OneTouch Ultra meter

[Pam Boxford-White]

Last autumn I was made aware that Prandin had been discontinued. I was prescribed this some sixteen years ago after reacting to all other oral medication to treat Type 2. I was not offered any replacement that I had already reacted too so I elected in consultation with my doctor to try and control my diabetes by diet alone, but this required me to continue testing blood daily.
I had been using a OneTouch ultra meter with the appropriate test strips and lancets for over twenty three years. Today I have been told that I can no longer be prescribed the test strips and lancets as I am no longer on medication and there is no need for the degree of accuracy this meter provides. It was claimed that this was as the result of a NHS directive and applies across the board.
Surely this cannot be correct when someone like me is trying to control Type 2 without medication. Incidentally the daily test results are recorded and available to be inspected by the practice if required.
Is this an NHS directive or just my surgery trying to save money?
Regards
Pam Boxford-White

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome.

Sorry to hear your medication has been discontinued and there is not a suitable alternative that you don't react badly to.
As regards testing, unfortunately they are not obliged to provide testing kits and trips to people who are not on Gliclazide type medication or insulin and most of the dietary controlled Type 2s here on the forum have to self fund them. From a reliability and economic perspective, the Spirit Tee2 or Gluco Navii are most frequently recommended by members.
As a diabetic, you would also qualify for a 14 day Free trial of the Freestyle Libre arm sensor. Unfortunately this is just a one off sensor.... beware they are addictive!! but worth doing from the info you can get from it even in just a fortnight.
If you go to the Freestyle Libre website you should find details. To qualify, you just need to be diabetic, have a suitable phone to scan it and I believe the list is quite extensive and not have used the system before.

Unfortunately many of us, even Type 1s have had to self fund to get the technology that we felt would improve our management. Sadly much as many of us feel it is false economy, it isn't possible to provide everyone with the technology which will improve their management.


Good luck with your dietary changes and if you need any help or suggestions with that do shout up as there is a lot of knowledge and info and ideas amongst the forum members here. Are you intending to go the low carb route or the Newcastle very low/800calorie route?

 

[ianf0ster]

Hi Pam,
The NHS doesn't prevent your surgery prescribing test strips but it discourages them from doing so.
Thus a few , very few T2's who aren't taking Glic or Insulin (or similar) get test strips offered.

Many of us diet/lifestyle controlled T2's test and buy our own test strips. It can be cheaper to buy a new BG meter - one which has cheaper test strips (a Gluco Navii or a TEE2)

 

[Lucyr]

Last autumn I was made aware that Prandin had been discontinued. I was prescribed this some sixteen years ago after reacting to all other oral medication to treat Type 2.

There have been a heck of a lot of new diabetes medications come out in the last 16 years. If it’s been 16 years since you tried medication then you can’t have tried them all.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Pam Boxford-White

The NICE guidelines for T2 only recommend self monitoring for people with T2 who are taking medications that can cause hypoglycaemia.

There is some evidence that suggests self monitoring for those on diet-only can cause upset and distress, especially where people do not change their menu.

Some GP surgeries are more understanding of the potential benefits where people use the results of their self-monitoring to modify their meals to provide improved glucose outcomes.

It does seem odd that your surgery has only recently decided to change their approach. Perhaps the local CCG (or whatever they are now called) has messaged local surgeries? Or perhaps your surgery has changed policy?

As has been suggested two popular reliable meters for self-funding members here are the SD Gluco Navii or the Spirit Tee2 - which both have test strips at around £10 for 50. Some brands can be 3x that much!

Do you know the result of your most recent HbA1c?

Have you considered insulin as medication?