Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Apple on March 12, 2024, 07:07:45 PM
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I know a number of products have supply issues. Is anyone else having a problem getting Ovestin cream?
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Im.doing ok at my surgery, I need to use it every night, so my gp upped my prescription to two Tu bes\boxes a month. To those an hour 2 weeks ago
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Oh tnx for the heads up!
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I've been told it's not available to order and to go back to the GP and ask for an alternative. I really can't see that there is an alternative cream for external use that's the same.
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Have U heard of 'yes' and 'sylc' products? I use KY Jelly externally which works 4 me.
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I have been using YES for a few years and firefighting burning and itching with other creams. In the end I though lack of Oestrogen is the problem so why not try that. I bought Ovestin online and have been on it for a month. It's worked much better. I only need it externally. I decided to ask for it on prescription but was told by the chemist it's not available to order. It still seems to be available online to buy though. I'm already on Kliovance hrt and internally I am OK. I tried vagifem in the past but that gave me issues with thrush. I can see me having to buy it at this rate.
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Ovestin is no longer available under that name. It has been substituted with Estriol 1g cream. Information from the Vaginal Atrophy Facebook Support Group.
JP x
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Is that the same strength as the original one?
I got my private prescription tubes , and they have a sticker over the tube, I think it's a German made version? Says it's manufactured in the EU and repackaged under PL?
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Just to say that I have just picked up my prescriptions last week including 3 tubes of ovestin. Had to wait a couple of days for the pharmacy to get it in so it must be still available in some areas :)
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So the Ovestin I bought online around a month ago may be old supplies then? It appears Ovestin comes in 15g tubes and costs between £20 and £25. Estriol comes in 80g tubes and costs about £50. I just hope I can be prescribed the more expensive one. The 15g tube I have had for a month is only half gone so I won't be filling the prescription too often. I notice there seems to be a difference in the dosage also.
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Medications have a long life so it isn't like to be old stock. Simply relabelled ::). Tnx Joaniepat.
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Don't think it's the NHS replacing Ovestin for a cheaper version in this case, looks like there's a shortage again. Read this on the net from a while ago:
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification for Estriol (Ovestin®) 1mg cream. Estriol (Ovestin®) 1mg cream is experiencing intermittent supply issues until July 2022. A Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP) was issued on 29/04/2022.
You can still buy online for around £20.
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:thankyou: stuck in the Suez Canal then ?
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Thanks Joaniepat. Will have to see what I get in next repeat prescription.
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I just got some today. No problem.
From reply above, supply issues until July 2022? That's two years ago.
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I just got some today. No problem.
From reply above, supply issues until July 2022? That's two years ago.
Yes, it seems to be happening again, just pointing out it has happened before. Women are asking for this kind of medication more now than ever before so supply isn't meeting demand. There are shortages with other forms of HRT too.
Problem is though the alternatives aren't always as good or don't suit you so it's back to finding one that does again. Hopefully they will start producing more.
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:thankyou: stuck in the Suez Canal then ?
Doubt it would be there CLKD, it's made in Dublin Ireland, unless that's just where it's packed.
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Well toothpaste is now manufactured in China :o
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Just to clarify re estriol vaginal cream.
Once upon a time there were two branded estriol creams - Gynest and Ovestin. Gynest was 10 x weaker than Ovestin, at 0.1 mg per g ie 0.01 %. Ovestin is (was?) 1 mg per g ie 1 %. The dosage for the Gynest cream was much greater than for Ovestin (because it was weaker) so it could therefore easily be used more liberally without messing up the dose.
Some years ago Gynest was discontinued and replaced with a generic version (well so I thought but I've just looked it up and it seems to be there again!) - exactly the same formulation that I could make out - and just called Estriol cream. Same dose, same effect as Gynest.
Fast forward to now and I see that the same thing has happened to Ovestin - now discontinued as a brand name but replaced with a generic, exactly the same formulation and dosage. Unfortunately also called Estriol cream.
[I think to do with expiry of patent? Like happened with Vagifem and also Utrogestan? So the company which developed it originally no longer has a monopoly on production.]
This means now, as I understand, both are called Estriol cream but at two different concentrations and dosages, and therefore it is important to specify which you want. The original 0.1% Estriol cream is just called Estriol cream, and the stronger (Ovestin) 1 % cream is called Estriol 1 mg/g Cream https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/5384/smpc
For those on repeat prescriptions, the pharmacy should know what doses these creams are and just change your prescription from Ovestin to Estriol 1% and I suggest anyone concerned should check their repeat to ensure they are prescribed the right one.
So there you have it!
Hurdity x
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Thanks I for one will now put my reading glasses on and check the packet before I leave the pharmacy next time.
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Thanks, Hurdity :)
Those who have Ovestin as a brand name specified on their repeat prescriptions may need to get their surgeries to change it to Estriol cream 0.1%.
JP x
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Tnx all. It's usual for companies to take over production once patents have run out.
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Thanks for your replies. I would never have found out all this without your help.
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Bumped for Bella247
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Thankyou for the info. I'm going to check tomorrow even though I don't need it yet as I don't want to run out and not be able to get anymore. It can be called Ronald Mcdonald for all I care as long as it does the same job.
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I can't find anything online about the issue with Ovestin. A well kept secret perhaps!
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Bumped for Bella247
Thank you so much! I’m picking up the generic version today. I bloody hope it works x
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Bumped for Bella247
Thank you so much! I’m picking up the generic version today. I bloody hope it works x
I have different versions of vagifem each time. All 3 are fine for me so hopefully its the same with ovestin. I have wondered about supply when so many of us are becoming more clued up about treatments in menopause.
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My new script states 'estriol' ...........
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Looking at the link it's still marketed by Aspen in Dublin, looks like they've just changed the name. Strange after so many years.
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Maybe now the patent is going it is to get in first with calling it an Estriol 0.1% cream before other companies start making it.
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It's probably due to the patent running out. Ask your Pharmacist?
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I collect my 2 packets of 'ovestin' yesterday. Although the script said estriol ::)
Did U ask the pharmacist Minusminnie? It mayB that areas are using up 'ovestin' B4 ordering estriol :-\
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I can’t do a repeat prescription until the end of the month. Will see what I get given & quiz the pharmacist then. My script says estriol 0.1% too so at some point I guess will be open to be being given a generic…..deep joy!
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I collected 1 Ovestin on Friday - I still have the balance/remaining 1 from my prescription to collect today - thanks for reminding me x
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If it is made by the same company with exactly the same concentration of estriol and the same ingredients, then it's the same product and shouldn't make any difference. Like I said the same thing happened with gynest cream/estriol 0.01 % - the actual tube was exactly the same too - just not called by the brand name any more.
I'm not au fait with how pharma works and I'm sure there will be something online - but I guess the company that first developes the product takes out a patent and after a certain number of years, the patent expires and then maybe other companies are allowed to produce it - but it seems weird that the same company just changes the name but produces the same product. I mean with Vagifem, it's still called Vagifem but the other company producing it called it Vagirux. Maybe the original company calls it by the generic name rather than a new brand name to ensure that's the one that will be used. What I'm confused about is that some generics are completely different from the original brand named one (because I think a generic just has to have the dose of the active ingredient the same - like with paracetamol etc), and some are exactly the same - like Vagirux and Vagifem (I think...). Probably something to do with monopolies??
Hurdity x
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Just done my repeat prescription which is now saying Estriol 1mg/g cream online.
My last print out enclosed in the bag with the last repeat said Estriol 0.1% cream.
Will see what i get given after Easter.
If other firms are allowed to call any generic produced Estriol 1mg/g my worry is that the pharmacist in the future is not going to want to get a product made by the original firm should you require it.
It won't be like asking for Vagifem specifically if you can't get on with a generic. Ovestin as such will not exist any more to ask for specifically.
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Picked up my prescription this morning and have been give Estriol 1mg/g made by Aspen same company as Ovestin but not labelled now as Ovestin. So that should be okay.
Will quibble another time if that changes.
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I suppose we'll know it's the old Ovestin if it's made by Aspen. I'm still waiting a week later for my repeat as Boots as had to order it.
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Wonder why Boots had to order VA treatment :-\. It's the same active ingredient ::)
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Because they have none in stock, Ovestin or Estriol 1mg/g.
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Rang Boots again today and still no stock of Ovestin or Estriol 1mg! Getting worried now, luckily I've a tube in hand but they have no date when it will be in stock again. The pharmacist said she will keep reordering, I had to explain about Ovestin being discontinued, she then checked and it had been taken off their list. I told her she needs to order Estriol 1mg, shouldn't they know these things.
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Ovestin is still available to buy from most of the online pharmacies, perhaps they have plenty in stock until it runs out.
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I've got another prescription from the doctor ready tomorrow to take around the other chemists to see if they have any left.
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Finally after 5 chemists I got Estriol 1mg at ASDA pharmacy. Some of the chemists didn't know Ovestin had been changed to Estriol, they said no one had informed them.
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hi,
Isn't this havoc caused by that decision some time ago about pharmacies to deal with HRT now? And, as it looks, charge for it ..?
I just looked at Superdrug - never knew they offered any.. or had HRT Service!
https://onlinedoctor.superdrug.com/hrt-hormone-replacement-therapy-consultation.html?serviceId=147972
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Finally after 5 chemists I got Estriol 1mg at ASDA pharmacy. Some of the chemists didn't know Ovestin had been changed to Estriol, they said no one had informed them.
Does it say Estriol 1mg/g on your repeat now Dierdre ? mine had changed to that.
Maybe the changeover is being driven from the doctor's end.....so to speak ! The Ovestin boxes do have estriol 1mg in 1g written on the side a pharmacist might have to use some gumption with old stock.
Glad you got some.
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Yes it's Estriol 1mg/g cream now on my repeat, same colour box and tube, the only difference is the name change. The doctors receptionist told me there is still nothing else on the market equivalent to this so nobody else is making it yet.