Woman says she may have to give up work if she runs out of HRT: ‘Menopause ruined my life’

A woman has said that running out of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) amid a supply shortage would be “catastrophic” for her physical and mental wellbeing.

Around a million women in the UK who rely on HRT to manage and treat symptoms of menopause are facing a severe shortage of the medication, due to disruptions in the supply chain as well as manufacturers not keeping up with increased demand.

Sarah Smith, 53, told the PA news agency that if she stops taking HRT “abruptly”, it could “cause a mental and physical impact that will likely see me have to give up work”.

Smith, from London, said she experienced approximately 30 hot flushes each day before she started taking the medication and had “intense brain fog”.

“I forgot how to do my job. Menopause ruined my life,” she added.

“I had completely lost my sense of identity, and all joy in life. I just existed and was, like a lot of women, considering giving up on work as I could not cope with it.

“It’s taken me about seven years to get what’s called the gold standard of HRT. This current gold standard treatment allows me to make the journey back to who I used to be.”

Another woman told PA that she had experienced suicidal thoughts due to menopause before she was prescribed HRT.

Marion Swarbrick, 47, from West Lothian, Scotland, said: “I’m really worried about not being able to get HRT as menopause also affects moods.”

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. It will also bring back hot flushes,” Swarbrick added.

“Women will die from this if it’s not sorted out. I’ve also got CPTSD (complex post-traumatic stress disorder) and my mental health has been awful lately.

“I really don’t want to have the menopause mood swings return to add to my mental health.”

Menopause is a natural part of ageing and occurs when a woman’s oestrogen levels decline. According to the NHS, the average age for a woman to reach menopause is 51, but around one in 100 women experience it before they turn 40.

Common symptoms of menopause include hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia, anxiety, and problems with memory or concentrating.

HRT contains oestrogen and can be taken to replace the reduced level of hormones that cause symptoms of menopause.

Health secretary Sajid Javid announced earlier this week that a HRT tsar will be appointed by the government to work on improving supplies of the medication in “the short and long term”.