Quick Question

[Advaitic]

I've only recently been diagnosed with T1 so I'm not totally sure of all the ins and outs yet. I understand that my healthcare and prescriptions should be related to my own needs but I do have a small question. How many testing strips do you usually go through in a month? I've only been prescribed with a 100 strips and the implication my GP seems to be giving me is that these should last me for a month if not more (the expected renewal date on the prescription is often one or more months in advance). I know I'm supposed to test with every meal and before bed but I find myself using more because i tend to walk to and from work where I'm on my feet all day, I'm worried about embarking on a 40 minute walk without knowing what my BG is. I feel like I'm rationing myself as it is so I'd like to know, am I being profligate with my strips or should I be entitled to more? How many do you go through and how often do you feel the need to test?

 

[novorapidboi26]

starting off on a basal/bolus regime, you should be looking to do 4 test a day minimum, add on a couple more for driving and hypos, so say 6

so over a 30 day period your looking at 120 - 180, so 100 strips wont do you the month........

what insulin regime are you on, if its a mixed, then you would be looking at a test at breakfast and dinner, but again, hypos and driving etc......

you will need more I believe, when your running out, order more.........

I get 2 x 50 strips just whenever I need them.............

 

[Advaitic]

I'm on a basal/bolus regime. I figured I might need more than what I'd been prescribed I just wanted to be sure. When you get diagnosed they throw all this information at you then wheel you out the back and expect you to get on with it. I still haven't found somewhere to take my sharps boxes, the gp's told me the pharmacist and the pharmacist said the gp's.

 

[novorapidboi26]

I ve been diabetic since 1999 and have never used a sharps box...........

the BD safe clip was what I used for clipping off the needles, but even then I stopped using it as the needle fitted safely back in the cover from the new one......

I don't want to give you any bad habits now.........lol, but don't worry about that stuff the now..........

just get testing and order the strips when you run out.........

I assume you get similar to me then, 2 boxes of 50....?

 

[noblehead]

!00 strips a month is no where near enough, and this is particularly so for someone like yourself who is newly diagnosed.

If your gp surgery are reluctant to prescribe more then get in contact with your DSN or Diabetes Consultant, they will write to your gp and explain that you need more strips. In the mean-time you could show your Dr a letter that was sent out to all gp surgeries last year that advised them against restricting test strips for type 1's:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa.../Safe-care-of-people-with-type-1-diabetes.pdf


If by chance they have started you on a basal/bolus insulin regime do be sure to ask your diabetes team to put your name down for the next available DAFNE course, it's a carb counting course which is offered to type 1's and will help you get better control of your diabetes, usually you do have to have been diagnosed 6 months to be eligible to go on the course but the waiting times are long, so get your name down now. The following is an on-line course much like the DAFNE course:

http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/

 

[**shell**]

You will most definitely need more than 100 strips. I find GPS are ignorant and believe all diabetics need to just test a basic amount of times. A GP who doesn't really know me gasped when I said I test 8 times a day on occasion.
It is your right to order as many as you need, plus they have a fairly lengthy use by date so if you find the start to back up as you become more confident you can just reduce your order then.
The NHS is there for people like us who genuinely need the service and whose quality of life would be put at serious risk if it wasn't there.
Do your maths and go to your GP with facts and figures. They surely can't deny you anything then.
Good luck.
X


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[hale710]

I have the same sharps box issue. I take it to the GP and set up camp until they take it from me!

I go through 100 strips a fortnight as I do exercise and drive regularly. Usually 8 tests a day. I get 400 strips at a time. Ask your GP to increase the size of your repeat prescription

 

[mopsy21]

I came out of hospital clutching a sharps bin that no-one seemed to want to have anything to do with. I googled my local council, and it turned out that they had a collection service. I needed to register with them - I think I needed some proof from the diabetic clinic - but once that was done, they gave me a number to ring when collection was needed. Good service, and when they collect, they drop off a new bin. Might be worth investigating. I found that sharps clippers will only take needles of 5mm or longer.

Strips - as others have said, 100 per month is not enough. It would be worth talking to your GP, but definitely get in touch with your diabetes specialists if there's any problem with increasing the supply (or if the letter linked above doesn't work). I started on 100 strips, but was back and forward to the surgery submitting prescription requests. I got fed up and talked to the GP about having more. Fair play, she was responsive, and I now have 200 a time - but I'm not on a monthly repeat, so I can control when I have them.

You're doing the right thing by testing before walking - I've found that half an hour's semi-strenuous walking can drop blood sugars by up to 3 points. I make sure I have some sweeties with me if I'm out of the house (I carry Dextrose lozenges, but there are other things).

 

[PG1759]

I was told by a doctor I know that the strips cost the nhs 1 pound a strip so a box of 20 is worth 20 quid (sorry I'm sure you could have calculated that yourself ! Lol)
Just reorder them when you need them. You probably need about 10 a day at the moment so not going to be anywhere near enough. Personally I've found a good relationship with your pharmacy will help and you can just order them all through them

 

[donnellysdogs]

I was told by a doctor I know that the strips cost the nhs 1 pound a strip so a box of 20 is worth 20 quid (sorry I'm sure you could have calculated that yourself ! Lol)
Just reorder them when you need them. You probably need about 10 a day at the moment so not going to be anywhere near enough. Personally I've found a good relationship with your pharmacy will help and you can just order them all through them

Pharmacy ordering is no good unless your gp has agreed the qty of strips.

 

[mrman]

6-8 a day

 

[uncle]

I went back to my GP and he readily agreed, once I explained how many times I was testing, 6/8 per day.
Don't get your repeat prescriptions monthly, GPs work to a 28 day month so make sure you are ordering every 28 days, those extra 2/3 days mount up over a year.
I take my sharps box to Sainsbury's pharmacy, so check with council who takes them, as it depends who holds the licence to dispose as already stated some councils do it themselves.

 

[SpikeThacker]

I've only recently been diagnosed with T1 so I'm not totally sure of all the ins and outs yet. I understand that my healthcare and prescriptions should be related to my own needs but I do have a small question. How many testing strips do you usually go through in a month? I've only been prescribed with a 100 strips and the implication my GP seems to be giving me is that these should last me for a month if not more (the expected renewal date on the prescription is often one or more months in advance). I know I'm supposed to test with every meal and before bed but I find myself using more because i tend to walk to and from work where I'm on my feet all day, I'm worried about embarking on a 40 minute walk without knowing what my BG is. I feel like I'm rationing myself as it is so I'd like to know, am I being profligate with my strips or should I be entitled to more? How many do you go through and how often do you feel the need to test?

unfortunately you have to be assertive with your doctor. whatever you need to keep your illness in check cannot be dictated to by the medical profession. if you need to do your bloods 10 times a day then do it 10 times a day and they will have to provide to necessary scripts to deal with it. unfortunately that's the nature of the beast, the last thing you need is to run out of stuff. with me, i'm a LGV driver and to keep my driving license i need to take my bloods every 2 hours. the thing to remember is that you are now in control of your illness and that directly effects you.

 

[jackois]

Rather than book another appointment that wasn't needed, I just penned a note to my gp, pointing out how many times a day I needed to test,how many needles and so on a month I would go through & he increased the amounts of everything to allow roughly one prescription a month which cuts down on the number of request he has to deal with.