Test Strips for sale on Ebay

carophie04 · Jul 29, 2014

I find it outrageous that T2 diabetics like myself are denied test strips on the NHS whilst T1 which do get them free on the NHS are selling them and not cheaply on Ebay to those of us T2 who wish to keep track of our BS reading and adjust our diet accordingly. I can only assume that they either over order them or they are ordering a quantity and then only testing themselves rarely or not at all. Some people are selling anything up to a dozen or more boxes of 50 strips for in excess of £100. Surely this can't be right or fair. It's all very well to say - as my DB nurse does - you T2 don't need to test. I would far rather keep a watch on my diabetes by testing myself once a day and adjusting my eating accordingly if it starts going up again or going down too low than not testing only to find out at the next blood test that my levels have gone out of control.
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sanguine · Jul 29, 2014

Do they say they are T1s or are you speculating? A dozen boxes of 50 for £100 (£8 or £9 per box) doesn't sound that extortionate.

Willing seller/willing buyer - nobody's forcing anyone to buy them off Ebay.

mo1905 · Jul 29, 2014

Ebay also sells theatre tickets and concert tickets at inflated prices, uniforms ( issued free ), fake items etc etc. If people don't buy, people wouldn't bother selling. I agree it's morally wrong but we are making assumptions if we believe they are all being sold by greedy T1's. Also, for some T2's, it's the only way they can afford to self fund their testing.

Squire Fulwood · Jul 29, 2014

I used to buy mine from Singapore but still got accused of fiddling the NHS. People jump to conclusions sometimes. My "other" meter is an SD.

Avocado Sevenfold · Jul 29, 2014

mo1905 said:
Ebay also sells theatre tickets and concert tickets at inflated prices, uniforms ( issued free ), fake items etc etc. If people don't buy, people wouldn't bother selling. I agree it's morally wrong but we are making assumptions if we believe they are all being sold by greedy T1's. Also, for some T2's, it's the only way they can afford to self fund their testing.

I could not afford to test if I couldn't buy them from eBay. Can't say a seller has ever stated if s/he is T1 or whatever on the listing

AndBreathe · Jul 29, 2014

There could be valid reasons a person has test strip which become surplus to requirements. For example, person acquires (buys or is prescribed) strips. The meter the match dies and can't be used. The replacement options take different strips. What could be wrong with that? The prescribed strips variant is uncomfortable because nobody should make profit from an NHS prescription, in my view. It's probably fraud.

At the moment, I have 2 boxes of 50 strips for an iBGStar meter I no longer use. I switched to the SDCodefree, and found it more flexible, so sidelined the iBG to spare status. The strips are in date, and when I go into a frenzy of testing in the coming weeks, I'll probably use them up. On an ongoing basis, my choice to use the Codefree is influenced by strip costs - buying in bulk at c£6 for 50, as opposed to almost £20 for 50. It's hard to deny those savings when self funding.

Squire Fulwood · Jul 29, 2014

While we are hypothesising I suppose someone who is not diabetic at all could just be stealing them from somewhere. Needn't be the NHS but that would be the most likely source.

So the NHS buys them and a T2 gets to test which is what we all want really. We are griping because there is a tout acting as a middle man.

If that arrangement was cut off then I would get the impression that someone really really didn't want T2's to improve which we know is not the case.

Giverny · Jul 29, 2014

I would imagine that many of the test strips for sale on eBay are sold by legitimate companies, especially if it's the same accounts selling them in large amounts.

Emma_P23 · Jul 29, 2014

So basically all us type ones shouldn't be prescribed test strips because people (who you are just speculating) who are type one diabetic are selling strips on the internet?? Maybe get some decent facts before you accuse type ones in general. I'd like to say that there is good and bad in all. Maybe it's the type 2 diabetics that are selling theirs. I have no solid proof but we may as well generalise. This post is utterly offensive!

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Bluetit1802 · Jul 29, 2014

I buy my Accu Chek Mobile strip cassettes from eBay at about a quarter to a third of the retail price in pharmacies. So far they have all been brand new, sealed and unopened, and in date. I have noticed foreign writing on some boxes - most often Spanish, and some with labels stuck on saying "samples, not for re-sale". I don't really care to be honest as long as they are genuine and work properly. I couldn't afford the full retail price for these cassettes at £25 for 50 strips.

Squire Fulwood · Jul 29, 2014

Emma_P23 said:
So basically all us type ones shouldn't be prescribed test strips because people (who you are just speculating) who are type one diabetic are selling strips on the internet?? Maybe get some decent facts before you accuse type ones in general. I'd like to say that there is good and bad in all. Maybe it's the type 2 diabetics that are selling theirs. I have no solid proof but we may as well generalise. This post is utterly offensive!Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

On balance I am inclined to agree.

AndBreathe · Jul 29, 2014

Squire Fulwood said:
On balance I am inclined to agree.

I also agree, and it was on that basis I was trying to illustrate the potential legitimacy.

BaliRob · Jul 29, 2014

Alibaba sell them wholesale by the 1000 !! Anyone can purchase them. Also as we all know diabetics die and leave some unopened boxes - if they are returned to the chemist they must be destroyed - so why not sell them?

Scardoc · Jul 30, 2014

carophie04 said:
I find it outrageous that T2 diabetics like myself are denied test strips on the NHS whilst T1 which do get them free on the NHS are selling them and not cheaply on Ebay to those of us T2 who wish to keep track of our BS reading and adjust our diet accordingly.

Yeah, sorry about that, it's the reduced life expectancy you see. I need to fund my bucket list but thanks to the likes of you I am nearing the end of it. If you spot a tall skinny guy with a needle hanging out his arm, a sheep, the Jamaican ladies beach volleyball team and a mountain of cakes with him, please pay attention to how happy he looks.

It's thanks to you.

anteater2012 · Jul 30, 2014

carophie04 said:
I find it outrageous that T2 diabetics like myself are denied test strips on the NHS whilst T1 which do get them free on the NHS are selling them and not cheaply on Ebay to those of us T2 who wish to keep track of our BS reading and adjust our diet accordingly. I can only assume that they either over order them or they are ordering a quantity and then only testing themselves rarely or not at all. Some people are selling anything up to a dozen or more boxes of 50 strips for in excess of £100. Surely this can't be right or fair. It's all very well to say - as my DB nurse does - you T2 don't need to test. I would far rather keep a watch on my diabetes by testing myself once a day and adjusting my eating accordingly if it starts going up again or going down too low than not testing only to find out at the next blood test that my levels have gone out of control.
.

Perhaps carophie04 can supply evidence that T1's are putting their strips on ebay - or perhaps a link to the advert that is getting them upset on ebay.

QPRFCPAUL · Jul 31, 2014

carophie04 said:
I find it outrageous that T2 diabetics like myself are denied test strips on the NHS whilst T1 which do get them free on the NHS are selling them and not cheaply on Ebay to those of us T2 who wish to keep track of our BS reading and adjust our diet accordingly. I can only assume that they either over order them or they are ordering a quantity and then only testing themselves rarely or not at all. Some people are selling anything up to a dozen or more boxes of 50 strips for in excess of £100. Surely this can't be right or fair. It's all very well to say - as my DB nurse does - you T2 don't need to test. I would far rather keep a watch on my diabetes by testing myself once a day and adjusting my eating accordingly if it starts going up again or going down too low than not testing only to find out at the next blood test that my levels have gone out of control.
.

Don't make such sweeping statements, I'm a T2 and have never been refused anything I needed to help control my diabetes by my doctor or area DSN. Just because you have issues with your local health service it's unfair to dive in feet first blaming T1's without providing the evidence. It's comments like yours that cause friction between the two types when there is no need. If you feel that strongly why not ask the seller for proof of ownership or report them to ebay.

logindetails · Aug 1, 2014

carophie04 said:
I find it outrageous that T2 diabetics like myself are denied test strips on the NHS whilst T1 which do get them free on the NHS are selling them and not cheaply on Ebay .....
.

Would you find it outrageous if I told you it was not T1's selling the strips but T2's who have been lucky enough to have been prescribed them? YES - GOOD.
...and BTW I have about as much evidence to back up my insulting claim as you do to back up yours.

Scandichic · Aug 1, 2014

I find it outrageous that any diabetic is denied strips whatever their type. I think it is totally unhelpful for diabetics to indulge in the blame game too. I dare say there are diabetics who choose to sell their strips too. I should imagine that they are both types but do not have any proof. Just, as I suspect, like the people who post here.
I would have no problem buying strips from someone who changed their meter or had a family member who died. As someone else has already pointed out, if they were returned to the chemist, they would be destroyed so it's beneficial to both parties.
Sometimes people are forced into desperate situations for a variety of reasons and I try not to judge as I do not know their circumstances.

AnnieC · Aug 1, 2014

How doyou

carophie04 said:
I find it outrageous that T2 diabetics like myself are denied test strips on the NHS whilst T1 which do get them free on the NHS are selling them and not cheaply on Ebay to those of us T2 who wish to keep track of our BS reading and adjust our diet accordingly. I can only assume that they either over order them or they are ordering a quantity and then only testing themselves rarely or not at all. Some people are selling anything up to a dozen or more boxes of 50 strips for in excess of £100. Surely this can't be right or fair. It's all very well to say - as my DB nurse does - you T2 don't need to test. I would far rather keep a watch on my diabetes by testing myself once a day and adjusting my eating accordingly if it starts going up again or going down too low than not testing only to find out at the next blood test that my levels have gone out of control.
.

How do you know it is T1's that are selling them ??

AnnieC · Aug 1, 2014

carophie04 said:
I find it outrageous that T2 diabetics like myself are denied test strips on the NHS whilst T1 which do get them free on the NHS are selling them and not cheaply on Ebay to those of us T2 who wish to keep track of our BS reading and adjust our diet accordingly. I can only assume that they either over order them or they are ordering a quantity and then only testing themselves rarely or not at all. Some people are selling anything up to a dozen or more boxes of 50 strips for in excess of £100. Surely this can't be right or fair. It's all very well to say - as my DB nurse does - you T2 don't need to test. I would far rather keep a watch on my diabetes by testing myself once a day and adjusting my eating accordingly if it starts going up again or going down too low than not testing only to find out at the next blood test that my levels have gone out of control.
.

It is because not many T2's get NHS strips that they have to buy them where ever they can be it on Ebay Amazon or any where else Where would you suggest they get them from and if you buy your own where do you get yours from them

Test Strips for sale on Ebay

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