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testing

saralou78

saralou78

Active Member
Messages
29
Location
surrey
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
animal cruelty and rude people
hi
i saw the diabetic nurse for the first time Friday she said i don't need to test myself is this right im confused please help
 
Hiya Saralou,

More often than not, people with Type 2 Diabetes find themselves not able to get test strips and meters on the NHS if they have been told to control their condition with diet or tablets. Unfortunately if you want to test you'll have to buy your own meter and strips. You could always try asking your GP, but it's a bit of a postcode lottery as to who can and can't get the testing equipment on the NHS.
 
I'm fairly newly diagnosed as well.. And also was warned that in time, they wouldn't be doing test strips or lancets on prescription.. Which seems crazy to me.. A condition that needs you to be aware of something (your blood sugar) means you can't have prescription access to the equipment to monitor it..

I order all my lancets and test strips from amazon... The price is the lowest I've seen (I'm on agamatrix jazz like I suspect most newly diagnosed people are)... As these are purely for diabetes, although amazon charge 20% vat you can get them at zero vat...

The process is fairly simple once you worked out how to do it with amazon... (Took me a few phone calls and emails for them to cotton on..) Basically order your items.. Then fill in a form.. Listing the order number, cost etc and email it to amazon... They then refund 20% of the order...

Let me know if you want me to post a copy of the form and the email address etc..

For me testing and knowing my levels helps me control it... I'd still rather NOT pay for them.. But my health is too important to do without...




Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
What medication if any are you on?


Type 2 diagnosed 24/01/2013.
Novomix 30, Victoza, metformin 2000mg sr (but not taking them as they play havoc with my insides,
 
If your on gliclizide and drive you have to monitor your blood sugar before every journey and every 2 hours in to that journey by law so you should get strips on prescription


Type 2 diagnosed 24/01/2013.
Novomix 30, Victoza, metformin 2000mg sr (but not taking them as they play havoc with my insides,
 
Their guidelines gliclizide is a hypo causing drug


Type 2 diagnosed 24/01/2013.
Novomix 30, Victoza, metformin 2000mg sr (but not taking them as they play havoc with my insides,
 
I'll check with then again then as last time I spoke to them they definitely said insulin only was all they were bothered about... Even when I mentioned what medication... I'm on one 80mg a day


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
I tried looking for info on Gliclazide and testing and I couldn't actually find anything written down or on DVLA website. Do you have a link or is this just what you've been told ? The DVLA are not really interested unless you're on insulin. Unless you are Class 2, LGV.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
It is good practice to test before driving if you are on gliclazide, but I usually only test before long journeys and not the 10 minute drive home from work.
 
I agree it's not a bad idea to test whilst on Gliclazide but it's not a DVLA requirement. I must admit, I find this odd as there is still risk of hypo but hey ho :-)


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Naquada

Just interested why you are buying your own testing strips if your GP is prepared to at least give them to you for a while. My GP is not keen but I came to an arrangement with her about only using them when I felt I needed them and not on a regular basis. That way they remain on repeat. By the way, have you got your medical exemption card yet?

Regards

Doug
 
Prosecuted bloody auto correct


Type 2 diagnosed 24/01/2013.
Novomix 30, Victoza, metformin 2000mg sr (but not taking them as they play havoc with my insides,
 
Osidge said:
Naquada

Just interested why you are buying your own testing strips if your GP is prepared to at least give them to you for a while. My GP is not keen but I came to an arrangement with her about only using them when I felt I needed them and not on a regular basis. That way they remain on repeat. By the way, have you got your medical exemption card yet?

Regards

Doug
Click to expand...

They gave me one prescription for test strips.. and then basically said.. thats it... you wont be getting more.... they suggested now just to test when i feel ill.. which for me isn't a solution for me given that i was only diagnosed in february, and i'm still working out how things and food effect my levels (i'm also an extremely logical person that learns and copes using logic and processes!)

I wanted to keep a pack of 50 strips on hand so there's always a backup available to me... initially i was asked to test twice a day (before breakfast, before evening meal) and then one random during the day... then I was asked to just test randomly once a day... now.. they just want me to test 'when i feel ill' as they have said i'm managing my levels very well (I started at 24.. i'm now averaging according to my meter and app at about 9 ish.. actual morning levels are 11 and it;s up and down during the day but all 'blue' dots and none or very few hypo or hypers now.. except this week where ive had a rotten cold!)

testing 'when i feel ill' isnt working for me.. i prefer and feel more comfortable testing at twice a day... being new to all this.. and quite confused.. it seems odd..!
 
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