HRT - nobody gives a fuck about women

[Missproportionate]

Angry face 🤬

Can't get Estrogen Gel for love or money. Having been on it a year I know I can't function without it - as in I have to lie perfectly still and not move for hours on end due to vertigo, flushes dizziness, palpitations... (not posting for advice as I've done lots of posting about that elsewhere and researched myself coz GPs know fuck all)

I have spent many, many hours I won't get back being misdiagnosed, minimised, etc before finally getting a prescription. Now it's totally unavailable and I have to spend hours on the phone getting GPs and pharmacists to re-prescribe whatever estrogen is available within a 20 mile radius, taking time off work, cancelling appointments for myself and all the people in my family I care for (sandwich generation of course 🙄 - = I provide free care for elderly rels as well as DCs)

I've had it and angry. Aibu to think this is a fundamentally mysoginistic problem I have and I feel like this stuff is being witheld by almost deliberate means?

Even when I do get it they won't give me enough as they are too stupid to do the sums. The pharmacist managed to work it out so I only got 2 weeks worth (when GP agreed to 3 months) and now I'm off on another phone spree round the pharmacies!
Congratulations if you've read all that. I felt this board the only one that will sympathise!

I'm also angry at the general schooling of women into health woo because we don't get our health problems properly addressed and the women I know who won't take HRT and suffer this shit because they 'don't want to take hormones' or 'GP said not suitable for me' or 'I will suffer and then take this ineffective herb and pretend it helps'

Sorry for double post but I'm shouting it from the roof tops irl

I read TW need x8 our max dose. Admittedly on twitter, no idea if correct.

If so that's = 8 women on 100 dose patches.

@WarriorNewAgain stupid question but are transwomen taking the same actual products as menopausal women? You'd need a lot of Estrogel for x8 the dose. I had assumed it would be orally taken but hadn't thought about it TBH

Funnily enough we were just discussing this last night and I said the very same thing at the event I was at - ie that women’s health provision across all ages is woefully inadequate From contraception to to pregnancy to post natal support to menopause. Would definitely be up for putting some pressure about this. Let me gather thoughts around the ask and how we can best agitate. Thanks for all the input. Keep it coming!

Fantastic, this sounds great @JustineMumsnet

Dosage may not be correct - it was twitter

I tried to look on twitter re the hrt shortage, estrodot specifically, and found them all showing off their products, same stuff.

I've just seen a thread on the menopause board where a Gp tried to tell a woman on hrt that she'd have to come off it at 50 and likened it to cocaine.

OP
I am so glad you’ve written this and I could have posted the same, word for word.
I am beyond tired and angry.

I couldn't agree with you more OP and have had the same back and forward trek between GP and pharmacists and really not anyone being remotely helpful. Why are no companies seeing an opportunity here to produce this?

@Missproportionate I just tried googling (didn't really want to!) it wasn't clear, I don't think it's that high but I would imagine it's a hefty dose.

For the last three years plus have been buying online, there's usually one website that has the patches I want in stock. Prices vary but average around £25 per month, which given had to pay a double prescription charge for a month at a time with my gp, is not that far off.
You just have to do an online review thing but can be a little flexible with the truth , ie Last seen GP etc.
I was planning post Covid to go back to GP and get from them but our surgery still only doing phone on day for emergencies and not making appointments in stance so it doesn't seem very doable really.

I'll bet there's no viagra shortages.

Wiki says from 25 up to 400mcg patches. Max dose is more than women get. I am aware of the odd woman being on 200 mcg under specialist supervision. Usually 100.

So yep Twitter was wrong (very sorry!)

I have to say it’s nothing to do with pharmacists. I have spent hours going through endless HRT prescriptions to find the best and most available alternatives for patients. Then we have to spend hours again trying to get hold of a GP to change the prescription for us, it is a nightmare! I would love to be able to give an alternative without having to go through a GP, but I can’t see that happening anytime soon.

Generally speaking, your best bet is to try all small independent pharmacies first as they are likely to be able to get a medication supplied before a chain. These big pharmacy chains have restrictions on what they can and can’t order due to price, whereas independent pharmacies allow it!

Alternatively what you can do, is when you get a new prescription ask the GP to write it generically and not brand specific, because pharmacists can then give you whatever brand they have of that medication.

Its hard with Oestrogel because that is the only one that comes as that strength of 600mcg but you could try Sandrena gel which comes as 500mcg or 1mg. It depends how much you use, the pharmacist should be able to convert there and then for you and give you an appropriate dose.

But for tablet medications ask the doctor to put down the generic name i.e instead of “evorel 100mcg patches”, “estradiol 100mcg patches”, that way you can get whatever brand is available in the pharmacy.

I hope this helps some of you!

I'm not menopausal yet (mid40s) and grateful for those pushing this cause should I need HRT in the future.

I see on Twitter TW saying they love oestrogen for making them like fragile women (great they welcome brittle bones!). I see on here women saying they need it for normal things like being able to concentrate and sleep.
Surely if there's a shortage women must come first?

@JustineMumsnet

Thank you!
I'm not sure I'd still be here without HRT.
It's a godsend

I'm not sure I'd still be here without HRT

this. I cannot state this enough.

It's taken me an age to remember what HRT I'm on.
Its novofem
If you know the generic name please post it. Cos then I can find it again and make sure the GP gets it right.
Asking because I am truly worrying about my next prescription and it's not fun. I have enough going on without this too.

Many thanks.

Yeah, that was me. Just to be fair, he did say he was going to make a silly ('facetious') analogy (one which he may make often so I hope he doesn't stumble across this) and when he'd made it, I pretty much said 'yes, that IS a silly analogy, HRT isn't at all like an illegal street drug!' I also said he told me I shouldn't be on it for longer than 5 years after 50, so please read my post on the menopause forum again.

But my overall experience (with other GPs over the years, not with him in fact, this was the first time I'd seen him about perimenopause) is much the same as many others on here. Badly informed GPs, one who told me very strictly I was NOT in perimenopause because I didn't have a) extremely irregular periods b) hot flushes c) a dry vagina and all the guff about 'not being allowed' to be on it for longer than 5 years (I've heard that from at least two GPs), as well as heightened stroke risk (I've only ever wanted to take transdermal).

We really don't need a 'Menopause Czar' though, we need some evidence-informed, up-to-date thinking and less of a postcode/random lottery. Some women do get the care and information they need without having to fight for it or argue. It's massively unfair that this depends on who you see.

I really understand what you are going through as took me years to get hrt also. Doctor first said I was not in peri in my 40's. Went back last year after years of feeling so out of it and low and no energy and not sleeping. He still would not listen. I went to Wellwoman clinic and got hrt but same as you have had to ring around pharmacists and it is a pain. Was lucky got 3 boxes of Divigel estrogen from one chemist. I even wrote a letter to our health minister not as if that will make a difference. Shocking I agree that women and our health taking so light hearted and so hard to get hrt and then we are left with no product. Can't they just source more or make it in our own countries. Hope you get some more. I have some estrogen patches never used if it would be of any help could post to you. pm if you need them. Is not a bother be happy to help you out.

It's a bad situation. I went to a young woman GP and explained all my menopause symptoms. I was 52. She dismissed my explanations and said it wasn't the menopause, and I only came out with a leaflet telling me who to call if I was suicidal! Went home crying which made me even more certain I needed HRT.

Luckily for me I was able to see a private GP through my husband's work health care and I was prescribed an e-ring which is estradiol. Felt so much better straightaway. Not perfect, still had brain fog and weight gain, night waking for no reason, but it reduced the hot flushes and dryness and totally stopped the constant urine infections.

I agree with the pposter that there is probably no shortage of the medicines men need at a similar age. My husband doesn't have to ring several pharmacies to get his prostate medicines tamsulosin and finasteride.

Ok so yours would be different as Novofem is a combination pill and single pill in one packet and so you would need two separate medications prescribed, however, you can still get that as generic. Do you take 16 days of the red pill (just estradiol) then 12 days of the white pill (estradiol and norethisterone)?

If so then just write this down and ask GP to write a prescription for the following:

Estradiol 1 mg and norethisterone acetate 1 mg tablets x 36 tablets

and

Estradiol 1mg tablets x 42 tablets

These are the quantities they are available in and that would be enough to supply you for 2 months :)

What I would recommend you do is get a prescription for the novofem but also ask for the generic prescription for a back up if the brand novofem isn’t available! GPs SHOULD be understanding and aware of the current HRT issues and do this without a quarrel!

I hope that makes sense!

This is the second month of no Estrogel in my prescription (I use Pill Time). I think I've been very lucky up till now, reading about others' experiences. I'll be asking my GP for alternatives but extremely reluctantly. If alternatives are even available that is 🤷🏻‍♀️

I was told by a younger female gynaecologist that older women only want HRT to make themselves more attractive to younger men!

Then she asked me how long I'd been menopausal as it only lasts four years. That was four years ago and two years into my meno. Five years on, as soon as I try reducing my dose I get a return of my symptoms.

My partner is a little older than me and was recently offered testosterone for his low mood and fatigue. He also had a wink from the doctor as he told him his sex life would also improve.

I wonder if that GP took into account my low libido, anxiety and sore vagina as I try to keep up with his newly invigorated libido before prescribing?

When more middle-aged men discover the joys of male HRT I wonder if they'll suffer shortages?

We're second-class citizens and it's very depressing.

@CheesyWeez As I said in a PP the issue is brands. HRT is commonly prescribed as a brand so you can only have that specific one whereas medication such as finasteride and tamsulosin are generic and there are about 10 different brands available for a pharmacy to give! It’ll be written generically like “finasteride 5mg tablets” therefore we can give whatever finasteride we have in stock at the time. HRT prescriptions are usually branded i.e Elleste duet, so we can only give that brand.

What I would recommend everyone doing is when renewing your HRT prescriptions, ask for the usual brand, but also ask for a generic prescription ontop of it, just in case that brand is out of stock, you’ll then have the generic prescription to fall back on! GP’s should willingly do this as they should understand how hard it can be to get hold of HRT.

I have seen so many patients at breaking point and some even being fobbed off with antidepressants instead of HRT so they have had to go private. The problem is menopause is subjective to us women, so unless the GP has a full understanding of its symptoms or has been through it themselves, a lot of the time there is no sympathy and it is just brushed under the carpet.

@Caminante Using online pharmacies can be tricky as it’s sometimes hard to speak to a pharmacist about what’s going on! What I would suggest is ring some of your local pharmacies and see if they have any in stock, then your GP can print off a prescription for you to take to a pharmacy instead.