type 2 and over 60 prescription charges

[headclansman]

Hi all

I have been a type 2 diabetic for nearly 2.5 yrs , my control of the diabetes is diet only when i first started i used the urine test strips which i find is not accurate enough to keep your blood levels where i want them to be , so i started to buy the accu -check compact +test strips which are certainly not cheap as my doctor refused to prescribe them to me , I'm now just turned sixty can i now claim these strips under the nhs without getting into and argument with my doctor. kind thanks in advance . MARTIN

 

[gbtyke]

You can try claiming them but he (she) still will not prescribe them. It is still the same cost to the NHS and still the same directive from the local PCT.

 

[hanadr]

Your prescriptions are now free, but what the doctor won't prescribe, You still have to pay for. Try eBay. I get my strips there. Just check out your seller's rating. Ebay are now very tough on any sellers who have a less than "perfect" feed back.

 

[headclansman]

hi

I know you can buy from ebay i have done so since i was diagnosed , but if I'm now sixty , and the nhs says it's prescription are now free, so why cant i get my test strips free ? MARTIN

 

[ChocFish]

Hi headclansman, welcome to the forum
The test strips are expensive to the NHS, it doesnt matter whether you get your prescriptions free or not, the cost to the NHS is still the same.

But you can argue with your GP, tell them that you are controlling your diabetes with diet alone and therefore you really do need to test every day to see how the food that you are eating is affecting your bg, tell them this is the only way for you to learn which foods you should avoid or cut back on and which are safe to eat.

Tell them that you find it too risky/scary to wait for your Hb1ac (do you have this test done every 3 or 6 months?) because if you have consistently high bg readings it could result in a lot of damage,explain that now you are a pensioner you do not have all that money to spend to buy strips privately, you are also saving the NHS money by controlling your diabetes, taking it seriously, be firm with your GP about this, demand a monthly supply of strips. Even if you just get half of the supply that you need it is better than nothing.

All the best

Karen

 

[cugila]

Hi Clansman.
Welcome.

Karen(chocfish) has given you excellent advice.

Don't be put off arguing the point with your GP. They are not gods !!

If you still end up having to buy strips there is a cheaper alternative method which doesn't involve a meter. If you look in the Diabetes Product Review section you will find information about some visual test strips which are called Glucoflex - R. I have been using these for a while now and they are very accurate. Better than nothing. They are also available on prescription.

Ken.

 

[headclansman]

hi all

sorry for the delay in answering this thread , been to the doctors, he started straight away about government cuts etc etc all the usual rubbish so after a few Min's it's did get quite heated for a short while (as i was determined not to walk out of his surgery without a prescribtion for them) till i mentioned doctors salaries and MP rips offs he then backed down straight away and prescribed the blood test strips for me he even phone the chemist next door to ask the name of the strips which i had already told him , any way during his conversation with the chemist he let it slip these tabs are available on the nhs , so why not prescribe them as normal?.hc

 

[cugila]

Hi Hc.

Nice to see another like minded soul. Never take NO for an answer.

Nil carborundum illegitamae :twisted:

Ken.

 

[inwales]

hi all

sorry for the delay in answering this thread , been to the doctors, he started straight away about government cuts etc etc all the usual rubbish so after a few Min's it's did get quite heated for a short while (as i was determined not to walk out of his surgery without a prescribtion for them) till i mentioned doctors salaries and MP rips offs he then backed down straight away and prescribed the blood test strips for me he even phone the chemist next door to ask the name of the strips which i had already told him , any way during his conversation with the chemist he let it slip these tabs are available on the nhs , so why not prescribe them as normal?.hc

Well done, Doctors are not Gods. In fact I think they like patients to argue with them!

Must get boring having too many compliant patients.

 

[Graham1441]

Just a small point do you still drive, if you do contact your local PCT and tell them you may, just may get some for free.

Graham1441 :twisted: :twisted:

 

[barge]

once you take a half atablet for diabetes then you get everything on perscription.i was about fifty and got everything free even bloodpressure tablets.but i was diagnosed with irratabowel and told to take peppermint tablets which hospital would have given me but doctor wont give prescription so i have to buy them :shock: