Really bad news for anyone who relies on Estradot

[HufflepuffRavenclaw]

From the British Menopause Society website supply section.

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

Novartis pharmaceuticals
Novartis UK confirms that we will go out of stock on ESTRADOT TTS-50, ESTRADOT TTS-100, and ESTRADOT TTS-25. Based on our current information, we expect that these presentations of Estradot will start to go out of stock from January 10, with supplies returning to normal levels within four weeks. Supplies of ESTRADOT TTS-37.5 are unaffected.

Novartis has responded to the significant and sustained growth in demand for Estradot by increasing production three-fold from 2019 to the present day. Despite expanding supply, we have capacity constraints within the manufacturing plant, which we are working hard to resolve. In addition, other HRT suppliers are having supply difficulties, which has increased the demand for Estradot.

We understand shortages such as these can cause great uncertainty for patients, and we are working hard to resolve this matter as quickly as possible. We have notified the Department of Health who are working with us to look at alternative solutions in the interim.

We encourage any patient affected by this shortage to speak with their doctor or pharmacist for information on available alternative options during this period.

The pharmacy rang this morning to say that my order of Estradot 75 is now in stock. I've been waiting since December and have since been switched to 100s but this is still welcome news.
Last night I had to replace my patch (one of the other brands, I can't remember) a day early because, despite being applied on my bum under my pants, it was flapping off attached only by one edge and had lost any stickiness. They're ok in a pinch but too big and not sticky enough, any movement peels them off.

Just to update, got 1 month of the 25 patches yesterday and an IOU for the rest. Chatting to the pharmacy staff, there were hollow laughs and a ‘tell me about it’ when I mentioned shortages.

Do any fellow Estrodot users have any updates on availability? I'm still waiting to hear back from Boots about half of my prescription as they only had one box a couple of weeks ago. I'm wondering if I should call them or whether I'll just be wasting my/their time if the supply issues haven't been resolved.

I've been checking every day on the online pharmacy which I bought Estradot from last time. Availability has been up and down - you can usually get 25s, 37.5s, 50s but not 75s and I haven't seen 100s for months.

The menopause website said there would be issues with supplies of Estradot for "4 weeks from January 10th" but their website has not been updated since 9th Feb. January 10 was 8 weeks ago and we still can't get patches.

I was given the grand total of 3 patches a week ago; I ordered via the Gp 3 weeks early thankfully, and explained there might be an issue so I was getting "in tbe queue."

There were actually 4 in the box.

I think I've got the rest through this week, I had a message from the pharmacy to pick up yesterday.

It's the 100s I need @HufflepuffRavenclaw . I wonder if I could convince the pharmacist to give me 2 packs of 50s rather than 1 of 100s.
Glad to hear you're getting your prescription @WarriorN .

I've asked the Gp for 50+25 when 75s were out before - you may need to ask for a new prescription though.

Mine are 100s so I hope they filter through to more of you soon.

My local pharmacy has 50s as well as utrogestan, phew. Hope everyone gets stocked up soon.

Here is where your Oestrogen is going: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11841041/Trans-activist-boasts-illegally-supplying-cross-sex-hormones-youth.html

Oh shut up. No it isn't.

It’s true. There has been such a huge increase in men who identify as trans taking it, meaning there is less to go around.

Basic maths.

Wrong.

Demand for oestrogen patches has trebled since 2019. Neatly coinciding with the pandemic. Yes some transgender people use oestrogen, and this is adding to the demand/supply issues. But it would be wrong to say that this is the sole reason for the supply problems, an increasing awareness of symptoms among women and an increasing willingness to try HRT is FAR more of a factor.

And the article you linked to is about Mississippi.

Oh, and as has been discussed on the thread, this current supply issue is with ONE BRAND of patches. No issues with the tablets. Or the gel. Or FemSeven patches. Or Estraderm patches.

it's JUST the Estradot.

I'm as terfy as they come (partly because of the damage it does to your body if you take cross sex hormones at unnatural levels) but I don't believe it's significantly affecting the supply of hrt for women.

In my Local boots I can't get it easily as I know that a local Gp practice is known to be v good on providing hrt for women. The pharmacist described a waiting list of women ahead of me once and suggested I try elsewhere.

Better diagnosis means more prescriptions.

There apparently a cap on the numbers of boxes a pharmacy can be given each month.

My local area is not teaming with trans people at all.

I imagine there's a mixture of factors: increased demand from women (the Davina effect); increasing trans population (I did read somewhere that Oestrogel and Estrodot 100s were the preferred estrogen for trans women - high dose, transdermal, smaller, discreet patch - but I can't remember where I read that); and some logistics issues that I don't really understand.

Whatever the cause, I really wish they would bloody sort it out!

There may genuinely be issues around testosterone.

I've seen comments in the past about shortages. The numbers of trans identifying females are increasing rapidly. They'll also be using higher doses than women. Not many women on hrt use testosterone as well. So those ratios could be more problematic.

Someone elsewhere has said their supermarket pharmacy just had a big delivery. Hopefully coming to others soon

Fingers crossed @WarriorN

I called the chemist and they said they still don't have any Estrodot. They've been ordering it but no stock comes. It's been nearly a month now 😭

That's odd as I picked up the rest of mine last week.

Have you rung around?

I'm glad you got yours @WarriorN . I haven't rung around this time because back in Feb this was the only chemist I could find that had any stock. They only had 1 box so I took that and an IOU for the other box (prescription was for 2 boxes). So I think I'm tied in to this chemist now. They took the prescription when I got the 1 box. I don't think I can use the IOU slip in another branch, can I?

Ah no I don't think so. You could possibly ask for Gp to issue a new prescription; you'd then get what's owed plus if you find it elsewhere.

This happened to me in the summer; one box from Asda and more owed but 2 weeks later I started to panic and asked for a new prescription for everol at my usual pharmacy. Both came through via text on the same day, similar time, which led me to think there's local stock deliveries. I'm ok with everol though I start to get itchy under patches. do notice I'm better with estradot and no itching.

But that's different brand - however I'm sure Gp would do so as some offer 6 month prescriptions.

Thanks @WarriorN .I thought the GP might think I'm selling it or stockpiling or something! I'm Ok on Evorel too. I just much prefer Estrodot.
I might see if the missing box turns up in the next week. If not I'll get back in touch with the GP.

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

21st March update - apparently Estradot is now available. I am yet to see this reflected in supply locally. I really hope this is the end of the serious issues.