Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Teresa on May 16, 2022, 03:00:14 PM
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Hi,
I hope someone can help.
For the past week, my pharmacy has told me there’s a manufacturing delay on Evorel 75. I also take utrogestan continually (I am post menopausal). I’ve got enough for another month, but I’ve been told I need a back up plan if there is still an issue.
I can’t use Estradot unfortunately as I don’t absorb them very well.
Please can anyone recommend an estradiol patch alternative to Evorel, but not Estradot? Preferably one that sticks really well (as good as Evorel & Estradot). I do need it to be the same type of estrogen.
Thankyou,
Teresa
P.S I’m also a bit confused as the menopause society website says there isn’t a shortage….
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There is one called Estraderm.
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Hi Flossieteacake,
Thankyou, have you used them? Do they stick well?
I only ask because I know that one or two alternatives don’t stick well and I’ve been spoilt with Evorel and the Estradot ones as they stick really well.
Thankyou,
Teresa
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I have used all 3 types and have to put a Tegaderm dressing over as I do not find they seem to stick to my skin. I buy them on Amazon and they do not come off unless I try to take them off.
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Hi Flossieteacake,
Thankyou, looks like I might need to get some dressing then :o ….it’s such a pain having these shortages. I don’t have any issues with Estradot or Evorel sticking. I think I did read on here that Estraderm was one of the ones that didn’t stick well.
I am worried I might not absorb it as well. I can usually tell pretty quick. It’s such a faff having to keep going back to the GP as they have to keep doing new prescriptions when these are out stock…
Have you tried any others?
Thankyou,
Teresa
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It is a worry with all these shortages. I do not know if it is possible to check pharmacists in your area? I think Boots do a prescription checker. It should absorb just as well as it is the same ingredient, just a different brand. It is annoying having to go back to the GP. If only they could not issue a prescription asking to be prescribed whichever is in stock! I have not tried any others.
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They’re available on the international pharmacy online, you need to show them your prescription. I’ve checked just now and there is no official notice showing a shortage in Evorel 75 or any others.
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Thanks ATB,
The pharmacy has my prescription, but I’m sure I can easily get it. I have rung round a few other pharmacies and they’re all having trouble too.
Have you ever used this pharmacy? I am wary of ordering from pharmacies on line, I have to admit as I did order some Evorel off of one ( that had good trust pilot reviews) and when it arrived, it had one month until expiry. I didn’t use it in the end as the packaging was different as well.
I did see the menopause society website is showing it’s in stock, but I think their last update was 3/5 and perhaps the shortage has happened since then…
I was hoping someone could recommend one that they know sticks well…I’m hoping there is such a thing…
Thankyou,
Teresa
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Thankyou Flossieteacake,
I will look at the boots checker….yes it is annoying that I have to get a new prescription, the chemist insists on it . ???
I was hoping that someone might be able to advise on one that was estradiol that they know does stick, but I had better get some of that dressing just in case then….
I thought the Estradot would absorb the same as it was the same ingredient, but it was very different. Within three days my top lip was covered in hairs that I hadn’t seen fior months and I felt much lower and to top it all, then the hot flushes came back. I then had to get another prescription as the Evorel had come back into stock - it was a right faff!
Thankyou for all your help,
Teresa
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I checked the manufacturers updates and a month ago they said all its products are in good supply, they saw no supply issues based on current demand ( one month ago ) so if it is affected it may be that women on estrogel have switched? I just can’t see it massively changing in one month. Have you thought of contacting the manufacturer directly? It might be worth it.
I haven’t used international pharmacy but the reviews on trust pilot look good. Totally up to you.
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Hi Teresa, I suggest you ask for a prescription for Evorel 100 since you get on well with Evorel and simply cut 1/4 off the patch. This is what the British Menopause Society recommends as ‘workarounds’ when there are shortages x
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Hi FloraDora,
That’s a good idea :) I didn’t think of that. At least I know that I will get on with it.
Thankyou very much,
Teresa
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Hi ATB,
All good ideas too….I shall see what I can find out. I really wish we didn’t have these difficulties. You might be right about the oestrogel issue affecting women too and them switching. A lot can happen in a month as well. Thanks for all your ideas ATB, you’ve certainly given me some ideas.
Thankyou,
Teresa
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Well I've just found out there's no Estradot 50 in my area, my chemist just didnt think to let me know and cant say what patches they do have? Now I have to go back to GP tomorrow and get a paper perscription to chase around other chemists in the area? Must be a better system than this!
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Boots ran out of Ovestin , I've got to wait until the end of this month for my prescription. Luckily I hsve a tube in hand.
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Higher, your pharmacy should be able to give you the bar code for your prescription, then you can ring around your local pharmacies and if they have it, give them your bar code which will bring up your prescription on their computer
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Hi Higher,
Oh No :o yes, there must be a better system than this. I don’t think the pharmacists treat this like ‘normal’ medicine, if you know what I mean. I know mine doesn’t. When I looked in horror that there was this shortage, he just shrugged and said I needed to get a ‘back up’ plan in place, as if it was easy to just chop and change patches. It isn’t >:(
Teresa
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Hi Deirdre,
Hopefully they might get some more in when you’re coming to the end of your tube….fingers crossed.
Teresa
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Got a text today my Ovestin was ready for collection. Must have just ran out and not a shortage thank goodness. Made me think though how I'd manage without even for a short while, i need it everyday.
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I'm on Estraderm 75, been on it 2yrs. As long as you wash the area with Simple soap, dry thoroughly apply and hold in place 30 seconds they stick like superglue. I put them on alternate bum cheeks and they stay on in hot baths, showers etc. Don't use any type of shower gel, or soap that contains moisturizer.
Lillith
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Hi Lilith,
Thankyou….that’s good to know about the Estraderm :)
I did the Boots prescription checker thingy, and it said that a local boots has Evorel in stock, I’ll try and get mine from there….if not, I’ll go back to my GP and ask for a prescription of Estraderm.
Thankyou,
Teresa
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Glad to hear you might be able to get it from elsewhere. It’s a terrible worry all these shortages, we shouldn’t have to worry about essential medication!
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Hi All,
The Boots prescription checker is sadly out of date :( I called round about four or five different pharmacies all showing they had Evorel75 a couple of days ago and they were all out of stock and said there were manufacturing delays.
I know the government are trying to do something about it by creating a list of HRT that is out of stock so that Pharmacies can swap to alternative HRT, but only the estregen gel is on this list so far. It seems, from what I read, that they are pushing for pharmacists to swap ladies who were on the gel, to patches. This is now having a knock on effect it appears and I suspect it won’t be long before all the different patches become hard to get as well….but I’m ever the optimist :o
I may have to resort to buying on line and have been passed details by a lovely lady on here of a pharmacy that seem to have them….I shouldn’t have to buy them though, as I still have an unfulfilled prescription, but I may have to….
Teresa
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Hi,
I hope someone can help.
For the past week, my pharmacy has told me there’s a manufacturing delay on Evorel 75. I also take utrogestan continually (I am post menopausal). I’ve got enough for another month, but I’ve been told I need a back up plan if there is still an issue.
I can’t use Estradot unfortunately as I don’t absorb them very well.
Please can anyone recommend an estradiol patch alternative to Evorel, but not Estradot? Preferably one that sticks really well (as good as Evorel & Estradot). I do need it to be the same type of estrogen.
Thankyou,
Teresa
P.S I’m also a bit confused as the menopause society website says there isn’t a shortage….
I believe theramex make them, https://www.theramex.com/news/theramex-response-to-uk-hrt-shortages/
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Hi Teresa, I suggest you ask for a prescription for Evorel 100 since you get on well with Evorel and simply cut 1/4 off the patch. This is what the British Menopause Society recommends as ‘workarounds’ when there are shortages x
I cut a quarter off 100mcg when moving to 75, no shortage, it worked out ok with evorel.
I am now on 25mcg.
I have a mini stockpile, about 1.5 boxes extra, bought privately, paranoid about shortages, but I guess missing a dose as small as 25mcg won't affect me, as I bled on 50mcg, and I only get sweats, and poss IBS
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Well I've just found out there's no Estradot 50 in my area, my chemist just didnt think to let me know and cant say what patches they do have? Now I have to go back to GP tomorrow and get a paper perscription to chase around other chemists in the area? Must be a better system than this!
Can you try boots prescription checker to see local stock?
Handy
https://www.boots.com/online/psc/
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Glad to hear you might be able to get it from elsewhere. It’s a terrible worry all these shortages, we shouldn’t have to worry about essential medication!
I'm autistic and one of my "quirks" is fear of running out of anything. Especially needed stuff like meds, I cannot wait till I am not reliant on pharmacies.
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Hi All,
The Boots prescription checker is sadly out of date :( I called round about four or five different pharmacies all showing they had Evorel75 a couple of days ago and they were all out of stock and said there were manufacturing delays.
I know the government are trying to do something about it by creating a list of HRT that is out of stock so that Pharmacies can swap to alternative HRT, but only the estregen gel is on this list so far. It seems, from what I read, that they are pushing for pharmacists to swap ladies who were on the gel, to patches. This is now having a knock on effect it appears and I suspect it won’t be long before all the different patches become hard to get as well….but I’m ever the optimist :o
I may have to resort to buying on line and have been passed details by a lovely lady on here of a pharmacy that seem to have them….I shouldn’t have to buy them though, as I still have an unfulfilled prescription, but I may have to….
Teresa
That sounds a bit grim.
Let's hope it does not come to that.
I have a bottle of gel that I do not use, if anybody wants to PM me first come first served.
Luckily I am on the 25 EVOREL so is that runs out I hope I can do without. I do get night sweats and need a fan however I hope that if they do run out I will be okay, this is a pessimistic attitude.
The really bad shortages got sorted out before, I am sure they will sort something out. Some women cannot use patches and need gel.
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Hi All,
The Boots prescription checker is sadly out of date :( I called round about four or five different pharmacies all showing they had Evorel75 a couple of days ago and they were all out of stock and said there were manufacturing delays.
I know the government are trying to do something about it by creating a list of HRT that is out of stock so that Pharmacies can swap to alternative HRT, but only the estregen gel is on this list so far. It seems, from what I read, that they are pushing for pharmacists to swap ladies who were on the gel, to patches. This is now having a knock on effect it appears and I suspect it won’t be long before all the different patches become hard to get as well….but I’m ever the optimist :o
I may have to resort to buying on line and have been passed details by a lovely lady on here of a pharmacy that seem to have them….I shouldn’t have to buy them though, as I still have an unfulfilled prescription, but I may have to….
Teresa
Hi All,
The Boots prescription checker is sadly out of date :( I called round about four or five different pharmacies all showing they had Evorel75 a couple of days ago and they were all out of stock and said there were manufacturing delays.
I know the government are trying to do something about it by creating a list of HRT that is out of stock so that Pharmacies can swap to alternative HRT, but only the estregen gel is on this list so far. It seems, from what I read, that they are pushing for pharmacists to swap ladies who were on the gel, to patches. This is now having a knock on effect it appears and I suspect it won’t be long before all the different patches become hard to get as well….but I’m ever the optimist :o
I may have to resort to buying on line and have been passed details by a lovely lady on here of a pharmacy that seem to have them….I shouldn’t have to buy them though, as I still have an unfulfilled prescription, but I may have to….
Teresa
That sounds a bit grim.
Let's hope it does not come to that.
I have a bottle of gel that I do not use, if anybody wants to PM me first come first served.
Luckily I am on the 25 EVOREL so is that runs out I hope I can do without. I do get night sweats and need a fan however I hope that if they do run out I will be okay, this is a pessimistic attitude.
The really bad shortages got sorted out before, I am sure they will sort something out. Some women cannot use patches and need gel.
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Hello,
I contacted the manufacturer directly, please see their reply to me below:
> Thank you for contacting Theramex and for your enquiry related to the availability of Evorel 75 and 50.
I can confirm that they are no supply or manufacturing issues related to Evorel 50 and it is available. you can obtain it through your local pharmacy by contacting Alliance Healthcare using their usual channels.
Please also be informed that there are no supply or manufacturing issues related to Evorel 75, however we are currently facing some delivery delays which may have affected the availability of the product. We are currently expecting product to be available for pharmacies to order from the wholesaler by the end of this week.
As a women's health company, I can assure you that we are working hard to keep the product in steady supply, and can only apologise for this delay. <
Hope this is helpful. It’s not right that supplies run this low that a delivery issue can mean women won’t have what they need. I’ve told them this, and I’ve asked them to run daily supply updates, or at least weekly, on their own website. I want to know why there isn’t some kind of system where GP prescriptions are entered so that any uptick in prescriptions is recorded and that data is available immediately to manufacturers, which then results in an increase in production. This isn’t hard.
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Hello,
I contacted the manufacturer directly, please see their reply to me below:
> Thank you for contacting Theramex and for your enquiry related to the availability of Evorel 75 and 50.
I can confirm that they are no supply or manufacturing issues related to Evorel 50 and it is available. you can obtain it through your local pharmacy by contacting Alliance Healthcare using their usual channels.
Please also be informed that there are no supply or manufacturing issues related to Evorel 75, however we are currently facing some delivery delays which may have affected the availability of the product. We are currently expecting product to be available for pharmacies to order from the wholesaler by the end of this week.
As a women's health company, I can assure you that we are working hard to keep the product in steady supply, and can only apologise for this delay. <
Hope this is helpful. It’s not right that supplies run this low that a delivery issue can mean women won’t have what they need. I’ve told them this, and I’ve asked them to run daily supply updates, or at least weekly, on their own website. I want to know why there isn’t some kind of system where GP prescriptions are entered so that any uptick in prescriptions is recorded and that data is available immediately to manufacturers, which then results in an increase in production. This isn’t hard.
It's been a right faff for you.
Thanks for posting this.
Best of luck with getting what you want as it is a headache worrying about running out.
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Thanks Dandelion, fortunately I am on evorel 50, I switched from gels last December. I was enquiring for those here searching for evorel 75. Hope it helps someone
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Thanks Dandelion, fortunately I am on evorel 50, I switched from gels last December. I was enquiring for those here searching for evorel 75. Hope it helps someone
Me too, I hope the shortages are resolved as there doesn't really seem to be any reason for them.
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Hi All,
Thankyou so much for all your replies and ATB too, for contacting Theramex - I did too and I actually got the same reply :) I didn’t realise I had any more replies to my post, so apologies I hadn’t come back on here, I thought I’d moved to another page and had become ‘history’.
The Boots prescription checker sadly can’t be trusted, it is a little out of date unfortunately, by the way.
I called my pharmacy just now and they have them back in stock - phew!
I hope any others manage to get theirs too…..all this worry isn’t good for us.
Teresa
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Oh I’m glad you can get them Teresa! Thank goodness.