Test strips

[Sugarlump]

Hi,
I am a newly diagnosed diabetic (type 2) and have been prescribed Metfomin 500mg 3 times a day.
I attended a recent DESMOND course and was told on the course that if I decided to buy and use a blood glucose meter that I could obtain the test strips on prescription. This I thought was a good idea as I am trying to control my glucose level via diet as well

I have today been to the Dr and my request for test strips was initally declined, however after a certain amount of persuasion I managed to get a prescription of 50 strips.

I am really confused. What your experience on this?

 

[lucylocket61]

My doctor refuses to give me either a meter or strips on prescription. he says it will only worry me to be testing all the time, and it wont help.

he is wrong, but I cant make him prescribe :evil:

 

[Bluefoxy]

Hi Sugarlump,

The problem is that the test strips are expensive. Some while back I purchased an Accu Check compact from Boots which cost me approx £15 which is quite clearly subsidised. Accu Check make their profits from the strips. My own doctor is prepared to prescribe 51 strips every 2 months which is not even enough for a daily reading so I have to ration mine very carefully to one reading at the end of the day. Having recently gone on a low carb regime I needed to test after every meal to see what was happening to my bg readings. The nurse practitioner kindly prescribed another 51 strips to allow me to do this for a few days but warned that this could not be a regular occurrence. This will get worse when the doctors are responsible for their own budgets as they place more credence on the six monthly long term readings but I don't buy in to the preposition that we are not capable of properly assessing our own results. The strips can be bought from Boots and other large chemists at a cost of, I believe, of about £27 for 51 strips. It's a cost issue pure and simple.

Ray

 

[Grazer]

This is an ongoing issue we have with doctors. Some prescribe strips, some don't. We have an e-petition for members to sign on this subject, so it would be good if you could sign it and get your friends/famikly/colleagues to sign it as well. Here's the link:-

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/20537

Meanwhile, you need to make the most of the precious strips you have. Test 2 hours after eating - if the readings are over about 8, cut out some of the starchy carbs you had in that meal. Do that with various meal types to get an idea of what you can and can't eat and in what quantities - we're all different. Don't bother with fasting BGs at this stage - if it's high, there's no immediate lesson you can learn. Focus on food acceptability. If you get loads of strips, you can start doing some fasting BGs to see how you're progressing generally.
Good luck, and keep records of all your testing. If you can show your doctor what you learned and the improvements you made as a result, he may be more inclined to prescribe some more.

 

[coxymk2]

Was diagnosed in August with Type 2 and put on metformin. For 3 mths had a lot of stomach trouble and lost weight that i could ill afford to lose. Have been on Gliclazide for a month and was given accu-check monitor immediately. Had to see the practice nurse the next day to show me how to use it. No problems with getting test strips. when i asked how often to test was told 3 times a day and more often if results were high or low. When I asked about the number of strips i was allowed have been told they are on a repeat prescription which is not time lapsed just order as i need. Praise for my Doctor and staff in helping me so easily.

 

[teagan]

Hi my doctor refuses to even consider giving me a meter so i have my own most of the companies will give you a monitor for free and if you order the strips from them direct they are an awful lot cheaper by as much as £10 - £15 compared to buying them from a chemist. I could not Metformin or the slow release the dcotor wanted me to go on glicazide the week before Christmas and was then willing to give me a monitor the risk of having a hypo over christmas i decided to wait untill all the holidays were over so i will go back at the end of Febuary have a blood test done and decide from there. I said that as i was trying to control my BG level by diet and excercise it was important for me to know what foods affected my levels hence the need for a monitor was refused i stated that if it was his eyesight or limbs that might be affected would he want to take control still no luck it all depends on where you live healthcare lotto or what

 

[stephiesut]

You can get monitors with cheaper test strips from Amazon.

I was given a Freestyle Freedom Lite by my nurse and thankfully get the strips on prescription, but if I ever need to buy them you can get them directly from Freestyle for £15 for 50 instead of the chemist price of double that.

 

[hallii]

My Doctor, who is very good in every other respect, simply refuses to prescribe any test strips, nil, zilch not even one.

His reasoning is that my T2 is well controlled and finger pr1ck testing would serve no purpose.

Of course, I have good control because I have and still do test to check what foods affect me, but that argument doesn't cut any ice either.

The fact is, strips are expensive, and if the doc. can avoid spending then they will.

Wait until the docs. are in full control of the budgets, with the PCTs all gone who do we appeal to then?

H

 

[hophead]

His reasoning is that my T2 is well controlled and finger pr1ck testing would serve no purpose.

I think that is a common point of view. I must admit now that I know what makes me spike and since by T2 has come under control I rarely test. Nothing seems to bring me above an 8.

 

[rob 1971]

My doctor and me had a rather long heated chat about test strips, I had them on a repeat until just before Christmas when he said they that they had received an e-mail that said they should not be issued to people with T2 as there is no need for people who take metformin to test as the amount of medication that is taken does not change depending on the reading given. He also proved to me that he has not really got a clue what he is talking about.

doctor '' cut carbs out of your diet ''
me '' what should i have to eat then ''
doctor '' have porridge for breakfast, pack your sandwiches out with salad for lunch and have a hand full of pasta or rice with your evening meal''
me '' i think you need to re think what you just said as each meal you suggested contains carbs''

needless to say as i have a choice of doctors i can see at my surgery i now no longer see him as he clearly has no idea what he is talking about.

my advice would be to speak to the consultant at the hospital if you have been to see one to get him/her to prescribe them or you will need to buy them your self. Me personally test if i feel a little rough other than that don't worry about it.

 

[hanadr]

Sugarlump
if you decise to go down the road of funding your own strips, DON'T buy from a retail pharmacy. It's too expensive. I buy mine direct from the meter supplier. I just ordered 2 boxes for just over £30. they'll arrive in the next couple of days by first class post.
Do some research to select your favourite meter and contact the supplier to find what their patient support policy is. they do vary a bit. Or Pm me for details of my equipment, which more than satisfies my needs.
Hana