How to persuade doctor to give me the HRT I want

[DotDashDotDotDash]

I've got my first GP appointment on Thursday to discuss HRT. I've done a lot of research and I want to try oestrogel/utrogestan. However, my GPs are horrors for prescribing the cheapest solutions and refusing to give patients what they want. They also push the mirena coil at every opportunity.

What are my rights? If I request oestrogel/utrogestan and the GP refuses, what can I say/do?

You don't have a right to demand a certain type of medication but you do have a right to make a case for why you want it, so I'd focus on that.
I assume you have read about reasons why some drs are preferring to offer these two, and why you want to try them?

Sorry, I missed this - I didn't get my usual email to say there was a post.

Thank you for your answer, even though I'm really late in replying! Yes, I've done a lot of research into the types of HRT I wanted, but actually I didn't even get that far as my GP wouldn't discuss types of HRT until I've had a blood test. I'm 48, and my understanding is that blood tests shouldn't be done in women over age 45, so we've reached a bit of a stalemate.

How annoying!

The NHS is supposedly on its knees with no cash yet some drs are wasting money on blood tests that are not needed.

Have you asked what they would be testing for?

If it's for other illnesses fine, but otherwise, no.

I did ask what the blood test is looking for, but she refused to tell me When I first asked, she said "hormones", so I asked which hormones and she said "menopause hormones", so I asked which ones specifically, and she said "the ones involved in menopause".

She's my practice's menopause specialist as well, so I'm pretty stuck now, as I don't want to have the blood test, but she's refusing to go any further until I have it!

My gp wouldn't consider hrt due to family breast cancer link, she did eventually agree to refer me to our local menopause clinic.
Could you find out where your nearest clinic us and ask them to refer you? They might be more open to that, then they're not prescribing initially, worth a try!

So did you ask her why, when NICE says not to?

I do think these people need challenging!

Have you thought about printing off the guidance and taking that in or emailing it etc?

@JinglingHellsBells

So did you ask her why, when NICE says not to?

I do think these people need challenging!

Have you thought about printing off the guidance and taking that in or emailing it etc?

You're absolutely right, of course - they do need challenging. But in the moment I completely forgot where I'd read it, and I just said that I had read that blood tests shouldn't be done in over 45s. And she said that I was wrong. It was only afterwards that I remembered it was the NICE guidelines.

Emailing in the guidance is a good idea.

Check the Louise Newson app/website, there is loads of information and guidance that you can download/print out and take to your GP to discuss.

What your GP is able to prescribe will also be determined by your local area prescribing committee's formulary. You can usually access this by looking on Google, search for the name of your local CCG and the word "formulary" and then searching to see if the hormones /hrt you want are listed.

If they aren't your GP will be under pressure only to prescribe from the local formulary. There is often a way they can request that a drug is considered for addition to the formulary but this tends to be a bit of a hassle /time consuming to do so often they aren't willing to get involved unfortunately.

Good luck 🍀