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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Henry Jones

Women left 'suicidal' amid HRT supply shortage as menopause 'ruins their life'

A woman described how she may be forced to give up work amid a shortage of hormone replacement therapy treatment as the menopause started to "ruined her life".

Sarah Smith, 53, from London, said she running out would be "catastrophic" for her physical and mental wellbeing.

Shortages of the medicine, used to treat the symptoms of menopause, have been so severe some women have been forced to travel hundreds of miles in search of it.

Around a million women in the UK rely on HRT.

Sarah said: "It will be catastrophic for me if my supply runs out and I stop abruptly. It will cause a mental and physical impact that will likely see me have to give up work."

Sarah, not pictured, said menopause ruined her life and left her unable to work (Getty Images/Collection Mix: Subjects RF)

Describing her experience of menopause before she used HRT, Sarah said she experienced approximately 30 hot flushes each day and "intense brain fog".

"I forgot how to do my job. Menopause ruined my life.

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

Sarah said she completely lost sense of her identity and all joy in life when she experienced the menopause without HRT treatment (SCU)

"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."

Marion Swarbrick, 47, from West Lothian, Scotland, said she had experienced suicidal thoughts before being prescribed HRT.

"I'm really worried about not being able to get HRT as menopause also affects moods," Mrs Swarbrick said.

Sarah was told the HRT was unavailable, leaving her fearing what the future held (Getty Images)

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," Mrs 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."

The Samaritans can be contacted on 116123 or email jo@samaritans.org

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