Arrgghhh Test Strips

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Fudge

Fudge

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
What a day... Mine own fault i ran out of test strips and my docs are shut on Saturday. So off i went into town around all 5 chemists and not one had test strips 😡 and then to find out that i had no prescription from my doc (as surgery closed), then after travelling another 20 miles to York they wanted 22 quid for a tub of strips, even tho i get them for free and could prove it... I am so cross with myself for forgetting to check, but absolutely raging at the lack of help that did not come from across the counter ARRRGGHHH (please insert as many swear words as you think appropriate)
 
Been there and got that T shirt Fudge :D

Best thing in emergency is to try the local hospital. They will always have some strips and will usually lend you a few.

I once had to get some syringes from the local A+E because I'd gone on holiday without any. 😱

Rob
 
Done that :-S luckily there is a walk in clinic and the doctor was there and able to give me a prescription on a Saturday. I checked with the nurse just in case it's happened where should I get them and she said go back to hospital, they will give you enough strips to last through the weekend so worth a try
 
As a diabetic i thought we dont get charged vat when buying test strips from Lloyds, i dont and Lloyds told me about that, soz to hear u had a crap time getting some strips. 🙄
 
I've just realised that I've only got 7 needle tips left. I'm normally very good about making sure I get supplies well before I run out, but I've been wastching the test strips (still got a box left) and not the needles! Thankfully, I pick up my prescription tomorrow, just hope they've got everything in! 😱
 
It's very easy to forget how low things are getting. Especially just before a weekend. It doesn't help when you're discouraged from stockpiling so you have a bit of a buffer.

I do tend to order early on needles and insulin. The rest I can manage without for a day but I do keep a close watch on those.

Rob
 
Very frustrating for you fudge grr, i'm really bad with strips but lately i have been ok, but theres times i have been down to something like 5 strips .Im so forgetful
 
Robster65 said:
It's very easy to forget how low things are getting. Especially just before a weekend. It doesn't help when you're discouraged from stockpiling so you have a bit of a buffer.

I do tend to order early on needles and insulin. The rest I can manage without for a day but I do keep a close watch on those.

Rob
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I'm also low on insulin, just two cartridges left, although each one lasts about a week. I've got three boxes of lantus though as I hardly use any - having to keep an eye on the use by dates on that!
 
Snap ! lol

I had to get my script changed long ago to 3 boxes of humalog and 1 of lantus but the humalog is now down to 2 boxes at a time.
I did wonder if I was using too much of one and not enough of the other but you wonderful lot have put my mind at rest on that one. 😉

I ordered some needles using the new email prescription service this week and was surprised to find a sharps container in my goody bag. I'd worded it as "needles - box 100". They must have read needle box and gone for the first thing in their head. 🙄

I now have the needles.

Rob
 
have to say that im stock pilling test strips as i know they are about to tell me no more, i will then have to buy my own ,
so ive cut down to 2 a day and get a proscription every month for more ,
i know its coming its only because my nurse says i need them that I'm getting them, my doc said no at first
 
It seems terrible that doctors are refusing to prescribe test strips of all things. How will you know if you have good control unless you can get some indication of it ? Madness.

Rob
 
williammcd said:
have to say that im stock pilling test strips as i know they are about to tell me no more, i will then have to buy my own ,
so ive cut down to 2 a day and get a proscription every month for more ,
i know its coming its only because my nurse says i need them that I'm getting them, my doc said no at first
Click to expand...

The only problem with stockpiling is that they do have a "use by" date.

Andy
 
bitsnbobs

1. you May be able to get a refund, not sure how.

2. GPs reluctant to prescribe (budgets) cos sometimes we dont make good use of the results - well thats their opinion/fear. Years ago, we only had urine testing strips, which were very,cheap, messy and the results were not the Current blood sugar levels. Maybe its ok to ask for some of these to keep as a back up/store... better than nothing?? Or even check out cost at chemist?

3.In all honesty - i tend to waste two per packet cos i always take two strips out and hide them in case i forget to do his prescription in time. And then i forget i have them. Sorry NHS, will try to do better!

4. You GOT A SHARPS BOX?? How can i get one?? GP says ask hospital, and vice versa ad infinitum etc etc. and etc.!
 
Sorry, you can only get a refund if you paid for the prescription charge and are exempt..Without a prescription you have to buy them at 25 pound a pop or whatever. I can't beleive that your local chemists didn't have any in stock, i've gotten one touch ultra strips in tiny chemists before (although they didn't have multistix). Local rules say no strips on prescriptions for type 2s, although sometimes you can beg for them at the diabetes clinic at the hospital (bless em).
test strips are a bit of a novelty as there's very few things that you can by legally over the counter that cost more than 7.50. I think it confuses some counter assistants because they don't get asked for them much, but it's a device not a medicine so the rules are a tad different (i think).

Tiddly, i forgive you for your two strips, i normally waste at least twice as many by not getting enough blood in, or missing the strip, or be squeezing test fluid everywhere except on the strip...
 
I noticed that it now says as needed next to the test strips on my repeat prescription form so i assume that if i run out of the 50 i get per month i can order more but weather that is the case we shall see.
 
For sharps container, you should get on scrip. Ring council and tell them you have a lot of used needles to dispose of, and how can you get a container ?

They will prob tell you off doctor/chemist and you can then kick their backsides until they give you one. I have about 3 or 4 on the go around the place.
Different areas use different ways of disposing of full containers. Here, they take them at the chemist I think, but other places I've had the council come and collect them from fron door. Always a buck-passing exercise until you speak to right person and then you just have stand your ground and tell them what their responsibility is !

Good luck

Rob
 
I find it strange that you're not allowed to stockpile. I always have a full box of everything. When the box being used is empty I order a new one.

I find it strange you're only allowed so many per month. I order C's stuff as and when. So far they have always given me everything I asked for. I even got double the amount, when I put that it was for holiday cover.

Right I'm off collecting the latest order.🙂
 
type 2 are restricted me thinks............
 
Northerner said:
I'm also low on insulin, just two cartridges left, although each one lasts about a week. I've got three boxes of lantus though as I hardly use any - having to keep an eye on the use by dates on that!
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Collected (almost) all my stuff yesterday, should last 50+ days, although I will probably need more novorapid before then:

300 test strips
200 needles, except they only had one box, so back on Thursday
204 lancets (!) Accuchek multiclix have 36 drums, each with 6 lancets!
5 cartidges Novorapid
56 aspirin
56 candesarten
56 Sanatogen Multivits - I find this rather amusing. Because my doctor put 56 on the script, the pharmacist has to open the bottle and take 4 out, as there are 60 in a bottle.🙄
 
novorapidboi26 said:
type 2 are restricted me thinks............
Click to expand...

Thats so ture, im allowed 50 a month, and when i tryed to get another set in that same month they gave me funny looks at the chemist and i was met with the respone we only gave you 50 3 weeks ago I said yes but sometimes my diabetes dont do what its supposed to, this was when i was suffering hypers almost daily and was testing more then usual.
 
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