Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: ATB on April 27, 2022, 11:50:38 AM
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So I have just picked up my first prescription for my Evorel and Utrogestan through NHS after being on it for 8 months through Newson. The doctor has only given me one month. Is this normal? I can’t afford that, that’s why I needed the NHS to prescribe it. It’s almost the same as going private. Why is everything such a god damn pain with the NHS and menopause. They left me struggling for 7 years till I had to go private and now I’ve got to pay every month for this? Im so upset by this.
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Hi you can buy a yearly or 3 monthly prescription prepayment certificate which works out cheaper if you have a lot of prescriptions to buy.
Some GPs will prescribe HRT for 3 months and others will only prescribe 1 month at a time . x
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Thanks Dotty, I haven’t heard of this before and I see it saves me a bit but I may just stick with my private pharmacy as it’s roughly the same but I can get more at a time. It’s insane they think people can pay monthly charges like this. It’s £18 a month for something I need every single month!
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Maybe you could send the DR a message to ask for a 3 month supply and say you cannot afford the prescription charge?
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Yes, I’ve emailed just now and will see what they say. My husband collected it for me, otherwise I would of said something then. I am just shocked that GPs do this, when women need this long term every single month.
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Yes, I’ve emailed just now and will see what they say. My husband collected it for me, otherwise I would of said something then. I am just shocked that GPs do this, when women need this long term every single month.
It is awful. It seemed there is a constant fight when it comes to HRT. I hope your DR agrees to giving you more.
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Thank you. I think I’m just deflated. I was so happy that my new GP agreed to it that I didn’t think to ask how many months were being prescribed. I had a battle with my last one and went private, but thought finally I can get what I need and don’t need to keep using my savings. But this is only marginally cheaper than private. The NHS is so hopeless.
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Thank you. I think I’m just deflated. I was so happy that my new GP agreed to it that I didn’t think to ask how many months were being prescribed. I had a battle with my last one and went private, but thought finally I can get what I need and don’t need to keep using my savings. But this is only marginally cheaper than private. The NHS is so hopeless.
I agree. My surgery are utterly clueless about anything to do with menopause. It is not fair to have to go private.
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It’s really not. I’m probably being silly as I’m overly upset but I’m just tired of the battle. I’m not employed at the moment, we closed our business during lockdown but I’m not eligible for exemptions either so my husband has to pay for this. I hate that. With all the costs going up, I really needed to save money on my HRT. I also pay privately for my thyroid meds and the stress of my finances isn’t helping anything! Argh. What a pain. I got up and did a great strength workout but now I feel crap.
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It’s really not. I’m probably being silly as I’m overly upset but I’m just tired of the battle. I’m not employed at the moment, we closed our business during lockdown but I’m not eligible for exemptions either so my husband has to pay for this. I hate that. With all the costs going up, I really needed to save money on my HRT. I also pay privately for my thyroid meds and the stress of my finances isn’t helping anything! Argh. What a pain. I got up and did a great strength workout but now I feel crap.
I do not think you are being silly. Going through this is hard enough without having to constantly fight for medication and understanding. I am sorry you had to close your business. That must be so stressful.
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Thanks so much. It’s ok, we are much more fortunate than lots of people who lost everything because of covid policy. My husband got a job straight away and we moved to a much cheaper area, we were in London. So I just try and focus on the positive. The move 4 hours away during lockdown with no car was a bit stressful! Esp as we rent. Just not working and trying to finance this gets me down, I don’t like to depend on someone else to pay for medication & everything else, you know? It sucks. I liked being independent and capable and menopause turned me into a dependant.
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Thanks so much. It’s ok, we are much more fortunate than lots of people who lost everything because of covid policy. My husband got a job straight away and we moved to a much cheaper area, we were in London. So I just try and focus on the positive. The move 4 hours away during lockdown with no car was a bit stressful! Esp as we rent. Just not working and trying to finance this gets me down, I don’t like to depend on someone else to pay for medication & everything else, you know? It sucks. I liked being independent and capable and menopause turned me into a dependant.
I understand. It is hard not being independent as you were before. Just think, if it was the other way round, you would pay for any treatment for your husband. You are a team and support each other.
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You’re absolutely right and he never ever thinks of it as anything but our money, he is horrified if I ever say anything remotely like this! But I have been supporting myself since I was 16 when I got kicked out of home, so it just feels…. Lazy. I know it’s not. It’s a thing I need to work through I know. Thanks for being so kind too, I really appreciate the support while I’m having a wobble!
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You’re absolutely right and he never ever thinks of it as anything but our money, he is horrified if I ever say anything remotely like this! But I have been supporting myself since I was 16 when I got kicked out of home, so it just feels…. Lazy. I know it’s not. It’s a thing I need to work through I know. Thanks for being so kind too, I really appreciate the support while I’m having a wobble!
As you have had to always be self sufficient I can understand why this feels somehow wrong to you. I hope in time you can feel more comfortable. You are so welcome. :)
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Mine will prescribe 2 months at a time so it's worth asking but the prepayment certificate may be your best option if they won't.
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My GP just rang. I feel stupid. She got the Utrogestan prescription wrong, so she has changed that no problem so next time I go in they’ll give me 3 months worth. But the Evorel thing is my error. I am used to getting it all from Cloudx or whatever it is and they give me 3 months of patches in 3 boxes so I assumed that’s what I should get and didn’t read the label like a moron! It had 3 months in one box!! I apologised profusely! She did say she could give me 6 months worth if I wanted in future when I’ve been on longer and I’m completely mortified I didn’t read the box properly! Argh! She told me if ever I wanted to know how long it lasted, how many I needed and if it was cheaper with the PCP thing then the ladies at the dispensary know everything about it and they’d help me. My mind is working better but clearly not at top speed yet! So sorry to rant here when it’s my own silly fault! At least the estrogen part. I just had an issue with the private doc not calculating my testosterone needs properly and having to pay an extra prescription charge when I ran out so I think I’m just all over the place with it. I had to recalculate my thyroid med needs recently too so clearly I’m a confused menopausal woman :-\
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My GP just rang. I feel stupid. She got the Utrogestan prescription wrong, so she has changed that no problem so next time I go in they’ll give me 3 months worth. But the Evorel thing is my error. I am used to getting it all from Cloudx or whatever it is and they give me 3 months of patches in 3 boxes so I assumed that’s what I should get and didn’t read the label like a moron! It had 3 months in one box!! I apologised profusely! She did say she could give me 6 months worth if I wanted in future when I’ve been on longer and I’m completely mortified I didn’t read the box properly! Argh! She told me if ever I wanted to know how long it lasted, how many I needed and if it was cheaper with the PCP thing then the ladies at the dispensary know everything about it and they’d help me. My mind is working better but clearly not at top speed yet! So sorry to rant here when it’s my own silly fault! At least the estrogen part. I just had an issue with the private doc not calculating my testosterone needs properly and having to pay an extra prescription charge when I ran out so I think I’m just all over the place with it. I had to recalculate my thyroid med needs recently too so clearly I’m a confused menopausal woman :-\
Give yourself a break please. It is such an easy mistake to make and something I would have done. Good news is, it is all sorted now and the GP was helpful. :) Do not worry about it. We all make mistakes. Last week I accidently put 2 HRT patches on instead of 1.
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Thank you Flossie!! I needed to hear that! I guess I felt bad because she is so nice. I’ll forget about it, my husband says they’ll definitely have more complex patients going through all sorts saying much worse. Which is true. All I said was, I’m upset about this & I’m beating myself up about it!! Lol Oh you put 2 on?? That is something I worry about, or taking too many Utrogestan accidentally. I forgot it at the start and kept waking at 3am wondering what to do?! Ok. So it’s not just me and this is all normal! Thank you again, you’re an absolute star ⭐️
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Thank you Flossie!! I needed to hear that! I guess I felt bad because she is so nice. I’ll forget about it, my husband says they’ll definitely have more complex patients going through all sorts saying much worse. Which is true. All I said was, I’m upset about this & I’m beating myself up about it!! Lol Oh you put 2 on?? That is something I worry about, or taking too many Utrogestan accidentally. I forgot it at the start and kept waking at 3am wondering what to do?! Ok. So it’s not just me and this is all normal! Thank you again, you’re an absolute star ⭐️
Yes, I put 2 on and wondered why I felt in such a good mood. Haha. I was sad to have to go back to 1. I am glad you are not going to worry about this any more. :)
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I have found that before I speak to the GP, it really helps to know the exact quantities needed for 3 or 6 months and to tell them. So, I need 3 pumps of gel per day, which means a gel pump of 64 pumps lasts me 21 days. For 6 months supply I need 8 pump packs or 640g.
When I recently had my 3 month review I had calculated this ahead of the conversation. My first prescription had been for 3 pump packs and 3 boxes iof Utrogestan (90 tablets). When I had the review I asked for a 6 month supply, who’s had wa agreed becaue I was doing well on oestrogel and Utrogestan. However, the Dr didn’t know what a 6 month supply required and without me saying would have given me less oestrogel and I would have had an unbalanced prescription. Because I was able to give specific info,and I confirmed the details with the GP I was able to get a supply of 8 pump packs of oestrogel and 6 boxes of Utrogestan for 2 prescription charges.
Additionally, because of the shortages I had spoken to the pharmacy beforehandto check they had oestrogel in stock. If they hadn’t I would have requested Sandrena instead in my GP appointment. As it was, I have a generic estraodiol prescription which I think fries a bit mire flexibility to the oharmamcist in the event of shortages.
So, my tip,mis do some calculations ahead of seeing the GP so you can ask for specific quantities. Before you leave the meeting, check what the prescription says or ask them to tell you, if it will be sent electronically. If you know what you need, you’ll know if what they are prescribing is correct.
And also, if your GP won’t prescribe more than a month at a time as some find, writing to the GP and practice manager to point out the cost to you of having 6 monthly prescriptions vs 1 prescription that lasts 6 months can help. This is the difference between £18.70 and £18.60x6 for exactly the same quantity if medication to be used across the same period. £18.70 is cheaper than getting a prescription pre payment.
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Hi ATB….You mention thyroid medication….do you have an underactive thyroid? If so, you should get all prescriptions free of charge.
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Chocolate Wombat- great post, thanks. I knew what I needed but didn’t go over the prescription with her- plus I actually got the box quantity wrong! But otherwise great advice. I’m on patches so it’s a little easier but when I was on gel your post would of been helpful. Thanks.
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Dotty- the last doctor I had wouldn’t treat my thyroid because the TSH wasn’t high enough but a private doctor would and did a full thyroid panel. I’m ok with doing that part private because I prefer the options for medication. I just had to change the dose as since HRT my needs have reduced- which is good.