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MNHQ

MNHQ here: have you found it difficult to get HRT recently?

337 replies

RowanMumsnet · 27/08/2019 10:27

Hello

As lots of MNers have already been discussing, there seems to be a nationwide shortage of some forms of HRT. (The reasons for the shortage seem a little clouded in mystery, although there's a partial explainer here.)

We've noticed a few MNers talking about going abroad to obtain their usual brand of HRT, or considering buying online - which of course isn't something health professionals would generally recommend (and probably doesn't feel very good to the women doing it either).

It seems pretty scandalous to us that women are having to do this in order to be sure of supplies of essential medicines and we wanted to get a sense of how many of you are affected.

So if you've struggled to get supplies of your normal HRT, or have considered going abroad or buying online to secure your supplies, we'd be interested to hear from you - please post on this thread or if you'd rather keep it confidential feel free to PM us or email us on [email protected]

Thanks
MNHQ

OP posts:
rosie39forever · 16/09/2019 15:26

Hi the independent pharmacy have evorel 25 and 50 back in stock the only drawback is 3 months of patches cost £45 but they are very good and dispatch free post Royal Mail tracked very quickly.

JinglingHellsBells · 16/09/2019 15:59

@over50andfab The link I left is from a menopause specialist who has added that page to help women facing shortages. I'd not have much faith in a GP who got it wrong in the first place but that's just my opinion !

over50andfab · 16/09/2019 16:56

Jingling - yes I understand - I've also posted the same link twice on this thread.

The mistake my GP made on another medication was not dangerous and understandable - crossed wires as it were. It's alway good to double check what you've been prescribed. Even my chemist gave me the wrong number of patches once as all the multipacks come in different numbers - it happens and while not dangerous always to be questioned of course. However the best reassurance tends to be given from those who are in charge of our care - even if it's to query when they got it wrong!

As I said, the knowledge of a pharmacist is a very underused service

OhYouBadBadKitten · 16/09/2019 17:14

Thanks Rosie!

JinglingHellsBells · 16/09/2019 19:50

@over50andfab Most of the posts on this forum are from women who can't get good advice from a GP and some have been given wrong advice repeatedly . I can't disagree that it's good to ask a dr but given the OP was given the wrong dose I'm not sure how her GP can correct that unless they ask a colleague?
Pharmacists are often very good (I have friends who are in the profession) but they too are a mixed bunch; again , too many posts here where pharms were not much help. It usually takes an expert meno dr to be able to equate patches to gel because there is not a direct equivalent.

At the end of the day, there are guidelines in the box of gel. It's 2 pumps to start with and there have to be reasons to either reduce it or increase which would be discussed with the dr .

over50andfab · 16/09/2019 20:23

Jingling, I’m not disputing what you are saying, and as already said, I’ve also posted the same link as you have from the expert on this so we can all be more informed when consulting our GP on alternatives. We are on the same side here.

My reasoning in questioning the GP was so the dose could be double checked with the correct one verified - good for future prescriptions and also other patients at that practice. Pharmacist is an alternative. This way the patient is reassured for now and the future.

Please stop tagging me in this and also other threads.

AnneKipanki · 16/09/2019 21:13

over50
I think you can change your settings so you do not get an email when mentioned.

JinglingHellsBells · 17/09/2019 07:19

Please stop tagging me in this and also other threads.
@over50andfab

It's not tagging, it's responding to a poster so they know there is a reply to their post.

You came onto the thread with an opinion and advice. Other posters have a right to reply . If you don't want people to read and reply to your posts, maybe send private messages to the individual poster?

Trewser · 17/09/2019 07:24

Not sure if the thread has moved on ..

I stopped taking hrt for a month or so when there were no supplies of Elleste. No hot flushes, but I feel pretty dreadful, aches, low mood, fatigue.

Picked up Elleste duet yesterday and back on it. I am going to try and get another 3 months repeat prescription in a month.

Trewser · 17/09/2019 07:24

Oh, and I may buy online also.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 17/09/2019 11:27

To avoid the tagging irritation in an ongoing discussion I use asterisks to bold the users name instead. It can otherwise feel as are being harassed even when is not the intention.

AnneKipanki · 17/09/2019 12:00

Sometimes people like to be tagged too when they have said something useful or bring new information to their attention . It can be nice to be appreciated .
Not everyone accepts PM .

JinglingHellsBells · 17/09/2019 14:01

well, it wasn't my intention to harass posters. I use the @symbol (which is used on Twitter to reply to people) so posters can be alerted to a reply to their post.

Some people only check in to MN now and then, by which time threads move on and they have to wade through zillions of subsequent posts to see anything relevant to their post.

I actually thought it was a helpful thing to do, but clearly others feel differently. (It only sends an email alert, it doesn't 'tag' anyone like you can tag someone on Facebook.)

AnneKipanki · 17/09/2019 14:20

I use it a lot too Jingling and I would be horrified that someone thought I was harassing them .

My next course of HRT is due to be prescribed for mid November . I hope it is all sorted out by then. I could not bear to be without it mentally or physically . Fingers crossed .

OhYouBadBadKitten · 17/09/2019 14:30

I don't think you were hassling anyone Jingling :) I was just putting out how it can feel to others, having seen the same upset on other threads - it's just a miscommunication thing, especially when people may not use other platforms.

JinglingHellsBells · 17/09/2019 15:40

That's reassuring then :)

Going back to the previous post, yes of course posters should check with their GP and perhaps their pharmacist BUT I don't think the OP was wrong to ask here.

GPs and pharmacists are not infallible.

I have read so many tales here and on Twitter where women are repeatedly given erroneous information by GPs no matter how many times they ask them.

Sometimes you need to widen the net and ask around and be directed to expert resources (written by drs.)

OhYouBadBadKitten · 17/09/2019 17:52

My pharmacist has made an oops - they've not noticed that Fem7 is a once a week patch, so they have mislabelled it with use two a week. It does. It's occurred because I've been prescribed generic oestrodiol patches and my other patches were two a week. It does mean that I've got double the amount they intended to prescribe, but I ought to point it out at some point... maybe once the shortage is over.

LarkDescending · 23/09/2019 16:17

I have my first HRT prescription in my hand - for Estradiol 50mcg patches - and have been told at Boots that none of their branches will be able to fill it for the foreseeable future due to lack of stock. Will try elsewhere when I get a chance, but it is very frustrating.

over50andfab · 23/09/2019 18:47

@LarkDescending sorry you couldn't get any - I guess this isn't a good time to be starting HRT. I managed to get 3 months worth of estrogen 50 patches from my local Boots a couple of weeks ago, but did check first that they'd be able to source it. Otherwise I'd have gone to my GP and requested the estrogen gel instead. They did say that next month they probably wouldn't be able to get it anymore so it will be gel next time I think...along with everyone else who can't get what they usually do.....and then the knock on effect of that....

Perhaps have a phone around different chemists? At least your prescription is for Estradiol so any of the estrogen only makes of patch can be given. Or go back to your GP and ask for gel instead? Good luck.

Eve · 03/10/2019 09:23

I was discussing this with a friend who works in drug development at the weekend, shes messaged me this morning to say the Govt have announced they are putting a stop on sales of 24 drugs out of the UK as NHS is running short ( called parallel trading ) and it includes HRT.

LarkDescending · 03/10/2019 09:36

Yes, let’s hope the new regime makes a noticeable difference to availability. I had not realised that wholesalers re-exporting to the Eurozone as the £ falls was a big part of the problem.

@over50andfab - thank you for your supportive message. I did eventually have success after shopping around. Nobody had any in stock, but one pharmacy said they had been able to order a small supply of 50 patches and if they materialised they would set aside 12 of them for me (which in due course they did).

It felt a bit like my mother’s wartime childhood stories of “rumours of a box of oranges coming into the greengrocer’s”!

OhYouBadBadKitten · 03/10/2019 11:10

I wish they'd had the foresight to do that before some hrt vanished altogether.

over50andfab · 03/10/2019 11:18

Eve, thanks for sharing the link and good to know. I wonder how much of the HRT we use is manufactured here - ie Evorel is produced by Janssen U.K.

@LarkDescending, brilliant news - well done for persevering 😀

LarkDescending · 03/10/2019 11:41

Estraderm 50 is manufactured in Luxembourg, according to my one precious pack!