paying for your own test strips?

[katie]

Ive noticed a few people have mentioned that they have to pay for their own test strips, but they appear to be type 2.

I heard in the news a while ago that some doctors don't think testing their blood sugars often helps to control type 2 diabetes.

I was just wondering if anyone with type 1 diabetes has to pay for their own test strips or if it is just type 2ers?

(hope that makes sense, im tired!)

 

[Lizzie]

Type 1s get everything, even non diabetic items, free on prescription.

 

[PattiEvans]

T2s on medication (not those on D&E) also get all prescriptions, including non-diabetic meds free of charge. The point is that some doctors do not believe there is any benefit to T2s testing (there have been a couple of very flawed studies which suggest this as their conclusion), and others will not prescribe to T2s on cost basis - as instructed by the local Primary Care Trust.

On a cost basis there are also those GPs who are trying to limit the amount of strips T1s are being prescribed. I know of at least 2 on mixed insulin who have been told to only test twice a day - which is completely dangerous. I myself was politely asked "do you think you could cut down" to which my reply was "no, actually I can't" at which my Nurse laughed and said "I thought you'd say that". Fortunately that was the end of it. However, it behoves us all to be aware of this move.

 

[sofaraway]

From what I've heard most type 1's don't have too much trouble getting as many strips as they need. But there are a few GP's who think that people don't need to test before the inject insulin or drive. I think most of these could be quickly sorted by a DSN letter/phone call.
In my case I had a small problem getting my strips increased from 100 to 200, but after a couple of calls did get it sorted.

 

[VBH]

The problem is not the prescriptions not being free, but in not being prescribed them in the first place.

For T2s in the last 5 years, there has always been a problem with some docs not wanting to prescribe strips and it seems to be getting worse.

Type 2s who already have strips prescribed are increasingly being challenged. I've been challenged over strip use by my doc and DSN in the last 3 months, but I'm not having that.

Anyone who tries to challenge my use of test strips is getting buried in paperwork which I will use to justify my position. NICE guideline CG66 is at the top of the pile of course. If they want to try and justify their position regarding removing strips from my prescription, they are welcome to try but are going to lose.

 

[Vanessa]

Just got back from my annual review and now prescribed test strips! Had gone prepared with NICE guidelines et cetera only to be pre-empted by the nurse asking me whether I tested regularly as I should because of my eyes ..... repeat prescription sorted out there and then

Minor hiccup - none of us could feel the tuning fork vibrate but otherwise I realise how lucky I am with the doctors and nurses at my practice. Review in 6/12 and, fingers crossed, I'll have lost some more weight (BMI 27.8 today), improved my HB1ac (6.5) and have a clearer idea what the eye hospital plans to do (if anything) about my diabetic maculopathy and odd visual anomaly

 

[lynn]

Talking about prescriptions i have recently moved back to the town i lived in 1 1/2 years ago, and decided to reregister at the local surgery and on doing so i had to go for a health mot as i call it, everything went well until the GP ( who was a new one i had never seen before) looked up to see wot medication i was on and to my astonishment turned round & said to me that the GP that i saw at the village i had moved from was too generous with the medications he had been prescribing me & that he would change them for cheaper drugs that would do the same job, has anyone else ever been told that ? as you can imagine i haven't been back to see him and all the other GP's that i have seen there are quite happy to prescribe the usual drugs, and not all my medication is for diabetes & i get them free of charge i think a lot of it is because of where you live that makes a difference. x

 

[Lizzie]

Hi Lynn

It depends on what meds they are changing of course. But I am generally of the opinion that the brand name does not make much of a difference. As long as you are testing frequently enough to notice if it does cause a problem. For example, Anadin, Nurofen etc are much more expensive than own-brand painkillers, you can save a lot of money there, but there is no discernible difference in the painkiller itself, just the packaging is much plainer on the own-brand ones. I suppose that is what the NHS is trying to do on a much larger scale. If they do indeed do the same job, then I don't see a problem.

 

[jeanus44]

My friend was on a cheaper version of Metformin and she always had upset stomachs. The doctor changed them to a more expensive one and shes been fine since. ...I have taken Ventolin for Asthma all my life. A few months ago when I picked up my prescription the doctor had changed my Ventolin to a cheaper one. I just could not get on with it and my asthma became worse. When I complained he changed it back again and I've had no trouble since.

 

[lynn]

Hi Lynn

It depends on what meds they are changing of course. But I am generally of the opinion that the brand name does not make much of a difference. As long as you are testing frequently enough to notice if it does cause a problem. For example, Anadin, Nurofen etc are much more expensive than own-brand painkillers, you can save a lot of money there, but there is no discernible difference in the painkiller itself, just the packaging is much plainer on the own-brand ones. I suppose that is what the NHS is trying to do on a much larger scale. If they do indeed do the same job, then I don't see a problem.

Hi Lizzie, Thanks for your answer i must admit it does worry me about the change in medication but as you say the ones that may get changed may possibly have no bad reations but, just recently i went to see another GP and she was great really nice but i have suffered with anxiety & depression for 26 years and due to the stresses of life over the past 10 months have been deeply depressed, even thinking along the path of suicide i've been that low so, decided to get my anti-depressants changed (i was taking citalopram 1x 40 mg & 1x 20 mg ) which i've been taking since being diagnosed with diabetes ( 7 years ago ) they just seemed to have stopped working for me so, the GP decided to put me on prozac i only took 1 for 3 days and i had terrible side effects and i was very ill for 3 days i honestly thought i was gonna die, i felt dreadful so, that is wot i'm afraid of i take a lot of different medication each day as i mentioned before and if they change all of them i'm sure something will make changes, hopefully not but i will let you know if anything at all happens. x lynn.

 

[lynn]

My friend was on a cheaper version of Metformin and she always had upset stomachs. The doctor changed them to a more expensive one and shes been fine since. ...I have taken Ventolin for Asthma all my life. A few months ago when I picked up my prescription the doctor had changed my Ventolin to a cheaper one. I just could not get on with it and my asthma became worse. When I complained he changed it back again and I've had no trouble since.

Hi jeanus44,

I'm pleased to hear that you & your friend managed to get your meds sorted out, i haven't been back to see the GP yet and luckily enough i'd got some of my cialopram left so i've gone back to taking them and, as they say better the devil you know ! lol x lynn

 

[kitemaster]

Here is a good example how things can get crossed! In my process of going over to a pump I was told by the Diabetic Consultant that I needed to test before driving before every meal, when I dont feel 'right' and whenever I feel it is required, this amounts for me on average 7-8 times a day.

My GP on the other hand insisted I only needed to do 1 BG test a day because the others are not required, even though it states on my records that over the long period of being Type 1 I have lost alot of Hypoglycaemic awareness.

It did get resolved in the end after a lot of messing around.

But I beleive in this day and age we shouldnt be restricted.

I wont through a denial stage years ago and was told off not for doing enough BG's tests each day, Im sure they change their ideas every day just to keep up on our toes....

 

[Vegman1441]

T2s on medication (not those on D&E) also get all prescriptions, including non-diabetic meds free of charge. The point is that some doctors do not believe there is any benefit to T2s testing (there have been a couple of very flawed studies which suggest this as their conclusion), and others will not prescribe to T2s on cost basis - as instructed by the local Primary Care Trust.

On a cost basis there are also those GPs who are trying to limit the amount of strips T1s are being prescribed. I know of at least 2 on mixed insulin who have been told to only test twice a day - which is completely dangerous. I myself was politely asked "do you think you could cut down" to which my reply was "no, actually I can't" at which my Nurse laughed and said "I thought you'd say that". Fortunately that was the end of it. However, it behoves us all to be aware of this move.

Cutting down on rest strips is against DVLA rules when driving T1 or T2 you MUST make sure you are ok to drive, and test every four hours when driving for a long time.
Graham.

 

[799roger]

test strips

I was at the diabetes UK conference in October, one of the speakers was a MP Adrian Sanders Lib Dem, he is the chair of the Parliamentary Group for diabetes, I asked a question about test strips and the non supply by GP's, he informed me that if you require the strips you were fully entitled to demand them from your GP, and if he/she refuses, take it up with your MP, if you feel that they are beneficial to you you have every right to demand them, I am type 2 and fortunately have no problem with my GP and I test on a regular basis, if I did not have them how would I have known that my bloods had risen to 33 over one weekend, the strips can only be refused on agreement with you, that was what the NICE statement on test strips stated, unfortunately PCT's saw it as an ideal opportunity to save money with no thought to the well being of diabetic patients !!😡