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Diabetics in America.

  • Thread starter Thread starter catherinecherub
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Totally agree Catherine - What a situation to be in - we are extemely lucky in this country to have the NHS - I don't get test strips and have to buy my own - although I would prefer not to have to pay for them I now get all my scripts free including stuff for another condidtion, which for many years I used to have to pay a monthly perscription for - my husband is in a very good job but gets his scripts free and has done for 30 years for a condition he has - I had fertility treatment for 10 years all on the NHS - I am very grateful for the security we have with the NHS and thank god for it!
 
I am currently on holiday in the USA and thought I may pick up a few extra strips for a spare meter I "won" whilst over here (considering they are of USA origin). I checked out in Wal-mart and a pharmacy Wednesday and they are quite a bit more expensive than ours!! Give that idea a miss I think.
Regards
Angie
 
angieG said:
I am currently on holiday in the USA and thought I may pick up a few extra strips for a spare meter I "won" whilst over here (considering they are of USA origin). I checked out in Wal-mart and a pharmacy Wednesday and they are quite a bit more expensive than ours!! Give that idea a miss I think.
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That's funny. I bought one a few weeks ago in NY (a USB Contour) because the strips were almost half the price of the ones at home (even bought in bulk off Amazon). That plan slightly backfired, because the new meter is hard wired to give BG readings in American units, so I'm having to learn my 18 times table. Doh.

I usually also buy a bag full of A1CNow kits, which are also really cheap out there. About $20 a test I think.

I love Diabetic shopping in America!

(I hope you are having a nice holiday angieG, where are you visiting?)

Stephen
 
borofergie said:
angieG said:
I am currently on holiday in the USA and thought I may pick up a few extra strips for a spare meter I "won" whilst over here (considering they are of USA origin). I checked out in Wal-mart and a pharmacy Wednesday and they are quite a bit more expensive than ours!! Give that idea a miss I think.
Click to expand...

That's funny. I bought one a few weeks ago in NY (a USB Contour) because the strips were almost half the price of the ones at home (even bought in bulk off Amazon). That plan slightly backfired, because the new meter is hard wired to give BG readings in American units, so I'm having to learn my 18 times table. Doh.

I usually also buy a bag full of A1CNow kits, which are also really cheap out there. About $20 a test I think.

I love Diabetic shopping in America!

(I hope you are having a nice holiday angieG, where are you visiting?)

Stephen
Click to expand...

Stephen,
I will watch out when I get to NY then, obviously it depends on states and local taxes.
I was looking in Las Vegas and they were expensive. I am now in San Diego but didn't check them out here.
We are trekking around, next stop Tucson, Albuquerque and one or two other places before hitting the east coast.
It is interesting to compare foods over here and have only had a few quirky readings so far....but then who cares on holiday!! :lol: :lol:
Regards
Angie
 
Why can't there be the same universal testing kits and thus if you travel you can just have the same kit? This is rather than having to remember to take your kit or have to get another on holiday?
 
It seems too that guidelines are different in different countries. Thus you might be diagnosed with diabetes in America with different glucose levels than if you were diagnosed in Great Britain or another country. Thus why is this? It seems that some diabetes can be put right through diet. However at times insulin is required.
 
Just home from Texas and was surprised at how expensive test strips were, as my meter is from Abbot - a US company. But all the familiar brands were as expensive, or more so, than in UK. Only exception was store 'own brands' made by big companies and labelled for Walmart etc. And the HbA1c tests were more expensive there than shown above :-( Interesting to see so many magazines specifically targetted at diabetics though. Didn't see much in mags for low carbers, but all recipes showed carbs as well as calories, fat etc.
 
captainlynne said:
Just home from Texas and was surprised at how expensive test strips were, as my meter is from Abbot - a US company. But all the familiar brands were as expensive, or more so, than in UK. Only exception was store 'own brands' made by big companies and labelled for Walmart etc. And the HbA1c tests were more expensive there than shown above :-( Interesting to see so many magazines specifically targetted at diabetics though. Didn't see much in mags for low carbers, but all recipes showed carbs as well as calories, fat etc.
Click to expand...

Glad I am not dreaming the more expensive prices then :) :)
I have seem Freestyle Lite strips which I use for about $62 for 50 or $112 for 100, with the exchange rate of about $1.5 to the £1 that works out about £45 for 50 I believe!!!

I am still checking when I get the chance but so far California, Nevada and New Mexico are all well expensive. I am in Detroit now so if I see any will check them out.

I think I have also boiled one of meter batteries....I have two meters over here and one appears to now have a dead battery and it's only a few months old. I think the gloriously hot weather running in the 90's F and being in a car during the day has got too much for it, that's all I can think anyway!! Will have to see about getting a new battery from Abbot when I get home.

Regards
Angie
 
CAT NM said:
Why can't there be the same universal testing kits and thus if you travel you can just have the same kit? This is rather than having to remember to take your kit or have to get another on holiday?
Click to expand...
You don't have to buy another test kit for your holiday. Just take the one you normally use, it will work exactly the same as it does at home. We measure in mmol/L whereas in the USA they measure in mg/dl but you'd only need a meter that measured mg/dl if you were living over there and needed to use their health clinics.
 
The strips also are universal as long as your model of meter of meter is sold in the country you're going to. My Uk bought one touch meter works fine on French strips.
 
catherinecherub said:
The fear of complications comes second for Diabetics in America. Health Insurance is what worries them most......
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especially as diabetes is treated purely as a marketing/sales opportunity than a disease, its likely at/near the top of everybody's list over here.


althought it'd stand to reason that if we had more issue with diabetes=sales opportunity, the insurance issue wouldnt be quite the problem it is.


does anybody remember when it was promised that by making it in a lab, in$ulin$ could & would remain inexpensive, enough so that folks in underdeveloped countries could easily afford?


:***:



i guess its good to have goals, even if they are fake.
 
At least the ADA (Amercian Diabetes Association) is now offering excellent food advice; in some ways better than DUK. They stress the impact of carbs which they didn't until recently. Hopefully this will help the food industry change, albeit gradually, away from excessive portion sizes and too much carb.
 
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