Where do you buy your testing strips and which machine?

Hi. You shouldn't have to buy Test Strips. You can get them on prescription from your GP.

Gemma2 said:

Hi. You shouldn't have to buy Test Strips. You can get them on prescription from your GP.

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I am in the UK. We have ot buy our meters and supplies They are not available on prescription, as a general rule.

SD Codefree Beryl cheapest strip going, you can buy it from Amazon. I know iveseen a linmk from somebody - let me think..
@Bluetit1802 , is it you?

Apologies for the state of my typing, I'm in bed ill have got a temperature and ache all over

@berylc

You can also get it direct from home health

http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/

That's where I got mine strips are cheap and when I order new strips I pay a few pence extra for first class post and normally get the next day.

By the way alchohol wipes can skew your readings it seems so best not use them.

John

Gemma2 said:

Hi. You shouldn't have to buy Test Strips. You can get them on prescription from your GP.

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Not if you're most of the type 2s on here you can't. We're "not supposed to test" for various idiotic reasons. I was allowed to test at my own expense only if I did it as a hobby by my practice;s diabetic expert. I'm now seen by my own long term GP, who actually does recognise the need for testing, but admits he isn't permitted by the Practice manager to prescribe me test strips unless I'm ill and have an accepted need to test.

@berylc - if you buy your own strips from chemists as diabetic you should be able to get a VAT exemption form. But usually Amazon or eBay will be the cheaper options. Meters themselves are usually very cheap - but as you've discovered it's the running costs that are exorbitant. That's why we generally recommend the SD Codefree.

I got my meter, originally a Contour XT, before I heard about the Codefree, but also won a Contour Next last year. I've actually continued using my Contour because I like the additional data I get from it.

Robbity

@berylc

Try here for the Codefree meter
http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/

and here for the extra strips
http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/sd-codefree-test-strips-to-be-used-only-with-the-sd-monitor/

Pharmacies don't sell them. They are VAT exempt for diabetics. You have to declare this on the order form. There are discount codes if you buy in bulk.
5 packs 264086
10 packs 975833

I get mine from off prescription but I know the chemists sell them also I tried to buy some for my meter as wanted a box spare but sadly they didn't sell them

Hi Berylc

I'll echo what other people have said about not needing the alcohol swabs. They can give you an excessively high result because of the alcohol residue which is sugary.

In terms of machines I started off buying my own the SD Biosensor Codefree from Home Health UK Ltd through Amazon on the VAT exempt listing. On two occasions this machine tested the exact same as laboratory blood glucose test. I test throughout the day so it would cost about £20-30 for ongoing test strips and lancets throughout the month. I believe that if you buy direct from Home Health they do bulk order discounts.

Now though as I do get prescribed test strips/lancets from the GP (I'm type 2, but have no hyper / hypo awareness) I use an Accu-chek Mobile. I got this for free from Roche with a referral code from my pharmacist. I only use this machine as the pharmacist claimed not to be able to fulfil a prescription for the Biosensor machine.

Incidentally I would not recommend the Accu-chek Mobile as I find it difficult to get the correct amount of blood in the correct location. This is due to having poor near sight and being poorly coordinated. This results in going through a load of "rejected" test strips, the most being 7 consecutively to date.