No availability of HRT patches

[Egghead68]

Hi - my foray into HRT will be short-lived, it seems (3 weeks in total) due to lack of availability of HRT treatments in my area.

I was on Evorel Conti, which can't be obtained now (I had 6 patches which my pharmacist said were the last ones). I have asked my GP if they will prescribe an alternative but they have not got back to me and my patch runs out on Tuesday. In any case, it seems there are low/no stocks of most/all forms here due to people having to switch.

Anyone else had this problem and got any suggestions?

Thank you in advance!

Reporting back from my previous posts - after a three week delay I'm pleased to say that today I picked up from my usual pharmacist my 6-months supply of Evorel 75.

It's puzzling/infuriating the differences around the country - I'm in London.

I'm in the East Midlands and really struggled to get evorel 50 took me 4 weeks and multiple pharmacies but finally got 3 months worth. A friend who is on evorel sequi got six months from her usual pharmacy no problem, so I think pharmacies are having deliveries but at a reduced volume so it's down to luck as to weather you get them.

I'm in NI and managed to get one box of Evorel 50 but that was all. Boots said they weren't getting any more in in any of their stores, no idea when it would.
Finally got it from an independent pharmacy, the last box! They checked all their suppliers and had no idea if they would be getting any in anytime soon.
I'll have to phone my GP and see what they say.

I know there is a genuine shortage on a bigger scale this time, for many reasons, but it's not a new issue.

I've used gel for years and there have been several occasions when supply has been limited- reason given was packaging problems- and I've had to wait for it to come in and sometimes reduced my dose to make it last (although it seems some supplies do get through to some outlets, regardless.)

Bizarrely my gp only gave me a prescription for one month which I'm trying to fill. I've been on this for two years. I have no idea why they did this.

Posted this on another thread as well but the nurse who took my blood pressure today insisted that the so called shortages were fake news. I don't think so.....very real people posting on here who are clearly having difficulties.

The other problem is that the pharmacist won't give you back the nhs Px, even though they can't fill it. Neither will the GP issue another one. So people are having to pay for private Px.

The other problem is that the pharmacist won't give you back the nhs Px, even though they can't fill it

I got mine - I insisted. There was nothing else on it, just the HRT. I took it home and started ringing round, while simultaneously going online and looking to see if any online pharmacies had any.

'Fake news' my arse. What rot.

It's a farce. I'm going back next week to try and get my dose increased but I've just paid for 6 months of old meds so I'm going to stockpile those in case of emergency!

I managed to get 3 months supply of Evorel Conti patches from Boots a few weeks ago, which was a surprise as they've never been able to get them before.
And as someone else commented, I change my patch every 4 days rather than twice a week (i.e. 3 days then 4).
My memory is so shit that I have to put a reminder in my phone however I do it so I thought I may as well try and eke these out for a bit longer

p.s. I'm in West London

Any news on this?

@katymac I started a new thread a couple of days ago linking to the BMS site where they list all the HRT supplies and dates when they ought to be available. it's a few threads down the page.

They also list advice on how women can use other types meanwhile, such as gel and tablets instead of patches.

Thanks @JinglingHellsBells

Recently been prescribed patches. Not a chance. No where had them. So on tablets. On 5th and period which used to be three days is so far in day 5. Does anyone know if this is what happens when starting elleste duet 1mg

I'm on oestrogen only tablets which seem to be plentiful right now but the painkillers for my chronic back problem are never in stock. I've been spending £50 a time and getting them off the internet almost every other month as pharmacies don't have them.
I rely on these to go to work but I'm getting so stressed with the situation - which basicallt means going cold turkey for days everytime they aren't available - I'm considering weaning myself off them and hoping I can still function at work.

You just know that if men required HRT this problem wouldn’t exist, it makes me so 🤬

My friend couldn’t get her NHS script filled so she ended up managing to use the prescription in an online pharmacy and paid for the patches that way. I think they came from abroad.

I’ve just remembered they came from Holland.

So what's the latest with HRT patch supply in UK. Here in Australia supply lines of Estradot dried up a few months ago. I've been told it would be resurrected after July 2021 🙄

HRT patch suppy in the uk is awful and won't get better for a long time. It's the ingrediants used to make the patches themselves rather than hormones that's the issue. I was put on gel whilst I couldn't get any and I much prefer it, I'm sleeping better, no patch marks on my skin etc. So I told my GP I preferred the gel and now I'm on a permanent repeat prescription for the gel instead