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Type 1: How many test strips do you use up a month ?

I ll try to have a talk with my doc, i really wish they gave more than 150. its just not enough especially now that im testing out a new injector.
 
Looking at the month of February as there are normally 28 days I'll probably go thru 112 strips, 4 tests per day - the cost would be about $100 Canadian if my health plan didn't cover it. People with diabetes who don't have any kind of health coverage - I don't know how they could afford it.
 
I use 400 a month as I currently have to test and record my results hourly at work for my employer and sign to say they're correct.
 
mahola said:
I wish it would stop being advertised as "a way to put an end to finger prick tests" As well as using the libre, you still HAVE to do finger prick tests. Especially if you drive. Less frequently, yes, but still a necessity.
Click to expand...

I find the advertisements more "painful" than the finger pricking they profess we endure....
 
200, AC mobile, I usually use about 100-150 per month alongside the Freestyle Libre.

I don't get my prescription monthly and I don't order everything on my script. I wait until I'm down to my last 2 AC mobile cassettes (100 tests) then order more and anything else I might be running low on. I manage my diabetes supplies with the efficiency of a military operation or a supermarket and to this day (touch wood) have never run out of something I need.

This way, even though my prescription is for 200 tests I probably only take an average of 150 per month from my GP but sometimes I do need more. Examples of heavy-use recently were when I had a duff Libre sensor and when I got food poisoning after Christmas.
 
My prescription was originally for 100 a month. Drs receptionist told me off in the first couple of months following diagnosis for ordering more. At that point I did not know about NICE guidelines eye so just burst into tears and sobbed about needing to drive to get to and from work. They upped script tp 150 but I put repeat on more than once a month. That 5 a day would not let me eat, sleep, work, exercise and check if low. They seem to have very little idea of reality. And script only has 100 needles at a time so I spend a lot of time scuttling between doc and pharmacy for repeats!
 
I had 100 on repeat originally but my GP has now doubled it to 200 - I was going for a repeat of them too often.
 
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I'm T2 but I used to be on insulin and thats when I got given a meter and prescribed with strips. I get 200 a month. I am no longer on insulin so the doctor got a bit tricky about prescribing the strips so I have had to demonstrate to the doctor exactly why I still need them (Mars bar half hour before appointment and meter test while in with Dr) - and have not had a problem since.
 
For my son we were using on average 9 strips per day so were reordering 200 every 3 weeks or so. Now using the libre and now down to less then 1 one pot of 50 per month (mainly used by the school) As well as vastly reducing the test strips it has also dropped our ketone testing strip usage as we are more likely to be able to pick up a sudden rise and deal with it before his bg's get to those levels.
 
I use Contour Next Strips. My last prescription was for 400, on August 16th. I've just requested a new prescription, and will run out of strips around friday next week. So my average usage of test strips is around 2.26 per day, or roughly 69 strips per month.

Essentially, I bolus from CGM and hardly drive, and when I do drive, use those for calibrations, which is why I use so few.
 

It a shame as we know how important testing is @miszu

I don't know if this meter is available in Hungary but some of the type 2 members (who self-fund test strips) use the SD Codefree bg meter, here in the UK the price of the strips is around £7 for a box of 50 strips.
 
I use about 50 per week - so 200 ish i guess. I have never really counted because its all covered under my health insurance so whenever i need more i just buy them and send the receipt to the carrier who reimburses me. My test strips are 'prescribed' as my insurance considers them to be over the counter so i can buy whatever brand, or quantity i wish as long as i send them a receipt.

So, probably around 200 - is the short answer
 
Not sure how many test strips used monthly is relevant, what is far more important is how many test strips you use to make informed judgements to control your diabetes.
Taking driving or machine operation out of the equation I personally believe that testing more than 6 times everyday shows that diabetes isn't being controlled. If every test falls within range everyday then why test so often? If tests are constantly out of range then control is not working.
On a DAFNE course a guy was testing everyday 2hrs after breakfast and every test was perfectly in range. When asked why he checked everyday but knew what the result was going to be he said he just wanted to make sure. In my opinion a total waste of a test strip.
Obviously if you change anything in your life that could impact on sugar levels then more testing is essential but it shouldn't become continuous.
A test strip gives you information, you have to use that information to help you be in control, sadly I feel some people don't use the information as much as they could do.
Apologies if I've upset anyone. It's only my opinion.
 

Good point. Tho for a newbie it is important to see what food is working for them, and lots of other things. To me normal activities such as going to shop can totally mess up my BG, so i have to check how i react to different things, bcoz im still new to this. For a more experienced diabetic person it can seem a waste its true, tho its never bad to make sure.
 
@miszu. It is essential as a newbie that you test to get as much information as possible. Record every bit of information so you can spot trends, you will see trends and this will enable you to have greater control. Maybe you'll see that a test at a certain time of day is always just where you want it, if so save that test strip, use it at another time or just do one less test that day and going forward.
Good luck. Confidence is a major player in good control.
 
I get 200 on each prescription, which will last about 3 weeks.
 
Hi everyone, I use 300 a month and get given 400 on repeat script. It is hard work ordering things at first but once the GP see that my bloods are under very good control they don't mind. I have to take 32 tablets a day as well so you can imagine how hard it is for me to remember when to order scripts lol.
 
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