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[doingmyheadin!!]

Hi all ....Im new to this site though have been reading posts for a while....I think I'm coming to the end of Peri M and now in Meno (haven't had a period since Oct 1st) am 49 and up until now have been going the herbal route ...red clover and lately for sweats Black Cahoosh which seemed to help a bit whilst having periods but not working aswell now....just wanted to ask is Oestragel (via the skin route) available on NHS I have asked several Drs and it all seems a bit of a mystery they only consider the patch via the skin....do I have to go private to get this ??
I would really like to start trying the gel with utrogeston (i am tolerant of progesterone) but keep getting dismissed ....I know there are a couple of ladies on here who take this regime ....mayI ask how easy it was for you to get this
My experience so far is that MENOPAUSE seems to shrouded in some great mystery ...there are 2 schools of thought ....either put up and shut up OR go the HRT route and you know the dangers there !!!!! I find it shocking that we have to fight for some care at this stage of the game....In my younger years the pill was given out willy nilly AND its free...isn't the hormones in the pill suppose to be super strong Why should I/we have to go private (if I/we want a regime suitable for my/our body) ?!?
It just doesn't make sense....I saw an NHS consultant the other day who completely dismissed my questions of wanting to try something as natural as possible to my own hormones ....ie in the gel and pessarie(utrogeston)route......he spoke over me and said he would be more inclined to put me on a pill form and i am SURE he said something resembling the preface of PRE something !!!!!! I have read enough bad stories on Prempak or whatever it goes under now and would rather have nothing than that ......madness ....anyway i hope I can fit in here with you wise and wonderful women for AFTERALL is that not what we are now We have earned our stripes ....
Because I'm slightly feeling in the world like I'm ready for the scrapheap and nobody gives a damn......xx

[donnacrichton]

HI I managed to get estrogel on the nhs but it was from a menopause clinic. I would check if there is one in your area they have so much more knowledge on transdermal hrt x good luck

[Kathleen]

Hello doinmyheadin and welcome to the forum.

You are right in that many if us are battle hardened and plenty more know their way around the various forms of HRT!

I'm sure you'll find all the help and support you need from the ladies here, you are not alone.

Wishing you well and keep posting.

K.

[Rosie500]

I asked my GP for oestrogel/utrogestan. He had started me off on oral HRT but I wasn't feeling too good mood-wise (?problem with norethisterone) so asked to change. I had gathered he hadn't been asked much for HRT in recent years so, having done research on here and on Dr Annie Evans' site, I wrote a letter quoting heavily from MM. I also mentioned that the specialists, some of whom were involved in the NICE guidelines, tended to prescribe transdermal oestrogen and non-synthesised progesterone. I think he was reassured by mention of the British Menopause Society etc that I hadn't got a load of rubbish off the internet! Anyway it did the trick. I think if you can show that you are aware of the risks (as well as the massive benefits) and aren't going after the wild and wacky, even if they haven't had to prescribe these things before, they will be open to meeting a perfectly reasonable request. I also did a bit of research on cost and was able to show that it wasn't significantly more expensive. I would have a go at seeing your GP (maybe have a few tries if necessary ) and making a reasoned request - I mentioned Professor John Studd, Nick Panay, Heather Currie etc to show this was what mainstream people were suggesting was the best choice. I wonder if not using the word "natural" would reassure a doctor that we weren't being "unscientific".

Good luck! You shouldn't have to go private - you are only asking for transdermal oestrogen which is supposed to be the least risky route!

[Mary G]

Welcome to MM!

You are right, the bio identical, transdermal HRT is by far the best type of HRT.  Not only is it less risky, it is far more effective and all the leading experts, including Professor Studd, are agreed on this.  Many of us on here use this form of HRT but sadly, many doctors still want to churn out the old school synthetic oral HRT which many women do not get on and despite the changes to the NICE guidelines, it is still difficult to get them to prescribe it - my GP certainly refused. 

You should be able to get it from the NHS, it is worth trying and you might want to take a printout of the NICE guidelines in an effort to persuade your doctor.