t1gernidster]

I am interested to know the relationship between HRT and lanzoprazole. I have osteoporosis up am not willing to go on the medication due to ongoing digestive issues following long term steroids.

I was on HRT and it was brilliant.. I came off at 56 after 10 years but wished I had stayed on for a further 10 as I now know it helps osteoporosis.

I am also on Lanzoprazole 30mg.

Thanks for any information.

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Ludovic4]

Pls look at Louise Newsons. I'm on hrt identical now aged 67! Look at Balance sheet'

For bones heart etc I could never go back!

I wish I'd had it yrs ago. The Nice guidelines ok it now.

Our problems/ conditions start as the female hormones start to drop don't they. All about replacing hormones. A ( hormone deficiency). We are conditioned to believe we have to 'go through' it. But we are no longer stay at home older grannies 😊.

Rock on. Pls read it anyway.

And it's all by about Gut Health the gut and brain share same pathway. Taken me years to get a jyst and accept. We need healthy guts. Probiotics, no gluten if poss, so hard to digest it, heal junctions. Maybe l-glutamine worth reading up

[Cup-cake7 in reply to t1gernidster]

Do you do gut healing 🤔

[t1gernidster in reply to Cup-cake7]

No

[Lilywebcore]

Hi, I'm exactly the same and am wondering about hrt as I have osteoporosis and recently diagnosed osteoarthritis, I'm really freaked out as music, dancing and gigs etc are a big part of my life too. I don't want to take meds, and want to go the natural way. I'm wondering if hrt still has risks like back in the day.

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Lilywebcore]

hi. Have you looked on Louise Newson site. She's the guru who has brought it into 21st century. Please look

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Cup-cake7]

Ps. There are little videos to help understanding. Why not give it say 6 months trial

[Lilywebcore in reply to Cup-cake7]

Hi, thank you, but I've just had a quick look and it seems its all about perimenopause/ menopause, I'm well past that, 67!?

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Lilywebcore]

I was too 😊. Read 'balance sheet'. It's got older women section

I was like you exactly. Then decided it was best option - to hopefully not go hunch back brittle bones, heart , skin more wrinkly ...... I take lowest dose of body identical. So does my friend she's 70. She had the cone to support womb ? Another symptom of ostregen deficiency. She takes ostregen 3 times a week and no longer needs cone!

It's through skin it's safe.

The scares manifested from the oral hrt ad it goes through liver!! And caused a clot as it went through liver

[t1gernidster]

We are very similar. I too have digestive problems which require 15mg lansoprazole daily. I have no choice but to take it. As you probably know it’s a PPI which is meant to be detrimental to bone density. I refused medication for my osteoporosis despite being assured by four health professionals that it would do me no harm! I simply didn’t believe them considering the epigastric pain I suffer already on a daily basis. This was later backed up by a different source.

I was on HRT through my forties and early fifties but was stopped as at that time the possible side effects were concerning. However this no longer seems to be the case and my GP was happy to prescribe it for me.

Hope this helps a little.

[Cup-cake7 in reply to t1gernidster]

I got it at 67. Via one appointment with Louise Newsons

It's identical and she puts prescription through to your gp for the nhs. 👍🏼 I can't ever go back to how I felt. I hope it's doing bones heart etc good. Skin had improved and the Biggs for me, Energy. I also get totestetone. I was so sad before it and it helps muscles!!!!

[Knittynatty]

Please see the factsheet pdf here which says HRT works as well as a bisphosphonate. I started on patches recently (age62) after I showed this to my GP theros.org.uk/information-a...

[Rooruby in reply to Knittynatty]

Very interesting but I was offered this I'm 62 and every site I see it is advised before 60 to limit risks. I chose to opt for teriparatide injection but I'm sure all gave risks

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Rooruby]

Pls go on Louise Newson site

'Balance sheet'

there is less evidence for the older granted, but if it's thr body identical and take smallest dose, I feel it's the best option! I'm a lot older and wouldn't go back.

We got ostregen deficient that's all. I take totesterone too Tiny but feel the difference. Little dab in botty 😊

[Rooruby in reply to Cup-cake7]

Thank you I will look into this as my doctor prescribed a combination patch a few months ago that at the time decided against

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Rooruby]

I had the combined patch for a few months. No complaints good uplift definitely ....

I changed to gel as I read in Louise Newsons that the progesterone in the patch isn't micronised forgive if wrong name but meant not as good if want to read it up ? The progesterone is a tablet with body identical gel ostregen. If you don't have womb you don't need progesterone which is to keep it thin basically

[Rems in reply to Rooruby]

You made the right decision as progestogens in combined patch increase risk breast cancer. Only micronised progesterone natural form has evidence of less risk best taken orally to protect against endometrial cancer.

[Rooruby in reply to Rems]

Thanks

[Teal4 in reply to Knittynatty]

(Edit) The sheet actually says HRT ‘may work as well as …’. We have to be careful of wishful thinking. 🤔 Also mentions stroke and heart risks. So a lot to weigh up.

Anyone on statins and HRT ?

[Rooruby]

I have womb still never had children though so guess I would need it. Will have a read x thanks x

[nottowell]

I have osteoporosis and have had many fractures i have twice yearly injections which i cope well with.i also take vagisil hrt twich a week with no side effects

[Immelman]

Hi, I was on HRT for 10 years from age 54 to 64. My bonedensity increased,my hips went from being osteoporotic to osteopenia and last test I had no osteoporosis scores, only osteopenia . I stopped as I felt like it was to long. I am now taking homeopathic drops to assist with calcium absorption and added resistance training to my gym routine. I will have my next Bone density scan early in 2025 and will only then know if my routine is working. What I was told is that new bone must replace brittle bone. New bone can't just cover brittle bone. Research osteoblasts and osteocasts

[Rems in reply to Immelman]

Stopping hrt will lead to quite rapid loss like at the start of menopause so be aware of that. Because you started within a few years of menopause you will have reaped the benefits of lower risk cardiovascular disease. If you start after 60 then you don't get these benefits but your receptors will still be ok as just come off if you restarted. Resistance training alone not quite enough so if poss add some impact but even then hrt will provide much more. Totally understand its a personal decision about treatment but there is no need to stop due to amount of time on and it will precipitate fast loss so could be worth staying on a bit longer if that was your only reason.

[ROSModerator Partner]

Hi Greengen1 ,

We wanted to stop by to wish you a very warm welcome to our online community, thank you for joining us here and sharing Receiving a diagnosis can really shake our sense of who we are, so the way you've described it feeling difficult makes a lot of sense. We hope you can keep connecting with others who really understand.

In the thread our ROS resources on HRT have been mentioned, so we thought we'd share some here for you. For the current expert view on HRT and osteoporosis please see our information: theros.org.uk/information-a...

We also have some Bone Matters sessions that discuss HRT, such as:

youtube.com/watch?v=HfvIilU...(Not working as expected?)

We hope this may feel helpful

Wishing you all the best,

Lulu

ROS Moderator

[Greengen1 in reply to ROSModerator]

This has been very helpful. I had my last period when I was 50 and I’m now 62 and was diagnosed with osteoporosis this year. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia at 52 and many symptoms are like the menopause with terrible headaches and hot sweats, brain fog. At 62 am I too old to start HRT or would it help with both osteoporosis and fibromyalgia symptoms?