You experienced early menopause. You're past menopause, older than age 50, and have at least one risk factor for osteoporosis. You're past menopause, older than age 65, and have never had a bone density test. Most women who take HRT use a combination of estrogen and a progestin, a form of progesterone. Estrogen cuts your risk of heart disease and osteoporosis in half.
Progestin helps protect against uterine cancer.
If you can't or don't want to take estrogen, other prescription drugs can help slow bone loss and may even increase bone density over time. Much like estrogen, this group of drugs can inhibit bone breakdown, preserve bone mass and even increase bone density in your spine and hip. Studies show it can reduce risk of hip and spine fractures by about 50 percent. Calcitonin is a hormone produced in your thyroid gland. It reduces bone resorption and may slow bone loss and prevent spine fractures.