GP being an a**e.

[SarahCarrick]

Can I ask how much ur GP will prescribe? I moved practice in October. New GP won't give more than 5 pens of novo rapid/levemir. One box of needles at a time two cassettes for my bg machine. Fed up of constantly running for prescriptions!!I've asked for an increase but seems 'dr says No'. Am I being ridiculous?

 

[himtoo]

Hi Sarah
first a warm welcome to the forum

no you are being entirely reasonable.
i will find you a link for things you can do if your gp is being unreasonable but your first port of call is to get your endocrinologist to write to him detailing your needs.

link in a couple more minutes.

 

[SarahCarrick]

Thanks!!

 

[himtoo]

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/Advocacy/test-strips-advocacy-pack-0613.pdf

and i get 300 test strips per month , and plenty of short acting and long acting insulin in cartridges.

 

[SarahCarrick]

To be fair he hasn't restricted the test cassettes but 2 cassettes doesn't last even two weeks and it's a pain. Receptionist was downright ignorant when I asked for increase...I'm lucky to get free drugs apparently

 

[June_C]

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/Advocacy/test-strips-advocacy-pack-0613.pdf

and i get 300 test strips per month , and plenty of short acting and long acting insulin in cartridges.

How did you manage 300? My quota is 100 !!

 

[dan12321]

I had this problem when i was first diagnosed, went through the honeymoon period and was testing alot, practically had to beg the doctors for more testing strips over the phone explaining why i needed more, they eventually agreed to change the prescription to allow me to have more, and low and behold when i went to collect, it was still the original prescription with not enough strips. This went on for a good 8 months, each time collecting the prescription there not being enough strips. The doctors blames the pharmacy the pharmacy blames the doctors. It all comes down to the government cuts and the GP's being tight with prescriptions. Its disgusting really, I have to beg for something that keeps me alive, while some **** gets a free boob job cause there feeling down.

 

[dan12321]

You're right about the receptionists at the GP's too, they speak to you like ****, and have some sort of delusion that there more than just a receptionist, most of the stuff you say to them doesnt even get passed on

 

[June_C]

I had this problem when i was first diagnosed, went through the honeymoon period and was testing alot, practically had to beg the doctors for more testing strips over the phone explaining why i needed more, they eventually agreed to change the prescription to allow me to have more, and low and behold when i went to collect, it was still the original prescription with not enough strips. This went on for a good 8 months, each time collecting the prescription there not being enough strips. The doctors blames the pharmacy the pharmacy blames the doctors. It all comes down to the government cuts and the GP's being tight with prescriptions. Its disgusting really, I have to beg for something that keeps me alive, while some **** gets a free boob job cause there feeling down.

I totally agree with your sentiments. I'm a newly diagnosed T1 and need to find out what foods affect by bg levels, so am therefore testing quite frequently. I have an appt with my gp DSN on Monday and hope to persuade her to increase my script for strips from 100 to 150 per month. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[himtoo]

Talk to your dsn on monday and explain what is happening. Get her to ask the endocrinologist to write.
for any one taking insulin --- before each meal and 2 hours post meal and 1 test at bedtime are a minimum ( total 7 )
add to this the dvla requirement of testing before driving , hypos, sickness and clearly requirements will be 200-250 for sure.

@SarahCarrick - i am assuming you are on MDI-- write your daily doses in a log and present them to the gp as proof of how much you are taking.

also -- ask the gp if he would drive his car without a speedometer.

@June_C == the quantities above apply to you as well -- 150 is not enough to test as often as you need to.

 

[himtoo]

this is getting me angry now as well ( blo**y GP's )--- on mdi you will have 3-4 injections of fast acting per day ( this alone is 3-4 units of air shot per day )

if you have done a carb counting course you will have insulin ratios for determining how much you take.
i take 2.4 units per 10 carbs so an average day eating of say 150 carbs = 36 + 4 ( AIR SHOTS) = 40 UNITS PER DAY
so a 300 ml cartridge lasts me approx 7 days if no correction doses.

 

[June_C]

You're right about the receptionists at the GP's too, they speak to you like ****, and have some sort of delusion that there more than just a receptionist, most of the stuff you say to them doesnt even get passed on

I used to be a Dr's receptionist and did my best to dispel the rumour that we were all dragons. I worked in a small two man practice and got to know the patients very well. Some patients were p**s takers, but the majority were genuine.

 

[June_C]

Talk to your dsn on monday and explain what is happening. Get her to ask the endocrinologist to write.
for any one taking insulin --- before each meal and 2 hours post meal and 1 test at bedtime are a minimum ( total 7 )
add to this the dvla requirement of testing before driving , hypos, sickness and clearly requirements will be 200-250 for sure.

@SarahCarrick - i am assuming you are on MDI-- write your daily doses in a log and present them to the gp as proof of how much you are taking.

also -- ask the gp if he would drive his car without a speedometer.

@June_C == the quantities above apply to you as well -- 150 is not enough to test as often as you need to.

Thanks you guys. I had no idea I was being under prescribed.

 

[dan12321]

When i was first diagnosed they prescribed me 100 strips per month too, just testing before each meal and before bed is 4 strips a day, which is roughly 120 strips per month, I dont understand why they think 100 would be enough, cant they do simple maths. Taking into account testing before driving, before and after exercise, hypo's, sickness, and other things you're talking at least 200-250 strips minimum. I mean its a condition where if its not monitored properly you could end up in a hypoglycemic coma or dead, yet they treat it like youre just ringing up to cause a nuisance

 

[dan12321]

forgot about the testing 2 hours after a meal, youre right himtoo the very minumum is 7 strips per day, thats if you dont drive anywhere, no exercise, and have perfect glucose control all the time.. which is impossible. So the very minimum is over 200 strips. You'd have thought they would put a little more thought into your prescription considering the seriousness of what could happen

 

[Jaylee]

I honestly can't knock the receptionist at my sugery.. I found myself with plenty of supplies. But was doing a "second run" for cartrages regarding my meter..
So I asked to double the amount, pointing out control of diabetes being paramount with regards to driving etcetera.. She couldn't agree more & did the rest. Low behold. My online prescription was changed!

Yer certainly not being rediculous...

 

[Trixy83]

When I was first diagnosed the gave me 50 strips! That lasted 5 days if I was lucky! I mentioned it to the nurse on day and she changed my presciption no questions asked. Now they give me 200 at a time but so far there's no restrictions on it having to last a certain amount of time. I get my 200 and when I need more I just ask. I can't complain but my pet hate is that everything runs out at different times so even though I have plenty I still feel like I'm ordering something every other week whether it's needles, insulin or strips.

 

[noblehead]

i will find you a link for things you can do if your gp is being unreasonable but your first port of call is to get your endocrinologist to write to him detailing your needs..

That's the best solution, if your under the care of a hospital diabetes clinic ask your Endo or DSN to write to your gp to say you need more test strips and such, I had to do this a few years ago after my gp was questioning the amount of test strips I was using, once my Endo wrote to the Dr no more was said.

 

[lilwoody85]

I have the same problem. I get about 4 weeks worth at a time. I feel like I'm constantly running out and having to get a repeat prescription. last one I did was for test strips as I'm constantly checking my blood sugars and usually I get 100 but I requested double and got them. I did have to state that due to a hospital visit recently I'm constantly checking them which is what I think got me more this time. Very frustrating. Even when I request more and they say it's been accepted my actual prescription says the normal amount, grr!

 

[JRW]

I had to ask for an increase to 100 test strips per prescription from 50, I probably on use 5 a day though.