Speak of the devil - GP changing meter/test strips without consultation

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Northerner

Northerner

Admin (Retired)
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Just had a letter from my surgery informing me that my prescription for test strips has been changed, the new strips will not work with my existing meter, and they have a new meter 'reserved' for me. :(

If they bothered to look further into this they would be aware that the test strips I use are Abbott Freestyle ones which I can use with my Libre reader. I also, on very rare occasions use the Libre reader for ketone testing. I hardly ever use test strips these days, only for checking BG levels when a new sensor is started, and also if I fear I might have a faulty sensor. Abbott are more likely to accept readings from their own strips on the same meter/reader when reporting a faulty sensor. So, although I hardly use any strips, I have very good reasons for keeping the compatible strips on prescription - if only they could be bothered to ask :( Grrr! 😱

The surgery are usually pretty good when things are explained, but this will now entail an unnecessary waste of a doctor's time (and mine) whilst I enlighten him/her.
 
My lot had better not do that! - the jolly ole Accu Chek Combo pump I have does not have and never has had - the bolus calculator within the pump itself - it is only within the paired meter, which is a glorified Accu Chek Expert meter. Hence if I need a bolus or correction calculated for me I HAVE to fingerprick test whether that's convenient or not. Otherwise, it's part mental arithmetic and part guesswork for the IOB part.
 
Is maddening @Northerner , if all else fails you can pick up strips for libre on ebay for under £10 but I'm sure you'll persuade them to keep your prescription as it is.
 
Hopefully you can speak to the right person and get this changed back. I don't even use 1 a week, and they took the ketone off my repeat prescription and because other request are via the small text box on the nhs app, or via email they didn't understand I needed different ones and they kept sending the chemists requests for the normal ones. Took me weeks to get it sorted and I had 1 left.
Sometimes I get my DSN to email with these sorts of issues, they seem to take the same information better from her than me.
 
Ugh! Sorry to hear you have got to tread this well worn, frustrating path @Northerner

As a well known Aussie advocate would say, “What happened to nothing about us without us”?!
 
Not test strips but equally annoying because of the waste of time.
A few weeks ago I had a consultation with a gastroenterologist re all my gastric problems, this is after seeing lower GI and upper GI consultants. He told me I wasn’t taking enough Creon, in my frustration after asking the question of my GP and the GI consultants, ( none of them knew the answer) I had cut down on the Creon to try and alleviate some of the symptoms going from 3/4 a meal as prescribed to just 1. Gastroenterologist was cross with me and said I had to take as prescribed, ie 3/4 per meal. I said I would, I’m not happy but that’s another story, as I left the GP surgery yesterday after visiting the vampires for annual review, I received a text from the surgery. Something along the lines of, “having reviewed your clinic letter and in line with their recommendations, I have increased your dose of Creon to 3 per meal and have sent a new prescription to your nominated pharmacy.” I was a bit puzzled at this.When I got home I looked at my bottle! For goodness sake how hard could it be to check on my present prescription? What a waste of time and resources. It’s no wonder the NHS is going down the pan!
 

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eggyg said:
Not test strips but equally annoying because of the waste of time.
A few weeks ago I had a consultation with a gastroenterologist re all my gastric problems, this is after seeing lower GI and upper GI consultants. He told me I wasn’t taking enough Creon, in my frustration after asking the question of my GP and the GI consultants, ( none of them knew the answer) I had cut down on the Creon to try and alleviate some of the symptoms going from 3/4 a meal as prescribed to just 1. Gastroenterologist was cross with me and said I had to take as prescribed, ie 3/4 per meal. I said I would, I’m not happy but that’s another story, as I left the GP surgery yesterday after visiting the vampires for annual review, I received a text from the surgery. Something along the lines of, “having reviewed your clinic letter and in line with their recommendations, I have increased your dose of Creon to 3 per meal and have sent a new prescription to your nominated pharmacy.” I was a bit puzzled at this.When I got home I looked at my bottle! For goodness sake how hard could it be to check on my present prescription? What a waste of time and resources. It’s no wonder the NHS is going down the pan!
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Never turn down a Creon prescription. I have just received last months prescription from Lloyds Direct - only took 36 days. Having switched back to village pharmacy i got my creon one day after prescription approved by GP. With such random supply its better to take what you can get when you can get it.
 
martindt1606 said:
Never turn down a Creon prescription. I have just received last months prescription from Lloyds Direct - only took 36 days. Having switched back to village pharmacy i got my creon one day after prescription approved by GP. With such random supply its better to take what you can get when you can get it.
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I didn’t turn it down, I already have one for 3/4 per meal. It’s been on repeat for 17 years! I just can’t understand why they’ve sent another one for the same amount! It’s a case of the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing! Because I cut down two years ago I’m well stocked up anyways although I’ve never had a problem getting Creon ever, but I have heard that lots do.
 
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