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Number of Test Strips on Prescription

SB.25

Well-Known Member
Messages
369
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi all,

I haven't been posting as much due to life becoming so busy with exams and trying to adjust to my new way of life with basal/bolus insulin. I hope you are all well

I have been speaking to my mum who has a T1 friend. Her friend has mentioned that she is only able to get 50 test strips a month on prescription from the doctors - which I thought was crazy and incorrect. The friend has said she is only able to get 50 strips and has been buying her own to supplement those she gets from the doctors.

I know various sites have letters which can be used to help advocate for additional test strips.

But this conversation got me thinking, whether there was a standard amount of tests strips which should be issued to a T1. I couldn't seem to find a definitive answer online.

But this made me question what others get on prescription and whether it was a lottery postcode.

I still have no definitive diagnosis but I currently get 200 test strips from my doctors every 28 days. I assume I am able to get so many as I'm on both fast and slow acting insulin.

I wondered if anyone else minded sharing what they currently receive from the doctors as I had always assumed T1's would get as many as they wanted.

thanks
 

NiCE guidelines for monitoring...

Frequency of self‑monitoring of blood glucose
1.6.10 Advise routine self‑monitoring of blood glucose levels for all adults with type 1 diabetes, and recommend testing at least 4 times a day, including before each meal and before bed. [new 2015]

1.6.11Support adults with type 1 diabetes to test at least 4 times a day, and up to 10 times a day if any of the following apply:

The problem with 'guidelines' is that GP's are not obliged to follow them but you can try waving the information under their noses and see what happens.

Read the full text here.
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng17/chapter/1-Recommendations#blood-glucose-management-2
 
thanks, I had found this information, but it didn't particularly say how many strips should be issued.

It seems there is a big jump from 4 - 10....

luckily for me, my GP has been good with issuing strips, but it did just make me question why others find it so difficult....
 

GP's mostly seem to follow advice and memos from the governing Care Comissioning Group. So look up your local CCG and see what advice they are giving out.
 
Last edited:

Hi all, newby to site and 18 months since diagnosed with T2, as a result of nearly 10 years of high dose steroids i have been taking for a rare auto inflammatory disease.

My repeat prescription i request 200 strips per month, as well as my lancets and sharps box, ive never had any issue or realised there could possibly be an issue.

I live in the North West, England.

Regards

Jacqs
 
Do you take diabetes meds which could give you hypo's?
 
@SB.25 - I don't believe there is a set number of strips for T1s as so many variables are in play. Those using a CGM may require fewer strips, because they just need them to calibrate the CGM, and probably around driving.

Someone with brittle diabetes, or basal testing, testing ratios or fighting off multiple hypos or hypers could get through a very sizeable amount of strips. Those are just a few examples of variables and certainly not an exhaustive list.

It strikes me that one pot of strips for a T1 is pretty useless. If this is indeed the case for your Mum's friend, she should be challenging it, and I feel necessary asking her diabetes specialist nurse or consultant for support with her case.
 
Think it depends on where you live. Norway has one of the best health care systems. Usually I have a limit of 150 strips for each retrieval, but I can get as many retrieval as I want within a year before I have to renew my prescription.
 
Might also depend on what kit your running. I have a Libre so my surgery limits me to 50 test strips a month, bit of a pain when the sensors go screwy but it is achievable. I'm T1 as well.
 
Knikki said:
Might also depend on what kit your running. I have a Libre so my surgery limits me to 50 test strips a month, bit of a pain when the sensors go screwy but it is achievable. I'm T1 as well.
Click to expand...
Hi, I don’t have a libre - I’m considering self funding though.

I haven’t even been on the DAFNE or DESMOND course yet as they still do not know what type I am! Which seems a bit mad given I now have to inject with each meal....

I’ve not had a problem with test strips apart from when I was first diagnosed and my doctors wouldn’t issue strips - however my diabetes consultant got involved and since then I’ve had no issues
 

I've not done DAFNE or DESMOND course either, but like many things in the way the NHS is run it varies from place to place, your mums friend limited, where as your not or the person above who lives in the North West (like me) has no limits BUT I am because of the extra kit.

It's just a funny old world, sometimes it's a bit if of a pain but I can adapt so alls well
 
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