Testing strips

[jazman]

Hi
I am type 2 diet/exercise controlled. Like many others I do not qualify for free test strips.(An outrage in my opinion )
Has anyone found a good source(and reliable)of these test strips at a reduced price?

 

[sugarless sue]

Have you tried sweet talking your doctor? I'm diet controlled and I get the test strips prescribed,had to buy my own meter though!I get off Ebay every now and again just to top up.

 

[jazman]

Thanks tried that with the docs without success.
Will look on e bay,but a bit worried about possible quality problems.

 

[sugarless sue]

Look for ebay shops that sell pharmaceuticals,check that the strips they have on offer have forward sell-by date.I've never had any problems so far!

 

[Buachaille]

I get mine prescribed without any problem but since I have reduced my Hba1c to within the normal ball-park I only test twice a week. I got an Aviva Accu-Check from the local chemist for £4.50 but the strips cost about £25.00 for 50 ( I ran out one weekend and decided to buy a pack). You can, however, get them for not much more that half-price via the Internet from a variety of UK sources. It might be worthwhile doing the business the other way round. Locate the cheapest strips and then source the meter.

 

[IanD]

Ask around the chemists to see which Drs prescribe strips. I have no problem getting them on prescription. If a Dr doesn't prescribe strips he's unlikely to be a useful Dr for diabetics.

 

[gillyh]

Hi
I am type 2 diet/exercise controlled. Like many others I do not qualify for free test strips.(An outrage in my opinion )
Has anyone found a good source(and reliable)of these test strips at a reduced price?

I am type 2 diet/exercise too. I order my strips at the doctors with all my other medicines. As I have a prepaid prescription for 12 months I get them as often as I can. Try getting them on prescription from your doctor. Cheaper than if you had to buy them from elsewhere. :wink:

 

[IanD]

Gilly, I understand that diabetics get their prescriptions free.

 

[jazman]

Thanks everyone.
I agree that if you are on tablets/insulin the strips are free. if you look elsewhere on the forums you will find several comments about this unfairness.(13 Feb 08 on the Diabetes Discussion Forum) The N.I.C.E guidelines do not encourage self testing. How we are supposed to be in control without checking they don't say.
In my post code area NO surgeries offer the strips free.
I also agree that the awareness of some doctors about Diabetes is very poor, without forums such as this I would not have had any real help. Perhaps we should consider how we can raise this awareness.

 

[sugarless sue]

I don't get mine free,have to pay a fiver for the script because I am not on any diabetic medication.

 

[hanadr]

I have a freestyle meter supplied by Abbot diabetes care. they will provide a packof 50 strips for £14.33 including postage . thqat's th most recent price I have,
I am on Metformin and fighting my PCT for strips. I can wheeedle them out of my doctor every so often.

 

[graham64]

Hi,
I'm type2 diet and exercise since being diagnosed in april this year. I have not had any probs obtaining test strips. I have been testing 4 times daily of late for my my Dietitian and I am also inputing results regularly into My Life. My prescription says authorised till 21/02/2009 hopefully this means I can carry on getting them.Maybe it helps having a practise nurse whose hubby is a type1.I I don't have to pay for my prescriptions due to my age, I just hope that one day all T2s will have access to free meters and test strips.

 

[Graham55]

Hi,
I was told i could test twice a week when i was told a year ago i am T2. Testing only twice a week i could never know how my numbers where doing with what food i am having, so I bought my own and tested as and when I wanted this way i now know what food does what.

Although i have changed the meter the Dr gave me to Accu-Chek which i prefer because i can download the readings to there computer program, my chemist said the sharps cost more, well there twice as much only because there are twice the ammount in the box. Derrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

 

[Graham55]

Hi,
I wonder how the law stands about suplying test strips. Would it be possible for Diabetes.co.uk to suply test strips, (It`s not a mediation,) even if sold at a lower price there would still be a good profit to be made with the ammout sold.????

 

[Graham1441]

Hi,
I remember someone hear said ask your local chemist which doctor gives test strips and try changing to that doctor, sounds good to me.
Graham 55 , T2 for almost a year.

 

[jenrose]

I purchased test strips from Chemist Direct where you can order online and are the same that I used to get on prescription (which the nurse said I didn't any more). I use Accu-Chek Compact and the strips are £6 cheaper than from the local chemist. I take Metformin 500 gm x 2 a day and the nurse said that you couldn't go too low. I had gone as low as 3.6 mmol/L after walking futher than normal and developed tremors but the nurse said there was nothing to worry about even she went as low as that (presumably she could check her bg levels then). Later after walking the extra walk I went to 2.9 mmol/L before getting any symptoms. I decided to purchase my own and I wrote to my MP and PCT as I think it is short term gain and long term pain for the NHS and no gain and long term pain for us. If some people prefer not to test then that is up to them but to discourage people who do want to test is irresponsible, in my opinion.

 

[rudini]

I am T2 on insulin and byetta so qualify for free strips on NHS prescription. I get 50 strips per month which is OK now but wasn't enough when i was first diagnosed 5 weeks ago. The price of the strips is astronomical! My freedom lite strips are anywhere between £20 and £30 for 50 strips! That's more than the meter costs. Very weird, IMO. I empathise with anyone who needs to buy their own test strips. They are expensive!

 

[Trinkwasser]

I am T2 on insulin and byetta so qualify for free strips on NHS prescription. I get 50 strips per month which is OK now but wasn't enough when i was first diagnosed 5 weeks ago. The price of the strips is astronomical! My freedom lite strips are anywhere between £20 and £30 for 50 strips! That's more than the meter costs. Very weird, IMO. I empathise with anyone who needs to buy their own test strips. They are expensive!

Not that weird, give away razors and make the money back on the blades is an old philosophy (see also, inkjet printers)

I used to use these guys

http://www.diabeticshop.co.uk/

then our local pharmacy was bought out by Boots.

For a while the OTC price was about the same, considerably cheaper than under the previous owners.

Now they've gone back up by about a fiver a pack (I HATE Boots!)

Any cheaper sources than the above gratefully accepted

 

[999sugarbabe]

I can't understand this. I was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and put on Metformin. The doctor gave me a form to complete and he then sent it to the Prescription Exemption Certificate people (http://www.ppa.org.uk/ppa/medex.htm).
I got a free Accu-Chek test meter in a kit which includes everything you're likely to need (ring 0800 701000).
All my prescriptions are now free -not just diabetic related rescriptions. The test strips and lancet refills are free on prescription too.
Good Luck

 

[sugarless sue]

You only get your test strips free if you are on diabetic medication.I am on diet only so I have to pay for mine.Being in Scotland it is only £5 for my 50 strips which is OK by me.