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[dianad]

Im 4 years now in my menopause and had dexa scan recently and was diagnosed with osteopenia, any suggestions ladies? Anybody else having same problems? Thanks

[CLKD]

Morning.  Were U not given a diet sheet and advice at the appt.? 

10 mins brisk walking 3 times a week initially, getting into the sun or taking a VitD supplement.  Plenty of fruits and veg in your diet, cutting out processed foods as much as possible.  Whole fat milk.  I think that ice cream comes under that ;-). 

How do U feel over all and what triggered the scan appt.?

[Mary G]

Are you using HRT?  If not, my suggestion would be to look into starting it.  It's not too late to reverse the process but you need to start now.  There is medication for osteoporosis but apparently it is not as effective as HRT and the side effects are grim.

I'm afraid all the diet and a exercise in the world are not going to replace oestrogen which is most probably the cause of osteopenia. 

[bombsh3ll]

I second the above - lifestyle advice is fine but why wouldn't someone be doing all that anyway.

HRT is actually licensed for the prevention of osteoporosis even if you have no or mild symptoms of menopause.

Both my parents have osteoporosis and my dad is crippled by it since his spine collapsed. He is on high dose opiates painkillers and has no quality of life. Bisphosphonates didn't slow it down at all, and there's no good treatment once you start fracturing.

Please don't ignore this shot across the bows.

I plan to be as aggressive as I need to be in order to avoid osteoporosis for myself, there is no theoretical risk of HRT that scares me more than ending up like that. One in 7 women get breast cancer and 90% survive but one in 2 get osteoporosis and the mortality rate from a hip fracture is around 30%.

[CLKD]

A lot of problems these days is due to children in the 1980s/90s not eating a full diet including dairy.  As well as Education Authorities selling off school playing fields for housing!  Then deciding that the cost of a coach to take children out and about, i.e. swimming or forest school, too expensive  and now women are reaping the results of those decisions 

Let us know how you get on dianad ?

[orrla]

When I turned up at gino, aged 45, complaining of excessive sweating, like never before, he said: look, you could go on HRT that should help but it's fairy new so allbis an experiment, really but one thing for sure about it is that it protects against Osteoporosis.

Well, my Grandma spent last five years of her life in bed because her bones were so broken so I said yes.

Fast forward, years of unexpected mental jazz, sweats, insomnia, you name it.. but bloods fine, pressure fine, no  failures of any organs...no breast cancer!

Came to 63, gino calls and say doses must be decreased.. Well fine, I said, thinking she knows what she's doing...

5 years later, back pain, followe by XR, and sudden outcry: OSTEOPOROSIS!

How come, I ask. I am on HRT!

Oh, HRT does not protect against, he said...

So DXA scan next, and it turned out -1.8 Osteopenia, plus degeneration of lumbar section with rings slipping off each other...now 6 years aftervthat decrease of HRT...

I am sure, by now, all here are sick and tired to read about.

Well I am pissed!

It, HRT, either protects you or not!

Can, medical profession make their minds up, please!!

It's only ONE IN TWO women who develop Osteoporosis after Menopause... and 1 in 5 men!

...so, now you know why it's not such a big deal to anyone...yet!?

DXA scan next

[bombsh3ll]

Sadly nothing can prevent it in 100 percent of people.

Some will take HRT and still get osteoporosis.

BUT the chance is a lot lower, and the severity of those affected is less.

I heard one expert stating it prevented about 50% of cases.

Dose also matters - I believe most women are under treated.

Androgens are important too yet are largely ignored.

I will never let my estradiol fall below 300pmol/L, always have some form of androgen replacement (currently dhea as I am on a combined pill) and will get regular DEXA scans from 50, even if I have to pay out of pocket

[Mary G]

orrla, the decrease in oestrogen is probably the problem.  Do you know what your oestrogen blood levels are and what type/dose of oestrogen are you taking?  Dose is very important if you are trying to prevent osteoporosis hence the magical 300 pmol that experienced clinicians always aim for.

[Jules]

I've never taken system HRT and no idea about my estrogen levels. But my children are 80s children and had a good diet were never in, always outside having adventures as were most others where i live. It's today's children we should worry for down the line.

[AngelaH]

According to NHS:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteoporosis/prevention/

[orrla]

orrla, the decrease in oestrogen is probably the problem.  Do you know what your oestrogen blood levels are and what type/dose of oestrogen are you taking?  Dose is very important if you are trying to prevent osteoporosis hence the magical 300 pmol that experienced clinicians always aim for.

Yeah.. that's why I decided to go on HRT. And the, a doctor decided to decrease it. And here I am.

If we are not to trust medical professionals, whom shall we trust..?!

Google?

[Jules]

orrla, the decrease in oestrogen is probably the problem.  Do you know what your oestrogen blood levels are and what type/dose of oestrogen are you taking?  Dose is very important if you are trying to prevent osteoporosis hence the magical 300 pmol that experienced clinicians always aim for.

Yeah.. that's why I decided to go on HRT. And the, a doctor decided to decrease it. And here I am.
 
If we are not to trust medical professionals, whom shall we trust..?!
Definitely not google and I have very little faith in the medical profession, they all give contradictory information. From now on I will be reading reliable accounts of things based on proper research and if in doubt getting at least one more opinion

Google?

[dianad]

Thanks for all replies, im on HRT patches evorel conti, just recently started, was bleeding after few months, stopped, discovered a cyst on my ovary but was told to restart HRT anyway, so at the moment applying 1/2 a patch twice a week and vagifem.

[orrla]

orrla, the decrease in oestrogen is probably the problem.  Do you know what your oestrogen blood levels are and what type/dose of oestrogen are you taking?  Dose is very important if you are trying to prevent osteoporosis hence the magical 300 pmol that experienced clinicians always aim for.

Mary, Please advise!

I know now the decrease caused numerous problems, that's why I went to see private gino, and asked for tests.  Result came back stating '67' with his comment 'low' but stated no unit. (We had a whole thread about it here..titled 'blood tests results'..)

I am on Evorel Conti from 2018..  (after Evorel 100 and Mirena for years). I am now 69.

Since I saw him, the gino, on 27/06/24, I add 1/2 patch... I feel tiny bit better but far from wonderful.. I sweat at night, get up, sleep in ca 2 hrs blocks, on and off.. I sleep 5 - 7 hours max!  I have Estring but it feels as it's running out sooner, after 2.5 mths not 3..  so, it seems, that increase by 1/2 patch done nothing to VA..! 

Getting up most mornings feels sh..  Weather changes set off vibrations in my whole body, body balance not right..sort of dizzy..

Too soon to expect change?..

 I am booked to see that gino again mid September...probably another test, and ..more cash! ..  but:

After I read you above,  suggesting to get Oestrogel online, I am thinking now...

What if I try and buy it online, and top that Evorel Conti up, and see what happens..?

But I am concerned, that I might spoil something by doing that... Will progesterone I get from patches be enough..?

Also, I have no experience with gel.. How much of it, do you think, I ought to use, as a top up, and how often, to try for a while  if it makes things any better..?

Any suggestions?

Many thanks!🤗

[Mary G]

orrla, you have nothing to lose by trying Oestrogel and I would suggest one pump.  That is an incredibly low oestrogen reading so you are obviously not absorbing the patch.  The progesterone component of Evorel is norethisterine which is very strong so for now I would just add the Oestrogel and see if you have any improvement.  You can ask the gynaecologist to scan you in September to check your womb lining.

Doctors seem to tell women to reduce their HRT as a kind of knee jerk reaction.  I'm not convinced there is any meaningful thought behind it so I always ignore it and do my own thing.  My gynaecologist says "they" (I'm not sure who "they" are) don't recommend HRT but they never try to stop women taking it and they would fail if they did.  In my experience, most gynaecologists know very little about HRT.

I would definitely order the Oestrogel immediately and give it a go.  I know a lot of women on here like patches but I found them to be weak and ineffectual.