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Going to run out of test strips

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Amberzak

Amberzak

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Just put in my repeat. Normally when I put it in on a Friday at this time I get it on Monday. But she's told me I won't get it until Thursday. I have one pot left and I was supposed to do some fastings this week. Eek. Don't think I'll have enough.

Should I buy a cheap meter if I run out? Or should I skip my fastings. I wanted to check my evening basal as I go high in the evenings.
 
How well do you know your pharmacist? I think some people have been able to get a pot in advance of their prescription, and have it taken off when the prescription comes through 🙂 A week is a long time to have to wait for a prescription - how do they explain that?
 
Heres a tip. I always get two boxes on my prescription. When I am about to start the second box I put a repeat prescription request in. I have, over the past years, built up a stock of three unopened boxes. Better to have too many than none at all. My son has six boxes of test strips in his drawer.
 
My pharmacist is mean. Really scary.

I did have a nice stock pile. Don't seem to manage it any more.
 
You could try asking your GP to up your prescription to more pots (I now get 5 pots at a time).
I tried the tactic that it would save him work and would probably tie in with my other monthly prescriptions.

Do you have another pharmacy you can use? The one I got to now order these in ahead and keep my name on them until I get the prescription. That way they always have a stock ready for me.

If you are stuck with your scary one, does he/she have a day off. If so aim for that one to collect prescriptions.

Do you know anyone else near you who uses the same strips. I have a buddy who uses the same pump and test kit. We have helped each other out when one of us has run out or forgotten to get extras before a holiday.

I hope that you get it sorted.
 
Amberzak said:
My pharmacist is mean. Really scary.

I did have a nice stock pile. Don't seem to manage it any more.
Click to expand...
Your pharmacist should treat you as a welcome and valued customer - you may not pay (directly) for your supplies, but they do get paid for them, and us diabetics are worth quite a pretty penny to them! 😱 🙂
 
Northerner said:
Your pharmacist should treat you as a welcome and valued customer - you may not pay (directly) for your supplies, but they do get paid for them, and us diabetics are worth quite a pretty penny to them! 😱 🙂
Click to expand...
When I first got ketone test strips on my prescription when I started the pump, she said to me 'it's not good if you're having to test for ketones.' I tried to explain that everyone put on the pump was put on these in my group but she didn't seem to listen.

Last time I put a script in with little strips she had a go at me about leaving it last minute. Fair enough. And I have done that again. But she was really scary.

I usually check to see if she's on duty if I need something.
 
Hope you can get a few more without too much trouble. It takes about a week for us too, from handing in prescription request to Boots actually having it all ready. Sometimes longer when things are out of stock or (scarily) unobtainable. We get 400 strips a time (8 boxes) and at 10-12 tests per day, each one lasts 4-5 days, so I've built up a stockpile and try and reorder when we are down to our last 4 boxes. I always keep 2 unopened boxes of ketone strips in stock too (but keep an eye on dates) because if he's ill he'd get through them very quickly.
 
If I put mine in on Monday (that's the plan) before 12, I can collect it on Wednesday after 2pm. The only time there has been a problem is around holidays, especially Christmas when everyone is stocking up, then things get missed off or it can take a day or so longer to be ready for collection.
 
I was once given keytone test strips by mistake (pharmacist read it wrong). I opened the box and it had ten ketone test strips in!! It was a Saturday so I went to CO-OP chemist and showed 'em. They realised they had messed up and within an hour I had two new boxes of the proper strips. So they can get 'em if they want. Have you a spare test meter? If not contact the meter manufacturer and they should send you one free! I have three meters just in case.
 
Boots on one occasion got in a muddle and delayed ordering my strips. They phoned around other Boots pharmacies and then delivered test strips to me at home. I was most impressed.
 
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