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Menopause

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Original poster

Lack of 75 patches

31 replies

AyeCarrumba · 18/01/2023 17:02

Ffs
Finally managed to get my doc to prescribe higher dose of oestrogen everol patches and there's a shortage! Chemist has no idea how long it will be.
What can I do 😰

OP posts:
WillowCloud · 20/01/2023 17:06

JinglingSpringbells · 19/01/2023 09:05

You are allowed 3 months' worth of any type of hrt owing to the shortages.
It shouldn't matter if you get this privately or NHS.

For women using Lenzetto, 3 bottles would be 3 months (I assume) based on how much is used per month. If you use a lot per month then you could get more.

The licensing rules were changed last year that enabled pharmacists to substitute alternatives. This is all online for you and them to see. The BMS and WHC have published very detailed lists of what a woman uses and what the equivalents are in case of a shortage.

Your GP doesn't need to be involved. They ought to - if there is an issue with supply- write a generic prescription which the pharmacist can fill.

here- linked for you

thebms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/HRT-Equivalent-preparations-7th-January-22.pdf

This is really interesting. My doctor has specifically prescribed Estraderm MX 75 which is out of stock (I haven't been able to get hold of any since November last year).
Does this mean that pharmacists are able to substitute a similar dose alternative or do I need a generic prescription for them to be able to do this??

JinglingSpringbells · 20/01/2023 17:29

WillowCloud · 20/01/2023 17:06

This is really interesting. My doctor has specifically prescribed Estraderm MX 75 which is out of stock (I haven't been able to get hold of any since November last year).
Does this mean that pharmacists are able to substitute a similar dose alternative or do I need a generic prescription for them to be able to do this??

Show quote history

@WillowCloud I don't have the time to search for this, but when the shortages happened, and they appointed a menopause tsar, there was a directive published for pharmacists under the shortage of medicine rule.

You'll be able to find it with the help of google. "HRT alternatives, instructions for pharmacists" might do it.

Basically, it said that they could sub one patch for another, or one form of transdermal for another without needing another prescription from the GP. The whole point of the directive was to ease the load on women and GPs when there were subs available.

JinglingSpringbells · 20/01/2023 17:38

JinglingSpringbells · 20/01/2023 17:29

@WillowCloud I don't have the time to search for this, but when the shortages happened, and they appointed a menopause tsar, there was a directive published for pharmacists under the shortage of medicine rule.

You'll be able to find it with the help of google. "HRT alternatives, instructions for pharmacists" might do it.

Basically, it said that they could sub one patch for another, or one form of transdermal for another without needing another prescription from the GP. The whole point of the directive was to ease the load on women and GPs when there were subs available.

Show quote history

This covers different gels/ spray etc. It doesn't specify patches.

pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/news/pharmacists-given-powers-to-substitute-hrt-products-facing-shortages

However, I'd have thought that they could subs different patches.

To make it easier your GP could write 'estradiol patches 70mcgs' or whatever the dose. The pharma could give a combo of 25/ 50 etc.
You'd need to ask your GP to do this.

HufflepuffRavenclaw · 20/01/2023 19:18

Patches gone, sorry.

Agree with other advice for the generic estradiol.

Rina66 · 20/01/2023 19:35

I think it depends on the pharmacist, I told mine that I thought he had the authority to substitute one form of patch for another - he said he didn't, so by the time I'd got my GP to reissue another prescription fir what he did have in stock, that was OOS too! So I had to go back to the doctors for a third time, such a waste of their precious time 🙄 in Spain you can buy it over the counter, it's time we relaxed our regulations around certain drugs.

KikoMooCow · 21/01/2023 13:45

HufflepuffRavenclaw · 19/01/2023 08:45

@AyeCarrumba I have messaged you.

🙏🙏🙏

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