Just been called in to my Diabetes surgery all patients given another monitor?

Scorpio001 said:

Called in by letter and told to bring my current monitor with me. We were all instructed that we had to use the Element issued blood monitor, as this would be the only monitor test strips and lancets that our surgery would prescribe? why I have just bought an Accu check Compact plus so I did not have to fuss with test strips, now we have to go back and use individual strips, otherwise I will have to buy my own Test strips and Lancets. They say it will save money, this I can understand, but really its going back to the dark ages and we will never be able to update meters again! Our surgery is in Newcastle Tyne & Wear. any one else have this problem?

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Yes! I was told the same a few months ago but was advised my my team at the hospital to get a free Accu chek (which I did) I spoke to the practice Manager and argued my case about keeping the Accu chek and won! I get as many cassettes and drums as I need.
Fight your corner, it can be done!
Good Luck x

uncle said:

I had a letter from my surgery saying I would be getting an glucomen xl plus and would only have strips and lancets for this prescribed I was miffed but GP wanted me to test my ketones on a regular basis.
I ordered my strips and lancets and lo I got my Bayer Contour USB strips, was using my Safoni lancet device and still got the lancets for that.
So will only use the new monitor for ketones

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Thats the one they tried to change me too, they failed !

My surgery sent me a new meter in the post, but I don't get on with it. It has separate strips, meter and finger pricker and you have to calibrate it with some drops. I am clumsy and drop everything and the new machine was such an irritation that I don't use it. I stick with my accucheck compact and buy the strips on eBay. They are in a drum inside the machine and the finger pricker slides into a slot on the side of it so everything is all together in one place.

Id say if you don't have to pay for your strips and everything your lucky because having to buy them out of pocket is draining on the finances (it can explain some high cost of CC debt that some ppl end up in), I pay upwards of 800 a month for my insulin and almost 200 a month for just my test strips and another 50 for my needles (so I can even take my insulin) so just over 1k a month for my diabetic supplies comes out of pocket and that's before anything else can get taken care of like "rent", food, utilities, etc and I'm lucky if I can make anything close to 2k (average income is just over 1k a month) in a month of seasonal employment at minimum wage.

Nyxks said:

Id say if you don't have to pay for your strips and everything your lucky because having to buy them out of pocket is draining on the finances (it can explain some high cost of CC debt that some ppl end up in), I pay upwards of 800 a month for my insulin and almost 200 a month for just my test strips and another 50 for my needles (so I can even take my insulin) so just over 1k a month for my diabetic supplies comes out of pocket and that's before anything else can get taken care of like "rent", food, utilities, etc and I'm lucky if I can make anything close to 2k (average income is just over 1k a month) in a month of seasonal employment at minimum wage.

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Thank you for that reminder.

Here in the UK we spend so much time criticising the NHS, we often forget how fundamentally different it is elsewhere.

Nyxks said:

Id say if you don't have to pay for your strips and everything your lucky because having to buy them out of pocket is draining on the finances (it can explain some high cost of CC debt that some ppl end up in), I pay upwards of 800 a month for my insulin and almost 200 a month for just my test strips and another 50 for my needles (so I can even take my insulin) so just over 1k a month for my diabetic supplies comes out of pocket and that's before anything else can get taken care of like "rent", food, utilities, etc and I'm lucky if I can make anything close to 2k (average income is just over 1k a month) in a month of seasonal employment at minimum wage.

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This is one of the posts where like is the wrong thing. We need more options like dislike or in this case sympathise.

Brunneria said:

Thank you for that reminder.

Here in the UK we spend so much time criticising the NHS, we often forget how fundamentally different it is elsewhere.

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Hi Brunneria, I'm fairly new, only diagnosed 22 October, but just spotted that you had started the Miracle eating plan, I bought this book have read all of it, all 3 stages, but I could not work it out, it seemed to me it would be better sticking with the Newcastle Diet or a watered down version of it, but it obviously seems to be working for you. I wasn't convinced by it, seemed very complicated and some things just did not add up. like the 5 hour clock on the liver. You'll have to let me know how you get on. There seems to be no mention of reversal only using this diet to maintain the statos quo. Seems I 'd be lost on all the complicated timings etc. I hope you did not mind me commenting.

Daddies 1

daddys1 said:

Hi Brunneria, I'm fairly new, only diagnosed 22 October, but just spotted that you had started the Miracle eating plan, I bought this book have read all of it, all 3 stages, but I could not work it out, it seemed to me it would be better sticking with the Newcastle Diet or a watered down version of it, but it obviously seems to be working for you. I wasn't convinced by it, seemed very complicated and some things just did not add up. like the 5 hour clock on the liver. You'll have to let me know how you get on. There seems to be no mention of reversal only using this diet to maintain the statos quo. Seems I 'd be lost on all the complicated timings etc. I hope you did not mind me commenting.

Daddies 1

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Hi,
No worries about your commenting.

It seems to be working out very well indeed. I'm feeling fantastic on it, and my blood glucose levels have been truly normal, every single time I've tested since I started eating this way. And they haven't been that for years! Still only on phase 1 so I can't comment on 2 and 3.

I don't have a problem with the timings (although I agree she could explain them more clearly!). I just have something, meal or snack, eat least very five hours- but I would probably do that anyway.

There's a great Newcastle diet thread going at the moment, if you are interested, here. But it would never suit me.

))Denise(( said:

This is the sort of thing that has been sent to GPs all over the country http://www.barkingdagenhamccg.nhs.uk/downloads/For-health-professionals/Medicines-management/Guidance/Blood Glucose Meter recommendations for GP practices APC final version.pdf

I got changed to a Glucolab - it was inaccurate. I now have a Wavesense Jazz but I would rather still have my original One Touch machine

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What I find absolutely bonkers about this is that the reasons given for recommendation have nothing to do with blood test accuracy. Ease of use seems to be the key driver after cost. Now kick me if I'm wrong, but in reality, the basic functions of the meter (which is what is important for all users) work in the same way across nearly all meters. That some have additional features shouldn't even be a factor in determining what the best choice for the masses is.

Just got moved, no warning, only found out when collecting from pharmacist. Crazy thing is new strips MORE EXPENSIVE(£12.75/50) than old ones (£11.99/50) and s/w doesnt have facility to export as .CSV file! (for analysis in PC)

We're in Cardiff. I was given a glucomen LX plus metre when diagnosed as type 1 in March this year - its the standard one our health trust issue. Since then I have also obtained 2 other meters ( free from manufacturers) and used the sample test strips they came with. What puzzles me us that each meter produces different testing results. I have used testing solution on each one, which show the meters are accurate. Only downside of some seems to be that they don't all also test for ketones - I have an accu Chen compact and one other. I spoke to my hospital DSN last week (after speaking to my Dr about 2 weeks ago when he informed me he was more experienced that the hospital and from his experience I am type 2) which the DSN thought was extremely funny - then couldn't find the test results which should have confirmed 'my type'! From reading on here - I'm now wondering whether GP will still prescriber's test strips if it turns out I'm type 2. If the results are still missing when I see the diabetes team in December they are going to retest me. Have been told that either way the insulin's working so keep taking it... Wish they'd make up their minds!