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[Dandelion]

Hi
I have a month's supply of patches left, I am using the spanish version of evorel, I take 75mcg and cut a quarter off the 100mcg.
I have got a bottle of oestrodose, afterwards, but am too nervous to use it, as ladies on here says it takes time to build up in your body.
All the pharmacies online say out of stock.
This link on supplies I posted in my other post https://www.theramex.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Evorel-Updated-Stock-Feb2020-UK.pdf says Evorel mono available end March 2020 but reading the text below gives me susppicions that it may be late and I may run out in the meantime. Reading the link suggests to me that stock is possibly going to be a bit unstable.

I have a pack of evorel that expired in december 2019, but I think it may have degraded.
I wonder if anyone has any of the following spare patches unexpired, 50mcg, I can use 1.5 of these, 100mcg, I can cut a quarter of these, or 75mcg, so long as they are in date.

I just feel tense because I feel I am cutting things a bit fine, by waiting till the end of march, as I will have ran out by then, and my flushes and sweats are unbearable, not to mention the IBS.

Failing that, does anyone know of anywhere online that I can get patches, I'm even willling to try a different brand patch, the few I have looked at all say out of stock.

I can try to ring boots tomorrow, and hope for the best, I just feel that if I leave things as they are I run the risk of running out, because of the instability of stock.

Thanks

[Jennijx]

Sorry to say that I am in exactly the same position as you. Literally would kill for 75mg of evorel as am down to my last box. No joy from local pharmacies near me either.
However out of desperation last September I used an out of date box (from may 2019). The pharmacy didn't want to give it to me but it's hard to argue with a desperate woman  And I had no issues with it at all. So I would happily use out of date patches again (well within a few months anyway)

[Holsy]

Hi ladies

The link that you supplied, states that the following should now be available....
Evorel Mono 50 14th February 2020

So can you get these and then cut half off one to make up the 75mcg, until the 75s are back in. I have used out of date patches too that were also fine.

I was also told that Estradot patches are the same as Evorel and could use those. They are supposed to be fully available.

Good luck

[LizzyLoo]

Firstly don't bother with online, they?re hugely overpriced and as you say stock isn't of great levels.

I have been in the same boat with the Evorel 50 patches and I'd been on them for 14yrs!!!! Before I had to change at the end of the year due to it ceasing in stock. So I was as worried and nervous as you (trust me) but I adjusted well to both the Estraderm and Estradot brands. I didn't care that the Estraderm was a larger patch it was still a patch...that worked.

What I was doing was ringing around pharmacies the evening before I had my doc appt and seeing what they had in. I then got the GP to write it out for the stock they had....as they were happy to reserve it and put my name on it........so that is one option.

The other (that the pharmacist actually suggested) was for the Doc to generically write Oestadiol, the grammage, per 24hrs patch and how ever many patches (24) in my case. So then the pharmacist could put together what they have for you.....using a variety of brands if absolutely necessary.
The Doc did indeed write this for me although he stated that some pharmacies don't like this method.....but I assured him that the one I spoke with was happy and as a result I didn't have a problem.

I presumed I would be ok getting the Evorel mono now having them put out stock but not sure why The pharmacy still didn't have it. I do know the 75 dose was a later date than the 50.
Anyway good luck and hope you get sorted. Do it within plenty of time before you run out. x

[LizzyLoo]

Oh my other tip is instead of your bigger pharmacies try smaller ones (Lloyds) as they have helped me each time. Trust me as soon as that prescription is written I am off there like a shot!!!

[Hurdity]

Dandelion - it's fine to use the patches shortly after their expiry date - you have asked this before. There will be minimum degredation if they have been sealed. The expiry date is set conservatively. They're not going to be OK to use on 31st Dec and no good immediately after. There will be a long period of time when the active ingredient may begin to degrade (sorry don't know the biochemistry!).

Also please don't worry about the oestrogel. It doesn't take time to build up in the body if you've already been taking estradiol - it is just a different delivery method so getting the equivalent dose that works for you might need a bit of tweaking.

Also if you need to renew your prescrption for patches then ask at the phamracies which ones they can get and then ask for your prescrption to be changed to that one. Alternatively ask your doc to prescribe a generic estradiol patch so the phramcasies can give you hwatever is available.

It is no permitted to sell or give away prescription meds on this forum.

All the best

Hurdity x

[Rhiner]

As Hurdity says, there shouldn't be an issue using stock that has slightly expired, I am doing this. Most patches have a 2 year shelf life and this will have been set very conservatively, so a few weeks over should make very little difference.
In fact the FDA are now looking at manufacturers allowing longer shelf lives on certain drugs going forward, as they are too conservative in most instances and this will enable supplies to last longer.
Rhiner

[Dandelion]

Sorry to say that I am in exactly the same position as you. Literally would kill for 75mg of evorel as am down to my last box. No joy from local pharmacies near me either.
However out of desperation last September I used an out of date box (from may 2019). The pharmacy didn't want to give it to me but it's hard to argue with a desperate woman  And I had no issues with it at all. So I would happily use out of date patches again (well within a few months anyway)

Hi Jennijx
Re:out-of-date patches, that gives me some comfort, thanks.

[Dandelion]

Hi ladies

The link that you supplied, states that the following should now be available....
Evorel Mono 50 14th February 2020

So can you get these and then cut half off one to make up the 75mcg, until the 75s are back in. I have used out of date patches too that were also fine.

I was also told that Estradot patches are the same as Evorel and could use those. They are supposed to be fully available.

Good luck

Hi Halsy
My chemist said evorel out of stock still.
Last time I spoke to my GP about cutting a quarter of a 100mcg patch to make 75mcg, she wasn't keen, which makes me wonder if she would be keen on giving me 50mcg, but chemist out of stock.

[Dandelion]

Firstly don't bother with online, they?re hugely overpriced and as you say stock isn't of great levels.

I have been in the same boat with the Evorel 50 patches and I'd been on them for 14yrs!!!! Before I had to change at the end of the year due to it ceasing in stock. So I was as worried and nervous as you (trust me) but I adjusted well to both the Estraderm and Estradot brands. I didn't care that the Estraderm was a larger patch it was still a patch...that worked.

What I was doing was ringing around pharmacies the evening before I had my doc appt and seeing what they had in. I then got the GP to write it out for the stock they had....as they were happy to reserve it and put my name on it........so that is one option.

The other (that the pharmacist actually suggested) was for the Doc to generically write Oestadiol, the grammage, per 24hrs patch and how ever many patches (24) in my case. So then the pharmacist could put together what they have for you.....using a variety of brands if absolutely necessary.
The Doc did indeed write this for me although he stated that some pharmacies don't like this method.....but I assured him that the one I spoke with was happy and as a result I didn't have a problem.

I presumed I would be ok getting the Evorel mono now having them put out stock but not sure why The pharmacy still didn't have it. I do know the 75 dose was a later date than the 50.
Anyway good luck and hope you get sorted. Do it within plenty of time before you run out. x

Hi Lizzyloo
I know what you mean about the price of evorel online, I just got them as backup supply when they were in stock.
Thanks for the option of asking the GP to write it out for the stock the chemists have.
Thanks for oestradiol idea too, which gives me flexibility on patch brands.
Thanks for the lloyds idea also.

I presumed I would be ok getting the Evorel mono now having them put out stock but not sure why The pharmacy still didn't have it.

Just to clarify, are you saying that although the manufacturer had started supplying the evorel mono, the pharmacist was out of stock still?
Maybe there had been a demand for them but boots can order in from suppliers and get them the next day.

[Dandelion]

Dandelion - it's fine to use the patches shortly after their expiry date - you have asked this before. There will be minimum degredation if they have been sealed. The expiry date is set conservatively. They're not going to be OK to use on 31st Dec and no good immediately after. There will be a long period of time when the active ingredient may begin to degrade (sorry don't know the biochemistry!).

Also please don't worry about the oestrogel. It doesn't take time to build up in the body if you've already been taking estradiol - it is just a different delivery method so getting the equivalent dose that works for you might need a bit of tweaking.

Also if you need to renew your prescrption for patches then ask at the phamracies which ones they can get and then ask for your prescrption to be changed to that one. Alternatively ask your doc to prescribe a generic estradiol patch so the phramcasies can give you hwatever is available.

It is no permitted to sell or give away prescription meds on this forum.

All the best

Hurdity x

Hi Hurdity

Sorry for asking for patches from ladies and breaking the rules.
Thanks for reassuring me about the gel building up, I think I worried as I read women having problems when switching from patches to gel.
Thanks for the idea of generic patches also.

[Dandelion]

As Hurdity says, there shouldn't be an issue using stock that has slightly expired, I am doing this. Most patches have a 2 year shelf life and this will have been set very conservatively, so a few weeks over should make very little difference.
In fact the FDA are now looking at manufacturers allowing longer shelf lives on certain drugs going forward, as they are too conservative in most instances and this will enable supplies to last longer.
Rhiner

Hi Rhiner
Thanks for your reassurance, mine is only just over 2months out of date, as the evopad is in date, I will use patch from the out of date box tomorow when patch due, which gives me another months breathing space.
It's patch day today, I put the out of date patch on. Another months supply.