No more test strips prescribed

[IceLover]

Hi
Im on the accu chek insight pump (which i hate) as well as the libre and my nurse keeps telling me test manually 4 times a day. I ordered from my pharmacy like 2 weeks ago and the Gp called me saying no more test strips are being prescribed since i have the libre. Can they do that? Also the insight has no input blood sugar feature so I actually have to manually test before meal to get a correct carb count. I honestly hate this pump but i have 2 years to go Im really stressed now because my nurse is going to be mad that i have no manual blood sugars for my appt on Monday but it’s because my gp wont give me strips and im just using libre.

 

[deszcznocity]

Hi
Im on the accu chek insight pump (which i hate) as well as the libre and my nurse keeps telling me test manually 4 times a day. I ordered from my pharmacy like 2 weeks ago and the Gp called me saying no more test strips are being prescribed since i have the libre. Can they do that? Also the insight has no input blood sugar feature so I actually have to manually test before meal to get a correct carb count. I honestly hate this pump but i have 2 years to go Im really stressed now because my nurse is going to be mad that i have no manual blood sugars for my appt on Monday but it’s because my gp wont give me strips and im just using libre.

Google NHS guidelines for insulin users for your NHS trust - they post the guidelines they follow online so you can check what they are. For my NHS this is not true, but don't know about yours. I think this is life-threatening because I often find libre being off by 1-2 mmols so I NEVER give myself insulin without checking my blood glucose from a finger prick test. This way I avoided a LOT of hypos.

 

[porl69]

Get in touch with your DSN and tell them the trouble you are having with your GP and your DSN will contact your GP and tell them to prescribe you test strips as well

 

[Rokaab]

Hi
Im on the accu chek insight pump (which i hate) as well as the libre and my nurse keeps telling me test manually 4 times a day. I ordered from my pharmacy like 2 weeks ago and the Gp called me saying no more test strips are being prescribed since i have the libre. Can they do that?

You still need to have test strips, fro example you need to test when low as the libre is not accurate at all for many under 5, my doctor cut down the number of test strips I can get but I still get them.
Also you the pump requires you to have them, so you need to tell the doctors this, it may require you getting your hospital team to write a letter to them to confirm.

 

[IceLover]

Hi thank you all!!
I meeting with my dsn soon so i can tell her everything then!

 

[Muneeb]

Just say you need test strips for testing to meet DVLA guidelines. Can't argue with that. Absolute nonsense though, you still need to do the odd check every now and then because even Libre asks you for BS measurements if accuracy is off before they replace it.

 

[porl69]

Just say you need test strips for testing to meet DVLA guidelines

Unfortunately the Libre meet the DVLA guidelines now and can be used to drive

 

[Muneeb]

Unfortunately the Libre meet the DVLA guidelines now and can be used to drive

Yes but you still need confirmatory finger prick glucose testing under certain conditions:
i.e
Levels below 4.0 mmol/l.
If you have symptoms of hypoglycemia
If your libre gives readings that aren't consistent with symptoms
etc. etc.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi
Im on the accu chek insight pump (which i hate) as well as the libre and my nurse keeps telling me test manually 4 times a day. I ordered from my pharmacy like 2 weeks ago and the Gp called me saying no more test strips are being prescribed since i have the libre. Can they do that? Also the insight has no input blood sugar feature so I actually have to manually test before meal to get a correct carb count. I honestly hate this pump but i have 2 years to go Im really stressed now because my nurse is going to be mad that i have no manual blood sugars for my appt on Monday but it’s because my gp wont give me strips and im just using libre.

Tell her she can't be mad at you, tell her to take it up with the GP. You're willing, just unable.

 

[searley]

Tell her she can't be mad at you, tell her to take it up with the GP. You're willing, just unable.

Its not your fault you won't have manual readings.. discuss with your dsn/consultant as they can't tell your gp what to prescribe

I have stuff on my prescription my gp doesn't want to issue, but my care to have told him that he must prescribe it

 

[KK123]

I discovered this anomaly when I went onto the libre a month ago. I recall many users have said that they only use the libre for identifying trends and not for deciding how much insulin to take, (for that they do the finger prick tests). I also think the libre reads at least 1mmol low especially when the readings are around the 4's. I have just had a copy of a letter from my hospital team to my GP saying that the GP now only needs to prescribe '50 strips' every 1 to 2 months now that I am on the libre. That's around one a day so clearly the libre IS intended to wholly be relied upon when doing insulin injections. I do find myself doing a libre check (which tells me what my bloods were doing 15 minutes ago?), then taking my insulin based on that (but it could have changed in that 15 minutes, who knows?). Is it ok to take insulin based on an interstitial fluid measure that's 15 minutes old? I do like the libre but I'm not sure how safe it is to rely on entirely when it comes to an actual insulin injection.

 

[hodders]

Hi icelover

I have had exactly the same problem as you. I too have a libre and use the insight.
After Christmas I was denied test strips. My dsn got involved, my gp practise did not respond to her after 3 requests. I complained to the practice manager and got my strips. All sorted-wrong--2 weeks ago I was told no more strips until 29th of April. This time after much stress and hassle I got to speak to my nurse practitioner. And of course my libre was questioned, I pointed out that though a very useful tool, my pump relied on finger pricks.
After going through my daily requirements of strips, it turned out that because of the libre my prescription had been changed to a 3 monthly quota of 200 strips from the previous 1 month allowance. Who did this I have no idea. But it is now sorted - hopefully. Back with 200 strips monthly.
Good luck and hope this helps

 

[Jaylee]

Hi,

It is possible with a third party app like XDrip or Glimp to calibrate test strip readings to "what the Libre says."

However, you need the strips. & Abbott say somewhere in the blurb any anomalies should be backed up with a blood test from a meter.. Then there's a what if the sensor is a duff?

Doesn't sound like your GP fully understands the concept, @IceLover .

I personally find the Libre app restrictive in that I also want to forcast where I'm going not where I've been..
Unlike the third party apps I mentioned earlier.

Eyes on the road.

 

[IceLover]

Hi icelover

I have had exactly the same problem as you. I too have a libre and use the insight.
After Christmas I was denied test strips. My dsn got involved, my gp practise did not respond to her after 3 requests. I complained to the practice manager and got my strips. All sorted-wrong--2 weeks ago I was told no more strips until 29th of April. This time after much stress and hassle I got to speak to my nurse practitioner. And of course my libre was questioned, I pointed out that though a very useful tool, my pump relied on finger pricks.
After going through my daily requirements of strips, it turned out that because of the libre my prescription had been changed to a 3 monthly quota of 200 strips from the previous 1 month allowance. Who did this I have no idea. But it is now sorted - hopefully. Back with 200 strips monthly.
Good luck and hope this helps

Hi this means you no longer have the libre??

 

[IceLover]

Hi icelover

I have had exactly the same problem as you. I too have a libre and use the insight.
After Christmas I was denied test strips. My dsn got involved, my gp practise did not respond to her after 3 requests. I complained to the practice manager and got my strips. All sorted-wrong--2 weeks ago I was told no more strips until 29th of April. This time after much stress and hassle I got to speak to my nurse practitioner. And of course my libre was questioned, I pointed out that though a very useful tool, my pump relied on finger pricks.
After going through my daily requirements of strips, it turned out that because of the libre my prescription had been changed to a 3 monthly quota of 200 strips from the previous 1 month allowance. Who did this I have no idea. But it is now sorted - hopefully. Back with 200 strips monthly.
Good luck and hope this helps

It all stresses me out since i cant use the bolus calculator without manually testing which will risk me keeping my pump. My nurse has even told me when i just didnt manually test because of some burnout that my ccg might decide to no longer fund my insight as im not using it correctly. It makes me upset as i love the idea of a pump and it has done good for me but this pump restricts me as well as the no test strips

 

[JoKalsbeek]

It all stresses me out since i cant use the bolus calculator without manually testing which will risk me keeping my pump. My nurse has even told me when i just didnt manually test because of some burnout that my ccg might decide to no longer fund my insight as im not using it correctly. It makes me upset as i love the idea of a pump and it has done good for me but this pump restricts me as well as the no test strips

Get a Tee2, the strips are inexpensive, and self-fund for a while until all this is properly sorted. @Rachox , can you give the cheap-meter-for-self-funders info? Thanks!

 

[porl69]

Get a Tee2, the strips are inexpensive, and self-fund for a while until all this is properly sorted. @Rachox , can you give the cheap-meter-for-self-funders info? Thanks!

She will not need to get another BG meter. Her GP has to prescribe her test strips for the pump even thou she is on the Libre as well

 

[JoKalsbeek]

She will not need to get another BG meter. Her GP has to prescribe her test strips for the pump even thou she is on the Libre as well

I know. But if they're not prescribing for who knows how long yet -I know it sometimes takes a few days if not longer to get a word in with these guys- and the strips are needed right now rather than later... Better have a back-up to be on the safe side. That was my reasoning anyway. There's a whole lot of things people should do, but doesn't mean they will. And that goes for GP's too.

 

[slikwipman]

Yes but you still need confirmatory finger prick glucose testing under certain conditions:
i.e
Levels below 4.0 mmol/l.
If you have symptoms of hypoglycemia
If your libre gives readings that aren't consistent with symptoms
etc. etc.

I have just received my 3 year driving license renewal and I’m reading an enclosed’ guide to insulin treated diabetes and driving’ it advises you should always carry your glucose meter and strips even if you use a real time glucose monitoring system or flash glucose monitoring system. Following DVLA advice should really be a must for us all

 

[Rachox]

Get a Tee2, the strips are inexpensive, and self-fund for a while until all this is properly sorted. @Rachox , can you give the cheap-meter-for-self-funders info? Thanks!

Thanks for the tag @JoKalsbeek

Here’s some info on UK meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned. For a meter with cheap strips go for the Tee2 + found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-plus-blood-glucose-meter/ with the strips found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-testing-strips/

Some members have got a free Tee2 by phoning up to order, with a large order of strips they often throw the meter in for free:

Phone number 0800 8815423



With more expensive strips is the Caresens Dual which I currently use, this one has the advantage of glucose and ketone testing in one machine, it’s to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual


And to be totally transparent I used to use the SD Code Free from Home Health which has the cheapest strips available. However I found it to be becoming less and less reliable. Here it is for anyone wanting to give it a go, just bear in mind it seems they are replacing it with the Navii, details below.

http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/

and here for the extra strips

http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/sd-codefree-test-strips-to-be-used-only-with-the-sd-monitor/

There are discount codes if you buy in bulk.

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833


Home Health have recently bought out this one too, but I haven’t heard any reviews yet, links to strips and the meter:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/glucose-navii-blood-glucose-test-strips-50-strip-pack/


https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/gluconavii-blood-sugar-meter-glucose-monitor-starter-kit/


I think @DCUKMod has some discount codes for the Navii strips


Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)