GP surgery says test strips too expensive!!!!

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Pretty much all the test strips cost the same they are all around ?15 in the BNF. I'm sure if one brand was significantly cheaper than the others we would be pushed into using that meter.

I get 200 at a time and never been questioned by my GP's.
 
Hi
I feel sorry for you . stupid Gp! and the Pharmacist speaking down to you like that! Hope you get things sorted , I really do .... I must be one of the lucky ones . have a great GP who perscibes me 3/4 stips a time . The Pharmacist is great too . His son is a Diabetic too - Type 1. When we chatted last week when I went in for my ' shopping list' of Drugs - he told me quite a few things - more than what the DSN has ever told me!
Hope oyu get more and fight your grounds!

Hugs Mo xx
 
It reminds me of a post on here a while back where a person was told by their GP that they were using too much insulin, and not to waste the 2 units 'airshot'!!!! Penny pinching or what????!!!!😱
 
rmn58 said:
has anyone else ever had this experience? I am so angry!

On collection from the pharmacy, I was mortified to have a note read out to me, in the hearing of others around that I was to telephone someone at the GP surgery and/or make an appointment to see the Dr as we were requesting the test strips too soon, using too many and that they are very expensive! I then had to have a stand up "argument" with the assistant or pharmacist that served me who told me this was correct and he didn't need to check his sugars so often, and did I realise how much they cost?????
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Hi there,
just tell them not to worry about the cost - it's not THEIR money - it's YOURS.
 
rmn58 said:
has anyone else ever had this experience? I am so angry!
I requested a prescription for a box of Aviva test strips for my son from our new GP surgery. He takes insulin 4 times daily and tests his sugars each time ( he's not very stable and can be as low as 1 without any side-effects). When I requested it through the local pharmacy, I asked for the repeat to be increased to two boxes as one box barely lasts two weeks.

On collection from the pharmacy, I was mortified to have a note read out to me, in the hearing of others around that I was to telephone someone at the GP surgery and/or make an appointment to see the Dr as we were requesting the test strips too soon, using too many and that they are very expensive! My son attends a young adult diabetic clinic regularly, there has never been any suggestion that he should cut down his tests in the day, and in fact we have had problems recently due to him NOT testing his sugars at lunch-time because he was embarrassed at his new college to do so!

I then had to have a stand up "argument" with the assistant or pharmacist that served me who told me this was correct and he didn't need to check his sugars so often, and did I realise how much they cost????? I pointed out that if he didn't check his sugars he wouldn't know how much insulin to take and was then in danger of having a hypo! Eventually she agreed that she was talking about type 2! All of this in full view of lots of other customers. I felt like I was trying to steal something ! How on earth can they suggest he is testing himself too often? Do they think he does because he enjoys it?!!!

Any one got any similar experience and/or advice?
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i did have the same experience then i went back to my GP and now i have 250 strips every prescription😉:D
 
Whow, that's really un-professional. I'd advise you to go back to your pharmacy and put in a formal complaint of some kind. Ask to speak to the pharmacist in charge, there's gotta be one by law the "responsible pharmacist " should be identifiable in a community pharmacy (chemists shop, hospitals are different...don't ask...long story.).
I'm sometimes (no i mean frequently) astonished and embarrased by the lack of understanding about diabetes in the pharmacy business and i'm sorry to say i was part of the general ignorace until about a year ago. If you were served by a counter assistant, then that's still rude, and i'd hope that they were given some kind of training before they could hand out medication. If it was a pharmacist then it's downright shocking, four years at university and that's the best you can come up with? If it was a technician, then i can say from experience that the training you get on diabetes is rubbish, but all pharmacy staff are supposed to be responsible for thier on-going education. If you really want to strike fear into the hearts of them, mention CPD!!:D
As an add on, i think the price of test strips is set by the manufactuerer, not the seller. Having never worked in retail pharmacy i'm unsure, but i get the impression that it's not the best moneyspinner in town to own a pharmacy. But that's no excuse for terrible customer service and being stingy with the test strips!

Rachel
(Note to self, be nice to patients tomorrow...:D)
 
Northerner said:
That's disgusting! These people ought to realise that people who live with diabetes know an awful lot more about it than they do - whatever their qualifications. And suggesting that the expense should be considered is absolutely none of theor business!!! Grrr!!!

I originally was prescribed 100 strips but after a few weeks persuaded my doctor to allow me 200 per prescription. I'd rather it was 300, mind you! As you say, we don't get any pleasure from it, but we HAVE to do it to stay safe and well. I think a letter of complaint would be fully justified.
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My doctors are the complete opposite they are so good when uit comes to my diabetes whern i ask for strips the doctor always gives me 200 blood sugar testing strips and 50 keytone testing strips.
 
The responses above just make me realise what a gem of a GP I have these days. As for the pharmacist / GP involved here, I think I would be making a formal complaint - their attitude utterly SUCKS! If I got no joy that way, I'd be looking at pestering my MP / local press.

I have had diabetes for 30 years, under the care of different regions & a variety of health professionals with quality of care & support ranging from rubbish to excellent...currently I am undergoing laser treatment for proliferative diabetic retinopathy and may eventually lose my driving licence etc...I can't help but wonder if attitudes to rationing health care over the years might have made an impact on my condition today. Although the care i receive now is ok under normal circumstances (don't get me started on antenatal care) I have learnt the hard way that just health is so precious & sometimes you just have to get stroppy to get the care you need - all too often it's about the pennies not the medical need. (Don't ask me about insulin pumps in pregnancy, snarl......)

So go for it - make your voice heard! 🙂
 
Well, as I 'only' have Type 2, or NIDDM, I'm obviously not as ill as someone with Type 1! Who'd have thought I'd find this situation gives some patients 'bragging rights'!

Nonetheless, when I got diagnosed with the full-blown 'metabolic syndrome', I was amazed at how quickly, and readily, my GP started doling out scripts for the diabetes pills and potions, as well as the antihypertensives, and lipid lowering meds.

My scripts only give me 1 x 51 strip pack for my AcciChek device. But, when I'm having difficulties, as at present, I've been encouraged to test freqently through the day, and additional test strips are prescribed readily.

I wish, however, that te GP or his staff had a more coordinated approach when it comes to prescribing lancets. The nurse insists that 'most patients' easily get 20 tests out of one lancet! I find if I go for more than 3 or so the stabs hurt a bit more at the time of testing, and the sides of my fingers start to get very sore as they resemble a pin-cushion.

But I find it surprising that a pharmacist would think to discuss aspects of your son's care over the counter, with other shoppers able to overhear. I'm less surprised that a counter assistant might do it. I've come across a fair few over the years who seem to relish their little bit of power, even though they have no training to support their loose mouths.

My own local pharamcy can be a nightmare. They seem to rotate a group of 4 counter assistants, and not one of them ever smiles. At all. They're all always damned grumpy. They also seem to play the game the postman plays. You know? When you find a card telling you he couldn't deliver a package 'cos no-ne was at home - even though you're sat next to the door! At the pharmacy I use, their favourite trick is to tell me the script hasn't arrived from the GP surgery!
 
madasaboxoffrogs said:
Well, as I 'only' have Type 2, or NIDDM, I'm obviously not as ill as someone with Type 1! Who'd have thought I'd find this situation gives some patients 'bragging rights'!

Nonetheless, when I got diagnosed with the full-blown 'metabolic syndrome', I was amazed at how quickly, and readily, my GP started doling out scripts for the diabetes pills and potions, as well as the antihypertensives, and lipid lowering meds.

My scripts only give me 1 x 51 strip pack for my AcciChek device. But, when I'm having difficulties, as at present, I've been encouraged to test freqently through the day, and additional test strips are prescribed readily.

I wish, however, that te GP or his staff had a more coordinated approach when it comes to prescribing lancets. The nurse insists that 'most patients' easily get 20 tests out of one lancet! I find if I go for more than 3 or so the stabs hurt a bit more at the time of testing, and the sides of my fingers start to get very sore as they resemble a pin-cushion.

But I find it surprising that a pharmacist would think to discuss aspects of your son's care over the counter, with other shoppers able to overhear. I'm less surprised that a counter assistant might do it. I've come across a fair few over the years who seem to relish their little bit of power, even though they have no training to support their loose mouths.

My own local pharamcy can be a nightmare. They seem to rotate a group of 4 counter assistants, and not one of them ever smiles. At all. They're all always damned grumpy. They also seem to play the game the postman plays. You know? When you find a card telling you he couldn't deliver a package 'cos no-ne was at home - even though you're sat next to the door! At the pharmacy I use, their favourite trick is to tell me the script hasn't arrived from the GP surgery!
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You are so right. I really do think some GPs/chemists don't think type 2 is serious at all ! It is just as serious as type 1 but different reasons and different medication. It would be so much easier to call them all different names totally but of course now we have type 1 1/2, wonder what they medical profession will make of that then.
 
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