Blood sugar Testing Machine

[Brookemurph]

Hi all,

Not too many months ago I had to source a new blood sugar testing machine from the GP as they stopped producing the test strips for it.

I got given the GlucoRX Nexsus instead to find out that those strips have now stopped being produced too! The pharmacy tried to give me GlucoRX Q strips which I have tried and do not work with the nexsus machine like the pharmacy said they would!

I’ve tried to contact my diabetes team and the gp but no luck getting through.
Can anyone offer advice on whether I can ask for a specific machine and which one might be best?
Or who is best to contact first?

Luckily I do have a libre but it has been wildly inaccurate recently hence the need for more test strips. I go abroad in two weeks for work so desperately need this sorting!

Thanks!

 

[KennyA]

I've had the Nexus/RXQ strip problem. The packaging looks almost the same but the strips are completely different.

@Rachox has an up-to-date list of the various machines available in the UK. Your local NHS might however only issue one of them - you'd need to find that out locally.

 

[Brookemurph]

I've had the Nexus/RXQ strip problem. The packaging looks almost the same but the strips are completely different.

@Rachox has an up-to-date list of the various machines available in the UK. Your local NHS might however only issue one of them - you'd need to find that out locally.

Did you go to your GP? What was the outcome?

 

[Rachox]

Thanks for the tag @KennyA . @Brookemurph , I have no idea which meter you might get on the NHS, however one of these might tide you over your trip abroad.

So here’s some info with links for UK meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned.



HOME HEALTH have the Gluco Navii, which is a fairly new model and seems to be getting good reviews.

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/



Links to the strips for future orders:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/glucose-navii-blood-glucose-test-strips-50-strip-pack/



Then they sell the older SD Code Free, details to be found here!

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/





SPIRIT HEALTHCARE have a meter called the Tee2 + which is quite popular:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...e2-blood-glucose-meter?variant=19264017268793



The strips are to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...py-of-tee2-test-strips?variant=19264017367097



If there is a choice of units of measurement then ‘mmol/L’ are the standard units in the UK, ‘mg/dl’ in the US, other countries may vary.



Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)

 

[Rokaab]

I’ve tried to contact my diabetes team and the gp but no luck getting through.

To be honest you will just have to talk to your diabetes team (docs or hospital), as your doctor will have a list of what they will prescribe - and only a letter from the hospital clinic/consultant can make then prescribe anything else in a lot of circumstances

ie you do need to talk to your docs to see what they will actually prescribe as it very very very much depends on the local CCG and is often a very limited list (ie a choice of 1 in many cases), and if they wont prescribe ones you want you could try and get your hospital team to tell them to prescribe a different one - though you'd need valid reasons why.

If necessary tells them its urgent as youre about to run out of strips and well even with the libre you still need test strips to verify stuff - especially if its not very accurate for you

 

[KennyA]

Did you go to your GP? What was the outcome?

Nope - I'm T2 and in this area the NHS rule is that T2's don't need to test BG. I do test but neither strips nor glucometer come via an NHS prescription.

I have a very good relationship with my local independent pharmacy, who supply RXQ strips for a very good price. They accidentally put a box of Nexus strips in with three RXQ boxes, but of course the box of Nexus strips was the only box I took on holiday - I didn't notice until I was trying to work out where this big blue strip had come from. Pharmacy swopped it for a box of RXQs when I got back.

The RXQ machine is the only one I've ever used in over four years and it came free from Gluco. It only costs £9.99 retail, so I guess they give them away so you'll keep buying the strips. .

 

[Nicola M]

My diabetes team always used to give me Accu-Chek Mobile machines until they were discontinued and then they moved on to giving Accu-Chek Instants. I'm personally not a fan of test machines with test strips as the Mobile used cartridges but I've always found Accu-Chek machines to be good/accurate. I recently purchased the BetaChek C50 and with the letter the company provided was able to easily get my GP to prescribe me the strips for them. Would ask your diabetes team though, each area has different rules on what they will/can give you.