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Living in France

  • Thread starter Thread starter bluecat71151
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bluecat71151

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Hi. I'm Margaret, an English woman with T2 living in SW France. I was just wondering if there's anyone else on here residing in France. If so, please feel free to get in touch.

I do have a question. In France, we are only allowed 200 test strips per year (2 boxes) so I'm considering changing to the Accu-Check Mobile. Does anyone use this product and if so, what do they think about it. The alternative would be to buy test strips in the UK or via Amazon. Even with the postage, they're still cheaper than the 38euros per 100 over here.
 
I use the Accu-Chek Mobile, it's a great little machine very handy and I do like it that you don't have to put a testing strip in all the time.

Just wondering, there are 50 tests on a casette for the Mobile, will you not only get prescribed 2 boxes of them as well then?
 
Hi, bluecat, welcome!

I can't help with your question about the accu- check machine, but I know there is someone here who lives in France. Who that is escapes me at the moment. I think it's Helen, but I'm not sure.
 
Hi bluecat and a warm welcome to the forum Monica is correct its HelenM so hopefully she will be along to give you abit more help and advice x
 
Hi Margaret and welcome 🙂

I would imagine that price is for 50 strips, certainly in the UK. If you can find 100 for less than ?40, you've got a bargain :D

Rob
 
i have the accucheck mobile, its brilliant get one!!!!!!:D
just wondered, out of curiosity, why you'd picked that as the 1 to get,
ellie
 
Wasn't Vicsetter saying there was a meter where the strips were much cheaper?
 
Hi,
Welcome to the forum
Yes I live in France. I didn't know they had decided to restrict T2s to 200 strips a year, that's actually less than the 1 a day they tried to impose on everyone (T1s and 2s) earlier in the year.

As to meters, I notice the Accu-chek France site only has the 'performa nano' and the 'performa'. That means you won't be able to get the cassettes for the Mobile in France.

The big drawback of a UK monitor is that it will be in mmol/l so you will have to convert your readings for your doctor

I have 3 meters in normal use, a UK sourced onetouch ultra smart and a prescribed French ultra 2. I use French prescription strips and occasionally a UK bought box when I've run out in the UK. The same strips work in either meter One meter gives results in mmol/l the other in mg/dl so for everyday use you have to be 'bilingual' . I can download the readings to the Onetouch software and then change the mmol/l readings to mg/dl
I also have a compact plus from the UK and buy the cassettes for that in the UK but I only use it for running races, so not often.

I think if I were you I would go for a meter that you can obtain the strips for in both countries.
 
Last edited:
HelenM said:
Hi,
Welcome to the forum
Yes I live in France. I didn't know they had decided to restrict T2s to 200 strips a year, that's actually less than the 1 a day they tried to impose on everyone (T1s and 2s) earlier in the year.

As to meters, I notice the Accu-chek France site only has the 'performa nano' and the 'performa'. That means you won't be able to get the cassettes for the Mobile in France.

The big drawback of a UK monitor is that it will be in mmol/l so you will have to convert your readings for your doctor

I have 3 meters in normal use, a UK sourced onetouch ultra smart and a prescribed French ultra 2. I use French prescription strips and occasionally a UK bought box when I've run out in the UK. The same strips work in either meter One meter gives results in mmol/l the other in mg/dl so for everyday use you have to be 'bilingual' . I can download the readings to the Onetouch software and then change the mmol/l readings to mg/dl
I also have a compact plus from the UK and buy the cassettes for that in the UK but I only use it for running races, so not often.

I think if I were you I would go for a meter that you can obtain the strips for in both countries.
Click to expand...

haha i was going to say Helen M is in france !!! good luck xx
 
Unicornz said:
I use the Accu-Chek Mobile, it's a great little machine very handy and I do like it that you don't have to put a testing strip in all the time.

Just wondering, there are 50 tests on a casette for the Mobile, will you not only get prescribed 2 boxes of them as well then?
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. I'm resigned to buying the extra test strips and have just ordered 150 from Diabetes4Less who will send to France.

I understand they're restricted on the prescriptions in the UK as well now. Still thinking about the Mobile though.

Thanks again
 
HelenM said:
Hi,
Welcome to the forum
Yes I live in France. I didn't know they had decided to restrict T2s to 200 strips a year, that's actually less than the 1 a day they tried to impose on everyone (T1s and 2s) earlier in the year.

As to meters, I notice the Accu-chek France site only has the 'performa nano' and the 'performa'. That means you won't be able to get the cassettes for the Mobile in France.

The big drawback of a UK monitor is that it will be in mmol/l so you will have to convert your readings for your doctor

I have 3 meters in normal use, a UK sourced onetouch ultra smart and a prescribed French ultra 2. I use French prescription strips and occasionally a UK bought box when I've run out in the UK. The same strips work in either meter One meter gives results in mmol/l the other in mg/dl so for everyday use you have to be 'bilingual' . I can download the readings to the Onetouch software and then change the mmol/l readings to mg/dl
I also have a compact plus from the UK and buy the cassettes for that in the UK but I only use it for running races, so not often.

I think if I were you I would go for a meter that you can obtain the strips for in both countries.
Click to expand...

Hi Helen. Thanks for your welcome and information. I've always been able to get the OneTouch Ultra in mmol/l here and I had a stock from my last visit to the UK last October. My GP is German and understands that my UK meters are in mmol/l and is great in helping me to try and control my diabetes.

I'm keen to use the software but haven't investigated that yet.
 
Robster65 said:
Hi Margaret and welcome 🙂

I would imagine that price is for 50 strips, certainly in the UK. If you can find 100 for less than ?40, you've got a bargain :D

Rob
Click to expand...

Hi Robster. I need to go back to the pharmacy to re-check the price as I assumed that as I get one box of 4 x 25 strips that the 38euros price was for that number so will check. If it's for 50, then we're talking very expensive here which is what my GP said this morning. It amazes me that we get 100% coverage for this illness but they restrict the very thing you need to monitor the condition!!
 
elliebug said:
i have the accucheck mobile, its brilliant get one!!!!!!:D
just wondered, out of curiosity, why you'd picked that as the 1 to get,
ellie
Click to expand...

Thanks Ellie. I was looking at this machine as it seems to be well thought of. I always tend to look at what the consumer says rather the company promotions.
 
Thanks to everyone who have welcomed me onto the site. Should have done it ages ago.
 
Hi and welcome. My son too has the Accu-chek mobile and loves it. To me as a parent, I thought he would hate it as it's significantly larger than his other two he was given, but with the strips all inside on the cassette there's no fiddling about if he is hypo and shaky, and it's just a 'no-nonsense' machine, switch it on, open the bottom, and it's ready to go. Brilliant piece of kit. It's even easy for a non-techno minded mum of a stroppy teenager to sneak a look at from time to time to check on his readings without having to read a manual, so it must be easy to use :D
 
Hi Bluecat

Welcome. I too live in France, in Charente Maritime.

I didn't know there were any restrictions on test strips!

I can't email you direct, so if you would like to 'chat' about France please get in touch.
 
Welcome Margaret
Am going to moliets end of July...how will I resistbthe baguettes and croissants?
 
Hi Tina. It's good to know how simple the Mobile is to use and the techno stuff appeals to me too. I'll definitely buy one next time. I've just told my friend about it as her son (16 & T1) has issues with his testing.
 
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