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Freestyle Libre available on NHS

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Consultant was impressed with the info I showed her from the libre at my last review. Next review due 9th Oct. Let's see what they say then.
 
I've just been to the GP to have a suspected BCC (Basal Cell Carcinoma) checked out, and used the opportunity to plug the advantages of the Libre 🙂 I gave her the full spiel, explaining how much easier and better it makes living with diabetes, and made an especially strong point about the relative costs against blood strips - I use a box of strips a week without Libre, at a cost to the NHS of around £15, but the Libre works out at £17.50 per week and I've used about 3 strips a week over the past 3 weeks whilst using sensors. So, for a very slight extra cost I get much better control and peace of mind - has to be worth it, surely? 🙂

She had heard of the Libre but never seen one, so I ran through some of the features and (hopefully!) she was impressed. She said I would be the first to know if the CCG decide to fund them, but was sceptical whether it would happen :( Still, the more that healthcare professionals come across them and hear the arguments, the stronger our case will be, so everyone please keep them front and centre at your encounters with healthcare professionals! 🙂

p.s. I have a referral to a dermatologist for the BCC. I've had one before, 5 years ago, and this looks similar, not hugely worried.
 
I have already resigned myself to the fact I am sure my GP will not recommend me for this. I had to get him to sign a certificate so I could whizz around the US for three weeks with a couple of sensors and he was all "you wasted your money, you are on metformin now, that's all you need and I want to give you more tablets so you rattle!"

If my own GP thinks I am wasting my (own, I might add) money, then I cannot see him prescribing this. Also I think unless I am found to have T1 after my initial symptoms, I would imagine there are people in my region whose needs and circumstances are far worse than my own, so it SHOULD go to them and not someone who can afford to fund it, and chooses to gad about the world!
 
I too doubt that they will fund my sensors but I’m going to have a darn good try.
@Northerner i hope you don’t have to wait too long for the appointment come through.
 
I spoke to my doctor and the consultant last week and though they are both really big fans of the libre and sing it’s praises they don’t seem hopeful that I would get one. So I decided to fund it myself. It arrived today so I’m just reading up on it and I’ll be attempting to put my first sensor on later. I’m hoping it’s going to help me manage my levels better and save my poor fingers lol
 
Tally said:
I spoke to my doctor and the consultant last week and though they are both really big fans of the libre and sing it’s praises they don’t seem hopeful that I would get one. So I decided to fund it myself. It arrived today so I’m just reading up on it and I’ll be attempting to put my first sensor on later. I’m hoping it’s going to help me manage my levels better and save my poor fingers lol
Click to expand...
I'd recommend keeping the sensor on for 24 hours before activating it 🙂
 
Tally said:
I spoke to my doctor and the consultant last week and though they are both really big fans of the libre and sing it’s praises they don’t seem hopeful that I would get one. So I decided to fund it myself. It arrived today so I’m just reading up on it and I’ll be attempting to put my first sensor on later. I’m hoping it’s going to help me manage my levels better and save my poor fingers lol
Click to expand...
Welcome to the Libre gang. I hope that they will fund it for you.
 
Hi Northerner I hope you don't have to wait too long for your appointment and that it can be easily sorted.
 
Good luck with the libre @Tally. I found the graphs and the directional arrows on the readings invaluable.
 
Greyhound Gal said:
Good luck with the libre @Tally. I found the graphs and the directional arrows on the readings invaluable.
Click to expand...

Thanks 🙂 I’m really excited to start using it and hopefully it will help me calm down a bit (still a newbie at all this lol) 😳
 
Phoned my "local" diabetes care helpline today (diabetes care has been moved from the local hospital to a travelling team) and the first appt I can get to discuss getting a Libre is 8th December. So not long to wait... no respite for my fingertips for a while yet :(
 
Worth reminding folks that not much is likely to change for Libre in the short term. 1st November it will be available on the national ‘tariff’, but GPs, surgeries and clinics will not be able to prescribe it until each local health economy/CCG has decided whether (and how) it will go on the local formulary.

There are big national organisations working hard to try to prevent a postcode lottery emerging, but we will not all be able to go to Drs on 1st Nov and expect them to be handing them out like lollipops :D
 
My local CCG has just been put into special measures so unlikely they'll fund it for us I think :(
 
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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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