I might not be able to have anymore test strips

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Carina1962

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I don't know if i've already mentioned this but on Thurs i went to see my DN to get my results and i asked her to change my prescription for test strips as i now have a new meter (contour USB) and she said, 'you shouldn't be testing so this will be the last time' and if i want more i will have to speak to the GP. I don't understand as she has been prescribing me quite happily for the last 5 months :confused: I can't really afford to go back to buying them on Ebay which i know are much cheaper than the chemist but they will still cost me around 15 - 20 pounds as opposed to 25 pounds from a chemist :(
 
Carina, stick to your guns! If your doctor is resistant, show him your food/BG diary and show how you are using each reading to tell you something about your diabetes management and how it has contributed to improvements - not just in your levels, but also your quality of life. These things should be important to him as well as you, as he should appreciate having patients prepared to work hard to stay off medication and reduce possibilities of complications.

This is the same nurse who was so pessimistic about the future, right? I wonder why so many of her patients progress to more and more medications?

Don't be intimidated or demotivated by her gloom and doom, stand your ground! 🙂
 
If your diabetic type 1 or 2 surely you can get strips for free on prescription, even the contour ones.

I can see why for type 2s you might not test as much, but that is a personal choice..........

If not just change the meter, the contour USB is a bit advandced for a type 2.......
 
novorapidboi26 said:
If your diabetic type 1 or 2 surely you can get strips for free on prescription, even the contour ones.

I can see why for type 2s you might not test as much, but that is a personal choice..........

If not just change the meter, the contour USB is a bit advandced for a type 2.......
Click to expand...

I suggest you look through the forums, there has been a lot of debate and grinding of teeth over test strip prescriptions. Some GPs and surgeries do not see why diet or even pill controlled T2s should test. I suspect we will see alot more of this as surgeries cut down on expenditure.

The Contour USB is not really any more advanced than any other meter and the test strips are the same ones that fit the ordinary Contour meter.
 
Carina as Northerner says stick to your guns and put your point across that you actually do something with the readings and learn from them. I made the point that for me emotionally it puts much more of a stress on me if I am unable to test and she reluctantly prescribed them (I am allowed 50 per month).
 
poor ole carina thats so unfair! you have worked so hard and are getting great results !!!
my dsn also questioned my use (and my gp) and i explained that i had reduced my testing, but still wanted strips as i was experimenting with trying to reduce my morning levels ..usually around 7.2 ...thus needed approx 2 x day ...they were happy to give me 1xbox a month now ..as Northe said if you can prove to them that you are using the results it may help ..good luck huni xx🙂
 
Test strips for T2s on prescription? For free? You gotta be kidding..grrrrr

Which is pretty much the response of my PCT...

I think it's largely economic (they cost 15 pounds a pack from the wholesalers and i guess that's a lot of packs to buy for a lot of type 2s), my hospital clinic doesn't agree, but my PCT has declared that Northamptonshire's type 2s shall not have test strips unless they are on insulin (one pack a year was what i've been offered). There's some hope that the changes the governement plans for the health service means that we should have more say in our treatment and have the ability to request diagnostic tests. I shall be in line to request a 3 monthly Hba1c and test strips! Of course we'll all have to wait for a couple of years for this to happen and heaven only know if the Government hasn't changed it's mind by then. Or if my GP will agree with the then defunct PCT about the need to test, i bet he still gets the last say.

Rachel
 
It's absolutely ridiculous that they won't give them to type 2s. I am type 1 and use about a pack a week, and they are invaluable for times when you're feeling a little odd, and don't know if its because you're high or low, or if it's something completely unrelated.
 
Lloyds pharmacy dont charge vat to diabetics, I buy my own as gp never mentioned testing, come to think of it he never mentioned much when diagnosed lol as fer a dsn i havent got 1 so stuff the nhs & there cost cutting ways 😛

Good luck getting more strips 🙄
 
scootdevon said:
Lloyds pharmacy dont charge vat to diabetics, I buy my own as gp never mentioned testing, come to think of it he never mentioned much when diagnosed lol as fer a dsn i havent got 1 so stuff the nhs & there cost cutting ways 😛

Good luck getting more strips 🙄
Click to expand...

sorry to hijack but scoot why have you no DSN ??
 
Never knew i needed 1 as dr never mentioned it....found out a lot of stuff looking on this forum. 🙄
 
scootdevon said:
Lloyds pharmacy dont charge vat to diabetics, I buy my own as gp never mentioned testing, come to think of it he never mentioned much when diagnosed lol as fer a dsn i havent got 1 so stuff the nhs & there cost cutting ways 😛

Good luck getting more strips 🙄
Click to expand...

All diabetics can get VAT exemption on health-related products. Never tried it myself, so don't know the details, but I know it's not just Lloyds that offer it - although they may be the only ones to advertise the fact amongst the high street pharmacies.
 
I think some surgeries have a practice nurse who is responsible for those diabetics not under the hospital. Although they are not DSNs - they are performing that function. Of course the level of knowledge of such nurses about diabetes varies a lot.
Those surgeries would normally not refer you to a DSN unless they thought your control was bad.

Re VAT - many long term medical conditions give you VAT exemption on products designed to relieve a medical condition. My FIL got VAT relief on the Riser recliner he bought. He did get it from a mobility store so they had all the forms.
 
margie said:
I think some surgeries have a practice nurse who is responsible for those diabetics not under the hospital. Although they are not DSNs - they are performing that function. Of course the level of knowledge of such nurses about diabetes varies a lot.
Those surgeries would normally not refer you to a DSN unless they thought your control was bad.

Re VAT - many long term medical conditions give you VAT exemption on products designed to relieve a medical condition. My FIL got VAT relief on the Riser recliner he bought. He did get it from a mobility store so they had all the forms.
Click to expand...
I saw practice nurse after gp told me to have a long appt to be given more info on diabetes to be told all she was interested in was to take blood & urine samples and tried giving me more pamphlets & sort of skirted around my questions about diabetes cos she didnt know.
 
My practice nurse is better than my doctor, which isn't saying much. A few weeks ago when we discussed the hypos I've been getting I was told they'd need to talk to the PCT about getting me strips on prescription, and the result? They want to take me off the Sitagliptin, even though they know Glucophage doesn't do the job on it's own and it would mean putting me on insulin much sooner... Which of course would get me the strips I need because of the hypos. Arrggghhhh!!!!!
 
Hi guys

This is a interesting one. Slightly different perspective but someone asked about test strips being refused in Spain to someone who was Type 2. I went and asked my family doctor about prescriptions ans he mentioned that after a "big trial run" in the UK, they found that persons with Type 2 diabetes only needed to test when perhaps they feel unwell, possible hypo or perhaps when they are traveling.

He also stated that they were more focused on getting people to have a HbA1c drawn 3-6 months rather that looking at log book and meter readings.

I can understand everyone's frustration if they find it hard work getting strips but I also see the clinical values that perhaps are not being communicated to the patients that are directly involved.

What I would say is if you personally feel that you need strips then to perhaps look at ways to show why you need them.. Examples, Logs etc... Hypo's and stick to your guns.
 
Hi
I don't get a DSN or strips at all - just the normal nurse at our surgery. I also booked a long appt with her after complaining to the receptionist that i was confused.
The long appt consisted of her telling me I just had to go away and lose weight and would have a hba1c every 3 months. I can't wait to go back and show her I have lost 2 stone 3 lbs since june. I am d/e controlled only.

I too was upset at not getting strips but now buy myself. to be honest though I haven't really had a pattern of testing and therefore am not getting any benefit from the results at the moment.

I think my morning should be below 7 - and generally it is 6.x something, and occasionally i go over 9 a few hours after a meal, (which was alarming me) but I am going to see what my hba1c comes back as - and if not good - may start testing and logging more often at my own cost for a while - so I have something to show the nurse next time.

I did ask about seeing a dietician and was told no.
I also asked about feet and she showed me her feet and said just look for pressure sores and make sure they heal.
I also haven't been told about eye tests - and to be honest have felt my eye sight has been blurred for a while - despite a fresh prescription. Although I am thinking i wouldn't have retinopathy yet as my testing figures are not too bad.

It seems a more frequent that we don't get dsn, strips and other appointments needed as I read more threads on here.
 
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