Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Kikie on July 25, 2017, 09:58:04 AM
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Has anyone else been told by their doctor (nurse actually) that Oestrogel is no longer prescribed in the UK except by specialists? If so do you know why?
I didnt have much faith in her after she said I should only be on one sort of HRT anyway, that you dont get both progesterone and oestrogen! She wanted me to just use the uterogestan. I have not had a hysterectomy btw.
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Kikie - get a good GP - doesn't sound like nurse knows an awful lot! Not that I'm an expert ;)
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I live in both UK and Spain so am going to try a Spanish doc, see what they say. :-)
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Hi Kikie
I live in Spain & when I first came 6 years ago I was on oestrogel but they didn't do that here in Spain. I took oestrodose which is a much weaker version. But it might have changed since then. Hope you can still get it but I cannot understand why the GPs in UK would stop prescribing it
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They're not paisley - I've a private GP but she said she would rather I got script for nhs GP as I shouldn't need to pay for it - doesn't sound like this nurse is up to date - but maybe I'm wrong?
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DaisyB, me too. I've got a private prescription now but I need to find where I can file it and will be guaranteed that it is oestrogel not oestrodose. I checked the local independant chemists and they all have the oestrodose.
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Have you tried Boots? The could maybe order in? My local chemists have no problem requesting it so I am lucky on that respect. Just need to get down to nhs doc to get sorted ::) 6 week waiting list :o or 2 hour wait in open surgery - not looking forward to that!
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My GP has just prescribed Oestrogel with no problem at all.
Tracey
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Hm. Interesting. I think I might complain about that nurse.
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I get given oestrodose and although it keeps my sweats at bay I notice my mood dips so I decided to order oestrogel privately from a reputable clinic and lo and behold my mood improved again. I'm going to tell dr I need the real McCoy in future
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Kikie, I've just answered your other more recent thread! By the way, you can buy Oestrogel over the counter and without a prescription in Spain. It's called Oestraclin and it comes in a tube in a red and white box. It costs over €9.00 now which is a bummer because it used to cost just over €4.00 - I am hoping it is a temporary computer glitch!
It sounds to me like that nurse was talking rubbish and I wouldn't trust anything she said.
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Hi Annie it's your chemist you need to speak to as it is their suppliers. My script is always for estrogel but for a good few months it was the oestrodose that I was getting. I then noticed I was getting very itchy which for me is a sign my estrogen is low then when it was estrogel I was fine on my normal dose. I spoke to the pharmacist and when they phone suppliers now they make sure it's estrogel they are sending and for this to happen they ask for the uk version and not the French one. My pharmacist said even tho they are meant to be the same obviously something is different as my body is noticing the difference as I had to use more to get the same effect. I also noticed the estrogel is a little bit thicker and pumps out slightly more in a pump than the oestrodose...so doesn't work as good...hope this helps xx
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Thanks Keepgoing. I'll speak to them then. I ordered privately as a test really as I wanted to know for sure I wasn't imagining it and as it was approaching wedding/honeymoon I didn't need a flat mood
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I know what you mean Annie I thought I was imagining it at first but there was a thread on it a while back and I'm sure it was tempest who started it as she thought there was a difference and I think I had realised myself not long before she posted xx
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I remember that but I didn't want to talk myself into imagining it. Oestrodose is definitely more watery than oestrogel and my only difference is a flatter mood but it's a difference I don't want x
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I go to a little independent chemist as the big ones only deal with their main suppliers. The one I go to deals with loads so they always get what your asking for. Xx
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Thing is my scripts are done electronically but I can add a message 'please brand name oestrogel only' but it's sent to the pharmacy linked to the surgery so I'll try that way and hope they do it x
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Annie, I got to the bottom of this before I gave up.on gel. The oestrogel is the old British stock. If you ask the pharmacy to order British stock you will get that one. The oestrodose is the new European stock. The British stock probably won't be available for long. I'm couldn't tell if there was a difference as neither of them worked well for me.
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Oh what ?! So oestrogel is being discontinued?
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No way I can't use the other one...I'm going to pop in my chemist tomorrow and ask...I hope it's not!!
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Let us know Keepgoing please! X
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Hi
I could be wrong but could it be that your local Trust won't prescribe it because it's too expensive. My GP said if I was considering oestrogel and utrogestan then I had to be referred to a menopause specialist. It's all about cost these days.
Pamb x
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Well I went round and asked my chemist if this was true about the oestrogel uk stock being discontinued and she says she hasn't heard a thing about it and if it was she would have known by now xx
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Phew !
Thanks for asking and letting us know xx
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Hello,
I'm a bit confused about this as well. I don't live in the UK, but I used to get Estrogel (which came in a tube) and everything was fine. I was just told in France that Estrogel is no longer available and its all Oestrodose.
The container says the ingredients are the same but it feels different to me.....
Any advice as to where one can find Estrogel and what is going on ?
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I'm not sure. My pharmacy refer to it as the old UK stock. They had to ring around to get it.
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Ok ladies I went to pick up my vagifem this morning and asked the pharmacist about oestrogel. They can still get it and as I've noticed I'm not as good on oestrodose she said make it noted when I request it that it must be oestrogel
Good news x
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Yay...good for you Annie xx
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Thank you ladies ...I will try to find Estrogel somehow. I don't live in the UK so Annie's pharmacy won't work.
But its good to know at least that the Oestrodose/Estrogel difference isn't my imagination.
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Went to my gynae yesterday and she did many of her ladies do not get on with the oestrodse brand , and there is a difference.
I took a picture of the one I wanted and the pharmacist ordered it.
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Really !!
Wow that is interesting to hear !
Thanks Maryjane !
Kkay
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X,I didn't get on with the oestrodose brand, I got the pharmacy to order the other one - which they insisted was the same - I didn't get on with that either.
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I havent logged on for ages and see I have loads to read! Just a quick update - I can get the Uterogestan and Oestrogel over the counter easily here in Spain, as others have said. Still zero libido and not seeing any other benefits other than mostly better VA. I am going to try to find a local gynaecologist privately for a full review. Tried getting it sorted via my Spanish GP but he just looked confused!
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Kikie where in Spain are you ? I can recommend a lady in Alicante.
Suzi
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I'm near Javea. I can do Alicante but it would be easier to get someone around Javea/Denia/Pedreguer area. But thanks!