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Which meter should I get?

Prescriptions are free up here in Scotland..i’m newly diagnosed T2.. wondering if there are any Scottish type 2 also living here who can tell me if their surgery automatically supplied them with a glucose meter or if they were advised they didn’t need one.. thanks
 
PenguinMum said:
Hi All
I really need to get a meter but am bamboozled by the choice. I thought the Accucheck mobile looked very user friendly because of the cartridge of stripsm barrel of lances, etc. BUT when I looked at the cost of said cartridges etc in Boots I think it would cost about £125 per month. Am I missing something...are there deals elsewhere? I dont necessarily want the cheapest but would like something user friendly. Any advice welcome?
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My husband (diabetic 10+ years) now used the mobile one ...yes the cartridges are expensive ...but we ask the doc for one when needed and we get one free ...same for lancets etc ...I e mailed Accu Chek few days ago with a problem and they actually sent us a cartridge free ...they also will give you a meter if you haven’t had a free one already. sometimes he uses an older model which requires the test strips and we got them very cheap from eBay
 
manhattan said:
Prescriptions are free up here in Scotland..i’m newly diagnosed T2.. wondering if there are any Scottish type 2 also living here who can tell me if their surgery automatically supplied them with a glucose meter or if they were advised they didn’t need one.. thanks
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If you contact Accu Chek they will give out free meters ...we get other stuff on prescription ...and even on eBay ...
 
Incyb said:
It's easy if your fingers are warm. It's tough squeezing the blood out if they're cold!(Learned the hard way)
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If you squeeze the flesh hard because you do not have enough blood to use for a strip, you are squeezing out a mix of blood and the fluid which surrounds the cells in your skin (referred to as interstitial fluid). This can significantly affect the accuracy of the result you get since the meters are calibrated for blood. Since the meter accuracy is only +/- 20% anything you do to make it worse is probably a bad idea.
 
Solaire said:
If you contact Accu Chek they will give out free meters ...we get other stuff on prescription ...and even on eBay ...
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thanks.. but was just curious if most Scottish DNs automatically gave patients meters or if we had to ask
 
It looks like blood-glucose testers are like computer printers. It's not the cost of the meter (printer) but the cost of the strips/lancets (ink cartridges) that you have to consider when parting with your hard earned cash
 
TTTE said:
It looks like blood-glucose testers are like computer printers. It's not the cost of the meter (printer) but the cost of the strips/lancets (ink cartridges) that you have to consider when parting with your hard earned cash
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everything on prescription is free up here in Scotland
 
I got my meter (an Abbot Optium) free when I was diagnosed and have test strips and lancets on repeat prescription ... and with being both type 2 treated by insuin and having a colostomy I get free prescriptions. Will be interesting to see if anything changes now I've come off insulin and gone onto metformin.
 
lucylocket61 said:
so do the people of scotland get free meters, testing strips and lancets even if the are type 2 not on hypo risk medication?
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my neighbour is type2 and gets everything.. i’ll find out if i’ll get the same next Monday when i see the DN for the first time
 
I have a Freestyle Libra sensor plus reader and an app for my phone rather expensive a sensor only last two weeks but I love it really feel in control and so easy to use
 
Lyndsay444 said:
I got given a meter from my GP and I get lancets and test strips on prescription all free as diabetics get free prescriptions well in uk that is.
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Not all diabetics in the UK get free testing equipment. Type 2 on medication or not are often told we don't need to test. Preparing to do battle next testing time.
 
manhattan said:
Prescriptions are free up here in Scotland..i’m newly diagnosed T2.. wondering if there are any Scottish type 2 also living here who can tell me if their surgery automatically supplied them with a glucose meter or if they were advised they didn’t need one.. thanks
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Living in Scotland have been told on every check that T2 don't need to check as it's bad for me!
 
Solaire said:
My husband (diabetic 10+ years) now used the mobile one ...yes the cartridges are expensive ...but we ask the doc for one when needed and we get one free ...same for lancets etc ...I e mailed Accu Chek few days ago with a problem and they actually sent us a cartridge free ...they also will give you a meter if you haven’t had a free one already. sometimes he uses an older model which requires the test strips and we got them very cheap from eBay
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I have a AccuChek mobile that I got free from the supplier. I buy the cassettes from eBay, I keep an eye out for a good deal.
 
manhattan said:
thanks.. but was just curious if most Scottish DNs automatically gave patients meters or if we had to ask
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Mine has never offered any testing equipment :(
 
According to my diabetic nurse accu-check are giving away free meters provided you get it from your doctors.

I have a spare meter, no strips or prickers, if you want it. It is an acc-check meter.
 
PenguinMum said:
Hi All
I really need to get a meter but am bamboozled by the choice. I thought the Accucheck mobile looked very user friendly because of the cartridge of stripsm barrel of lances, etc. BUT when I looked at the cost of said cartridges etc in Boots I think it would cost about £125 per month. Am I missing something...are there deals elsewhere? I dont necessarily want the cheapest but would like something user friendly. Any advice welcome?
Click to expand...
I would ask on your local facebook if anyone has a spare as most type1s will have a meter going spare
 
slikwipman said:
I would ask on your local facebook if anyone has a spare as most type1s will have a meter going spare
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Plenty of manufacturers give away meters. All you have to do is ask. They make their money out of the strips. However, the Tee2 meter is free. The strips are cheap.
 
Why don't you use the NHS? It's currently still working for blood test monitors and strips. I have an Optium Xceed, haven't paid anything....
 
Lowenna said:
Why don't you use the NHS? It's currently still working for blood test monitors and strips. I have an Optium Xceed, haven't paid anything....
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Because the NHS doesn't normally supply meters and strips to T2s not on insulin or drugs that can cause hypos. In other words, the majority of us. We have to self fund.
 
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