PHOENIX - Like many women across the country, Kris Dunlap found estrogen patches were a game changer for her menopause symptoms.
"Like, sometimes it would be sadness, or strong anger," the San Tan Valley resident said. The patches, she noted, "just maintains a normal balance. Balanced feeling."
Why you should care:
Dr. Juliana Kling, division chair of the Women’s Health Internal Medicine Practice at Mayo Clinic, explained the benefits of the estrogen treatment, stating that "women then notice that they're sleeping better. Their mood is better, their cognition is better."
But that tool is now in jeopardy as pharmacies deal with a backorder.
"It's been very hard to navigate," said Teresa Dickinson, pharmacist and owner of Melrose Pharmacy. "We can get some in, sometimes every week or so, but there's definitely a shortage."
Dunlap has experienced the struggle firsthand.
"I call the pharmacy and they're like, well, we're expecting it and we're ordering it. And then if it doesn't come in, then I’m searching," she said.
Expert Perspective:
Experts believe the shortage is driven by increased demand.
"We're prescribing more hormone therapy. And I suspect it's that demand that's really challenging the capacity," Kling said.
This surge in demand comes along with the FDA deeming the treatment safer to use, removing its black box warning. Dunlap says the days she misses a patch are crippling.
"When it's thrown off, it's just it's very damaging to our daily lives," she said.
What you can do:
The good news? There are alternatives.
"Talk to your clinician because we can find other strategies. Sometimes it's simply switching from a twice a week patch to once a week patch," Kling said.
Dickinson added, "We actually have hormone replacement cream that can actually be applied to the skin. And so it doesn't have to be in a patch."
Because for many women, going without isn't an option.
"I've seen how powerful hormones are with affecting... feeling good and being able to do what we need to do," Dunlap said.
The FDA has yet to declare an official shortage of the patch, but experts say it’s been happening for months.
Dr. Kling with Mayo Clinic says any women near their early 40s experiencing symptoms like irritability, sleep issues, or hot flashes should talk to their doctor to see what treatment is available.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from San Tan Valley resident Kris Dunlap, Mayo Clinic Women’s Health Internal Medicine Practice Division Chair Dr. Juliana Kling, Melrose Pharmacy pharmacist and owner Teresa Dickinson, and the FDA.