How much HRT do you get with each prescription?

[WhereAreWeNow]

I started on Evorel patches in Nov. I've also got a mirena coil. The GP prescribed me 3 months worth of patches last time. I went back for a review (weight and BP check) last week and asked to try stronger patches. GP agreed and I went to collect prescription today only to find it was just one month's supply. Is that normal? Do you have to pay for a new prescription each month? It's going to cost a fortune and is also an extra hassle to go to the chemist every month.
Please tell me how many months supply you get with each prescription.

Not entirely sure, although I was also surprised I wasn't given more. I'm on gel and was given one bottle end of August and got my second last month. I only do one pump a day, so will last longer as this is half the typical prescription I gather.

I think my first lot was 3 months. The rest have been 6 months.

You can have 6 months at once.
You have to have an review at least annually and some drs might do it every 6 months.

6 months? That's great. I'll try contacting the GP in the hope they'll prescribe more next time.

I think they’re only supposed to prescribe a month.

It is worth getting a prepayment prescription, especially since some hrt counts as two prescriptions

It may be only one month to see how you get on with the increased strength. I had one month when I first went on patches and then had a 6 month prescription following review. I'm sure GPs can now prescribe up to 12 months in one go to help with the prescription cost, though i assume that will depend on whether you need to a review before 12 months.

12 months may not be law yet but hopefully on its way.
www.gov.uk/government/news/more-support-for-women-experiencing-the-menopause

@Itonlytakesonetree

Not entirely sure, although I was also surprised I wasn't given more. I'm on gel and was given one bottle end of August and got my second last month. I only do one pump a day, so will last longer as this is half the typical prescription I gather.

I had this problem and contacted the GP and she amended the prescription so I get enough. I couldn't see how one bottle was going to last on 3 pumps a day! 64 pumps per bottle and so she prescribed 3 bottles to last 2 months. She was absolutely fine doing it, she hadn't realised there wouldn't be enough in the original prescription. I just left her a message with receptionist and called the next day and it had been actioned and passed on to the chemist. Worth a go! Made quite a difference knowing I could alter my dosage and not run out (had a bit of a fear of this ) I think my prescription is running at every 2 months. Would be less of a pain if it was every 6 for sure!

I'm on kliofem and get three months supply at a time.

3 months

Yes, looking forward to the new lower cost HRT coming in. Not sure when that change happens.

I'm in Scotland and just picked up my first prescription last week. 3 months supply, as the GP wants to review me after that.

It;s all very odd though as I'm on a prescription for thyroxine to compensate for my underactive thyroid too and will be for the rest of my life, they'll only give me 8 weeks of that at a time.

I get one bottle of gel at a time, lasts 3 weeks but such a pain to try and see a doctor to amend to more often, especially as the pay once a year law is coming in (I’ll sort it out then). Luckily my first prescription was done privately and she prescribed 3 at once so I have a couple in reserve, I just have a calendar reminder to renew every 3 weeks.
I thought you paid per item, so if two bottles at once you pay two charges? I definitely do for asthma inhalers anyway.

It’s currently down to a month at a time which is an absolute ball-ache.

This was after my new GP tried to tell me a load of scare stories to persuade me to stop using it. I politely declined her ‘advice’.

Am I right in thinking that this thread is discussing two different issues? 1) What you can have prescribed and 2)the cost?

When I posted that you can have 6 months, that's the 'legal' situation. My consultant said they are allowed to give 6 months on one prescription. (I pay for mine privately, per item, and it's outside the NHS.)

If your dose is established beyond the first 3 months' trial, your GP can in theory give you 6 months.

They did that to me and l requested 3 mo the at a time.
Pissed me off having to pay for it at all as l was so young but having 3 months at a time was bearable

@JinglingHellsBells

You can have 6 months at once. You have to have an review at least annually and some drs might do it every 6 months.

I've just switched from private prescription to NHS, and my GP would only prescribe 3 months. And didn't actually prescribe enough Oestrogel, as I use 2 and a half pumps a day, and he prescribed 3 bottles 🙄 (one bottle is about a month at 2 pumps a day).

@Martinisarebetterdirty

I get one bottle of gel at a time, lasts 3 weeks but such a pain to try and see a doctor to amend to more often, especially as the pay once a year law is coming in (I’ll sort it out then). Luckily my first prescription was done privately and she prescribed 3 at once so I have a couple in reserve, I just have a calendar reminder to renew every 3 weeks. I thought you paid per item, so if two bottles at once you pay two charges? I definitely do for asthma inhalers anyway.

It's one prescription charge for each 'drug'. So three bottles of Oestrogel should incur one prescription charge. And then another charge for the progesterone.

Query it. @BatshitCrazyWoman

Currently a prescription lasts me about a month for estrogel (progesterone is Mirena) but I'm planning to ask for a longer prescription next time. I tried to get mine through online pharmacies that deliver which makes the practicalities easier - initially tried Lloyds/Echo but they didn't have any oestrogen in stock for two deliveries in a row so I moved to Superdrug instead.

@JinglingHellsBells

Query it. *@BatshitCrazyWoman*

I will. I had to trail around lots of pharmacies to get all of it too, as lots didn't have any Oestrogel. It took loads of time!

Reading this I am thankful to be living back in Scotland. I am prescribed 3mths at a time.