Page 5 | Utrogestan capsules - supply issues

starlilly88 · 2022-11-22T17:30:13+00:00

I can't find these anywhere, one Boots said they might get some end of November. I need to try and talk to my GP again but does anyone know of an alternative, or what happens if you stop taking them? I have been on oestrogel, about to switch to patches which I can get

jisudye · 07/02/2023 22:14

Sorry to hear this.

jisudye · 07/02/2023 22:17

I know it was terrible. I got my sister to get patches from Spain, but we don't get on, so I try to keep contact to a minimum. Can you order a 3 month supply online without online doctors panicking or querying it? If so, from whom? the ones I tried wanted to contact my doctor.

jisudye · 07/02/2023 22:18

Me too, but boots said they have not got it, and will text when they do.

jisudye · 07/02/2023 22:19

I don't know why they just don't manufacture sufficient supplies.

jisudye · 07/02/2023 22:23

Notellinganyone · 07/02/2023 07:50

Just tick the box that says not to contact GP. Boots definitely allows you that option- maybe other pharmacies don’t.

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Which link is it as google throws up boots NHS prescriptions? Thanks

HundredMilesAnHour · 07/02/2023 22:24

jisudye · 07/02/2023 22:17

I know it was terrible. I got my sister to get patches from Spain, but we don't get on, so I try to keep contact to a minimum. Can you order a 3 month supply online without online doctors panicking or querying it? If so, from whom? the ones I tried wanted to contact my doctor.

Yes, I looked online and they wanted to contact my GP too. Which would complicate things as it's taken a lot of discussions between various specialists over 18 months about whether I should risk HRT or not (I'm high risk for breast cancer but my menopause symptoms have been debilitating).

I rang round the local pharmacies but nowhere has it. So I will just have to wait and hope it comes back into stock before I run out in about 10 days.

So stressful!!

jisudye · 07/02/2023 22:27

Notellinganyone · 07/02/2023 07:50

Just tick the box that says not to contact GP. Boots definitely allows you that option- maybe other pharmacies don’t.

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I just went on boots and found this "When needed, Boots can view the patient's summary care record to provide clinical and safety checks." and an "agree" box, does that mean they are now contacting doctors surgeries?

jisudye · 07/02/2023 22:31

Notellinganyone · 07/02/2023 07:50

Just tick the box that says not to contact GP. Boots definitely allows you that option- maybe other pharmacies don’t.

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Sorry to keep quoting you, I ordered stuff from boots a while ago, but this time they are asking prescription questions and the page got stuck, there is no tick box next to "When needed, Boots can view the patient's summary care record to provide clinical and safety checks." I think I have the wrong link as they all seem to go to NHS prescriptions

jisudye · 07/02/2023 22:37

HundredMilesAnHour · 07/02/2023 22:24

Yes, I looked online and they wanted to contact my GP too. Which would complicate things as it's taken a lot of discussions between various specialists over 18 months about whether I should risk HRT or not (I'm high risk for breast cancer but my menopause symptoms have been debilitating).

I rang round the local pharmacies but nowhere has it. So I will just have to wait and hope it comes back into stock before I run out in about 10 days.

So stressful!!

Show quote history

How awful. One lady on here said boots online don't insist on contacting doctor. Complications are the reason I don't want them to contact my doctor.
I would check boots online, I keep clicking the wrong boots link though, and getting NHS stuff, so I am waiting for the lady who ordered from boots to come back to me.
I did order something from there a while ago and there was no hassle.
Maybe we could order online and just tell the online doctor the truth, as after all, our doctors have agreed to prescribe despite complications.

jisudye · 07/02/2023 22:40

WarriorN · 07/02/2023 09:51

Dianne Danzebrink just put a video up in the menopause support network fb group saying that more will be in the U.K. on 13th feb but then could take time for logistics to get to wholesalers and then the pharmacies

Thanks for that. Did they give an indication how long? I will check that fb group.

jisudye · 07/02/2023 22:43

WarriorN · 07/02/2023 09:51

Dianne Danzebrink just put a video up in the menopause support network fb group saying that more will be in the U.K. on 13th feb but then could take time for logistics to get to wholesalers and then the pharmacies

Sorry I am back again, I put menopause support network in fb and could not find the group, do you have a link please?

WarriorN · 08/02/2023 05:59

It looks like this:

Snoopy96 · 08/02/2023 09:25

I have seen lots of comments on here about the online pharmacy contacting the doctor. I ordered online as I was desperate, I did click the agree to contact doctor bit and then it carried me on to the ordering process and the tablets arrived the next day. Not sure when they contact the doctor, I'm assuming next time I order from the doctors direct they may mention it.

jisudye · 08/02/2023 12:44

WarriorN · 08/02/2023 05:59

It looks like this:

Thank you, I will go on the site and also look for the Facebook link.

jisudye · 08/02/2023 13:12

Snoopy96 · 08/02/2023 09:25

I have seen lots of comments on here about the online pharmacy contacting the doctor. I ordered online as I was desperate, I did click the agree to contact doctor bit and then it carried me on to the ordering process and the tablets arrived the next day. Not sure when they contact the doctor, I'm assuming next time I order from the doctors direct they may mention it.

I don't want them to contact my doctor, as I have had bleeding, which the doctor knows about and I have had investigation and treatments, but someone on here said boots allow you not to give permission, but when I go to boots site, I keep getting NHS prescriptions and that dreaded thing asking me to agree to them contacting my doctor, so I must be on the wrong page.

Camdenish · 08/02/2023 22:13

I’ve managed to get some. If anyone’s really desperate I can send one box out. I think they’re in 30 in a box so that’s over a months supply.

jisudye · 09/02/2023 08:48

Camdenish · 08/02/2023 22:13

I’ve managed to get some. If anyone’s really desperate I can send one box out. I think they’re in 30 in a box so that’s over a months supply.

I wouldn't mind a box sending out. I have a few spare boxes, but as I am on diazepam, if these supply issues don't sort themselves out, running out could be life threatening for me.
Utrogestan is not addictive, but if you have been dependent on prescription benzodiazepines, like me, you, absolutely, cannot stop taking progesterone, or you will be seriously ill.
This is because progesterone acts on the same nerve receptor as benzodiazepines, which you also cannot run out of, and need to wean off real slow if you want to stop, like I am doing.

Camdenish · 09/02/2023 12:48

@jisudye pm me your address

jisudye · 10/02/2023 01:56

Camdenish · 09/02/2023 12:48

@jisudye pm me your address

Thanks I will

HundredMilesAnHour · 10/02/2023 15:05

I tried my chemist again this morning for Utrogestan and they say that they've not even able to pre-order it. I said Besins say it will start becoming available again on 13th Feb but they hadn't heard anything and didn't seem convinced. They said to call them in a week and see if there's any news. None of the chemists have any stock and I run out of pills in 5 days time so I will be screwed then. I'm trying to get a GP appt but not sure if there's anything else they can give me anyway?!

On the positive side, my chemist now has stock of the old shape Oestrogel bottles (the conical ones) as the new shape cylinder bottles don't deliver an effective dose (for me at least). So thank goodness for that!

Is this what it's like with HRT? That every 2 months when you collect a prescription, it's an absolute nightmare as nothing is ever in stock?!! I only started last Nov but it has been such a drama and so stressful already. If my symptoms weren't so debilitating (I literally can't do my job - and that's my only source of income), I'd stop bothering with HRT because of this nightmare.

I'm going to run out of Utrogestan on Wed next week and I think there still won't be any available anywhere. I'm already high risk for breast cancer and have increased my risk by starting HRT and now I worry that the lack of progesterone is going to make it even more high risk. But I need to work, and without HRT I can't. Argh!!!

JinglingSpringbells · 10/02/2023 17:41

HundredMilesAnHour · 10/02/2023 15:05

I tried my chemist again this morning for Utrogestan and they say that they've not even able to pre-order it. I said Besins say it will start becoming available again on 13th Feb but they hadn't heard anything and didn't seem convinced. They said to call them in a week and see if there's any news. None of the chemists have any stock and I run out of pills in 5 days time so I will be screwed then. I'm trying to get a GP appt but not sure if there's anything else they can give me anyway?!

On the positive side, my chemist now has stock of the old shape Oestrogel bottles (the conical ones) as the new shape cylinder bottles don't deliver an effective dose (for me at least). So thank goodness for that!

Is this what it's like with HRT? That every 2 months when you collect a prescription, it's an absolute nightmare as nothing is ever in stock?!! I only started last Nov but it has been such a drama and so stressful already. If my symptoms weren't so debilitating (I literally can't do my job - and that's my only source of income), I'd stop bothering with HRT because of this nightmare.

I'm going to run out of Utrogestan on Wed next week and I think there still won't be any available anywhere. I'm already high risk for breast cancer and have increased my risk by starting HRT and now I worry that the lack of progesterone is going to make it even more high risk. But I need to work, and without HRT I can't. Argh!!!

It's not how it's always been, no.

I've used HRT for many years and this is the first time ever there has been an issue with Utrogestan.

It's partly down to all the media 'promotion' of HRT and also that Utrogestan seems to be the default med now for the progesterone part of it.

In the past, when I started using it, the pharmacy often had to order it in simply as there was no demand and they didn't stock it/ much!

Flower1970 · 11/02/2023 11:03

HundredMilesAnHour · 10/02/2023 15:05

I tried my chemist again this morning for Utrogestan and they say that they've not even able to pre-order it. I said Besins say it will start becoming available again on 13th Feb but they hadn't heard anything and didn't seem convinced. They said to call them in a week and see if there's any news. None of the chemists have any stock and I run out of pills in 5 days time so I will be screwed then. I'm trying to get a GP appt but not sure if there's anything else they can give me anyway?!

On the positive side, my chemist now has stock of the old shape Oestrogel bottles (the conical ones) as the new shape cylinder bottles don't deliver an effective dose (for me at least). So thank goodness for that!

Is this what it's like with HRT? That every 2 months when you collect a prescription, it's an absolute nightmare as nothing is ever in stock?!! I only started last Nov but it has been such a drama and so stressful already. If my symptoms weren't so debilitating (I literally can't do my job - and that's my only source of income), I'd stop bothering with HRT because of this nightmare.

I'm going to run out of Utrogestan on Wed next week and I think there still won't be any available anywhere. I'm already high risk for breast cancer and have increased my risk by starting HRT and now I worry that the lack of progesterone is going to make it even more high risk. But I need to work, and without HRT I can't. Argh!!!

I’m in the same boat as you. Self employed and can’t work if my symptoms recur. So it’s extremely stressful. I’m also only prescribed a month’s supply at a time here so it feels like a constant headache. I’m also prescribed Utrogestan by my consultant as part of my endometriosis treatment. So I can absolutely sympathise with you and share your frustration. I can say that when oestrogen was getting difficult to get hold of last year (so I had to keep switching brands) my GP felt that Brexit hadn’t helped because it had affected distribution of meds manufactured in the EU. But that’s just a fact of life now, so keeping everything crossed that things settle. I do get paranoid that we’re being pushed to buy it privately… However, people in this group have been lifesavers - an Angel has already sent me some spare capsules! So don’t lose hope.

jisudye · 11/02/2023 13:42

HundredMilesAnHour · 10/02/2023 15:05

I tried my chemist again this morning for Utrogestan and they say that they've not even able to pre-order it. I said Besins say it will start becoming available again on 13th Feb but they hadn't heard anything and didn't seem convinced. They said to call them in a week and see if there's any news. None of the chemists have any stock and I run out of pills in 5 days time so I will be screwed then. I'm trying to get a GP appt but not sure if there's anything else they can give me anyway?!

On the positive side, my chemist now has stock of the old shape Oestrogel bottles (the conical ones) as the new shape cylinder bottles don't deliver an effective dose (for me at least). So thank goodness for that!

Is this what it's like with HRT? That every 2 months when you collect a prescription, it's an absolute nightmare as nothing is ever in stock?!! I only started last Nov but it has been such a drama and so stressful already. If my symptoms weren't so debilitating (I literally can't do my job - and that's my only source of income), I'd stop bothering with HRT because of this nightmare.

I'm going to run out of Utrogestan on Wed next week and I think there still won't be any available anywhere. I'm already high risk for breast cancer and have increased my risk by starting HRT and now I worry that the lack of progesterone is going to make it even more high risk. But I need to work, and without HRT I can't. Argh!!!

I heard Besin's saying the end of January, and that it would filter down to chemists eventually.
My chemist boots, told me that, while they have stock in at the moment, supply is patchy and they cannot tell what the future holds, not their words, but their message.

I got the impression, all is back to normal, utrogestan wise, but boots cannot predict future problems.

What chemist do you use?

I hope it's not a nightmare, but it's easy to over worry, I certainly did.

Where did you get the information about it becoming available on 13th February? Do you have a link?
I don't know why they just don't manufacture more.

jisudye · 11/02/2023 13:43

JinglingSpringbells · 10/02/2023 17:41

It's not how it's always been, no.

I've used HRT for many years and this is the first time ever there has been an issue with Utrogestan.

It's partly down to all the media 'promotion' of HRT and also that Utrogestan seems to be the default med now for the progesterone part of it.

In the past, when I started using it, the pharmacy often had to order it in simply as there was no demand and they didn't stock it/ much!

Show quote history

I think they will have to manufacture more, to keep up with demand.
That is good for them, though, as they make more money that way.
I hope next time I order there will be no hassle.

jisudye · 11/02/2023 13:44

Flower1970 · 11/02/2023 11:03

I’m in the same boat as you. Self employed and can’t work if my symptoms recur. So it’s extremely stressful. I’m also only prescribed a month’s supply at a time here so it feels like a constant headache. I’m also prescribed Utrogestan by my consultant as part of my endometriosis treatment. So I can absolutely sympathise with you and share your frustration. I can say that when oestrogen was getting difficult to get hold of last year (so I had to keep switching brands) my GP felt that Brexit hadn’t helped because it had affected distribution of meds manufactured in the EU. But that’s just a fact of life now, so keeping everything crossed that things settle. I do get paranoid that we’re being pushed to buy it privately… However, people in this group have been lifesavers - an Angel has already sent me some spare capsules! So don’t lose hope.

Show quote history

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