Have you been told no to hrt if you are 10+ years post menopause?

Thank you, yes, exactly… you have to be pro- active and find out all the info , risk factors and where you are in that scenario. It’s very individual. There are so many new, updated views on this very complex treatment and the former research had to do with Premarin and not the patch which is now considered much less a risk.. since I am 10 yrs post menopause, but low risk in all the other health considerations, my GYN Dr at Yale brought my case to the GYN board there to discuss and the experts on this GYN board overwhelmingly agreed they would start me on HRT ….

@mahonlye , good for you! My doctor has not caught up with the new findings, so he tells me no, just take calcium and D. Sadly, another study recently came out basically saying elderly women in nursing homes that were in the study, who took calcium from supplements were most likely to have heart attacks! I have quit my calcium supplements and am trying to eat foods high in calcium. Luckily, I like kale. Going to run this past my endocrinologist, who is a woman, next month. Just curious, is your doctor male or female?

My gyno says there would be no upside and only possible side effects. The Nurse Practitioner I see as my primary and who specializes in bioidenticals says she would have to increase the hormones at such incremental levels I wouldn't see any possible benefits for years. I am 66, don't know exactly when menopause started. Maybe 10-12 years ago. All I get is scare stories.

@tillymack So far I haven't found a functional medical practice that accepts insurance. Any suggestions in this regard? Thank you!

Yes, just today I met with a nurse practitioner at my OB/GYN for an open discussion. She said the HRT treatments will do NOTHING to increase bone density for post-menopausal women. She stated to me they are meant to be a "bridge" between peri-menopause and menopause. Funny thing is I DID expect this answer, but I needed to go and rule it out. I asked her about "bio-identical" options and she said they are not FDA approved, so she could not make that recommendation. That being said, she did mention some kind of "bio-tea" she was aware of on Amazon. So far, with my osteoporosis diagnosis in April 2025, I have been going "natural" with diet & exercise. I work with a physical therapist, who incrementally helps me have the confidence to increase the weights I use for deadlifts, squats and assorted other exercises that help you grow muscle, which helps with bone growth. I do believe this is quite a controversial topic for women who are post-menopausal. I'll be checking back to see what others have to say!

@baguette I'm with you! I'll be 66 next month. Diagnosed with osteopororis in April of 2025 - a total shockerooni, I might add. Just saw a nurse practioner a few days ago at a traditional OB/GYN clinic. The didn't want me on HRT, full stop. She wouldn't even discuss bioidenticals because she said they are not FDA approved. At least you found someone who specializes in bioidenticals -- though, what she said was very disappointing. Thanks for posting that. It informs me, too, as I was thinking of trying to find someone who may be more open to that route. It sounds like such slow progress but at leaset there was "some" hope -- it would just take a long time.

I was also asked when menopause started, and I figured around age 54 or so. This is all so frustrating. I work out at the gym, see a physical therapist, take Vitamin K-2/D, eat lots of Kale, drink my calcium fortified soymilk (which also goes in my smoothies), and eat at least 5-6 prunes a day! They are good for our bones! I wish you all the best! Hang in there. My doc approved of me "going natural" for two years and then get a DEXA and see what's what. I try to strengthen the muscles that support the bones, which is how we get our protection.

@tillymack I am not sure any even exist! But that would be amazing and wonderful if they did! It seems to be like finding a needle in a haystack, I'm afraid. I've looked myself where I live and they all charge a monthly fee and NO INSURANCE. The reason is they want to do healthcare in a more thorough manner and not be beholden to the insurance companies. I wish some would be more flexible about that!

If I were a well-to-do person, that's how I'd want to get my healthcare. Locally, I've found two different ones. One was $200 a month; the other was $5000 a year! We need a healthcare revolution that creates and supports doctors and clinics who are helpful, functional, and integrative -- but AFFORDABLE for ALL!

@chiefsmom I was told HRT would not improve my BMD but would keep it from getting worse.