Testing strips when LADA

[Ian DP]

I have been refused any more testing strips on the NHS, by our local pct diabetic nurse.

Reason being, I am not on insulin and not on meds and have very good BG levels.

I have been getting 100 per month. I use more than 100 but buy a top up from eBay occasionally.

Anyone else had problems getting BG testing strips whilst LADA

 

[novorapidboi26]

what have your tests being showing so far........have they been useful............?

when and how often do you test..........?

 

[LucySW]

Gawd, Ian. I suppose this was bound to happen in current circs. You work wonders, then get punished for them.

But they can't deny that you are LADA, they have that on test. So somehow get your consultant to overrule it?

Meantime, make good use of Amazon and those nice cheap SD Codefree strips ...

Expletives, though, in sympathy. Here in DK, being officially Type 1 gave me all the strips I need. You're officially T1 too, so that's your best line of attack.

Bastards -

Lucy

 

[Ian DP]

what have your tests being showing so far........have they been useful............?

when and how often do you test..........?

I eat by my meter. Whenever I have a different meal I always test. I always test 1st thing in the morning, this gives a long term guide to whether my BG levels are rising or falling. When they start to rise I test more through the day, changing what I eat to keep my BG levels low.

My diabetic nurse says my BG reading are excellent, and they are by NHS diabetic standards, but too high by dr Bernstein standards.... The reason I can keep them low is because of testing after eating, and changing what I eat accordingly.

Interestingly on my hospital records there is actually no mention of LADA. Simply T1 in honeymoon period. My understanding is T1s get testing strips.

 

[LucySW]

My understanding is T1s get testing strips.

Yes, isn't that normal policy in the UK ?

 

[donnellysdogs]

Even type 1's have to fight sometimes to get strips. I had a GP Ammanford that thought 1 strip a day was ample for a type 1.

Trouble is NHS see them as a long term expense and have not properly analysed the costings of D's that do not test and the implications of complications on their budgets. They are small minded..

 

[LucySW]

They are small minded..

Yes indeed they are.

 

[Spiker]

@noblehead, please could you provide the link to the NHS letter to show to GPs in order to get strips?

 

[Ian DP]

After a phone conversation with my GP, he has agreed to keep the test strips on prescription.... I explained to him that without the test strips I would be on insulin and need far more test strips than 3 per day (testing before / during driving etc.!!!!!... And therefore I was saving the NHS money!

He agreed.... But that I am a very unusual case (?), and that NHS policy is that anyone with BG levels as low as mine without meds or insulin would normally be defined as non diabetic and not need testing strips!!! But fortunately he knows I am diabetic (gad test) and recognises that it is my low carb diet that keeps my BG levels low.

 

[LucySW]

Gawd. They have squeezed their minds into a tight little box and have learned their 39 articles. At least your specialist is better than that.

I HATE being at doctors' mercy.

 

[Spiker]

@IanDP, sounds like your doc is one of the good 'uns. I believe all doctors deep down are like that. They are all trained to reason independently and draw their own conclusions from the evidence in front of them. I bet your "unusual case" made his day! He got to make an actual decision instead of just reading from a set script!