Test Strips

[ChrissiStar]

Just looking for a bit of advice here, I’m type 1, have been for a long time, currently on Novosluggish & Levemir, but anyway, I’m having a bit of a problem with my gp practice just now, they are only prescribing 50 test strips at a time, apart from one prescription when they finally gave me 150 and I thought my test strip woes were over. I am absolutely at my wit’s end with them and am pretty certain test strips/my gp practice are going to be the cause of my next nervous breakdown!

The cherry on the cake was on Thursday night when I went to collect my prescription from Boots and was told they had my insulin but couldn’t order my test strips as they have never had them in stock. Cue absolute confusion from me as I always collect my prescriptions from that branch of Boots and apart from them once not having stock I have never had a problem. Then the pharmacy assistant said the name of them, nope they aren’t what I use and cue the bag coming out the handbag to show them what I actually use, at this point another pharmacy assistant recognised me (I’m obviously a frequent flyer) and checked my records, yes totally the wrong strips ordered and only for 50 yet again, but this isn’t the worst part. The doctor had also kindly put them on a private prescription that I would have had to pay for! Luckily Boots had the correct ones in stock and arranged two boxes for me and when I spoke to the pharmacist as he was checking them even he couldn’t understand what had happened, he was just as baffled as me and said it was very cheeky of them.

Needless to say I got home and placed another online repeat order with my practice with a pleading note attached begging for the correct strips and more than 50 at a time as I am intensively testing right now (minimum 10x a day) I also added that I was far from impressed with 50 of the wrong strips being put on a private prescription as well, so we’ll see what happens next time I visit Boots, will it be correct? How many strips will I get? Who knows?

Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem and how you managed to get it rectified? Any advice would be very welcome. I’m also not above placing an order with them everyday until they get the message

 

[Diakat]

If you don’t have the Libre on prescription remind them that NICE guidelines for T1s say up to 300 a month.

 

[jackois]

I had a similar problem when first diagnosed. I wrote a note addressed to my doctor explaining my needs as a type 1 and pointed out that at the rate they were prescribing strips it would end up costing them a fortune in prescription charges and me a load of time at the chemist. and dropped it into the surgery.

Turned out that the practice team had just set up generic prescriptions on the system of 50 strips and it required the GP to alter it, which he did to 250 a month. Since then, no problems whatsoever even to the point of him checking at my annual check up I was getting enough stocks.

hope this helps.

 

[ChrissiStar]

Do you have a Libre?

If so that could be the reason for the small amount of testing strips, I have the same thing.

If not then, I would be on to your surgery on Tuesday asking why.

Good luck.

I’m in Scotland, they are getting a call tomorrow.

 

[ChrissiStar]

Do you have a non-GP surgery based diabetes team (e.g. Do you go to a local hospital for your annual diabetes review?)
If so, I would get in touch with your DSN and get them to explain your needs to the GP surgery.
Your experience suggests your surgery are treating you the same as someone not on bg lowering medication.

Whilst you are talking to your DSN, you may also wanto ask about the Libre. Testing more than 8 times a day should be justification for a Libre.

I’m waiting to get a Libre, hopefully at my next review as I am starting to feel like a human voodoo doll. I am starting to test less, but I don’t see me being under 8 times a day anytime soon as I am not at all frightened to try new foods, so have been testing at different intervals to check for spikes, a Libre would certainly make the whole thing a lot easier! I might give my DSN a call tomorrow, ask them to explain the situation to my practice and test the water for a Libre again.