Many women going through menopause or perimenopause are prescribed an estrogen patch to help manage symptoms like hot flashes and poor sleep.

But recently, the patch has been in short supply.

Our Christine spoke to a nurse practitioner specializing in women's health about the shortage.

As we continue our medical news.

Erica moriarty joins us now from UK healthcare.

We're talking about the shortage of the estrogen patch.

Tell us why is the shortage happening and do we see any relief in sight.

So the shortage is happening for a few reasons.

One reason, is that the FDA removed the black box warning that that's one factor contributing to the patch shortage.

But it's not the only reason estrogen patch prescribing has increased dramatically over the last several years.

And so many experts believe the FDA decision further increased the awareness and confidence around menopausal hormone therapy.

And at the same time, women are seeking treatment for menopause symptoms and more clinicians are becoming comfortable with prescribing hormone therapy.

So the manufacturers have struggled to keep up with the demand due to production and supply chain limitations.

And this shortage has been going on for months now.

You know, since the beginning of the year.

So what do you say to your patients that are having a hard time finding this and the estrogen patch?

Are there any alternatives?

Yeah.

So luckily a lot of my patients are still able to get their current dose.

So some women can switch from the patch to a gel or a mist or there's a there's something called a fem ring and then there's oral estradiol.

So really women that are struggling to find theirs can call around the pharmacies in town and see if anybody else has it in stock, because one pharmacy might have it and another one might not.

So they can call around, and then they should talk to their clinician about what to do.

And so there might be this alternate options that they can prescribe if they can't get their current patch dose.

Yeah.

And I've heard of some women, sort of rationing their estrogen patches or, you know, trying to use one for two doses.

And some women have had to stop using the estrogen patch.

What happens when that treatment is stopped?

So if the treatment stopped, women will have recurrence of their symptoms.

So whatever they went on the patch for, whether we like hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and dryness, those things can start to occur.

It's not dangerous to stop it temporarily.

But, you know, long term over.

If women are started on hormone therapy for their bone health, then their bone health can decline over the next 1 to 2 years after they stop estrogen.

So I definitely recommend that women talk to their clinician about an alternate option.

But the short term would really be the quality of life issues that women experience in menopause, which would be the hot flashes in the night sweats.

Okay.

And so what is your best advice for women out there who are having difficulty finding an estrogen patch?

So if they are having difficulty, then I recommend that they they call around to different pharmacies in town and see if they have their exact dose available.

And then they could also just say in close communication with their health care provider and see if they're eligible for an alternate form of transdermal estrogen, whether it be the gel or the mist or the rain and or oral estradiol.

So those would be my recommendations for that.

But the important message is that women still have treatment options and should not feel like they're going to have to suffer their symptoms while they supply.

Shoes are being worked out because the supply issues might last for several months, or even some.

Some are saying up to a few years as demand continues to increase.

Oh wow.

So we're in this for the long haul then?

Perhaps.

Okay.

Well, Erica moriarty, thank you so much for talking with us today.

You're so welcome.

Thank you for having me.