Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: CrispyChick on September 29, 2020, 01:39:30 PM
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I'm in scotland - lothian health board. I have just asked gp to start hrt on gel and utrogestan.
Just received the phone call that she hasn't yet got permission to prescribe utrogestan. Meno clinic won't support it.
I know there have been chats about this before. I've had a quick search around and it seems Glasgow and others will prescribe. Has anyone got round this? How do I fight for it???
Thanks.
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Hi Crispychick,
I am in Grampian Health Board area and my gp said she was allowed to prescribe that combo as I had already tried 2 other HRTs that didn’t suit. Not sure if that’s the general rule or not?
The Utrogestan didn’t suit me either as it turned out but I thought the “green” prescription list was Scotland wide and not just by health board. I would ask for a detailed written explanation of why you can’t be prescribed it.
Hopefully someone else will be able to give you further info on here. X
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Morning, I’m in Glasgow and have just started taking Utrogestan tablet (with everol 50) which was recommended by GP. I’ve tried various different types of HRT and bleed on all of them so this is the attempt at getting it right! Can I ask why it’s not being prescribed by some health boards ie is there something I should be aware of.
Thanks
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From what I understand, from this forum, and online research, the decision by some Scottish health boards to prevent prescribing, is purely economic.
I can see there have been discussions on this forum previously. My question here is, did anyone succeed and how did they get prescribed?
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If I'm not mistaken, the owner of this website is a Gynaecologist based in Scotland so maybe she's the best person to answer these questions?
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Hi
I'm in Forth Valley. I asked for it, unsuccessfully, 3 times last year.
I was eventually told that if I went private for the first consultation and the private specialist recommended it, then my surgery could continue to prescribe it on an ongoing basis afterwards. So that's what I did.
The private specialist has been amazing too. So it was definitely worth doing. xx
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Hi Catcc, that's very useful information, thanks. Well done :great:
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Thank you. Good tip. It shouldnt have to Come to this, but unfortunately does.
Could I ask who your private specialist is avd where they are based Catcc? Might need that in future... 😁
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Hi
I did a video consultation with the newson clinic. My friend went to a Meno specialist in Edinburgh. I can't remember her name just now but I can find out as she texted me the details a while ago. I'll have a look for it and post here again.
One of the advantages of going private is the amount of time you get for the consultation. A GP appointment just isn't long enough.
Menopause is costing me a fortune :-)
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My friend went to Rosemary Cochrane at the Edinburgh Clinic. X
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Thanks Catcc. Much appreciated.
I had an hour long phone call with the NHS meno clinic a few months back. I thought that was quite good, but ultimately they passed me backk to gp for prescribing and now they're saying no to gp about utrogestan 🤷♀️. My gp is lovely, but she can only take their advice!
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Did Meno clinic suggest something else?
I was really impressed with the newson clinic.
Good luck
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PS glad you've got a good GP. Mine has been good too .... but she's retiring in a few months :-(
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I've tried many different combined pills, with awful side affects. Meno clinic suggested I try the ring of patch, failing that back to gp for hrt.
The ring was dreadful.
So now hrt.
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Seconding an online consultation with Newson Health (wouldn't matter that they are based in Manchester and Stratford) and asking them to prescribe the utrogestan privately for you? There would be a dispensary fee and postage, but you'd get it.
I know none of this exactly comes cheap and we shouldn't have to do it. >:(
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I was prepared to pay for the first private prescription, but when I told the specialist that my GP was supportive of me going private, she offered to send me a letter (coped to my GP) with details of consultation and her prescription recommendations. My GP then wrote me the first prescription. The only downside was that the process took a lot longer that way.
Good luck with everything!
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Hi Catcc, thanks for your very informative posts.
Has your GP mentioned why Utrogestan is not regularly prescribed in some Scotland NHS boards?
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Thanks ladies.
I had the official phone call from surgery today to tell me utrogestan can not be prescribed. I'm speaking to the gp next week and I will push. I've also done a freedom of info request on the health board to get evidence that it is 'sometimes' prescribed.
So, from what you are saying, a private clinic could prescribe and then NHS lothian would agree to future prescriptions 🤔.
Thank you. X
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Hi ladies, a lovely GP, who happens to be a friend, has told me Scotland doesn't prescribe Utrogestan regularly because it costs NHS Scotland an extra amount of £15 a year... :o
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Hi
That's what has happened to both me and my friend. We went private first and now local surgery prescribe it on NHS. I don't know how this would be in Lothian.
Hi Uptick. My doctor didn't really discuss it much with me. In the end I just took the plunge and did what my friend did and went private.
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Hi Catcc, thanks. Hope you can get it for as long as you need.
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Thanks. So do I :-) x
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Hi there,
Wondering if any updates on this subject? I'm still having to go private to receive Utrogestan in Lothians.
I'm interested to read that some people say a letter sent from private gynae to GP enabled them to achieve Utro on NHS.
I wont start ranting on the continuing inequity as I've done so in many previous threads! Hoping one of these days for a breakthrough 🐾C
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Hi. No update from me yet. I'm still in HRT limbo.
I'm my case, I think I probably jumped the gun. I asked for utrogestan as it is more body equivalent, but despite trying numerous contraceptive pills, and therefore many progesterones, I haven't actually tried HRT yet. So I guess I am willing to try an alternative.. First.
Thatvsaud, I'm speaking to GP next week avd I will ask how I could get utrogestan if I feel I need it... I'll ask about the private route and if she would prescribe thereafter.
I am still awaiting my FOI request where I have asked how many times utro has been ores ribed for hrt purposes in lothian. I'm determined to prove they will do it sometimes!!!
With all the shortages I'm totally shocked they are not making exceptions.
What is your experience in lothian Callisto? And who do u see privately for it?
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Hi CrispyChick, I thought you would be interested in this response from Lothian NSH Board regarding what drugs have been approved to be prescribed under Individual Patient Treatment Requests (IPTRs), because Oral Utrogestan is one of them (Application Number 14/173).
https://org.nhslothian.scot/FOI/RequestAndResponseRegister/FOIs/3783.pdf
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Thank you Uptick. I had seen that FOI whilst googling, but I think utrogestan can be prescribed for other purposes.
Anyway, I now have a response to my FOI and each year utrogestan has been prescribed many times as part of an HRT regime in lothians.
Between 2016-2020 there havd been 495 patients prescribed Utrogestan, as part of their HRT in lothian health board.
I'll be putting that to my GP. They obviousky do prescribe... How you get there, I do not know!!!! But I like being armed with at info.
Get fighting ladies!!!!
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I have spoken to my Gp. She is lovely. She says she will prescribe me utrogestan if that's what I choose.
I'm actually going to try femoston first, but with gel and utrogestan as my reserve.
I am Lothian health board. See the results of my FOI request above. Lothian have ores robed Utrogestan to 485 patients, as part of HRT.
Clearly they can prescribe it!!!!