If you've been trying to fill your estrogen patch prescription and keep hitting a wall, you're not alone. Estradiol patches have been on national shortage since early 2026, and while supply has improved, availability still varies widely by pharmacy. Here's a step-by-step guide on what to do.

Step 1: Call Around to Nearby Pharmacies

Don't assume your patch is unavailable everywhere just because your usual pharmacy is out. Inventory varies significantly from one location to the next, sometimes even between two pharmacies on the same street. Call a few pharmacies in your area and ask specifically if they have your patch in stock. If they do, ask your current pharmacy to transfer the prescription, or contact our office and we can send it directly to wherever has it.

Step 2: Check Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drugs

Cost Plus Drugs (costplusdrugs.com) carries estradiol patches and is often more reliably stocked than retail pharmacies. They also tend to have significantly lower prices. If you find your patch there, reach out to our office and we can send your prescription directly to them. It's worth checking even if your patch is technically available elsewhere — the savings alone may make it worthwhile.

Step 3: Consider Switching to a Gel Temporarily

If patches are simply not available right now, a gel is the next best option and works the same way. It delivers estradiol through your skin, bypassing the liver just like a patch does. The most common options are EstroGel and Divigel, applied daily to your arm or thigh. We can adjust your dose to match what you were getting on your patch. This is a temporary bridge, not a permanent switch, and we can move you back to your patch once supply stabilizes.

Step 4: If Gel Is Also Not an Option

In some cases, gel may not be the right fit, whether due to availability, insurance, or personal preference. The next options we consider are oral estradiol, compounded estrogen cream, or Femring.

Oral estradiol is a reasonable option if you are a good candidate, meaning no significant clotting risk or history of DVT or stroke. The clot risk is slightly higher than with transdermal estradiol but still very low for most women. We will discuss whether this makes sense for your specific situation.

Compounded estrogen cream is made by a compounding pharmacy and applied to the skin. This keeps estrogen delivery transdermal and avoids the oral route entirely, making it a good option for women who want to stay off oral estrogen but can't access a commercial gel or patch.

Femring is a vaginal ring that delivers systemic estrogen, meaning it treats the whole body rather than just local vaginal symptoms, and only needs to be replaced every three months. It is an effective option, though it may come at a higher out-of-pocket cost depending on your insurance.

The Bottom Line

The shortage is real and it is frustrating, but you have options. Estrogen itself is not on backorder, just the patch delivery system. The goal is to keep your estrogen levels stable while we navigate availability, and we will work with you to find the best alternative for your situation.

If your patch is out of stock, reach out to our office before stopping your medication. Going without estrogen, even temporarily, is not the answer when safe alternatives are available.