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Hormone Replacement starting at 75yrs old
Doing reach, I have decided to try HRT with testosterone, very low dose. I’m in pretty good health, but was diagnosed with Polymyalgia Rhuematica 2yrs ago. I’m Just trying to make a better life with what yrs I have left. There are so many positive messages out there, and yes I’m on the older side. I have 6 daughters and we have all been doing a lot of reading on this subject. Is there anyone else trying HRT at an older age?
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I have an appointment this Thursday so I'll post the results! Fingers crossed!
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2 ReactionsI recently saw my gyno who is a menopause specialist. I asked him about HRT again and he said that, at my age of 79 years, I would receive little benefit and that a concern would be a somewhat higher risk of dementia. That's all it took for me to let it go and continue with my current regiment for health and osteoporosis - exercise - both strength training and aerobic, calcium, D3 with K, creatine, and Reclast. I'm considering adding collagen. One more thing, he did ask if I had ever been on HRT. I was on Estring for several years but not systemic hrt. He explained that is the same as vaginal estrogen which I am now on and is life-changing. He and my PCP agreed that the patch would help hot flashes but I have never experienced them.
I’m 65 and 15 years post menopause. I never experienced menopause symptoms so taking HRT back in the day, never came up.
I have severe osteoporosis, started meds in 2018. Since that time I’ve had 6 pelvic fractures as a result of stopping one of the meds, and I’ve had severe reactions to all of them.
I too exercise daily, strength and resistance training, and take all the usual supplements we’ve come to know help with bone strength.
Unfortunately none of that will grow bone, especially once you go through menopause.
Because HRT helps to slow down and even prevent bone loss, especially if started early enough, the benefit of taking HRT at this stage of my life outweighs the risks.
Luckily I have no other health issues, especially no cardiovascular disease.
Yes, I’ve read there is a slight chance of increased risk of dementia starting HRT beyond 60 years old or ten years out from menopause, but all my doctors feel the risk is very low.
This has been a tough journey, I’ve spent quite a few years educating myself on all things osteoporosis especially the treatments, for now I’ll stay on this path unless something changes.
Take care,
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1 ReactionI would do the same if I were you. I believe 65 is still early enough to benefit from HRT even though the traditional thinking is prior to age 60. I also believe that thinking is changing. Best to you.
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1 ReactionYes, I would like to see this conversation continued as I also posted a question recently asking if anyone started HRT after the age of 70. I have always been super sensitive to drug side effects and I find I am even more so at the age of 71. I have tried bio-identical hormones twice for a short period and got such bad side effects of bloating, cramping, breast tenderness etc that I gave up but I am thinking that I probably did not give my body enough time to adjust. I have all the post menopausal symptoms of vaginal dryness and atrophy, insomnia, mood swings, dry skin, etc and am going to make an appointment with an endocrinologist to discuss options.
Can you explain how you feel the vaginal estrogen has been life changing and what benefits you are experiencing? Do you still have your uterus and have to take progesterone as well?
Would you mind telling us exactly what bhrt you were taking? I started bhrt at 76. Estradiol and testosterone pellet progesterone and vaginal estradiol. I needed a functional medicine provider to get me bhrt.
I am 77 and after reading the risks associated with starting HRT at my age, had kind of backed away from it. Would love to hear more as to why you started at 76, and what benefit you have noticed so far. Maybe I should reconsider...
Would like to see updates as this progresses
It was a transdermal cream from a compounding pharmacy. Estriol/Estradiol 50:50 0.3 mg per 0.5gm and Progesterone 25 mg per 0.5 gm both per two clicks from the container which you twist to dispense. Both could be applied vaginally or on the abdomen, inner thigh or inner arm. When I was out in California helping my daughter I first had a consultation with a naturopathic doctor who only prescribed the estrogen first to prevent any side effects. Then she was going to add in the progesterone. But I came back to Arkansas and had to see my regular doctor who said she had to prescribe both. I didn’t have any side effects with just the estrogen but boy, I sure did when I added in the progesterone. I started cramping just like I was going to have a period, with bloating, constipation and worse hot flashes so I had to stop. The problem was my regular doc didn’t have much experience with bioidentical hormones and couldn’t guide me and told me to call the compounding pharmacy which weren’t a lot of help except to say that I was on too low a dose but I was too scared to continue until I got back to “normal” I do still have my uterus and know I have to take the progesterone if I use the estrogen.