Glucorx

[Delphinum]

Hello everyone,

I've just been told by my doctor that Oxfordshire PCT only use the Glucorx meters now and that I cannot have strips for any other meter unless I go through the private prescription route.

Has anyone used this meter? What did you like/dislike about it?

Also, this means I have a 6 month old Bayer Contour meter that has no use. Do any charities take on old meters? I have 7 working ones in a box because they keep getting changed.

Thanks for any help you can give!

 

[cally]

I also live in Oxfordshire and have had no problems getting strips for my contour meter and I use about 200 a month.

Last year I had a letter saying that they wanted me to change to another kind of strips but I just said that I wasn't happy to change and they carried on prescribing the contour strips.

 

[Delphinum]

I tried saying I was happy with mine but they won't prescribe anything else.
Was at the ocdem today and the nurse is going to write a letter insisting I'm prescribed ketone blood testing strips as she says that not having access to blood ketone testing could be dangerous.
I really an surprised that nowhere will take meters that are working and recycle them. :s

 

[noblehead]

Hello everyone,

I've just been told by my doctor that Oxfordshire PCT only use the Glucorx meters now and that I cannot have strips for any other meter unless I go through the private prescription route.

Has anyone used this meter? What did you like/dislike about it?

Also, this means I have a 6 month old Bayer Contour meter that has no use. Do any charities take on old meters? I have 7 working ones in a box because they keep getting changed.

Thanks for any help you can give!

I have read that some PCT's are starting to do this but yours is the first one I've come across on the forum, you might want to contact Diabetes UK and ask their advice on this matter, if you do decide to get rid of your old meters then this charity will accept them and distributes them to third world countries:

http://www.iddt.org/

 

[cally]

So did they give you a gluco rx?

I really will be annoyed if they try that with me as I had to buy my Contour USB and am happy with it.

I suppose it must be about price? Maybe it will encourage other companies to reduce the price of their strips.

 

[Delphinum]

I've to pick it up from my surgery but can't get there until tomorrow late afternoon, so I'll let you know how I go.

Today from the diabetes clinic I got a new Luxura HD pen for my Humalog, a new Freestyle meter and a new Clikstar pen for my Lantus as they're stopping making Optipens. Along with various paraphenalia about getting put on a pump - fingers crossed I get one but it will be discussed in April so it's a lot of waiting - and currently have a cannula in me to see how I get on with being attached. So I feel like I've got lots of medical stuff now!

The Freestyle meter does blood sugar as well as ketone testing so it'd be easier if I could just use that instead of different meters. :crazy: Thanks for that link, noblehead, that's exactly what I wanted to do with them!

 

[Delphinum]

Just an update... the meter seems okay though takes ages to take up the blood so I have ended up with blood dripping down my fingers which, when a cream couch, was annoying! But I'm getting a hang of it.

Iddt hasn't gotten back to me yet but I'm sure they're busy so I might ring them next week if they haven't replied.

My GP emailed me herself telling me she's prescribing the ketone blood testing strips, so hopefully it'll all be fine.

 

[Parselmouth]

I am Type 2, just ran a search on the Forum to see if anyone was talking about this subject and found you here. My GP Practice has recently had this meter forced on them by the PCT for cost reasons, and I spoke to my GP this morning who has said other people have complained and the head of the practice isn't very happy with them.

Mine totally inaccurate. There are so many instructions to follow compared to my old Contour, which was quick and accurate. Get one thing not quite right, even down to the size of the blood droplet and whether or not it is smeared, the ambient temperature of the room, the slightest hint of soap or other residue on your hands, and the result is invalidated.

I thought mine was faulty when I first got it as the results I was getting compared to a test at the same time on the Contour was at least 2mmol higher, and each time I tested the results were randomly different. I've taken it back twice but to no avail, each replacement was exactly the same.

I just read another thread on here from last year saying that it complies with EU regulations, which state that the results only have to be within =/- 20% accuracy, which is RIDICULOUS. That's just not accurate at all, then.

I just picked up a new one today, took four tests back to back and they came back 2mmol higher each time. How can you possibly rely on that? It's a joke. I have emailed the manufacturers to see what they have to say for themselves, and I shall write to my practice manager even though I doubt it will have any effect.

 

[Delphinum]

Yeah I'm finding it awkward to deal with too. It doesn't take up blood half the time so I'm smeared with blood and it appears, as you say, 2-3mmol out compared to my Contour.

The pharmacist at Boots said another lady had also complained to her about it as she bought her other meter and it's now useless. I'm just glad I got my Contour for free.

I doubt there's much I can do other than pay for a private prescription but with 200 strips a month, it might end up expensive. :? Maybe this is a money making scheme by the NHS.

 

[cally]

Is it just Oxfordshire that is doing this, Or is it happening elsewhere too?