Osteoporosis quite severe if I started hrt now will it help . I am 74

@bboon44
How long had you taken HRT previously? Why and when did you stop?
I am 65 and 15 years post menopause. Just started HRT, fingers crossed it helps stabilize bone loss. I’ve already tried 5 different osteoporosis meds. Too many side effects to deal with.
I also fractured, 6 pelvic fractures which were rebound fractures after stopping Prolia.
I had no fractures before starting osteoporosis meds.

I started the HRT first, right after the diagnosis of osteoporosis, because I was able to order it for myself. It took awhile to get in with the endocrinologist, but the next labs I'll do for her have some bone markers. She did a lot of labs initially checking for adult-onset bone conditions, checked the parathyroid glands, and all that.

I have recovered well from the fracture, and will start skiing again, since this last DEXA is so improved.

As an example of why I think Covid infections caused bone loss: in 2015 I went over the handlebars of my mountain bike and dropped about 10 feet onto hard-packed dirt and granite. My pelvis was fractured in two places. It was quite an impact, and the orthopedist joked that I had given myself a DEXA scan, because if I had osteoporosis, my pelvis would have shattered! It didn't, because I didn't at that point. I spent 3 weeks on crutches, then walked away as if it had never happened.
The only thing that happened between that accident and my spinal fragility fracture was 4 cases of Covid. Almost impossible to avoid as a working MD. Covid, even minor infections, has been shown to cause rapid bone loss in lab rats set up to mimic humans as closely as possible. In light of that first accident, I was stunned to receive the osteoporosis diagnosis.

Oh, those pelvic fractures are brutal, sorry that happened. And you were just trying to be proactive!
I went through menopause at age 52. Took HRT for 2 years, then the Women's Health Initiative released (prematurely) their erroneous data on estrogen. I wasn't having a lot of symptoms, so I went off the meds. Then nothing until my spine fracture. I am sorry now that I quit taking the HRT prematurely, but it seemed like the thing to do at the time...

A book I really recommend is "Estrogen Matters," by Avril Bluming, MD. It covers all sorts of issues, like breast cancer risk (not that much for most people it turns out) and heart disease. He was motivated to study osteoporosis more after his own mother broke a hip just standing on the sidewalk.

I had gone to see an ObGYN who had taken over for my previous one. This was a youngish guy in his 30s. When I told him I had restarted the HRT, he wasn't happy, saying that he had seen too much cancer from it. But most breast cancers these days are gotten into remission or cured. And if you break your hip? You have a 30% chance of dying within a year due to becoming deconditioned, infection, etc. I told him that if I ever had to choose between my breasts and my skeleton, I would choose my skeleton.

Thank you so much for your reply.
Similar timing as you, the WHI study squashed any chance I would be able to start HRT and save myself all this trouble . You are right, the pelvic fractures were brutal, especially the pubic rami fractures, but it sounds like you really went thru it too, very scary.
After being diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2018, it seemed like the doctors only were interested in pushing osteoporosis meds. Even to this day my endocrinologist is still trying to get me on what would be the 6th drug I’d try.
That’s why I found a gynecologist that specialized in hormone optimization.
I needed a different approach to this condition.
I’m very hopeful. It’s so nice to hear success stories.
Thank you for sharing yours.

I too am 74. Prolia didn’t help me. Bone density became worse.
On reparative 9 months now. In 3-4 months I will have another bone density to see if it helped.
What is hrt?

Hormone replacement therapy or for some bhrt.... bioidentical hrt

Thanks for sharing!

We may have a handful members here using PTH analog with HRT. Since my bone markers were pretty low reflecting a low turnover state on a low dose HRT (0.025mg/day transdermal estradiol), I wonder what the combination effect of HRT + PTH analog would be. Obviously, this combo is working for you wonderfully. It will be great if you could share your bone marker results after you get your lab done as the information might be useful to someone. All the best to you.

The med is teriparitide ..type o

Hi bboon44. Very interested in your account regarding the Covid . I have never caught covid at all however I was talked into having the awful vaccination and immediately after the second and last jab in 2021 my SI joint pain started up and my bone density began to drop . I had a fall down stairs and hit a hard floor beginning of 2020 just as Covid began and before jab . I never fractured or broke a single bone !! Now I have severe SI joint pain and osteoporosis!! Life changing . I also have benign lytic lesions in my neck. Otherwise I am very healthy ! I am the one who is scared to take the drugs for osteoporosis as I react badly to meds as I am very slim and only weigh 48kgs ( 106 lbs) . I will be starting HRT today plus testosterone small amount . I hope I can tolerate it as it may be my only hope !! It’s very interesting having feedback from these people on the Mayo site . I live in England. Keep it up .

Hi Roslyn please see the reply I did to bboon44. I am your age.