How the FLIP do I get hold of prescribed HRT patches?

[Pumpupthejampumpitup]

I’m wondering if I’m missing something wrt getting hold of these?

After nearly driving 60 miles in search of them clutching a paper prescription last autumn (no pharmacy would pick up the phone…) I was recommended to swap across to Pharmacy2U and was told that these guys often get good deliveries of HRT patches and that my problems would be solved.

I requested a repeat in December, and got a note from Pharmacy 2 U that they were unavailable. Had to reapply in January via the surgery and have had the same response. None available.

Im eking these patches out as loooong as possible.

They've now sent me a code for me to traipse around local pharmacies who will dispense them if they have any.

This is crazy!

Would going private help? I’m going to be a massive hot sweaty fog brained mess in the next 10 days.

Any words of enlightenment gratefully received!

Try small village pharmacies.

I recently needed to get hold of antibiotics for Strep A and all the pharmacies in town were out of stock as were their suppliers. Little village pharmacy had some sitting in stock.

Thank you. I’m fairly rural as it is, but am hoping that at least a few of them will actually pick up the phone which should save some driving this time.

Which patches have you been prescribed?

which type?
Estradot has been an issue for years, not just lately.

Your pharmacist has permission from the medicines regulatory authority to swap them for another that is the same just a different brand name.

I'm guessing Estradot too. I've had no problems for the past 12 months getting them but I'm having a nightmare trying to get my gp to prescribe everol which I know my chemist has.

That's really interesting. My chemist told me I'd have to get my go to do another prescription for something else.

If you click on the links within this article for pharmacists, it lists the products.

pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/news/pharmacists-given-powers-to-substitute-hrt-products-facing-shortages#:~:text=This%20means%20that%2C%20if%20supplies,first%20consulting%20the%20patient's%20GP.

It's also about the 'brand' of chemist, not just the locations, because they all have different supplier agreements. Lloyds don't have my estrogen pessary and haven't for ages apparently, but Boots had it no problem (city centre).

That said, the GP changed my prescription from Estradot a year ago or so, I think there's been a lack of that for a while.

Thanks 😊
It was Estrodot. Trying to get Estorel instead as a script, but am now wondering if I go to the right pharmacy they’ll be happy to swap.

Obviously Pharmacy2U aren’t allowed to do this…?

Grrrr. This has been going on for aaaages and I’m down to my last patch. 😱

I couldn't get hold of the first patch that was prescribed due to shortages. Pharmacy told me which one they had, doctor just changed my prescription to that one.

I got estrdot via Tesco pharmacy ...had to wait a coup,e of week but then got a good supply.
My script goes straight there and they message me when it's ready

Ive just picked up a new prescription - they'd sent it straight to Lloyds at the surgery which I'd said not to do as they tend to have shortages, anyway, all fine but it's a different brand again.