Oestrogel shortage - what to do??

[ENoeuf]

My pharmacist can’t get any and I’ve been waiting for a new prescription to be filled. They appear to have not saved any for the repeat order and had a lot of walk ins. I don’t know how it works but they seem to bring up the repeats when I arrive rather than as they are sent (as in they are her ready to collect for me or the kids).
What can I try / suggest - I’m on progesterone and the gel??

It’s a pharmacist problem, I’ve moved from one local one because they couldn’t get any to one slightly further away and picked up a bottle on Saturday. I called round the first time I couldn’t get any and they had a bottle, I’ve had two more from them since. Call around your local ones and ask if they have any, I’m sure one will have and then they will hopefully be able to order in for you. Good luck!

Have you tried asking pharmacies what they can get hold of? Sandrena? Lenzetto? Patches?

Oh that’s a good idea, I’ll ask. I might change pharmacy anyway as they never seem to prep things when they come in.

Call around your local ones and ask if they have any, I’m sure one will have and then they will hopefully be able to order in for you. Good luck!

Thank you - I think I’ll need to ask for a new preceription though as half (the progesterone) has been filled and it’s the bottles I’m waiting on.

Thank you - I think I’ll need to ask for a new preceription though as half (the progesterone) has been filled and it’s the bottles I’m waiting on.

Just a tip...if they don't have all of the items, think carefully about taking some of it (ie you took the progesterone.) Because that means you can't take the prescription anywhere else.

It's better to take your prescription away so you can take it to other pharmacies if you can wait for some of the items.

That’s really helpful - I didn’t know there was going to be an issue or that I could do that. Definitely will next time.

@ENoeuf

thebms.org.uk/news/british-menopause-society-update-on-hrt-supply/

Also 12.04

This link says to try swapping to something patches or Lenzetto spray but I’ve been waiting for Lenzetto to come in stock for 4 weeks now. I went round 4 pharmacies to try and fill my prescription and a local small Boots was the only one who said they could fulfill it but then came out to say they had made a mistake and could only supply one of the three sprays I was prescribed but it would only take a few days to get more in and they’d ring me when they arrived. 4 weeks later I’m still waiting! I popped in a couple of weeks ago and was just told they couldn’t supply me with what they hadn’t got and to wait. I probably haven’t got too many sprays left in the one they could supply so I’ll pop in again tomorrow and if it’s still not in I’m going to have to try and get the doctor to prescribe something else. This was my first prescription and feeling frustrated with it all as it hasn’t even built up enough to relieve all my symptoms yet!

That is really frustrating, it feels like the knock on effect is that less popular products are being used and then running out.

Hi there
if your oestrogel is still available I’d be happy to pay for you to post it
I’ve been using it for a while now and it works for me so I’m nervous about changing
many thanks catherine

i have a few bottles of unopened Oestrogel due to a mix up from the pharmacy and because it was dispensed they couldn’t take it back and would bin it . I was using this but I had my medication changed to the patches as I wasn’t absorbing the gel properly. It’s a waste to bin them when so many women are in need of it . If you can message me I only want the prescription charge and postage for it which is what I paid for . I have finally managed to get it removed from my repeat prescription list so as not to waste any more . Thanks

Has anyone seen these tweets about the HRT shortage? If it's true I'm feeling slightly enraged!

https://twitter.com/bornawoman99/status/1517766649499328512?s=21&t=pmqs90P-v8_j3WqpWNH46w

For those who can't see the tweet... basically it suggests that GPs are refusing women HRT but getting paid to give it to trans identified men. And now there’s a shortage.

Don't be so bloody ridiculous. You must be hard of thinking if you believe that's the reason it's in short supply.

I'm about to re-order mine and am dreading this palaver trying to get a hold of it.

@PangolinPie - it may not be the reason for the shortage but some GPs are getting paid.

Saturday April 02 2022, 12.01am, The Times

Family doctors are to be paid for prescribing hormones to transgender patients, in the first scheme of its kind in the UK.
Under the programme, which was launched yesterday, GPs in Sussex will get £178 a year for every adult to whom they prescribe “cross sex hormone therapy”. They will also be able to claim an extra £91 a year for providing an annual health check to a transgender, non-binary or intersex (TNBI) patient.

Yes but the point is, it's not the reason women can't get Oestrogel and to suggest it is is untrue and inflammatory.

Do you not think it an odd situation that GPs are being paid to give oestrogen to men but women who need it for their natural drop in the hormone are unable to get it?

Are GPs paid for prescribing HRT to women?

Take your agenda elsewhere, I'm not interested.

Good question.

@ENoeuf I have sent you a message x

Hopefully you've managed to find some by now OP. I found a local pharmacy the best option, the ones like Asda and Tesco wouldn't take my prescription

Yes I did eventually - managed to get three months worth. Such a worry though. I’m hopeful things will resolve over the next few months.

Hi OP- glad you managed to get sorted eventually. I haven't read the whole feed but I recently moved from Oestrogel to Estradot patches. Still body identical and it's working out great for me.

That's good news OP, I managed to get another 3 month supply so am hoping once it's time to get a new prescription the problems may have eased

No, we aren't. We aren't paid to prescribe anything to anyone....gel in short supply though. I'm now back on patches