I agree with Tigger. Maybe you should have gone to an all night chemist and purchased a meter. After all, when you first arrived in A&E you only went to obtain a meter.
A&E is really there for accidents etc. Having a meter stolen cannot be classed as an emergency.
Go back to your GP and ask him/her if she would be happy tolerating the side effects of metformin. You have paid taxes and NI all your life. Why shouldn't you be prescribed metformin SR.
I was originally on metformin, but found the side effects intolerable, especially when I was at work (I am...