Last month, a Serious Shortage Protocol was issued for Utrogestan, a type of HRT. Healthista spoke to Dr. Sarah Brewer of Origins, to learn more about the HRT shortage, plus what women can do in the meantime to mitigate menopause symptoms
It’s no secret that menopause is still considered to some a taboo topic, even though one-third of the United Kingdom’s female population is perimenopausal or menopausal, which is equal to about 13 million women.
production of oestrogen and progesterone decrease during menopause
This drop in hormones can cause many of the symptoms seen during menopause, including hot flushes, mood swings and reduced libido, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
To alleviate these symptoms, women can undergo Hormone Replacement Therapy, also known as HRT. However, a serious shortage protocol (SSP) was issued last month for 100mg capsules of Utrogestan, a type of HRT, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.
Pharmacists can now only prescribe two months’ worth of Utrogestan at a time, per person. This shortage is expected to continue until late this year as manufacturers continue to struggle to meet the demand.
READ MORE: HRT Myth Busting with Dr Louise Newson
What is HRT?
HRT is a way for women to replace the hormones that are not being produced during menopause, according to the National Health Service.
There are two types of HRT:
- Combined HRT: this treatment has both oestrogen and progestogen, (a type of progesterone). Women who still have their womb need to take progesterone with oestrogen to protect the uterus from developing endometrial cancer.
- Oestrogen-only HRT: this treatment only contains oestrogen and is for women who have had a hysterectomy and no longer have a womb.
HRT can be taken in several ways, including tablets, skin patches, oestrogen gel and implants
There are risks associated with HRT, but they usually depend on the type you take and how long you take it for. While risks can include breast cancer, blood clots and heart problems, the chances of these are still low.
READ MORE: Leading Menopause Expert Dr Louise Newson reveals 5 common HRT myths most people believe
Why did this shortage happen and how will it affect me?
Dr. Sarah Brewer of Origins says there are many reasons why the HRT shortage is happening. One primary factor is due to the increased demand for the treatment, especially due to recent efforts to improve accessibility of the medication.
In fact, in the last two years, the number of women being prescribed HRT increased from 11 per cent to 15 per cent, and continues to rise.
Other factors Dr. Brewer mentioned are shortages of raw ingredients, supply chain issues and manufacturing problems, such as quality assurance failures.
HRT shortages can be ‘debilitating’ for women
Not taking your HRT can result in a return of menopausal symptoms, along with increased anxiety and panic over not having access to your medication, says Dr. Brewer.
Also, since HRT helps lower the risk of future long-term health problems, not having access to treatment can cause potential issues down the road.
‘For women who are taking a particular brand of HRT that suits them, it is distressing to find it is not available,’ Dr. Brewer says.
‘It’s usually possible for a doctor to prescribe an alternative, but this may not suit you as well as your usual brand and you may experience unwanted side effects.’
READ MORE: 10 perimenopause symptoms that could explain your moods, aches and low libido
Is anything being done about it?
The UK government says they are taking several steps to ensure women have access to their medication.
Some of these actions include:
- Having meetings with suppliers and requesting stock updates frequently.
- Holding roundtables with suppliers, wholesalers and pharmacists about HRT stock.
- Including some HRT medications on a list of products that cannot be hoarded in or exported from the UK.
This isn’t the only HRT shortage the government has had to deal with recently. Just last year, a shortage left thousands of women struggling to access their medication and an HRT taskforce was created to address supply chain issues. There has been no word if a similar group will be formed for this year’s shortage crisis.
READ MORE: From hot flushes to vaginal dryness – 6 top tips to ease menopause symptoms
What can I do in the meantime?
If the need arises, women can find alternative brands and types of HRT to take, if their current medication is unavailable.
The British Menopause Society (BMS) has a guide on the alternative treatment options available for menopausal women undergoing HRT.
While it can be stressful to switch away from a medication that works for you, seeking out similar treatments is one of the best things you can do during this supply shortage.
Dr. Sarah Brewer of Origins has four University degrees in Natural Sciences, Medicine, Surgery, and Nutritional Medicine and has practised medicine for more than 30 years. She also has written over 70 health and nutrition books.
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Mwezi uliopita, Itifaki ya Upungufu Mkubwa ilitolewa kwa Utrogestan, aina ya HRT. "Mwanamke mmoja wa Uingereza, Sarah Brewer, ambaye ni mwanasayansi wa afya, aliandika katika jarida la The Guardian: ""Hakuna siri kwamba menopause bado inachukuliwa kuwa mada ya tabu, ingawa theluthi moja ya idadi ya wanawake wa Uingereza ni perimenopausal au menopausal, ambayo ni sawa na wanawake milioni 13.""" Utoaji wa estrogen na progesteroni hupungua wakati wa menopause: Kupungua kwa homoni hii kunaweza kusababisha dalili nyingi zinazoonekana wakati wa menopause, ikiwa ni pamoja na joto, mabadiliko ya hisia na libido iliyopunguzwa. Ili kupunguza dalili hizi, wanawake wanaweza kutumia tiba ya kubadilisha homoni, inayojulikana pia kama HRT. "Hata hivyo, ""protocol ya upungufu mkubwa"" ilitolewa mwezi uliopita kwa vidonge vya 100mg vya Utrogestan, aina ya HRT, kulingana na Idara ya Afya na Huduma za Jamii." Wafanyabiashara wa dawa sasa wanaweza kuagiza tu miezi miwili ya Utrogestan kwa wakati mmoja, kwa kila mtu. Upungufu huu unatarajiwa kuendelea hadi mwishoni mwa mwaka huu kama wazalishaji wanaendelea kupambana ili kukidhi mahitaji. Hebu soma: HRT Myth Busting na Dk Louise Newson HRT ni njia ya wanawake kuchukua nafasi ya homoni ambazo hazitokezwi wakati wa menopause, kulingana na Huduma ya Kitaifa ya Afya. Kuna aina mbili za HRT: - HRT iliyounganishwa: matibabu haya yana estrojeni na progestogen, (a aina ya progesterone). Wanawake ambao bado wana tumbo la uzazi wanahitaji kuchukua progesterone na estrojeni ili kulinda tumbo la uzazi lisisababishwe na kansa ya endometrial. - Tiba ya HRT ya estrojeni tu: matibabu haya yana estrojeni tu na ni kwa wanawake ambao wamekuwa na hysterectomy na hawana tena tumbo la uzazi. HRT inaweza kuchukuliwa kwa njia kadhaa, ikiwa ni pamoja na vidonge, patches ngozi, estrogeni gel na implants. kuna hatari zinazohusiana na HRT, lakini kwa kawaida hutegemea aina ya matibabu na muda gani unachukua. Ingawa hatari zaweza kutia ndani kansa ya matiti, kuganda kwa damu na matatizo ya moyo, uwezekano wa matatizo hayo bado ni mdogo. Mtaalamu wa menopause, Dk Louise Newson, anafunua hadithi 5 za kawaida za HRT ambazo watu wengi wanaamini. "Sarah Brewer, Mkurugenzi wa Origins, anasema: ""Kuna sababu nyingi kwa nini kuna upungufu wa matibabu ya homoni." Jambo moja kuu ni kwa sababu ya kuongezeka kwa mahitaji ya matibabu, hasa kutokana na juhudi za hivi karibuni za kuboresha upatikanaji wa dawa. Katika miaka miwili iliyopita, idadi ya wanawake waliopokea matibabu ya homoni imepanda kutoka asilimia 11 hadi asilimia 15 na inaendelea kuongezeka. Mambo mengine Dakt. Brewer alitaja ni upungufu wa viungo ghafi, masuala ya mlolongo wa usambazaji na matatizo ya utengenezaji, kama vile kushindwa kwa kuhakikisha ubora. """Ukosefu wa HRT unaweza kuwa ""kufanya nguvu"" kwa wanawake, kutotumia HRT yako inaweza kusababisha kurudi kwa dalili za menopause, pamoja na kuongezeka kwa wasiwasi na hofu juu ya kutokuwa na upatikanaji wa dawa yako,"" anasema Dk." Mtengenezaji wa bia. Kwa kuongezea, kwa kuwa HRT husaidia kupunguza hatari ya matatizo ya afya ya muda mrefu ya baadaye, kutopata matibabu kunaweza kusababisha matatizo ya baadaye. "Kwa wanawake ambao wanatumia aina fulani ya matibabu ya homoni ambayo yanawafaa, ni jambo lenye kusikitisha kuona kwamba hayapo,"" alisema Dakt. Brewer anasema. "Kwa kawaida ni rahisi kwa daktari kuagiza mbadala, lakini hii inaweza si inafaa wewe kama vile bidhaa yako ya kawaida na unaweza uzoefu madhara yasiyotakiwa. ""Soma zaidi: 10 dalili perimenopause ambayo inaweza kueleza mood yako, maumivu na libido ya chini Je, kitu chochote ni kufanyika kuhusu hilo?" Serikali ya Uingereza imesema kuwa itachukua hatua kadhaa kuhakikisha wanawake wana upatikanaji wa dawa zao. Baadhi ya hatua hizi ni pamoja na: - Kuwa na mikutano na wauzaji na kuomba updates hisa mara kwa mara. - Kufanya meza za mviringo na wauzaji, wauzaji wa jumla na wauzaji wa dawa kuhusu hisa za HRT. - Kujumuisha baadhi ya dawa za HRT kwenye orodha ya bidhaa ambazo haziwezi kuhifadhiwa au kusafirishwa kutoka Uingereza. Hii si upungufu pekee wa HRT ambayo serikali imelazimika kushughulika nayo hivi karibuni. Mwaka jana, uhaba ulifanya maelfu ya wanawake wakishindwa kupata dawa zao na kikosi cha kazi cha HRT kiliundwa kushughulikia masuala ya mlolongo wa usambazaji. Hakuna neno kama kundi kama hilo litaundwa kwa mgogoro wa upungufu wa mwaka huu. Kuanzia hot flushes hadi ukame wa mkojo, vidokezo 6 vya kupunguza dalili za menopause Ikiwa kuna haja, wanawake wanaweza kupata bidhaa mbadala na aina za HRT kuchukua, ikiwa dawa yao ya sasa haipatikani. Shirika la British Menopause Society (BMS) lina mwongozo juu ya chaguzi za matibabu mbadala zinazopatikana kwa wanawake wa menopausal wanaopitia HRT. Ingawa inaweza kuwa ngumu kuacha dawa ambazo zinafanya kazi kwako, kutafuta matibabu kama hayo ni moja ya mambo bora unaweza kufanya wakati wa upungufu huu wa usambazaji. Sarah Brewer, Mtaalamu wa Asili, ana digrii nne za Chuo Kikuu katika Sayansi ya Asili, Tiba, Upasuaji, na Tiba ya Lishe na amekuwa akifanya kazi ya matibabu kwa zaidi ya miaka 30. Pia ameandika vitabu zaidi ya 70 vya afya na lishe. Kama makala hii? Jisajili kwa jarida letu ili kupata makala zaidi kama hii kusafirishwa moja kwa moja kwenye sanduku lako la barua.