HRT to prevent bone problems

[badatmath]

A female friend of mine said her doctor "automatically" put her on HRT to prevent things like fractures even though she had no symptoms to complain of.

How common is this? I thought women had to plead for the HRT because of some cancer risks that might exist.

I have been reading about medications in general since doc put me on blood pressure meds a few weeks ago (which does not appear to work) and debating if I would try another etc when this discussion came up about HRT. I didn't find much in old threads - guessing a lot more men here than ladies?

 

[W2R]

I don't know. My doctor never put me on HRT, probably because I had no symptoms or complaints. Honestly I don't know any other women on HRT either.

Some women feel that it improves one's appearance and demeanor when going through "the change". Doesn't seem worth it to me.

Here's a thread on HRT.

 

[badatmath]

Thank you. I think some doctors may push meds to stave off malpractice suits but I would think insurance companies might fight paying for things that weren't needed.

 

[MarieIG]

I haven't heard from any of my friends that they were automatically put on HRT. They few I knew that are on it, requested it because of complaints.

I am not a candidate for HRT.

One of my friends has osteopenia. Her physician has tried to put her on a pharmaceutical, but she has refused due to the side effects.

 

[Letj]

Look into Duavee which contains estrogen and an estrogen antagonist meant to prevent uterine or breast cancer while on HRT. You may also want to consider some testosterone along with it.

 

[Aerides]

A female friend of mine said her doctor "automatically" put her on HRT to prevent things like fractures even though she had no symptoms to complain of.

Unless your friend hasn't told you the other details, and there are some reasons, without them I'd get a new doc. This sounds like old-school advice. I didn't opt for HRT, but my Doc didn't even bring it up. There are far better ways to keep strong bones (diet and weight-baring exercise), especially since your friend is probably not that old - I'm assuming she's started HRT relatively recently which would mean early 50's?

 

[badatmath]

Yes early 50s. I was wondering if she had a not great doc. She does live in a small town so only so many people she could go to I imagine. Doctors seem to push a lot of pills these days.

 

[athena53]

I'm not a doctor but I'd want a bone scan to see if there actually was any osteopenia in the first place. Why treat for something that "might happen"? If there is osteopenia or osteoporosis, then they can decide how to deal with it.

I'm wary of HRT- every medication carries risks which must be weighed against the potential benefits. I'm fortunate- menopause symptoms were minimal except for vaginal dryness, which can be treated using topical Premarin cream, so very little of it gets into the bloodstream.

 

[Koolau]

DW depended upon HRT for several years due to dramatic issues with menopause. Once she came off of HRT, she quickly completed menopause. Now she has osteopenia but can't use the treatments. Dealing with a endocrinologist at this time and "watching" with scans, CA, etc. Long term HRT is a risk, but worth it to DW for the relief it gave her. Risk vs benefit is always the watchword. YMMV

 

[Amethyst]

I had zero issues with menopause but now have osteoporosis (thanks, Dad), and was told that HRT was not recommended as a treatment for it. I tried it anyway, and found I can't tolerate it for various reasons.

guessing a lot more men here than ladies?

There aren't a ton of female posters here, but the ones I'm aware of, are really smart so it makes up for the numbers

A female friend of mine said her doctor "automatically" put her on HRT to prevent things like fractures even though she had no symptoms to complain of.

How common is this? I thought women had to plead for the HRT because of some cancer risks that might exist.

I have been reading about medications in general since doc put me on blood pressure meds a few weeks ago (which does not appear to work) and debating if I would try another etc when this discussion came up about HRT. I didn't find much in old threads - guessing a lot more men here than ladies?

 

[bloom2708]

Wean off dairy. It does not "do a body good".

 

[rodi]

I, personally, me, would not do HRT because my mom died of ovarian cancer.

When HRT was introduced it was considered a fix-all for heart disease, menopause side effects (dry skin, mood swings, hot flashes), breast cancer... They also enrolled a very large study of nurses and followed them over time. Much larger sample size than most studies, with more follow up - probably because it was all nurses. The surprise came a decade or more after the study started noting increased incidence of breast and ovarian cancer. So HRT has risks. With my family cancer history it was a no brainer to deal with hot flashes the old fashioned way - yelling at my husband, cold compresses, and throwing all the covers off in the middle of the night. LOL.

Menopause does increase risk of osteoporosis, but you can take Vitamin C, D, and Calcium to offset some of the risk. And you can monitor with periodic bone density tests.

 

[FindingForward]

HRT used to be recommended for women at high risk of/or actually diagnosed with osteoporosis. Outdated advice these days, from what I understand.

Osteoporosis strikes so many women by surprise. You can be fit, athletic and a poster child for healthy eating/supplmentation with zero clue you have this disease until you (a) fracture or (b) are urged to get a DEXA as a precaution.

There are newer osteo meds that actually rebuild bone, but have some scary side effects and risks. For severe loss or high fracture risk, benefits may outweigh drawbacks. A back fracture or a hip fracture is life changing.

Some advocate only natural methods to restore loss: diet & supplementation, but from all I've read so far, that really only works if still in osteopenia or maybe borderline osteoporosis. For more serious osteoporosis, I haven't read of anyone reversing that without some med intervention (albeit supported by better supplementation/lifestyle/diet).

 

[Amethyst]

This about sums it up. After a certain age, stuff goes wrong that can't be fixed with clean living; only attacked with one or more double-edged weapons, which cause harm of their own.

As far as I know, non-hormonal "bone loss drugs" don't help the woman's body create new bone. They just slow down the body's normal process for destroying old, worn-out bone. So the woman gradually accumulates old, tired bone, which can go quite bad on her. Among the dreaded symptoms is necrosis (death) of the jawbone.

The argument in favor of the current bone drugs is that fractures of the hip and spine are so utterly devastating, that even having your jawbone go bad is preferable.

If anyone can point to anything more hopeful than what I just wrote, I would be glad to read it.

HRT used to be recommended for women at high risk of/or actually diagnosed with osteoporosis. Outdated advice these days, from what I understand.

Osteoporosis strikes so many women by surprise. You can be fit, athletic and a poster child for healthy eating/supplmentation with zero clue you have this disease until you (a) fracture or (b) are urged to get a DEXA as a precaution.

There are newer osteo meds that actually rebuild bone, but have some scary side effects and risks. For severe loss or high fracture risk, benefits may outweigh drawbacks. A back fracture or a hip fracture is life changing.

Some advocate only natural methods to restore loss: diet & supplementation, but from all I've read so far, that really only works if still in osteopenia or maybe borderline osteoporosis. For more serious osteoporosis, I haven't read of anyone reversing that without some med intervention (albeit supported by better supplementation/lifestyle/diet).

 

[FindingForward]

As far as I know, non-hormonal "bone loss drugs" don't help the woman's body create new bone. They just slow down the body's normal process for destroying old, worn-out bone. So the woman gradually accumulates old, tired bone, which can go quite bad on her. Among the dreaded symptoms is necrosis (death) of the jawbone.

Actually Forteo, Tymlos & Evenity are a newer class of drugs that work very differently. These daily injectibles actually build new, healthy bone unlike the older bisposphonates - they take many women from severe osteoporosis back to osteopenia stage (that's huge.) But alas, there's a catch. (Big surprise, right?)

Besides the side effects and risks (and eye popping cost), you can only be on them for 1-2 years. Then you must immediately switch to a diff drug to "maintain" the bone you gained. You must be on something else from that point on or you risk losing it all. So...meds for life. Real appealing.

 

[Aerides]

As far as I know, non-hormonal "bone loss drugs" don't help the woman's body create new bone. They just slow down the body's normal process for destroying old, worn-out bone. So the woman gradually accumulates old, tired bone, which can go quite bad on her. Among the dreaded symptoms is necrosis (death) of the jawbone.

My mum has been on Prolia (injections) for osteoporosis, and she gets bone measurements (don't ask me how) each year. She's had an increase of 13% bone density. Considering she's in her 70's I think that's pretty good.

Her history is one reason why I started lifting heavy weights. Many studies show that helps reduce bone loss. Mum's osteo doc told me directly, if he had to tell women to pick one type of exercise, it would be weight lifting.

 

[Amethyst]

Unfortunately, it hasn't worked for me, and I've lifted heavy weights - in the gym and in the yard - for decades. I work extremely hard. DNA (plus being White and lean) are the guilty parties.

But your mom's results on Prolia sound hopeful.

Her history is one reason why I started lifting heavy weights. Many studies show that helps reduce bone loss. Mum's osteo doc told me directly, if he had to tell women to pick one type of exercise, it would be weight lifting.

 

[Koolau]

Actually Forteo, Tymlos & Evenity are a newer class of drugs that work very differently. These daily injectibles actually build new, healthy bone unlike the older bisposphonates - they take many women from severe osteoporosis back to osteopenia stage (that's huge.) But alas, there's a catch. (Big surprise, right?)

Besides the side effects and risks (and eye popping cost), you can only be on them for 1-2 years. Then you must immediately switch to a diff drug to "maintain" the bone you gained. You must be on something else from that point on or you risk losing it all. So...meds for life. Real appealing.

REAL appealing, indeed! Heh, heh, nothing to do with osteoporosis for me, but I take 3 drugs everyday that (statistically) will increase my life span. Well worth the cost/effort IMHO. I am very thankful that such meds exist. Subtracting increasing vehicular accidents, increasing murder rates, Fentanyl ODs and COVID, life expectancies are still increasing - almost exclusively from medical interventions and those are mostly improved drugs. So, yeah, real appealing though YMMV!