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Original poster

Shortage of HRT in the UK

36 replies

JoyceJeffries · 14/07/2019 09:17

Has anyone been affected by the HRT supply difficulties?

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/hormone-replacement-therapy-uk-shortage-women/amp/

I have been tiring with the idea of approaching my GP about stating on HRT as I’m late 40s and generally feel completely shite. However, I had dinner with one of my friends and mentioned it but she then told me she had an awful time trying to source her usual brand

OP posts:
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Cocolapew · 14/07/2019 09:26

I use Everol patches and so far haven't had a problem. My usual pharmacy didn't have them last week but were expecting a delivery, I just went some else that had some.

Original poster
JoyceJeffries · 14/07/2019 09:30

I really can’t decide whether to stay on HRT and get used to feeling not shite and then find lots of supply problems in the future.

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Original poster
JoyceJeffries · 14/07/2019 09:30

Start not stay. Really need to proof read.

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MrsPatrickDempsey · 14/07/2019 09:34

I have been on estrogen only tablets for just over a year. Had trouble sourcing them about 3 months ago but my pharmacy liaised with my GP who re prescribed the same thing but a different brand. Haven't had a problem since. Would be resolved to some degree if GPS prescribed generically.
HRT has been really positive for me. Feel very well.

madcatladyforever · 14/07/2019 09:35

WHAT!!!! Shit I'd better start stockpiling now. I'm on Kliovance and get three months supply at a time.
There will be a lot of angry women storming the local pharmacies if this happens all the time.
Mind you to be honest it's not just HRT, I regularly have to buy my prescription co-codamol online because the chemist has run out. It drives me nuts. I need it or I'm too stiff to work.
It's scary how easy it is to buy too - you only have to say your doctor has prescribed it in the past for you for a slipped disc and you have no other medical conditions and are on no other drugs and it pops through the door the next day.

Original poster
JoyceJeffries · 14/07/2019 09:37

I think I’ll just make an appointment with my GP anyway (although there is a 4 week wait for non emergency appoints. Sigh).
Why can’t I be one of these amazing women who sail through pregnancy/breastfeeding/menopause? It’s always such a bloody drama.

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ixqik · 14/07/2019 09:38

looks like the UK will have some of the same problems trans people are having in Venezuela soon. Of course it will be spun into 'the most oppressed minority' trope.

Original poster
JoyceJeffries · 14/07/2019 09:40

Never actually thought about the trans aspect.
I’m also on thyroxine (no supply issues) and it is no fun being on lifetime medication.

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Nameusernameuser · 14/07/2019 09:40

@madcatladyforever kliovance was out of stock for ages but I'm seeing it prescribed lots at the moment which makes me think lots of others are out of stock, but because it's being prescribed more chances are it'll go out so I'd order early if I were you and stock up a little bit (I work in pharm).

CrotchetyQuaver · 14/07/2019 09:41

My reading of that article is that only certain brands are affected, the ones I use (oestrogel and utrogestan) aren't mentioned as being short. I had problems a few years back getting oestrogen patches (which I do prefer to the gel) so went back the gel and have stayed on it since. So if shortages are what's holding you back, I would ignore that and set about finding out which HRT regime works for you.

FannyCann · 14/07/2019 09:46

Well Dr H was boasting about prescribing Estradiol for a trans patient. Among the responses was someone advising of a national shortage.

Aside of that various drugs suddenly run short in the hospital I work in for various reasons. A couple of years ago there was a national shortage of a commonly used IV antibiotic because there had been a fire at the factory in China that produces it. Seems mad and scary that we might be reliant on one factory in China for an important medication but there it is. Also hospitals and individual wards and departments (at least my hospital anyway) have been stockpiling certain drugs and bits of equipment in preparation for Brexit despite advice not to.

Original poster
JoyceJeffries · 14/07/2019 10:08

It’s all a bit worry drugs shortages. At least HRT isn’t life threatening- I’d just like to not have the constant urge to tell my loved ones “to go and fuck themselves” 😂

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MrsSlocombesPussy · 14/07/2019 10:13

I've just started on HRT and the nurse was telling me there's a supply problem with several medications. The first thing she wanted to prescribe was out if stock.
I was prescribed Evorel 50 patches, and I had to go to 4 pharmacies to get them. They couldn't order any in either, as they were showing out of stock on their computers

Barracker · 14/07/2019 11:11

It seems to be affecting the more standard HRT formulations and not the bioidenticals like oestrogel, estrodot, utrogestan.

When I started hrt I bypassed the usuals and went straight for bioidenticals as my preference anyway, so if you choose to proceed with hrt JoyceJeffries this may be a good option for you.

sackrifice · 14/07/2019 11:13

I've had to change to tablets as the patches are just out of supply.

Bespin · 14/07/2019 11:23

As caused no end of problems at our GP the chemists didn't help either when not informing the GP that it had changed brand and needed a new prescription.

DrSusan · 14/07/2019 14:18

Yep. I’ve not been able to get Ellesse Duet for 6 months and have been prescribed Femoston instead. It might be coincidence but I’ve had some return of hot flushes since the medication change. I feel like it doesn’t suit me as well, although I asked the doctor to check and the formulation was pretty similar and the closest match out of the possible alternatives.

picklemepopcorn · 14/07/2019 14:53

I've had trouble with the two usual brands- took me ages to get started because the five chemists I tried didn't have any and couldn't order it. So GP prescribed an alternative- also couldn't be found. Attempt three- oh no but the first one is in, now. So I was ok for a couple of months, then it went out of stock again. I had a break with none, then started again when it came in stock. Now I get each prescription ahead of time so I have a longer lead up time.

2Rebecca · 14/07/2019 20:58

Yes my patches are unavailable. As I'm now 55 it was the last script I was going to get but annoying I'm stopping a couple of months earlier than I'd planned.

FermatsTheorem · 15/07/2019 07:42

DrSusan - that's interesting. I too still have one hot flush a night with femoston (still much better than without when they're hourly). I was put on femoston after the manufacturers discontinued prempak. I assumed the problem was the lower dosage of oestrogen - but maybe another brand would be better (if I can get it).

I hate to mention the B word (fast track to a thread getting derailed) but is it anything to do with Brexit? A couple of repeat prescriptions ago in the run up to the first Brexit deadline I found myself with a blister pack labelled in Portuguese (which confused the hell out of me because Portuguese names days of the week "first", "second", but they count from Sunday whereas in my head day one of the week is Monday - so I kept getting a day out). I do wonder whether with all the uncertainty (and the rumours that civil servants assigned to hard Brexit contingency planning have been sent back to their regular posts) things like ensuring drug supplies are now in an even shittier mess than they were back in March.

Sicario · 15/07/2019 08:49

Hi OP. Do check with your GP surgery if one of the doctors there has a special interest in menopause. I was really lucky - fabulous GP, same age as me, going through similar - she was really helpful. She said she wished I had come to her years ago as I had been suffering in silence since my late 40s.

DrSusan · 15/07/2019 08:59

FermatsTheorem I wondered that too. I questioned the pharmacist about it and he was a bit vague and said it wasn't that unusual to have supply problems for drugs - I'd never encountered it before, but until menopause, I've never been on any long term medication. It's hard to imagine that Brexit won't make it worse, though.

And yes, the Femoston is certainly better than no HRT at all. I also had hot flushes every hour or so before medication. I'd got so used to not having then at all and feeling normal that even having one or two a day back has taken some getting used to. I've had to hunt my fans out again! But, as I say, I don't know if it's causal or just coincidence.

Hellbentwellwent · 15/07/2019 11:51

I have stage 4 endo and was advised last year to have a radical hysterectomy which would put me straight into surgical menopause. I haven’t had the surgery for fear of hrt shortages. I’m 38 and don’t want to end up spending the next 20 years in fear of being left hormoneless!

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 15/07/2019 12:11

I have been affected by this on my last visit. My prescription has been changed from Elleste Duet to Novofem which appears inferior but has the same active ingredient apparently. I've been taking it for 2 month and it seems to have the same benefit so far. Because I'm only allowed to have 3 months at a time (costing me two prescription charges for the one prescription ffs!) I had better go back and get another prescription early in case out of stock.