Test strip worry

[Lauras87]

Know how frustrating this can be. I was always running out of test strips and asked my GP if I could increase my monthly amount. He informed me that test strips were not available on prescription and refused to accept my insistence that they were. Turned out he though I was type 2, I've only had type 1 for 35 years so perhaps his confusion was understandable. Finally agreed to a small increase with the proviso "well if you SAY you need them, I'll have to provide them". Ever feel you've got leprosy?

well i rang my gp surgery to make an appointment, got the lovely rottweiler (aka the receptionist) who informed me all medication requests have be written down.

i pointed out all the problems i have obtaining medication & the fight i had to get my blood testing stuff onto my repeat.

a request has gone to the gp but have been told not expect 3 boxes as i shouldnt be testing so much!

 

[MeganN]

I hate the 'you test too much' rubbish.

How can you possibly know what's going on without testing.

If only it was possible to give doctors diabetes for a few weeks just to improve their understanding. Would be nice if we could give them our D for a while so that we could have a little break 🙂

 

[trophywench]

Next phone call Laura HAS to be to PALS.

You HAVE to complain. Officially. It's F all to do with the receptionist.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

May have missed this on the thread (if so apologies) but have you actually gone in and sat in front of the GP and explained to them exactly what your situation is?

In my experiences a lot of the headache I've been through with surgeries have been because I was trying to do it 'remotely' and by sending letters where general practice 'rules' for 'what we do with them diabeticals' tended to just get applied blindly.

Sitting in front of the GP and explaining what the problem actually is has always been met with more support.

'Testing too much' is a classic - if the people involved don;t know what you are using the strips *for* and if other T1s at the practice only test twice a week (and have an A1c to prove it) it can be easy to imagine that a sensible proactive regime for tight BG management is excessive/obsessive.

As soon as you demonstrate 4x a day absolute minimum, plus ALL the other requirements (hypo checks/activity/exercise/post meal/basal test...) the reality of a 6-8 a day level becomes more understandable.

 

[randomange]

well i rang my gp surgery to make an appointment, got the lovely rottweiler (aka the receptionist) who informed me all medication requests have be written down.

i pointed out all the problems i have obtaining medication & the fight i had to get my blood testing stuff onto my repeat.

a request has gone to the gp but have been told not expect 3 boxes as i shouldnt be testing so much!

Hi Laura,

I'm actually horrified at the way you've been treated! 😱 I would suggest trying to change GPs, but in the meantime you should be able to request an appointment with a GP without telling the receptionist what it's for - I've actually had GP's in the past tell me to do this! If the receptionist asks, just say it's personal and you'd rather discuss it with the doctor - I agree with Trophywench, it's nothing to do with the receptionist!

Another option if you're running out of things is to possibly get your consultant or DSN to write you a prescription for what you need - if you contact them and explain what's going on they should be able to write you a one off prescription and send it to you. Not ideal, but maybe better than nothing.

Also, I completely agree with the others that you should complain, your treatment had been shocking! You should not have to beg for things to manage your condition 😡

 

[Lauras87]

i've had a phone call back from the surgery.
the gp is looking at my request & wants to know why i am testing at least 4 times a day (given i had a hypo in the shower last night, i clearly stated why (i knew it was a hypo but didnt know how bad))

i'll get an answer in 48 hours to see if its been approved.

i've spken to my gp about the lack of care for my diabetes by them.
they gave me novo instead of my glargine, i pointed out that i was boardering on negligence as if i took 44 units of novo instead of the glargine, i'd be dead.

to be told the doctors only sign the prescriptions - they dont check them!!!! the receptionists issue the scripts!! FFS! 😡😱

to throw it into the mix, i've told them i am looking for another gp as the level of care is not good enough, to be met with dont be so daft the gp's know you here (yes probably due to the number of complaints).

i'm cataloguing all the errors by them to make a full formal complaint.

sorry for ranting but i am beyond ****** off now.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Any GP that questions a T1s need to test 4x a day would appear to know very little about intensive insulin management!

Maybe you can teach them a thing or two 🙂

 

[Lauras87]

Any GP that questions a T1s need to test 4x a day would appear to know very little about intensive insulin management!

Maybe you can teach them a thing or two 🙂

They've said before that they don't know enough about diabetes to feel confident in treating me for my diabetes.

I get that the majority of diabetics are T2's but come on, they must cover it when they are training?

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I have great respect for many GPs, but 'General' is just that I suppose... they have to know quite a lot about absolutely everything, so it's not surprising that there are whole 'bits' of certain complex conditions like D that they miss, or just 'lump together' in their understanding.

You do seem to be getting treated pretty poorly though. Would be great if you could just 'shine a light' on T1D for them so that other T1s connected with the practice get an easier ride.

 

[bennyg70]

May have missed this on the thread (if so apologies) but have you actually gone in and sat in front of the GP and explained to them exactly what your situation is?

In my experiences a lot of the headache I've been through with surgeries have been because I was trying to do it 'remotely' and by sending letters where general practice 'rules' for 'what we do with them diabeticals' tended to just get applied blindly.

Sitting in front of the GP and explaining what the problem actually is has always been met with more support.

'Testing too much' is a classic - if the people involved don;t know what you are using the strips *for* and if other T1s at the practice only test twice a week (and have an A1c to prove it) it can be easy to imagine that a sensible proactive regime for tight BG management is excessive/obsessive.

As soon as you demonstrate 4x a day absolute minimum, plus ALL the other requirements (hypo checks/activity/exercise/post meal/basal test...) the reality of a 6-8 a day level becomes more understandable.

Dont forget before driving too!! Theres a minimum of 90 strips a month I need!! As recomended by the DVLA. Agree witht he above info, I had problems, so sat wrote a simple chart showing what I needed them for, and why. Along with a copy of the DVLA leaflet that says I must test before driving.

 

[Northerner]

As long as you can give a justification for why you need to do each test then there should be no argument. I sometimes need to test before exercise so I know it's safe for me to go out for along run, for example - perhaps the doctor thinks that is a 'waste' of a strip, but it would significantly affect my quality of life if I felt unsafe to run alone as I have been doing for 30 years.

Part of the problem, I think, lies in this book, which is primarily aimed at GPs and is on the whole very good, but it does suggest 3 tests a day as a reasonable amount for those using insulin...

 

[PattiEvans]

My goodness, I've been reading the updates on this thread with growing amazement and horror. Receptionists are not qualified to write prescriptions (though some nurses are, depending on training), and I should think that's a complaint that could go a lot higher than the surgery itself. Nor are receptionists entitled to know what you need an appointment for... nor are they qualified to make comments such as "you are testing too much". This is so beyond the pale I am speechless. I think it very definitely merits a serious complaint and I do think you ought to take it up with your local PALS. You can find contact details for your local group here http://www.pals.nhs.uk/

Laura, insurance companies cannot by law load your car insurance because you're diabetic. Mine didn't even want to know when I told them.

 

[Northerner]

...Mine didn't even want to know when I told them.

I have visions of them sticking their fingers in their ears and going 'lalalalalalalala!!'

 

[PattiEvans]

Now Northie, I was just taking a sip of tea when I read your post, it's all over my keyboard now!

 

[trophywench]

Some forums are furnished with a specific smiley for when one of their Admin personages sprays coffee and tea across their keyboard, you know. Also a specific one for when one of their Moderators mistypes carbs as crabs. And a beautiful really really useful one depicting Nursie Nightshade.


Unfortunately this forum is sadly lacking in such exceedingly useful pictograms .......

 

[Northerner]

Some forums are furnished with a specific smiley for when one of their Admin personages sprays coffee and tea across their keyboard, you know. Also a specific one for when one of their Moderators mistypes carbs as crabs. And a beautiful really really useful one depicting Nursie Nightshade.


Unfortunately this forum is sadly lacking in such exceedingly useful pictograms .......

Trying to get 'extras' onto this forum is like pulling teeth 😱

 

[Lauras87]

I have visions of them sticking their fingers in their ears and going 'lalalalalalalala!!'

Wish mine did!
I was with Heath lambert who were recommended by my diabetic nurse but when I was quoted ?2,000 I nearly fainted!
Aviva weren't happy but took me on but as soon as you say I'm T1 where is a deadly silence!

 

[robert@fm]

Trying to get 'extras' onto this forum is like pulling teeth 😱

I would have thought that adding more smilies to a vBulletin-powered board was a simple matter. Or at the very least it should be.

The one I think every board needs is an evil-grin smilie. 😉

 

[Lauras87]

Some forums are furnished with a specific smiley for when one of their Admin personages sprays coffee and tea across their keyboard, you know. Also a specific one for when one of their Moderators mistypes carbs as crabs. And a beautiful really really useful one depicting Nursie Nightshade.


Unfortunately this forum is sadly lacking in such exceedingly useful pictograms .......

Can we have an evil plotting smiley?

 

[Abi]

Have to echo my sentiments- shock and disgust about your treatment
If stuck without strips how about ordering the SD code free meter and strips online-meter is about ?13 and strips are 6.99 for 50. They tend to read a bit higher than some meters but if concerned about hypos you could always set targets slightly higher
In fact SD are now listed in the BNF- so NHS prescribable but I would not volunteer this info to your practice unless 1. you are happy with this monitoring system and 2.they will up your prescription to the amount required if you change
Did you manage to find those guidelines?