The thought of suddenly being deprived of my precious HRT struck fear into my heart. Would I transform overnight into a grumpy old witch? Feel like a forgetful, arthritic 80-year-old? Wake up at 1am in a flood of sweat?
Last month, after six uninterrupted years of Oestrogel, I found out. On a romantic week away in Fuerteventura, I forgot to pack my gel pump, aka the key to my sanity.
I discovered my disastrous error on a Sunday – pharmacies’ day of rest. But that was fine. Even I could go a day without. So my partner, the long-suffering DG, and I chuckled at my mishap over multiple jugs of sangria, safe in the knowledge I’d rectify the situation come Monday.
Dr Google informed me that, although you technically need a prescription to get HRT in Spain, pharmacists would be likely to bend the rules for a tourist in distress.
A panicked call to the nearest farmacia five miles away proved this was not correct. It turns out Spanish pharmacists are sticklers for the rules, insisting on either a UK or local prescription.
I toyed with getting a doctor’s appointment and paying 120 euros (£102) for the pleasure. But the beach bar was far more fun. So I told DG I’d see if I could go without for a week. He muttered ‘OK’, clearly as nervous as me about my impending transition into an ogre.
We spent the rest of the day, and the next one, surfing, sunbathing and guzzling vino blanco. Despite the laidback vibes, irritability kept sneaking up on me. Making plans with DG, one of life’s great procrastinators, made me snippy.
Yes, this happens at home but, on holiday, I’d hoped to be more chilled.
DG soon started suggesting cocktails every time we passed a bar. When I asked him why he wanted me semi-permanently sozzled, he confessed to trying to drown out any potential withdrawal symptoms. Ouch.
The thought of suddenly being deprived of my precious HRT struck fear into my heart, writes Helen Down. Would I transform overnight into a grumpy old witch? Last month, I found out…
DG soon started suggesting cocktails every time we passed a bar. When I asked him why he wanted me semi-permanently sozzled, he confessed to trying to drown out any potential withdrawal symptoms
That night, I went to bed a little worse for wear and was awoken at 1am by a sweat so savage even the back of my knees were dripping. A reaction to the booze? The Canarian heat? Or a return of the dreaded meno night sweats?
Consumed by a sense of doom, I grabbed my phone, found an inexpensive online doctor service and booked a virtual appointment for 10am. For a mere 20 euros (£17), I spoke to a Spanish doctor with impeccable English and, hey presto, a prescription landed in my inbox.
DG had no qualms about changing our beach plans in favour of hiring bikes and cycling five miles to the pharmacy. He was clearly as invested in getting me back on the drugs – because by now I really did feel like a junkie in need of a fix.
An hour later, I triumphantly handed over my prescription. ‘Ah,’ said the pharmacist, ‘you must be the lady who asked to get the medication without a prescription.’ Apparently, my desperation had become something of a legend in this little corner of the Canaries.
After coughing up more euros, I ran outside, yanked at my shorts and slathered myself in Spanish oestrogen. Its calming effect seemed immediate. Yet HRT’s impact isn’t instantaneous. So all that grouchiness, panic and sweat… was it in my head?
GP and hormone specialist, Dr Louise Newson, confirms that for most women, it takes a few days for HRT’s effects to reboot.
However, she thinks my symptoms may not have been entirely imagined. ‘Some women have told me that their holiday was ruined when they forgot their HRT.
‘Everyone responds differently, with some experiencing more severe symptoms [like poor sleep, anxiety, low mood, hot flushes and irregular bleeding] than others.’
So perhaps it wasn’t bonkers to sacrifice a day and a fair few euros to sourcing local HRT? Dr Newson says: ‘If you’re away for more than a couple of days, then it’s worth trying to find a local doctor to prescribe HRT.
‘Using an alternative or foreign brand is often preferable to stopping treatment, but it should be done with guidance from a pharmacist or doctor because formulations and doses vary between countries.’
And that certainly rings true. When I tore open my Spanish HRT box, I was alarmed to find a syringe. It needed to be screwed on to the end of a tube of gel so the correct amount could be suctioned out. But what was the correct amount? I opted for 1.25ml. It was only back in our Airbnb, with help from a calculator, that I realised I needed 2.5ml and swiftly applied an extra splodge.
If you can’t find a local alternative, Dr Newson advises prioritising rest, hydration and exercise while swerving stress. Potentially feasible on holiday.
The biggest takeaway, aside from saving a photo of my UK prescription on my phone, is that I can survive without HRT for a few days.
Once I’d calmed down, I reflected back with a fresh perspective. It wasn’t quite the crisis of my imagination.
That said, I’ll never leave my pump at home ever again. And I expect DG will be fully supporting me by triple checking my suitcase before we leave for our next holiday.
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