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[Peri-wrecked]

Hi again,

Just wondering has anybody switched from patches to pils recently due to patch shortages. I've only been on patches since the beginning of December and already I've been back and forth between brands due to shortages.......
Has anybody abandoned the patches and switches to pills  with mirena coil and found it good??

[Jasmine20]

Hi Peri-wrecked

Where are you in the UK and what patch were you on? Really sorry to hear you've been mucked about. That's not a good start to taking HRT.

I've just started Evorel sequi and had to wait a couple of days for the pharmacy to order them in but there were no problems otherwise.

It's mind-boggling to me how HRT supply seems to vary so much within the same country!

[Peri-wrecked]

Hi Jasmine20,
Thank you for your reply. I'm based in the south west of Ireland in Co. Kerry. I stumbled across this site years ago when I was struggling to get diagnosed with early menopause. I had myself diagnosed before the doctors did.
Anyway, I was prescribed estrodot 75mcg with the mirena coil back in December but pharmacy didn't have that brand so I was given 2 spanish tablets 50mcg+25mcg (patches are huge and don't stick well).  Then, when I went to collect my 2nd dose from the pharmacy the original one I was prescribed and recommended highly was in so I started that one (patches much smaller and actually stick like glue).
Last week my gp upped my prescription to 100mcg patch as she felt 75mcg was too low given my age (38). So, I went to pick that up but it wasn't there so back to spanish brand patches again and they are huge!! Just not sure would it just be easier to take a tablet form and have less of this messing around. What is evorel sequins? Is that a pill form? Does it suit you? I see no difference in my symptoms so far but with all the back and forth it's not surprising.  🙂

[Jasmine20]

I should have been clearer - Evorel sequi is a patch HRT which for the first two weeks is just estradiol and then for the second half of the month is estradiol combined with a progestogen. As you have a mirena you would just need the estradiol patch.

I was on Estrogel and I feel I may have absorbed that better - was that ever an option? My energy is picking up now I'm on my second Evorel estradiol patch but I usually got a real boost from taking the gel.

Now the UK is out of the EU I assumed it would be us having supply issues but of course that depends on where the products are manufactured and distributed.

As you've got a mirena coil it would be ideal if you could stick to transdermal estradiol where possible rather than a pill. Was a gel or spray ever offered?

Perhaps you could have a good chat with a few local pharmacies to compare but I'm really sorry to hear what a muddle this has been for you. The other alternative might be finding an online pharmacy in Ireland.

[Peri-wrecked]

Thanks Jasmine20.
I will definitely go back to my GP for a follow up in a few weeks time.  She seems very knowledgeable so far. My former GP retired and she has taken over but she's very up to date so far.
I did speak with one pharmacist and she mentioned that you could get it in pill form too if the patches didn't work out which is what she herself has done she said. I'll keep going with these ones anyway and see what happens.  I was just a bit curious if swapping between brands would mess me up completely. Curious how others found pill form. Gel has not been mentioned yet. My  pharmacist or gp . But I know i can have it as an option.
Thank you for your advice. I hope you get back to your more energetic self soon. Why did you change from the gel to patch? Hopefully, the UK won't be affected by HRT shortages. Fingers crossed anyway.

[Salad]

Hi - I’d give the manufacturer Novartis a call to see if there any supply issues with the Estradot.

When I last spoke to them they said they were releasing patches each week to their suppliers. The pharmacy then requests from the supplier.
I had problems with two pharmacies saying they couldn’t get it, but the third one has managed to fill my prescription on the last 3 occasions, with no problem.

If you do consider a change from patches, then I’d say go for Oestrogel rather than tablets 

[Peri-wrecked]

Thank you Salad for that advice. I will check around the 3 pharmacies here and see. I hope there are no shortages.
If that fails I will ask for the gel. I'm just praying this works 😁 thank you