HRT and osteopenia

[Helenloveslee4eva]

Struggling with my bones.
on HRT. Still osteopenic at 5yr repeat scan despite :
hrt
excercise - resistance and weight bearing though I don’t / can’t run. A hour at least daily.
vit d
decent diet for calcium.

however my vit d level was “ normal “ at 60 ( ie only just normal below 50 is a bit low )
Estrogen 240 which again is “
ok “ I understand rather than “ excellent “. On. 100mcg patch.

many evidence for increasing patch. What else can I do for my poor old bones ? I’m between 55 and 60. Do t want to be identified.

I'm just curious how they measure that, what scan did you have by who, which bits (femur? wrist?) did they measure, what was the measurement, and what did they say the number should be for female your age?

I presume you had DEXA scans 5 years apart?
I have osteoporosis which was discovered after a dexa scan for which I take bisonophosphates . I had a very useful phone call with a specialist nurse at the Osteoporosis Society.

She told me that you can't regain bone density, only slow down bone loss using all the things you mention. (I can't take HRT because of breast cancer). They have some really informative videos about bone density and treatments.

That's not my experience. I had an initial T-score of almost osteoporosis at 50. After being on HRT for several years my bone density increased to normal/ good for my age (over 60). Slight osteopenia in hips but improved.

@Helenloveslee4eva You should have the DEXA scans every 2-3 years. Osteopenia is not a huge issue unless your score is at the very low end, bordering on osteoporosis, or it's become much worse on since using HRT.

Yep 5yrs apart. Proper nhs DEXA hip and spine.
nhs response has been a patronising letter saying “ that’ll do. Repeat 5yrs “ basically 🤣. No numbers

I understand the “ can’t recover lost bone mass just maintain” hoping to meet the “ normal decline “ curve in a few years.

I guess I press on till The next scan. My research suggests that some oestrogen rather than “ more is better “ seems to be all we know. I don’t want to embark on bisohosphonates so young as I know longer term they have issues too.

planning some PT work if I can find one that understands the issue. Need more resistance work for the bones but a lot of balance / core / glutes so I just don’t fall over so much 😂

nhs response has been a patronising letter saying “ that’ll do. Repeat 5yrs “ basically 🤣. No numbers

Have you talked to your GP?
They should have a print out of your results.
You can definitely improve your bone density. I think the NHS website has some good videos of exercises or you can buy books on exercise for building bone.

Nothing builds bones. I fear you made need to chase GP, osteoporosis clinic and HRT consultant to get all 3 attacking this. Push hard, politely but firmly.

If you want to see the actual scan report have a look on the NHS app or Patients Know Best .

Nothing builds bones
????????????????

This is not right . Of course bone density can be increased.

@Helenloveslee4eva You need to see the report- it's your data and you have a right to see it.

Osteopenia can be a tiny bit below normal, or right at the edge of osteoporosis.

Unless you know your results, you don't know if your bones have stayed the same or improved.

Just because it says you still have osteopenia, doesn't mean they have not improved from how they were.

Nothing builds bones
That's what I understood as well. You can slow bone loss but bone building only happens through your teens and 20s.

There is a lot of scientific evidence (research papers) showing how bone density can be increased by doing certain exercises, diet, Vit D (in the elderly mainly) and - if women choose to- HRT.
The improvement can be around 3% a year.