Needless diabetes tests may be cut.

The issue here is more one of expensive testing strips.
How many strips are purchased per annum?not just in the UK, but throughout the EU.
Compare the situation to generic drugs. If they were to commission a standard EU test strip, we might engineer a considerable cost saving, long term (or the threat thereof might force a price cut )

I'd be interested to know what Mr. Paisley's blood sugar levels are like if he never tests !

So...because one diabetic Councillor says this the rest of us, who are interested in controlling our diabetes and saving the NHS future costs by not developing complications, will probably lose our test strips. I notice he wears glasses.....short sighted perhaps ?

I have been told by my GP that I cannot get test strips or lancets on prescription.

Loving the advice in the event of a very high/low reading, to live healthily for 12 hours!
I would expect it will get harder and harder to get strips on prescription given the current climate. Especially for us t2 's who so clearly brought it all on ourselves....

As a reward for getting Ha1c levels down from 11 to 6.5, my GP has restricted my strips allowance to 2 a week. (he wanted to allow just one but I held out for two). I have a talking meter from RNIB and the extra strips will cost me £26.99 for 50.

How much extra will it cost the NHS and our doctors budget if people don't test so often and get ill as a result.... short sighted, completely lacking in common sense, more like!

Personally I think Mr Paisley is talking out his ....! How can he know that his diabetes is well controlled without testing his bg on a regular bases, does he just assume that his a1c is a measure of how well his diabetes is controlled.............. if so he is very much mistaken!

Nigel

Hi

Recently diagnosed March 2010 and Diabetic nurse gave me a meter so that I could keep an eye on Blood glucose levels. This I had been doing especially at the beginning to see what effect different foodstuffs had on my bg levels. The locum doctor at my surgery was happy to write a prescription for me for test strips because he felt I was being proactive but now one of the regular doctors in the practice has said 'no' citing NHS adice - no test strips for T2s. When I queried this she said if I felt something was wrong they would do the HB1ac test but I told her since I hadn't had any diabetic symptoms before I was diagnosed- apart from tiredness which I still have- so how would I know when things were going wrong? Her reply was lose weight and everything would be fine then stated she had no idea how much I weighed!!!! I am most unhappy since I felt that I was at least trying to be proactive so I had to pay £26.99 for peace of mind. I don't test all the time but feel that if that helps then T2 diabetics should have that option.

I am about 3lbs over my ideal weight now since losing nearly one stone just by cutting down on portion size and carbs - not easy but manageable.

As a T2 I was lucky (?) in that I was put onto insulin a day after receiving a letter telling me that I would no longer be allowed testing strips - because some people were becoming anxious with their self testing results - or something like that.
There are 3 possibilities
You don't test, don't care and don't take action
You test, your readings are high then you should be worried, and take action.
You test, your readings are ok then you wouldn't worry.
So I called my practice and told them I would be requiring mare strips than before - thank you.
I got them ok.

Since starting on insulin, I am testing 4 time a dayplus before driving, my control has never been better, I keep a food /BS diary so I can keep a close eye on my readings.
I'm actually looking forward to my next clinic (october) to see what my Hba1c is like - got to be better than 9.something that it was lst time.

However, the cutting of prescriptions for test strips does seem to becoming a big issue - at least on this forum.
How can diabetics who want to take control of this go about changing this policy?
Surely someone in power must be able to work out that cutting test strips os a short term saving that will result in a horrendous cost in the future - I know we are talking about politicians here and they never see further ahead than the next sound-bite or election.

Any suggestions for militant action welcome - how about a mass testing in parliament - or a mass testing of politicians to see how many are diabetic and didn't know?

I'm just becoming so frustrated on behalf of others.

I found out that I am type 2 diabetic a few weeks ago (aged 22), my sugar levels were sky high I think on the finger prick test it was 18 and after the blood test showed an average of 26 or so yet I dont show any symtoms that you wouldnt expect from a over worked student that needed more sleep.

After reading several threads on this forum I decided to phone up my doctor (hes the diabetic specialist and seems a decent bloke) yesterday and requested the test strips and the meters etc.. before I even had the chance to convince him he said it was a brilliant idea and that It will allow me to see how my meals and the types of food effect me. I will be given them at my next apointment with the diabetic nurse on thursday.

Maybe a search for a new GP is in order for some people?

And even if the reading is particularly high or low, advice tends to be to rest, live healthily for the next 12 hours, and take another reading to make sure.

Click to expand...

I loved that bit too.............would that it were that easy!