Woman worried she will become ‘irrational monster’ without HRT
A woman from West Lothian has claimed women dependent on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) “could die”, amid a supply shortage of a certain type of the drug.
Shortages of the medicine, which is used to treat the symptoms of menopause, have been so severe some women have been forced to travel hundreds of miles in search of it.
Around a million women in the UK rely on HRT.
Prescription-onlyhrtproducts are being sold on Facebook Marketplace and online pharmacies for up to six times the price of an NHS prescription after months of shortages.
Marion Swarbrick, 47, from West Lothian, said she had experienced suicidal thoughts before being prescribed HRT.
"I'm really worried about not being able to get HRT as menopause also affects moods," Mrs Swarbrick said.
With just a week's supply left, she said she visited a Boots store to get more, but was told it was unavailable.
"[Without HRT] I will become an irrational monster going between laughing, crying, suicidal and angry,” she said. “It will also bring back hot flushes.
"Women will die from this if it's not sorted out. I've also got Cptsd[complexpost-traumatic stress disorder] and my mental health has been awful lately.
"I really don't want the menopause mood swings to return to add to my mental health."
Acute shortages of some
HRT products have been blamed on manufacturing and supply issues. There has also been greater demand for the medication, with the number of prescriptions doubling in the past five years to more than 500,000 a month.
An investigation found several sellers on Facebook Marketplace advertising surplus products, in some cases with prescription stickers still attached to them in photos.
In most cases, the sprays, patches and gels, sold by seven individual sellers in England and Wales were going for prices far above the £9.35 NHS prescription charge.
Prof Martin Marshall, chair of the Royal College of GPS, said: “GPS and other prescribers are highly trained to prescribe medication to suit the unique health needs of a patient.
“Prescriptions are individual to patients and are not meant to be shared with others.”