Cost of stuff

[rosered1000]

Hi,
I am new to the forum and was wondering if somebody could help me out. I was diagnosed a few years ago and currently get my insulin and strips etc free on the NHS but wondered how much it would cost if I actually had to pay.

I use Novorapid disposable pens and Lantus and I test about 3 times a day, so around 80 strips a month. This might be a stupid question but would anyone know roughly how much I would pay for this as well as needles on a monthly basis? Would you be talking hundreds of pounds or not? Thanks.

Simon

 

[Claire2332]

If your type1 u will never have to pay as u get an exemption certificate


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[Engineer88]

I wouldnt want to think about it tbh, I use probably 100+strips a week and the same insulin as you (1 pen every 2 weeks)

I would assume altogether yes it would be hundreds.

Why are you thinking about it?

 

[kangoo]

Your pharmacist might be willing to share exact costs if you ask nicely. Alternatively, do you know someone who works in healthcare and has a copy of the BNF book? It has the prices alongside all the other information.

I enquired about this at the end of last year to help make a case for changing my basal bolus. Approximate costs were;

Box of 5 Novorapid flexpen: £32
Box of 5 Levemir flexpen: £46
50 One Touch Ultra test strips: £24
100 BD pen needles: £15

I use 2 boxes of Novorapid, 1 box Levemir, 100 test strips and 2 boxes of pen needles per month.

 

[mo1905]

If your type1 u will never have to pay as u get an exemption certificate


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I hope you're right ! State of the NHS at present and lack of finances nothing would surprise me !

 

[czj]

Actually, all this information is readily available. This is the page you want

http://www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB10610

It is known as the Prescription Cost Analysis. The page there has the data for England for 2012.

It is about 600 pages long, and includes all prescriptions - everything from Antacids to Colostomy bags. (there is an excel version and a PDF version, the PDF version has more explanation at the front about what all the data means. I still get confused about which column is the real cost - NIC, net ingredient cost before discounts is the main figure but it's NIC per quantity that seems to be the actual cost. eg if you have two of item X on a prescriptions then NIC might be £30, but NIC per quantity would be £15)

I clearly need to get out more, as I love this document. It can answer all kind of questions. Is a 10ml vial of Insulatard much cheaper that an 10ml vial of Lantus? (yes, £7.48 vs £30.29 - Hmm, £23 more to feel awful, no thanks). Which is the most popular statin? Simvastatin 40mg. Was I the only luddite still using 12ml needles? yes, more or less.

So, the figures are really detailed and it depends which disposable pen, which version of Lantus, which type of strips you use. Give it a go, and let us know the cost.

 

[Engineer88]

Thats really interesting thanks czj, I cost about £223.20 (plus or minus a few boxes of strips) a month.

 

[czj]

I've costed myself at £95.99 per month (including both insulins, syringes, strips, statin and blood pressure med).

(some one could make a great app put of this data)

 

[Robinredbreast]

I've been Type 1 for 24 years, so that's a lot of dosh for all my medication, but it keeps me alive......... and I would like to stay that way

RRB

 

[benjygirl]

I worked out that all my medication - diabetes and blood pressure would cost me £120 for each repeat prescription, if I didn't get them free.


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[sue cope]

Don't really see why you are worrying about the cost - while the NHS are paying, it is not a problem. If it stops, you pay or......probably die ! At least you would if you stop all Insulin ! I am type 2, but on over 200 units of Insulin a day (approx 120 Novorapid, 84 Lantus), so I use many pens, needles, lancets, test strips, plus Metformin, 2 types of blood pressure tablets and a Statin. I am a pensioner and would not be able to afford any of the medication so it either carries on being paid for by the NHS or I die !

 

[Engineer88]

Sue_cope, Understand what your saying but knowing the monthly cost can support applications for things like pumps ( It would be cheaper for them to give me a pump and CGM) rather than injections and testing.

 

[kangoo]

Sue_cope, Understand what your saying but knowing the monthly cost can support applications for things like pumps ( It would be cheaper for them to give me a pump and CGM) rather than injections and testing.

I made the same argument. Saving a couple of quid per month by moving to the pump. The cost of 10ml novorapid vials (£14 each) and a box of 10 sets (£90-ish) does work out cheaper. I volunteered to use syringes and the vial as my back-up plan, otherwise one unused pen would end up in the bin every month.

It's the upfront cost of the pump itself that is the issue and that argument probably has to be made on clinical grounds.

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[michelereid2002]

I was wondering about this for a while if we knew the cost of stuff would you change your blood meter to a cheaper. One I spoke to my doctor about changing to a. Cheaper one but didn't give me an answer but still I would be curious about the costs

 

[sue cope]

Hadn't realised we were talking about pumps - but I'm all for those who can - I was told I am on too much Insulin to use one. I HOPE I am using one of the cheaper to use blood meters, but don't actually know. Don't quite know why KANGOO would waste one pen a month, as long as unopened ones are kept in fridge, and even opened can be in use for a month. Also don't know how you can use 200 needles per month - even a new needle 4 times a day is only just over 100 needles per month. I use only 1 needle for the 3 NovoRapid doses each day, plus 1 needle per day for the Lantus.

 

[sharonValerie]

Hi there, I have to pay for my insulin and supplies and then get it all reimbursed as I live in Belgium, I can tell you it cost hundreds per month, I receive 2 hospital bills monthly for supplies one for 250 euros and one for 118 euros on top of that I have to buy insulin which is approximately 75 euros a month. As I've had a beta cell transplant I also take immuno suppressants and other drugs which cost around 500 euros per month. I'm lucky I get everything reimbursed 100% by my insurance company for the first 6 months after the transplant I had to take an anti viral drug that cost 1500 euros per month. Those of you who are Type 1 be glad you get all your supplies on National Health because here diabetes is know as the rich mans disease. That said, the Beta Cell transplant was the best thing that has happened to me in years, although I still get some hypos, the 4 or 5 weekly coma's hospital admissions have ceased and I have my life back.

 

[mrman]

Well yes, very lucky to get free scripts in uk. The amount of n.i. Contributions and tax I pay a month I think would more than cover it.

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[benjygirl]

Gosh Sue I would never use a needle 3 times !!!


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[fractureman]

Don't re-use needles, use a fresh one each injection


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[kangoo]

Don't quite know why KANGOO would waste one pen a month, as long as unopened ones are kept in fridge, and even opened can be in use for a month.

Yes, that is true. However, you are required to have a "back-up" plan in case something goes wrong, e.g. pump breaks, blocked tubing, cannula won't stay in. I was told initially to carry a Novorapid pen and throw it away once it had been out of the fridge for 28 days. Obviously, this means throwing away a box of Novorapid every 5 months. I've chosen not to do that and will carry disposable syringes instead, since I have to carry the vial of pump insulin with me anyway.

Also don't know how you can use 200 needles per month - even a new needle 4 times a day is only just over 100 needles per month. I use only 1 needle for the 3 NovoRapid doses each day, plus 1 needle per day for the Lantus.

Here is my routine, agreed with the diabetes specialist nurse.
breakfast: inject levemir & novorapid - 2 needles
mid-morning: novorapid correction dose - 1 needle
lunch: novorapid - 1 needle
dinner: novorapid - 1 needle
bedtime: levemir - 1 needle
That's 6 needles per day (roughly 180 per month) without considering any additional injection for a snack.

I use only 1 needle for the 3 NovoRapid doses each day, plus 1 needle per day for the Lantus.

I used to reuse needles, especially back in the days when we had to buy them. I stopped after a flexpen broke mid-injection. Apart from the pain of reusing, there is the real risk of insulin crystalising in the needle. I reported the pen failure to MHRA and they found air bubbles that proved I had kept the needle on, allowing the needle to block. When I used the pen, the bubble compressed a little and the end of the pen clicked as normal but then the plunger snapped, leaving me uncertain how much, if any, insulin I had received. This is why I don't reuse needles nowadays.