Doc refused to prescribe more needles and strips again

Theres an actual law in Hungary that insulin dependent diabetic person can only get:

-If injects 1 time a day, 0 teststrips/3months
-If injects 2 times a day, 2 boxes of test strips/3months
-If injects 3 times a day, 6 boxes of test strips/3months
-If injects 4 or more times a day, 9boxes of test strips/3months

-1 insulinpen in use = 50 needles for 3 months
-2 insulinpens in use = 100 needles for 3 months.

... I mean. I only inject 3 times a day, I used to get 3 boxes of test strips a month until a month ago because my doctor messed up my papers and gave me 3 boxes instead of what hungarian law says, to give 2 boxes for 3 injections a day. I still had to buy a 4th box each month, at early stage I needed to test much more. Now Im kind of OK with the 3 boxes but my new diabetes doc noticed I should only be getting 2 boxes. Thats great.
I asked her about the needles though, if I could get more on prescription. She just told me whats in our law, thats 50 needles for 3months (coz apparently here docs recommend to change these 1useonly needles only every 3-4days, thats every 9-12 injections). I even had a thread here on DCUK asking if that was right to do, but most of u said that it should be changed at every new injection, as it says for 1 use only. Im getting upset again as writing this because I just cant believe how little they provide to us here.

Guess what. In Hungary if a doctor dares to prescribe more test strips or needles or whatever to a diabetic person, what they need to manage their diabetes, the doctors getting a fine for that. Not a little one. My friend moved out to Scottland last year because of his studies, Im thinking of following him there. At least I hear that abroad people with any health conditions get the necessary prescriptions.

Im not sure maybe if theres a petition or such, they would consider changing this law here? Injecting is getting so painful lately using the same needle for days, I feel like my skin is getting dense. Sometimes I buy more needles myself but most times I just bare with what I get on prescription. Same with test strips, trying to save some up.

Is this something that happens in other countries as well?

Kittycat_7_ said:

Hi,
I'm so sorry this is happening to you, my mum gets as many needles and testing strips as she needs in the U.K.
I had to fight for testing strips, one of my meds can cause hypos.
Would maybe changing Drs surgery help?
Hope you get what you need
Take care

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Unfortunately its a general law here, I asked several doctors already and no one would prescribe me more as they would receive a fine for it.

Hope both u and ur mom are safe. X

NotBeyonce said:

Wow, this seems really dangerous. This restriction can put your life at risk. I was advised to use a new needle with every injection and test extra if I felt a hypo/hyper spell or were sick.

Are you able to get strips and needles without a prescription? Is the cost prohibitive to you? Can you order online from Amazon or another retailer? Can you sign up to get samples from diabetic supply manufacturers?

I live in Canada. There is no restriction on what the doctor can prescribe to you in regards to diabetic supplies. Medication such as test strips and needles are not covered by the provincial health care (except in certain cases), but are generally covered through supplementary health insurance that people have via their job. Depending on your insurance you have limits on how many strips/pen needles you can get. My insurance had a limit on strips as a non insulin user, but since I'm on insulin I can get up to 300 boxes of test strips per year (waaaaay more than I need). With my over testing I struggle to reach 40 boxes a year. I don't know the limit on needles.

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I can buy more without prescription but buying my test strips each month costs a lot with everything else I need to get.

Its another ridiculous thing, Hungary founds our diabetes supply costs (meaning that amount we get on prescription, which is still not enough) only if we are using "Dcont" meters with their teststrips. Dcont is a Hungarian brand and cant be bought from amazon or other places.

When I tell any doctor that I would like to use a new fresh needle every injection they say No, changing every 3-4 days is enough. Why? Because they are forbidded to prescribe more than 50 needles for 3 months.
Well, for the needles, I use novofine 6mm 32g, I could get that from amazon maybe? But there may be more costs to bring it in Hungary, I dont know how much tax it would be for needles, medical supplies. Tax is also ridiculously expensive here...

Tipetoo said:

Diabetes Australia has an obligation not to supply product above the national levels of average use. These levels are 1200 pen needles/syringes per 180 day period.<br /><br />Diabetes Australia has an obligation not to supply product above the national levels of average use. These levels are 900 strips per 180 day period.

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Here quantities are strictly watched, I wrote in my original post what Hungarian healthcare thinks, how many strips and needles are needed, and they would only let docs prescribe that much, no more. These quantities are ridiculously low estimated...

Seacrow said:

Wow, that's bad. Perhaps if you can show its causing excessive bruising or lipodistrophy your doc might be allowed to make an exception.

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Its against law. :/ Thats why Im thinking to start a petition or something to bring awareness to dangers of using the same disposable needle for days and maybe they would consider changing the law then. But I cant think of anything else.

TheBigNewt said:

A box of 100 pen needles lasts me a couple years. I use the same needle until the pen is empty, both Lantus (once a day) and Novorapid (3 times a day). I get my strips online in bulk: it's an American website, but I'm sure you can buy them in Europe for the same price: $600 strips costs me $120 USD. That 5 for a dollar. Pretty cheap. I don't get any with my insurance just help with insulin. Also at Walmart here you can buy strips a little cheaper than that even. 2 bottles of 50 costs $17. No tax. You got Walmarts there?

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No Walmarts, but sounds amusing u can even buy test strips at there.

I would like to change my needles every new injection, I feel the needle is unsharp and cant go through my skin too well as my skin is getting more dense, it causes pain and bruises.

phdiabetic said:

Wow that is terrible! Could you tell the doctor that you inject more frequently (but continue with your current routine) just to get more strips? You could write down fake injection times and doses in your logbook if they needed proof. Normally I wouldn't recommend making stuff up, but there are clearly some issues with the small amount of supplies you can access so perhaps this would be the quickest (and cheapest) way to get some extra stuff.

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I did consider faking some to get more supplies, but I think that wouldnt lead to a good point long term. Im still honeymooning well for 14month now, on latest check up my doc clearly said I dont need basal for now still.

I had another idea, one of my docs recommended me Analog insulin (I dont know if I spelled that right?), they said that would mean to inject 2 basal and 3 or more bolus a day. That would make it, but Im worried if I even need this type of insulin, that it would not work as well as my current actrapid.

phdiabetic said:

You could try it and switch back if you didn't like it. Also, could you do some additional correction boluses, or simply split your doses, on your current insulin? For example, if you take 5 units at breakfast, could you do one injection of 3 units then another of 2 units? This would be two separate injections, but have the same effect as your current dose, thereby allowing you to get extra supplies without making up fake injection times.

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that idea just put a smile on my face. I dont think that would be considered a new injection, but listen, I ll try it lol. The thing that really puts me on the edge is that Hungarian diabetes docs mislead us so much. If I didnt come around this forum, I would be eating every bad thing and injecting max units my pen can hold, because thats the way here. I know not everyone is a fan of low carbing, but cutting out some things of my diet did very good to me. Also not testing and a BG of 10 is fine too here, because they definitely dont want to cover us all diabetics treatments and supplies.
To get my latest hba1c it cost me almost $200, thats just for the blood tests and for the doc to tell me whats our laws r.

I ll try to ask them about ur idea, thanks.

Have a good night. X