Anyone try bioidentical hormones to combat/treat osteoporosis?

I regret discontinuing bioidentical HRT about a year or so around menopause. Insurance did not cover it and I did not fully investigate the longterm benefits of supplementation.

Fast forward about 15 years (so I was well past 60!), and I was duagnosed with osteoporosis of the spine. My hip and femur scores were hurtling toward OP as well. My integrative gynecologist wrinkled her nose when told my other docs wanted to start me on OP drugs. She said bioidentical HRT could help me instead.

I started bioidentical HRT as part of an overall diet, supplement and exercise makeover. As discussed in other posts on this site, I was able to reverse my osteoporosis in under a year and a half! I cannot say for sure that HRT alone can get the job done —but if you are amenable to it, I think bioidentical HRT is an important and effective aid in the prevention and treatment of OP.

She said she started me out low to avoid side effects. However, I go back for blood work and an appointment with my doctor the middle of October.

Thank you.

Hmmm...I am 73 (as of yesterday!), went to an ob/gyn a week ago to ask about bioidentical estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone treatment, mainly for osteoporosis and sleep issues. She reviewed all the risks so I understood them, and prescribed .05mg of Climara (patch) and 100 mg micronized progesterone (a pill that she said to use as a vaginal suppository), but said she could or did not prescribe testosterone. She did this with no baseline testing. I did not think to ask her about testing first and wish I had! She said I had to go to a different dr in the clinic to get testosterone. I think this is all a bit strange. Any advice or thoughts on this? I started both the estrogen and progesterone yesterday. Very odd - the progesterone tabs came in a bottle labeled "take one by mouth each morning". I called the dr's office and was told to go ahead and use it as a suppository...

Hi everyone! I hope you can all see my post. Life is racing by for me. I wanted to tell @mayblin and @gently my numbers were good on the CTX and P1NP. My Dexa with the Trabecular score was good, too! Wendy had indicated that the TBS wouldn't be applicable because I don't have hip bones, but it is. The whole point of the TBS is that the software analyzes - and extrapolates to give you the hip bone score.
All the information indicates I am "textbook" reacting positive to the Reclast (which almost killed me! ugh!) and the Tymlos (which I am now adjusted to).
In addition - I restarted Bio-Identical topical HRT last week! It was bizarre the way that suddenly fell into place! Found the doctor. Saw him the next day. Got the labs the following day and restarted the BHRT the day after that! It was so crazy the way it fell into place.
No one can help you with the dosages @andreamayo because you have to take baseline labs and your doctor will start you on what is advisable. My experience at 47 and needs are different at 67. You'll know if its right from how you feel.
I didn't like the idea of the pellets myself. Too much handholding and expensive testing. The doctors were more expensive, too. I like the idea of controlling the medicine dosage myself.
I felt great immediately. That and in combination with tart cherry supplements - which reduced my UNDIAGNOSED gouty arthritis (!!!) is changing my life dramatically.
Couldn't have done any of this without you guys (gals!) thank you so much!!!
(p.s. i had eyelid muscle tuck surgery monday so I have been busy with that and missed you all!)

Hmmm...I am 73 (as of yesterday!), went to an ob/gyn a week ago to ask about bioidentical estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone treatment, mainly for osteoporosis and sleep issues. She reviewed all the risks so I understood them, and prescribed .05mg of Climara (patch) and 100 mg micronized progesterone (a pill that she said to use as a vaginal suppository), but said she could or did not prescribe testosterone. She did this with no baseline testing. I did not think to ask her about testing first and wish I had! She said I had to go to a different dr in the clinic to get testosterone. I think this is all a bit strange. Any advice or thoughts on this? I started both the estrogen and progesterone yesterday. Very odd - the progesterone tabs came in a bottle labeled "take one by mouth each morning". I called the dr's office and was told to go ahead and use it as a suppository...

@loriesco great to hear! 🙂 Did you have a Dxa scan already after a few months of Tymlos? If you don't mind, could you share your TBS improvements? I'm also interested in your future btms readings if you monitor them - it will be very interesting to see how BHRT affects them. Best wishes!

Hello @mayblin!mayblin yes, I will try and share it all but I just had eye surgery and working and doctors appointment so I’m backed up but I did want to share with you. The overall impression is extremely positive. They ref to read my previous 25 years of DEXA scans because, they insisted it wasn’t going to be apples to apples with all the changes of locations and types of equipment and variety of testing areas on my body. I begged for them to see what they could do but they wouldn’t so we’re gonna have to look going forward. But what I can say is the testing I got was the most accurate because of the software analysis so when we do this again, we will have some apples to apples to compare with, some of the bones were good. Some of the bones were bad and overall I look like I’m in osteopenia at this current time. But we have to remember that my C5 vertebrae literally fell apart in the doctors hand when they opened up my cervical spine. So that tells you that , various body parts body bones react differently since my surgeon was in my lumbar spine in 2018 and put a lot of Hardware at L3 -L5 and did not comment About osteopenia or osteoporosis of any kind, I presume, after multiple discussions that my lumbar is strong, the surgeon who replaced my hips too hard and fractured my femur, so I can presume those were softer (They were replaced in 2012 and 2014) and my wrists turn out to be normal that an overall osteopenia read is appropriate. I’ll get you the exact info when I get time but not right now I got it all filed away promise! And I will keep you posted! I am sure that the HRT is going to help. Without a doubt I believe that was the reason the primary reason that my bones deteriorated. I went into menopause at 47 and BHRT 410 years and then stopped at 58. If I knew this was gonna be the way it is I would’ve never stopped . But at the time the doctors wanted women to take a break after 10 years of BHRT or HRT so I did now there’s so much more information that says that BRT is helpful and preventative. I did see a genealogist and a cancer surgeon in 2004 because I was concerned about cancer risks and BHRT and HRT and this time I am very confident with the low-dose I take that it will be preventative again.