HRT still not available

I had the same issue - left it to the last minute, expecting no problem with a refill of my prescription, to discover none of the local pharmacies could get it! I did eventually manage to get another product which seems to have the same ingredients, but yes, how ridiculous! Why can't UK companies produce the tablets?

Which HRT? I’m on Premarin and there wasn’t any problem when I ordered some a couple of weeks back.

I can’t see why Brexit is causing a problem when it hasn’t happened yet.

Estelle, NfkDumpling. My doctor said many HRT tablets are currently unavailable. When I asked why he stated that there was not a manufacturing problem. When I asked what was the problem he said Brexit. He has nothing to gain by saying that. He could have annoyed me if I was a leave voter. Why say it? I believe him. He is an excellent Doctor.

This might be a good point to consider moving away from oral HRT to trans dermal such as patches, gel or implants.
The problem with pills is that your liver works really hard to remove them from your body (referred to as the first pass through the liver) so a large dose needs to be provided.
With medication absorbed through the skin a much smaller dose is needed.
I have no idea whether patches etc. are also in short supply. It would be worth checking.

I remember the time that my implant was unavailable. The nurses at the clinic still tell the story of how scared they were confronted by menopausal women demanding to get their medication. Menopausal rage is a force to be reckoned with!!!

Esspee, my Doctor suggested I might have to go for patches as apparently they are not in such short supply.

I was told on good authority that a lot of the drug companies are German and they are deliberately holding back supplies in an effort to demonstrate what may happen if we leave the European union

Why would they do that and lose business/profit? Makes no sense at all!

Many if the heart drugs we use are made in Spain, and this could be an issue.

I don’t honestly think supplies are being held back, but the NHS etc has been told by the government to stock pile as much as they can. That is what is making supplies short

For tose of us who use Vagifem, there's only one company that make it - in Norway.
Though I think I read that an american company was going to start.

Yes it's made by Novo Nordsk and a company in New Jersey USA.

There are lots of posts on menopause matters re some patches being unavailable, mainly femseven conte, and evoral conte, also femosten, [i think those are tablets though] but my daughter has managed to get her Femseven Conte, and our chemist say they have plenty, but some women cant get any, so yes there is a shortage of patches
The manufacturers of these has said they are stopping production until 2020 and the hold up is because they are having problems with the adhesive,

I was in a pharmacy today waiting fo a prescription - took about 20 minutes - and in that time I witnessed five people being told that an item was not available and the particular pharmacy could not get supplies - one person was told to ring round and see if another pharmacy had supplies but most were told to make a doctors appointment to ask for a substitute medication.

Welshwife, I am in Wales. My local pharmacy has told me his HRT medicines have been on order since Christmas. I cannot get my normal prescription in North Wales. My sister tried local pharmacies near Welshpool and she was told there are no patches or oestrogen only tablets available. I really do not want to go cold turkey. I am finding the whole situation extremely stressful.

I think Premarin is Canadian. I haven’t had any problems so far.

In the past when a doctor told me I should stop, I have dropped down from one pill a day to one every three days. I was told not to come off quickly and allow several months if possible. It may be an idea to drop your dosage and stock pile a bit. Another doctor told me the pros outweighed the cons so I’ve stayed on it.

"Amendments to the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013 have been laid before Parliament.

Due to come into force from Monday 1 July 2019, these amendments will introduce the Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) into the terms of service for NHS community pharmacies. This means that, where an SSP is in place for a particular product, a retail pharmacy business or a dispensing appliance contractor must consider supplying in accordance with the SSP rather than fulfilling an NHS prescription for that product. It may, instead of fulfilling the NHS prescription, supply a different product, or a different quantity of the ordered product, in the circumstances and subject to the conditions set out in the SSP.

SSP legislation was first introduced in February 2019, as part of (but is not dependent on) no-deal Brexit planning, to enable the Health and Social Care Secretary to put in place alternative arrangements for supply where a drug or appliance is ordered on prescription but there is, or may in the future be, a serious shortage of that drug or appliance.

Further information on SSP is available from English pharmacy negotiator PSNC."

I guess it makes sense to plan for no-deal, but shortages at present are nothing to do with Brexit, other than pharmacies stockpiling to ensure continuity of supply, against government recommendations. The situation was bad in January preparing for March, but has eased a bit now. If their stockpiling means we are running short, perhaps they are overdoing it!

Sorry to hear those of you on HRT might be having difficulty getting supplies. But please, please consider carefully which type of HRT you take
horsefund.org/pmu-fact-sheet.php

It is terrible for these poor horses,and i have even refused any of the HRTs which are produced this way,but i was reading only yesterday that the others are tested mainly on rabbits, also rats and other small mammals
I didn;t think about this before, but what i read shocked me
I always try to buy cruelty free products

I’ve tried other suitable chemical HRT alternatives the doctor suggested nightowl but none worked. I have halved my dosage successfully but less than that and I turn into the Bitch From Hell.

It is a while since I asked for an alternative and if there’s a new doctor I will try again. They all seem to have their favourite makes of everything.

Difficult NfkDumpling I do sympathise

I understand the patches are much safer, but when I last asked I couldn’t get anything at all then some tablets were found. I have to have at least 2 weeks off work if any medication is changed so its gonna be a pain in the backside if I have to keep swapping because my usual tablets are unavailable. How can the NHS let this continue?