Premique low dose - pharmacies which CAN supply it
Posted , 20 users are following.
Premique (both strengths) was out of production for up to a year, and then Pfizer (the manufacturer) announced they were no longer producing the higher strength. The Low Dose (LD) came back into production in February 2017 but in another forum here it has become very apparent that both GPs and pharmacies widely believe, incorrectly, that even the LD is no longer available.
THIS IS NOT TRUE!
It would appear that different pharmacies (including different locations of the same chain) use different distributors, and not all of the distributors are sourcing Premique. This means that one branch of Boots may be able to obtain it for you, and another may not. I've started this thread so that anyone who has had successes or failures in getting Premique LD can post the details here, in order to benefit others. So I'll start the ball rolling:
YES - Boots in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
NO - Boots in Brandon, Suffolk
1 like, 105 replies
sue86304 Zibbyl
Posted
I've been able to get my local Boots to order Premique LD today. Like lots of others I was told to go back to my GP to get an alternative. I was given Elleste Duet and was told this was the same but a slightly higher dose, which I wasn't especially happy with in any case. So having forked out my £17.20 (because there are two different coloured tablets in the same blister pack - what a rip-off) I went home and read the leaflet. I have no idea in what way my GP thought it was the same. According to the leaflet "YOU WILL" get a monthly bleed on Elleste Duet because it is not continuous combined HRT. Well, I haven't had periods for about 10 years and I'm not about to start again now. Rang Boots (because I'd read the posts above which said Premique LD is available again - thanks ladies!) and they ordered it for me, back to GP to get another prescription which won't be ready for another two days, but at least Boots have my name on the order so fingers crossed. However this whole fiasco means I have thrown away £17.20. Not a happy bunny in that respect.
ramona95264 sue86304
Posted
This exact same thing happened to me - paid for two Elleste Duet prescriptions, only to find I'd be getting periods again! No thanks! I'm so relieved Premique is back and I can't wait to pick up my supply. I've been spreading out my few remaining pills - taking half dose - and getting hot flushes and feeling horrible again. At least we now know if supplies stop again, we should phone Pfizer direct and let them know what we're going through.
bellav sue86304
Posted
I picked mine up today from Boots. Let's hope there are no further problems 😊
penlop bellav
Posted
I've just got too - thank you everyone!!
Zibbyl sue86304
Posted
Sue,
I don't know if this is your only prescription (not prying!) but if it isn't, there's a much cheaper way - buy an NHS Prepayment Card. It works out at about £10 per month and covers all your prescriptions. I have five different medications which they'll only prescribe monthly, plus the quarterly HRT and it would cost me a fortune without it.
See https://apps.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/ppcwebsales/patient.do
sue86304 Zibbyl
Posted
Zibbyl sue86304
Posted
I've been to my Lloyds and they hadn't been checking availability, but have placed an order for me today to collect tomorrow - relieved! This will be to fulfil my December order, so my next order is due later this month. So I'm hoping I can place another order in a couple of week's time, keeping 3 months in reserve for the future. Fingers crossed!
lavinia67510 Zibbyl
Posted
ramona95264 Zibbyl
Posted
Zibbyl ramona95264
Posted
I got mine today too! Six month's supply... the pharmacy provided the pack due in December, and the pack I would normally have ordered for collection this month. When I asked if I'd be able to order again in June, they said of course!
sue86304 Zibbyl
Posted
Got mine too!😁 My GP had only prescribed 3 months even though I’d asked for 6. The pharmacist told me to go back and tell the GP receptionist that there were 2 boxes in stock and it would be cheaper and less hassle if she could give me them both today so please could they amend the prescription to 6 months. And they did! Result! And what a lovely pharmacist! Kind of made up (a little bit) for throwing £17.20 away last time I guess. Big thank you to everyone on this forum because I wouldn’t have known it was back in stock otherwise!
Zibbyl sue86304
Posted
That's what we're here for Sue... to support & help each other.
Glad you had a good result, and let's hope we don't need to come back to this thread again!
Bellamo50 Zibbyl
Posted
Yes .. I’d like to really thank everybody’s for their help .. I manage to get Primique from my chemist at last !!! after reading the comments on here about it coming back into stock ... I’d reluctantly started on something else for a week 😢but now relieved to be back on something that suits me so well 👏🏼👍🏼💓
penlop Zibbyl
Posted
My local chemist can't get hold of Premique - again! Has anyone else had problems recently?
Zibbyl penlop
Posted
Yes, once again they're having manufacturing problems. It's very frustrating!
sue86304 Zibbyl
Posted
Zibbyl sue86304
Posted
I don't understand the problem either Sue. Last year it came about because they moved their manufacturing centres, so I can understand how that might have cause a problem in the continuity of production. But another delay now? It's very poor customer service, but unfortunately we're stuck with them because Premique is unique in the HRT sector and there's nothing similar we can use instead.