HRT Shortage

[NowYouTellMe]

Is there still a shortage of HRT in the UK? I was mis-prescribed patches and the pharmacist called me today to tell me to stop using them and discard the two-months worth I still have left. Seems a shocking waste when people may be in need, not to me my annoyance at the error. Any thoughts?

no shortage of my patches since early last year thankfully.

£££££ of NHS money (& the general publics money but prescription costs don’t cover most of the product cost) are wasted every year in unused prescriptions but I wouldn’t be happy to accept any prescribed items that have been sat, stored in who knows what sort of conditions, in someone else’s house.

You know you store things correctly but you can’t guarantee someone else hasn’t stored things next to a radiator/on a sunny window sill and that they are still safe to use.

I know someone who was a district nurse until quite recently, she says the amount of older people who stockpile their ‘free’ medicine is unreal. All such a waste. I’ve seen people hand in carrier bags full of medication to the pharmacy to dispose of after their loved one has died, all has to be destroyed. Such a waste.

How we’re patches prescribed incorrectly though? How has the pharmacist only just noticed?

Mis prescribed how? Have you been using the patches or have they just given you the wrong ones by mistake? Seems very odd. I was on the gel but due to the shortage I had to switch over to patches, which I far prefer. No way would I be chucking them, especially if I had been using them with no ill effects.

I was prescribed patches with a far higher Oestrogen level than was appropriate for mr apparently. I’ve now been prescribed a lower dose. I picked them up 12 days ago but upon reading the guidance leaflet, realised that there had been a mistake. I called the surgery that day and received an apologetic reply today that I must not use them

Why do you prefer patches over gel if you don’t mind me asking?

Sorry for my completely off topic rant about waste of prescription medication! It’s a bit of a bugbear of mine.

I feel the same, hence not wanting to dump two months worth of HRT into the bin!

I've not had any issues at all with obtaining Evoril Sequi, despite being initially told it was in short supply.

@NowYouTellMe I prefer the patches because they're easier. I was on the gel and utrogestan tablets before. Had to remember to rub the gel on every morning, take the tablet every night and if I forgot which I sometimes did I'd have a bleed. Patches, I just put on twice a week.