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test strips

C

calluna

Member
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5
have followed with interest the subject of test strips on the forum. my pervious doctor when i was diagnosed as type 2 diabetic insisted that i carried out regular testing as often as possible At that time on oral meds. Moved to a different area and new doctor eventually said i needed insulin (novomix 30). The need to test became even more important. The point is that i have never ever had a problem getting test strips in fact at my last appointment the Doctor wanted to know why i had not ordered more test strips. In Scotland perscriptions are free and in any case i was exempt from charges anyway
 
Interesting. It varies across this country anyhow . Some PCTs are agains test strips fr anyone , others are more flexible.

I wonder if problems obtaining test srips do not exist in Scotland at all ? Wonder what the situation is in Wales?
 
Hi Im in Wales

When first going through diagnosis I was told to test before and after meals and before bed time. They werent sure the first 2 weeks what type I was(due to having high level of ketones). That day I was given a meter and 250 strips. Then on the 2nd week the GP said with a smile no insulin, we will see how you go with diet for next 4 weeks(lowish carb on his advice) - keep testing as before. Strips are not on repeat as we have been told people we stock pilling them but just ask and we will get some if we ask. I ran low, asked and got another 250.
Since been back, been put on metformin and have been told to now test on new foods/combinations , when I feel unwell e.g as my levels have been coming down I have been getting clammy and feeling dizzy(he wants to keep and eye on this he said) and to do random testing as I wish.
Again just ask for strips and been told I will not be refused .

I have signed the petition as I think its so unfair that some have access to strips and some dont
 

Hi

Now that you have to rely on injected insulin to keep you well instead of your own naturally prouced insulin from your pancreas, its effect on your bg levels can only be determined by you testing yourself with teststrips to make sure that the carbohydrate that you are eating is enough to keep your bg levels all ok. Injected insulin is well known for causing hypos and hypers if it is not balanced up correctly with food containing some carb . I hope that you are testing at least 4 times a day and that if you find yourself feeling low at those test times, you will start to test 6 times a day so that you can adjust the amounts of carb that you eat. It's all a game of 'Balance' and shuffling the amounts of carb that you eat at certain times of the day, in order to remain within certain bg targets. Eating little and often works fairly well with twice daily insulins so using carb ratios is only for basal bolus insulin.
 
I'm up in Glasgow and was refused test strips by my GP when I asked for them.

My dad, who lives in England, was given test strips on repeat prescription, but has recently been told that he can't have them any more, so it seems to be a bit of an individual GP lottery rather than a particular area or country being more likely to prescribe them :crazy:
 
hi I'm new to this site although I have been type 1 diabetic for 13 years, I have recently been forced to change GP practices as we are out of the catchment area for out old surgery. we registered at a local health centre as they have a diabetic 'specialist' there. I had to take in a repeat prescription of my medication so they knew what I needed regularly, all they had to do was transfer the information from the repeat onto the computer however this basic task that took them over an hour was still to much for them to manage. I recently needed a repeat prescription of my blood test strips of which I would normally receive around 200 per month as I have well controlled diabetes, and also a prescription for my long acting night insulin Glargine. the doctor refused to prescribe me any medication until I saw him, when I did see him his complete lack of diabetic knowledge was astounding, whilst I realise it is a vast field to cover the Dr had not even read my notes nor had he seen my record of diabetic care (which was all available to him), I have 3 children the eldest was 4 in January the youngest was 1 on may 20th and so during pregnancy my diabetic care had to be even more tightly controlled to avoid further complications, the amount I tested my blood had to increase further. The Dr informed me that he had been advised from the diabetic team at my local hospital that a 1*50 strip box should last me 3 months and that I do not need to test my blood daily every other day would do, if I feel well I don't need to test it as this is just making me paranoid, and he will be referring me back to the hospital team for re-training in diabetic treatment. I explained to the doctor that if he would take the time to look through my notes he could see I have a written letter from the diabetic team asking that I am prescribed 4*50 strips every month as this is what my treatment requires, but he didn't want to do this. I explained there are a number of factors that will effect my blood sugars on a daily basis for instance last week being hot meant I had more lows that normal and required less insulin, if I exercise more than normal, if I'm up in the night with my children, if I eat at different times to normal, or eat something more sugary, or if I'm poorly this will all cause me to maybe alter my insulin but most definitely I would need to test my blood in the first place to even know if there was an alteration needed or if I need to eat something in order to avoid a hypo. there was even a recent news item which said the lack of regular blood monitoring is costing the NHS, as poor care means further complications in later life the treatment for the care of these things is far more than blood testing strips. anyway after a long battle with the Dr he agreed to prescribe me 3 of the 4 boxes id requested but only on this occasion and that he would write to the diabetic team at the hospital so they can arrange an appointment for me as well as send a letter confirming he is correct. this really infuriated me as although I am not a Dr nor a diabetic specialist I feel I do have a lot of experience in dealing with the condition and certainly a lot more than this Dr.
after returning home I have contacted my diabetic specialist myself and she has written a strongly worded letter to the Dr (who I will never see again!!) and she has forwarded me a copy, I do feel better having had what I said confirmed, and knowing that the training and information I have received over the last 13 years is correct, I'm still alive and I have good control of my diabetes however I still feel like I have to still have something done about this incompetent Dr, I am writing to the primary care trust to make a formal complaint but I just wondered how on the whole everyone else feels about getting your medication. I must also say my previous surgery were fantastic which gives me a bit of faith, but this Dr could of killed people, if I was newly diagnoses I could of really harmed myself through terrible advice. on the up side it will be the Dr receiving a letter telling him how wrong he is not me!
sorry for the long post!!
 
I'm a T2 and I get strips, just had more delivered. It is so unfair, as it really is a postcode lottery. I think it would help if we did all get them, even if it was only for a certain length of time. I did initially buy my own meter and strips, but when my GP saw I was taking control of my diabetes myself, he decided to help me in any way he could, hence me getting strips.
 
Lovely evocative name bellafiorenza! I am T2 but had similar problems when I was forced to change my GP Practice 3 years ago.

I want to move house again but feel that I risk having to start at squre one .

My dn did her best to blind me by attempting to give me a drug not recmmended for my retinopathy. After that i was undersandably reluctan to allow her to put me on insulin when she might have been able to kill me.

I eventually , therough the good officeds of my opthalmologist, managed to see a diabetes consultant. He prescribed sitagliptin and told me to test daily for the next 6 months as he had found the readings I had shown him to be useful. Upon presenting his conclusions to the newly qualified GP in my practice she disagreed with the consultant on the basis that she "used to help at a diabetes clinic sometimes and meter readings mean nothing to her!" She expressed surprise that anyone would want to sick pins in themselves.
I poninted ou that if i did not manage to control my bgs i would be sticking both opins AND needles in myself ie with insulin.
I later discovered that another two new Gps shared her views.
Because i take a tiny dose of hypo inducing med they have never tried stop my test strips but I no longer rely on those i get from them/ I ask for the minimum just so they can't claim I have achieved good control without and buy my own.

When I returned to see the Diabetes consultant my results had improved greatly and in the current climate as a T2 wih good control
he was forced o discharge me from the clinic.
Being an extremely inelligent and quick wited man it was unnecessary to spell out the situation in my practice to him. He gave me a copy of a letter he had sent to the Practice spelling out how I shuld be treated in future.

That was 18 months ago and I have constant battles to attempt to make them abide by these instructios.
I feel very sorry for those who don't know that they need to test or don't know how or are afraid to fight to get meters and strips.
There is a very long way o go on this issue. Many think that pushing the prevention
of complications will be a clincher. i wonder. I have complications with my sight . The eye and diabetes consultants say I must test to prevent blindness. Given an inch the GPs would ignore their insructions and discourage me from testing.
As someone said above it is a choice for individual practices. That should not be. the case.
 
I've probably mentioned this somewhere else on the forum.... but here we have a scheme that you register with and you basically get some of your diabetic supplies discounted. You don't need a prescription... you just need to present your membership card. When I was on diet only or oral meds... I had had a different membership card which allowed me to get test strips. Now that I'm on insulin I have a different card again. The only difference I think is that the card I now have allows for needles for my insulin pens. I think the system we have works well.... although we still have to pay for a lot of it, but thankfully it's discounted. Eg. my test strips are $50 full price for a pack of 100.... but I get this for $15 using my membership card. So not too bad. Needles are free and lancets are full price with no discount.
 
I am a Type 2...reasonable control (apart from last weeks gi-nourmous blip)..and have found my own way to manage, with the sound advice from people on here (thank you!!)....and testing ....used to be daily...but now not so...as I pay for my own strips.

What really gets me more than a bit narked....if you go to a popular auction site...(you know who I mean)...and view the boxes and boxes of strips on sale there....its not illegal....and the management of the site are not in the slightest bit bothered as they are making £.

So the strips have been prescribed....for the use of the patient....and patient is saying, no thank you...I will have the ££, please. When compared to the prices in High St Pharmacy...the on line site can be cost effective....

Now I am also Coeliac as well....and in Coeliac circles...they shout long and loud about Diabetics having goods to manage their condition....for free....when all the fuss in media is about the high costs of Gluten free foods and the PCTs being sniffy about it. (You may have seen the charade about the loaves costing £megabucks..so PCTs are cost cutting and reducing choices etc).

So I have double set of problems...

I am thinking about retiring to desert island ....(with my cat, of course).
Anyone want to join?

Apricot




 

I agree, it is a postcode lottery and it's wrong. I am T2 and get all the strips I need on prescription, yet others can't get any. It's not fair and it's not on. Please sign the petition in my siggy (It has to be copied and pasted into your browser) to help all T2's get strips.
 
Type 2 came about when having my yearly thryoid test - I had not had any symtoms, controled by diet 1st year now into 2nd year I have been put onto Metformin MR 500mg tabs [ 2 a day ]
In the 2 years I have had diabeties I have seen doctor twice - nurse 3 times, I have been told as recently as today that I do not need to do any blood testing and I only need to see the nurse/doctor as already.
So I am really confused I do not want to be an invalid - worrying myself ill - think myself ill etc etc and definatly have no wish to stick pins in myself but am I at longer term risk if I do not test daily - is this something that is done at a much later stage! or whatever or should I listen to my doctor/nurse
Christina
 

My advice, invest in a meter. The SD Codefree is the cheapest I know of, and the strips are also the cheapest. A diabetic without a meter is like a dog without a tail - unthinkable. You must test or how can you know what you can tolerate and what you can't. I did invest in a meter, mine was the SD Codefree, then my GP gave me a meter and strips. You can get the Codefree on ebay or Amazon, but what ever you do, get one and test!
 
I am type 1 and I know that I need to check my blood sugar regular but before I started to have complications I only checked my sugars the minimum amount and relied on my body to tell me what my sugars were. If you rely on your body it feels like you have more of a connection to your diabetes. I know it sounds strange but I don't know if it is just because I am type 1 I now can take my blood sugars upto 12-14 times a day because it now feels that if I don't see what my sugars are on a machine then I can feel very unsure. I know this sounds a lot but if you take your sugars during the night, first thing on a morning, before breakfast, before I drive, before meals, if you feel unwell, if you are exercising or doing some kind of activity it all adds up. I am trying to cut back as I have lost my connection and am relying too much on my machine. Do type 2 diabetics need to check as often as I know what carbs I eat and calculate my insulin but the heat, the cold, feeling unwell effect my insulin requirement is it the same for type 2.
 

The most I did regularly was 8 times a day, FBG pre and +2 meals and bedtime. I only do FBG and +2 meals now as I am confident enough to know all is well.
 
i am from kent and my doctors wont give me the test strips, in order to do my test i have to buy them myself. not very impressed by it i must say.
 
Does anyone think that the manufacturers are over pricing and pushing the NHS as well as the patient into buying the stuff we need for our diabetic care. I am on an insulin pump and fair enough the pump is very good but the fact that you only get to keep it for 5 years then the NHS has to fork out another £3000 is bad. The batteries they supply are specific ones and they advise you not to use the ones you can buy in the shop even though they are the same make then when they run out of their supply the provide the store bought ones but charge the NHS the higher price. Sorry I know it's off the topic of test strips but I think that there is a lot of unfair practises from some of the suppliers of all our medication and accessories and it's not like we stop using what they provide.
 
I am type 1 and exactly the same - I can test up to 14 times a day - especially when I am on my own with my little boy and when driving. I never used to test like this - its ironic my sugar control is far worse now than when I used to test 6 times a day ! - just moved house and got a new team at my hospital who seem really good so trying to start focussing to wean myself off reliance on The meter - its hard though!!!
 
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