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[Daisydot]

Morning LL thank you for your kind words and your bang on it is about her preferences and views,she seemed so nice as well but then went on the attack saying I'm 60 and shouldn't be on it anyway,I've got no fight today I'm feeling low so if I can just get past today,tomorrow has to be better.my bladder and kidney are misbehaving again really drags me down.
Thanks so much again xx

[Lanzalover]

Hope you are feeling a little better today Daisydot.

Starting to worry now I've turned 60 that someone may try to stop my HRT    there is no way I'm going to stop before I have finished work as I couldn't cope so I'll just keep putting my repeat scripts in and hope no one questions it (fingers crossed).


The GP who prescribed my HRT and the one who deals with the repeat scrips are both partners in the practise and I get the impression they are pro HRT so I think as long as they don't retire I should be OK.


I certainly won't be seeing the much younger female GP who specialises in female health after a fight with her for vagifem her words were your already on HRT we don't want to increase your risk of a stroke any more !!! Imagine how you would feel if you had a stroke next week !!!!!!!!
I have no greater risk of a stroke than anyone else and the repeat scripts are still be signed several years later.


Love Lanzalover x

[Daisydot]

Good morning LL I'm feeling better today thank you I'm going on holiday on Friday so I was a bit panicky in case it was my kidneys again but the pains eased off now so it's probably muscular I seem to get that a lot.
I hope you don't get an ounce of the hassle I get it's all well and good saying print off the nice guidelines but they won't even look at the piece of paper and the women gps are the worst of the bunch I've dealt with.fingers crossed nothing will change for you and if it does then just buy it on one of your jaunts to Spain don't risk coming off it when your doing so well.
Enjoy your day xx

[GypsyRoseLee]

It's been so interesting reading through this whole thread. But it does make my blood boil at how chaotic and erratic the prescribing of Oestrogel and associated HRT is in the UK.

The fact that Oestrogel is so easily available OTC in other first world countries like Spain just proves to me that it is far, far more benign than we are lead to believe here in the UK. My parents have lived in Cyprus and the Far East where anti biotics are easily available OTC too. There wasn't a pandemic of people over dosing on antibiotics, because by and large people are quite sensible.

I would be very interested to see if there is a marked increase in endometrial hyperplasia in Spain compared to the UK? As it is, I have arranged a source in Spain that can supply me direct with Oestrogel if necessary - because I'm so fed up of the NHS playing fast and loose with my medication.

[Mary G]

GRL, I agree with everything you have said, there does seem to be a propensity to treat women like children who need protecting from themselves. 

There is also a wider issue here and that is freedom of choice a lack of up to date products.  Take Lenzetto (Avamist in the US) which is a relatively new oestrogen spray that I feel a lot of women on here could benefit from.  Why is this not available in the UK?  The irony is that it was approved by the EMA (currently located in Canary Wharf but soon to be relocated to Amsterdam) for use in all EU member states and yet it is not available in the UK, why? 

Why is Utrogestan still not licensed to be used vaginally in the UK when it is practically everywhere else?  Nobody has ever been able to answer that very simple question.

The NHS still seem to push the cheapest brands of HRT and many GPs still seem reluctant to prescribe Oestrogel/Utrogestan. 

[Daisydot]

This young gp that I saw today for my dxa scan results actually suggested I go on hrt,you couldn't make this up,I said to her I've been battling with this practice for god knows how long as I've been told I shouldn't be on it at my age of 60 and you have been fighting my private consultants recommendations on this,her face,I said so are you hrt friendly then? She struggled then tried to backtrack giving the usual risk chat so I interrupted her and said “which has all been discussed with the gp concerned and the meno consultant and I'm well aware of the risks and the nice guidelines and at the end of the day it's my informed choice”.she didnt even know it was private meno consultant who requested the dxa scan then she asked me which hrt I was on.I really do despair but saying that she's arranged fasting blood tests for vit d calcium levels because of the osteopenia,and thyroid etc so good result and a bit more pleasant.

[Katia]

Mary G, I totally agree about the lack of choice in the UK. The drug companies will not get the licences unless the NHS will purchase it as the private market is too small and they cannot recoup their costs. I'm thinking we may see a change when things that are available over the counter are no longer available through a prescription and then more things become over the counter. I think it's in,y a matter of time before HRT and birth control are pharmacy items in the UK too.

[Mary G]

Katia, that's a good point.  It does seem far too restrictive and people should have more options.  The NHS is so overloaded, it would make sense to make some changes to take the burden away from GPs.

[Katia]

Hi Mary G, how are you?  It's been a while since I've been here. I think you're right it will open things up. Once more items are pharmacy the drug companies may start licensing them here as they will have more opportunity for selling them and then we will have more of the choices of other countries. It's a bit of a double edged sword in the UK. It's great that prescriptions are usually cheaper and some people can't afford to buy some things that are already available over the counter, but it seriously limits what is available and puts more of a burden in GPs. I do think it will change, the question is how quickly and then how long for pharma companies to get licences and pipeline going. Keeping my fingers crossed its sooner rather than later

[Daisydot]

Update ladies.
I managed to pop into chemists had a chat with them ordered the lenzetto in morning and collected after 5pm they will only allow 1 order so I popped into another chemist and did the same thing.they said it's difficult to get just now from suppliers.I also got some granules you mix with water to wash the vaginal outer areas with to help prevent itching and promote healing so I'll try that when I get home.ill update when I've been using the lenzetto for a decent period.xx

[Mary G]

Daisydot, well done, I order 3 boxes at a time so that might be an option for you.  Don't forget to keep us updated on your progress, I hope you like it after all the effort you have put in!  How many pumps are you using, I use 1 in the morning and 1 at night. 

[Daisydot]

Hi MaryG you could be right there the 2 chemists that did get it for me both refused to order more than one and they both said there was a shortage.Im in alicante airport just now and I sailed through security no problems whatsoever as long as you follow the rules and keep them in view in the plastic bags so they know your not hiding anything it's fine.
I've got the testosterone too again no problems.funny enough I got an email from my private consultant earlier saying he wants to see me again and he thinks it's about time we went down the testerone route I'm so pleased to get that guidance as I was planning to ask this nhs gynie to help on the 24th so im going to cancel with her and stay with mr parsons now.ive also arranged a private transvaginal scan for the 17th i want completely checked out now and finally feel im getting there.i hope everyine eill keep persisting with these medical people because with us all helping and advising each other about our experiences we can keep pushing and pushing till we get results one way or another.thanks so much again MaryG you've been a great help xx

[lifeatfifty]

I havent been on the site for a while but wanted to say what great information.......

It is frustrating how there is no consistency, of course costs and guidelines are at play.

I too take Utrogestan vaginally and recently at an appointment at the menopause clinic the doctor was horrified!

I did explain that i was consulting with a private doctor but and had a regular bleed.

[Beryl]

Now that the holiday season is getting underway and in view of some of the recent posts on here, I thought I revive this thread again.

Many of us on here, myself included, are on private prescriptions and are forking out £8.00 a throw on Oestrogel and I thought this might be of interest to those who would like to save money.

You can buy Oestrogel over the counter and without a prescription in Spanish pharmacies and it costs about €4.00 per 80 gram tube.  It is exactly the same as the UK gel but it is called Oestraclin and it comes in a tube in a red and white box.  It is not a pump mechanism, it is like an old fashioned toothpaste tube with a slide and you simply squirt the gel onto the slide.  One entire slide = two pumps and half a slide = one pump.  All pharmacies usually have at least one tube in stock but you can order several tubes and it can usually be delivered to the pharmacy the next day for you to collect.

You can also buy boxes of Utrogestan (both 100 mg and 200 mg) over the counter and that also costs about €4.00 for a box of 30 capsules.

You can also buy other HRT products OTC like Angeliq (about €23.00) and Livial (Tibolone) but I'm afraid I can't give you all the prices and I don't have a list of all the different brands available but I can find out if anyone is interested.

I am not encouraging people to self medicate, this is simply a way of saving money if are on private prescriptions and you happen to be going to Spain on holiday.

Something to bear in mind next time you are planning a holiday!

[Yvonnepi]

Thanks for these posts.  I'm a fit 72 year old, but in agony from sitting down.  We are emigrating to Spain next week so if any of you know the names of combination patches I can buy there, I would be SO grateful.
Thanks Yvonnepi  xx