Where to buy test strips?

[viv1969]

I must have dropped lucky with my GP.....fingers crossed it continues!

 

[manofkent99]

Well written, Catherinecherub, January 29 8.58pm.
I was diagnosed Type 2 in October 2005 with a blood glucose reading of 11.8 and an HbA1c a bit higher than that. My GP suggested that I ‘treated myself’ to a blood test meter since, he said, this would enable me to keep better control of my blood glucose. He recommended the Roche ‘Accucheck Advantage’, which I bought and he then gave me a prescription for lancets and test strips. I have never experienced any problems in getter the prescription renewed. Yes, it does enable me to keep a good check on my bG which now varies between 5.5 and 6.5: my HbA1c reading last week was 6.8 (and that includes Christmas and the New Year)!!!
My I suggest that your local branch of Diabetes UK, which should have ready access to the executive of your PCT, would be one way in which the unfortunates could register their concerns. After all, strength in numbers can be effective.

 

[thomo4]

Hello,

Sorry do not understand the ‘Type 2’ so cannot get test strips from the GP. The GP should not be saying no as diabetes has been classified as an acute condition and hence medication, needles, test strips and lancets are free of prescription charge. Of course we have to buy or get given our meters. Have you asked the GP for Test Strips, and if they say no – Ask WHY? Keeping your glucose level under control is vital.....

 

[petes307]

Up here in Northern Scotland we don't pay for prescriptions if you're signed up with a Medical Exemptions certificate (or something like that). I've been diabetic for over 10 years and have just moved onto insulin injections (Levemir).

Best regards - Pete
9.8 and counting........

 

[rogbert]

I cannot understand why you cannot get them on prescription any problems you should see your local health care office or get advice from this site or diabetes uk i know funds are short for these expensive items but they are part of your care and control and you should push for it .I f I had to pay I'm affraid I would Die.I test more than three times a day and am on insulin.

 

[rogbert]

Hello all,
Thought it best to put my post on this thread. This might be of some help to the newly diagnosed who are being denied test strips. It is of great concern to me as I know how essential this tool is in the day to day management of our condition. People who have good control have to test sometimes and they are more alert as to whether their blood sugar is high or low. How can a newly diagnosed be expected to gain control if they don't know if dietary changes and exercise are having the desired effect.
I recently emailed Roche, makers of my test machine, to ask if they had any ideas as to how to solve this problem. Thought I would get an email back with the usual wording that they were aware of the problem blah, blah, blah.......
Today I received a letter and some pamphlets with advice on how to go about complaining. I was quite surprised by this because on a previous discussion about test strips it was the general consensus of opinion that the test strip manufacturer's profits would not affected and so they would not have an opinion.
This is what they advised :-

IF TEST STRIP PRESCRIPTION HAS BEEN REDUCED.

If the G.P. or D.N. has decided this then discuss it with them. If the decision is a directive from the P.C.T. then this is a non medical decision which could have an impact on your ability to manage your diabetes. Contact your P.C.T.

IF YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED ANY TEST STRIPS.

Contact your P.C.T. to find out what their policy is. Once you have this information contact your local Patients Advice and Liaison Service, (PALS). The Hospital G.P. or Clinic will have this telephone number. Start to make a written case to prove that test strips are an essential part of your diabetes management Contact your local M.P, http://www.writetothem.com will allow you to email them. There is also an Association of Diabetic Specialist Nurses, http://www.diabetesnurse.org.uk

I would ask that you all complain and get your friends and relatives to complain on your behalf. If we do nothing we only have ourselves to blame. If we do something then at least we can say that we tried.

Regards, Catherine.

Very Well done Catherine if everyone did as you say we might get a better life what about all the money the nhs is saving on all the million not yet diagnosed

 

[douglaspott]

If your living in the UK your entitled to free prescription if you are a diabetic.
just ask at your doctors for a form.
Douglas

 

[sugarless sue]

Welcome to the forum Douglas,nearly true,type 2's not on any oral or injected medication are not entitled to free prescriptions so have to pay for prescriptions at the going rate of which ever part of the country they live in.

 

[LiL]

Hi! This is my first ever post and am really confused!

I understand Type 2's that are not on medication cannot get free prescriptions, but will your doctor not give you a prescription for the test strips?
Surely paying the £7ish prescription charge would be cheaper for 100 strips than the £20 that you all seem to have to pay to buy them privately.

Am I being really dumb? Have I missed something along the line somewhere?

 

[tubolard]

Yes LiL it would, however the problem some (and the numbers are increasing) type 2s are reporting is that GPs won't prescribe test strips at all - the assumption being that the twice yearly/yearly HbA1c will empower and educate the type 2 about their BG management.

Regards, Tubs.

 

[LiL]

What a load of rubbish, surely it's in the doctors best interest to promote health holistically, not just a 'sort yourselves out' attitude.

The NHS would save money in the long-run if they help Type 2's now, rather than having to spend out in the future trying to fix complications (that could have been prevented) which have occurred by poor blood glucose control.

There is something seriously wrong with our health service! Either change it to a private scheme, or be what we pay for and maintain the "health service for everyone" statement that was made by the World Health Organisation all those years ago!

Doesn't it just make you want to scream?!

 

[Dennis]

Hi Lil,
Further to Tubs's reply, a pack of 50 test strips costs the NHS betweem £10 and £13, depending on the brand. So even if you pay £7 it still costs the NHS, which of course the NHS accountants (the PCTs) don't like!

The NHS would save money in the long-run if they help Type 2's now, rather than having to spend out in the future trying to fix complications (that could have been prevented) which have occurred by poor blood glucose control.

Quite right - to anyone with a grain of common sense. But the problem the PCTs have is that test strips come out of today's budget, whereas treating the health problems arising from their bad decisions will be someone else's problem and someone else's budget a few years down the line. PCTs are judged by how they control this year's costs, not costs that might arise in years to come.

There is something seriously wrong with our health service! Either change it to a private scheme, or be what we pay for and maintain the "health service for everyone" statement that was made by the World Health Organisation all those years ago!

You know the old saying "there's lies, damned lies, and Government policy!".

 

[steve_sandy]

was under the impression that all diabetics got their prescriptions for free, this includes test strips and other non diabetic medication

why can't the OP get prescriptions ?

 

[catherinecherub]

Hi steve,
We would all like to think that as test strips are a necessary part of diabetes management that we would be entitled to them free or on prescrition charges. If you read through this thread you will see that this is not the case. Some diabetics are being denied them and have no way of testing unless they fund them themselves. They are having to rely on HBA1c results every three months or longer. It is a bit of a postcode lottery.
Catherine.

 

[Pickwick]

Perhaps a bit off the main topic, but isn't it time that the NHS - instead of making their patients' lives a misery - took the bull by the horns and tackled producers at source about prices? My son's work involves engineering and electronics costing, and he reckons there's no excuse for a price of more than £5 a box for strips - especially given the increasingly rising sales.

The obscene profit margins of pharmaceutical companies and the shabby acquiescence of the medical professions and the NHS are what's really at the root of this problem. Little comfort in the short term I know - but it seems so many NHS problems these days are down to indefensible financial chicanery at every level.

 

[Apricot]

Have been following the discussions re the test strips, buying on ebay, the fakes etc (thank you for that advice!)

I bought some on ebay last month..best before date of 1st march 2009. Used several ok...and on the stroke of midnight on 31st Jan....the strip didnt work...as out of date. I am returning them to the seller. Promised a replacement....
What I have now found...is that the seller lives in Wales...wouldnt have paid for scripts anyway, and as a diabetic...is exempt. Rip off big time!! When the PCT's decide who does/doesnt get strips, this is unfair....

I also asked ebay whether the strips etc broke their rules on prescriptions medicines etc. Apparently it doesnt...(but then I reckon as ebay raked in the %...they dont give a ****!!).

I am only still very new to all this...and learning fast.

Metformin now increased to 2 x 500mg. Tummy scan results due next week...so will soon be pain free, I hope. Recent readings a modest 6.3 ish...(.2 +/-). Vast improvement on 11.5...BP steady again.

Many thanks to you all for your support and encouragement.

Going to make a snow man in back garden....

Apricot

 

[hanadr]

HI Lil
The NHS doesn't think "in the long term"
they'd rather save 2p today than £100 tomorrow.

 

[spiritus2002]

I still don't understand why Type 2 are on limited test strips, although I'm type 1and get more - before it was found that I was type 1 and was still messing around with tablets it would have been impossible for me to keep tight control on sugar levels without a lot more strips than now being dished out. If you can afford extra strips then ok, but not all of us can. Do type 2 insulin users get extra or not? I only ask as I have to test my sugar before I drive as I've been informed that if I have a hypo whilst driving I can be prosecuted for driving under the influence of drugs!!

 

[RoseLin]

Personally, I let the doctor prescribe metformin and test strips, seeing as I cannot have have the test strips alone !!! Then simply don't take the metformin!

I hate to suggest this solution, and the cost to the NHS of the wasted metformin, but if they make these insane rules which deny us the means to see the results of attempting diet-based control, I have no conscience about my response.

I am just angry that I was denied the strips earlier, before I reached the stage of 'needing' metformin, because with the feedback from testing, I might not have progressed to the 'drug stage' at all! ugh!

 

[LiL]

Ooohhh, you're not going to like me for this......

RoseLin what a tremendous waste of money!

Surely if your doctor knew what you were doing and why, he could be persuaded to just prescribe the test strips.

The governments statistics for precription medications show that millions of pounds of unused medicines are being flushed down the toilet! Just think, not only is it contaminating our environment but also wasting so much money that could possibly be used to fund test strip prescriptions!

I know it must be really hard for you, but I work for the NHS and see how some patients have to go without a particular drug as there is no funding left to prescribe it, wrong I know, but thats just the way the health service in our country works (postcode lottery) at the moment!

Sorry to put a downer on the way you get your test strips and I wouldn't judge you for continuing to do it, but I'm sure there is an alternative!

LiL