Doctor refuses me test strips TWICE

Bittern

Well-Known Member
Messages
248
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
In twenty years I have never been prescribed test strips and have self funded. I only test new foods or changes in diet plus once a day, usually foot on floor, test. It's worked so far.
 

HarryBeau

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,815
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Yes, help getting a better Meter would be great thank you.
Be careful Daisy often the meters we are given are freebies supplied to your GP by the companies who make their money on the testing strips usually the more expensive ones as @Goonergal says it's better to find out what the most affordable meter & strips are.
I do still have my testing strips supplied on prescription & I still take Metformin, even then having your GP supply them is not a certainty, my GP would not prescribe them without my challenging the local CCG on the way they interpreted the NICE guidelines it involved a lot of hard work.

But there is nothing to stop you trying, don't ask don't get.

Good luck.
 
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Reactions: DaisyDuke 2

NicoleC1971

BANNED
Messages
3,451
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi am two weeks into the keto month challenge To start with I was using few last strips I had to hand.
ive dropped a dress size which pleases me, but Doc refuses me strips to support my efforts. I was doing a shorthand of, below 7 in the morning, ideally in the fives. Just attained that when strips ran out.
how can I monitor my levels now? I asked for Hb1ac monthly then. No again still three months. Loads of patronising guff about getting my level down to 49 from 58 in five months but no support!!!!!!! I wrote an impassioned logical letter but still no go. Why are they so inflexible?
So, how else do I monitor Myself without testing BG?
I am getting to grips with portion size and how many net g each meal has. I am veggie so using higher carb veg and CHEESE and eggs. no cravings. Just made cloud bread. Unusual but a bit of keto bulk with keto soup.
thanks for any advice/ help.
Cant afford to buy strips myself at moment with one thing and another!
Take care everyone.
Footy Xxx
Well done and keep going because your hba1c will drop further and if you are being strict with the carbs the results will start being boringly predictable.
Sad to say that as a type 2 you would need to make your diabetes serious enough to require insulin before you were given test strips.
I am type 1 and got mine for free which makes my laxity recently quite shameful (I have never given up chocolate). I now have a free style libre which lasts for 2 weeks and at cost is £48. This is a lot but could perhaps be used once every 3 months to get lots of accurate readings across the day and night which might provide an interesting snapshot of your state of insulin resistance and reaction to different foods.
 

DaisyDuke 2

Active Member
Messages
39
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Selfish arrogant people.
Hi. I don’t know anything about the one touch. Of those listed, the Navii is the newest. I use the Tee2. They’re recommended here because of their ease of use and price of strips.

All meters have a range of error of around +\- 10-15% and as a type 2 managing with diet only or a combination of diet and metformin, it’s the general trends that are more important than the absolute numbers. If you use the same meter and are consistent with when you test, then you’ll come to see what is ‘normal’ for you.

Yes I can understand that, plus also listening to your body. I generally know when my blood is low. It’s just when it’s higher than usual.

Thanks for all your help, Merry Christmas
 

DaisyDuke 2

Active Member
Messages
39
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Selfish arrogant people.
Meters have standards to comply with and even the most expensive meters have the same standards to meet.. none if them are lab grade and will give you 'good in the ball park' numbers


I use contour next meters as I have found those very consistent ie 1 test after another the numbers match where with cheaper meters ive seen much wider variance although still within the accepted tolerance but contour strip are one of the more expensive

I've use one touch vario and found them very consistent with the contour

To be fair the exact number is irrelevant. It doesn't matter if it shows 9 or 10mmol either way its high. Again 3.4 or 3.6mmol it too low

Yes, after doing an online search Contour Next came out tops for accuracy 100%, however the strips are £20 for 50!
 

DaisyDuke 2

Active Member
Messages
39
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Selfish arrogant people.
I think this might be causing confusion on here, as being one would mean you were in a coma.


Such a high reading is also very unusual in a type 2.

Are you on any diabetes meds at the moment?
I can only tell you what my machine said... but it seems there are not alway accurate.

I was on Metformin in the beginning but it didn’t agree with me and So, I did a little research and found this site and Diet Doctor and now cook everything from scratch.

Doctor advised me to test every morning, before and after meal which I have done ever since being diagnosed.
My blood sugar was very high when first diagnosed but due to the diet and daily exercise it has dropped down to “normal”

I was having regular (3 month) blood test until this year, but only had one this year due to Covid, in October and then they didn’t test my sugar for some reason ?
Not been for an eye test or seen Doctor and now they don’t want to give test strips!
Feeling a bit abandoned
 

searley

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
1,880
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
Diabetes, not having Jaffa Cake
Yes, after doing an online search Contour Next came out tops for accuracy 100%, however the strips are £20 for 50!
I'm luck they are prescribed as I said any meter with affordable strips will do
 

greybags

Well-Known Member
Messages
52
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I think this might be causing confusion on here, as being one would mean you were in a coma.

A bit of a sweeping statement if you dont mind me saying so. Over the years I have had a low of 1 on two different occasions, and apart from feeling somewhat dizzy, and nauseous, I was perfectly OK and able to get myself some glucose tablets and drink etc..
So being a 1 does not mean you are in a coma :)