test strips allowance for pumpers

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Lauras87

Lauras87

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
can i ask & i'm sure i may have asked or read before (but cant find the page)

how many boxes of strips do you need a month on the pump?

2011 PCT guidelines state 5 boxes a month even with 8 tests a day (no driving or hypos or illness etc to factor in)

am getting my medication sorted on wednesday (as well as a rocket for the doctor who said i'm a type 2 & dont need to test......)
 
My DSN wrote a letter to my GP telling them to give me 6 boxes a month.
 
I have as many as I want
 
I get 6 x 50 strips and that usually lasts me about 5 weeks.....

sometimes less, sometimes more, 5 boxes will be about right, more than enough once settled.......
 
I get 300 per script and go ang get another lot whenever I start the last box. I don't really notice how long that takes.
 
It shouldn't be a rigid monthly repeat prescription, as your testing frequency will vary. We have 8 boxes of 50 each time, and I guess I get a repeat about every 6 weeks. I like to keep a minimum stock of 4 at all times! 🙂
 
Interesting to hear what other get. I'm new to the pump and managed to get my repeat raised from 50 to 100 strips lasy month.

Just returned from the GP surgery. I requested a repeat script online at the weekend and the prescriptions I've collected have everything on them - apart from the Contour test strips. When I queried it, I was told I have to make an appointment with my GP as I am asking for them so often!

I'm sure they must have other people who are more in need of an appointment.
 
chandler said:
Interesting to hear what other get. I'm new to the pump and managed to get my repeat raised from 50 to 100 strips lasy month.

Just returned from the GP surgery. I requested a repeat script online at the weekend and the prescriptions I've collected have everything on them - apart from the Contour test strips. When I queried it, I was told I have to make an appointment with my GP as I am asking for them so often!

I'm sure they must have other people who are more in need of an appointment.
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I agree about the appointments! I had my yearly medication review in April so shouldn't need one til April 2014

Was refused all medication in July as I needed a medication review again - had it

And received a letter telling me I need another review on 1 September so rung today & lost my temper about needing another review (a review where I was told I only need to test pre breakfast, lunch & tea - apparently I don't need to confirm hypo or illness or to drive - they said dvla guidelines doesn't say we need to test plus type 1's don't need to carb count)

Can't wait to see the doctor on Wednesday now
 
Can your consultant write to your GP? Whenever my son's repeat prescription comes up for review, I just write on the slip "medications reviewed in clinic, x date", and they just put a new date on.

Someone posted a letter recently from I think government advisors or Dept of Health addressed to GPs, confirming that type 1's need unrestricted access to testing strips. Send your GP a copy of that.
 
Redkite said:
Can your consultant write to your GP? Whenever my son's repeat prescription comes up for review, I just write on the slip "medications reviewed in clinic, x date", and they just put a new date on.

Someone posted a letter recently from I think government advisors or Dept of Health addressed to GPs, confirming that type 1's need unrestricted access to testing strips. Send your GP a copy of that.
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They've been told by both my consultants (normal diabetes & pump consultants)

Have got the letter, DVLA guidelines, PCT guidelines, my DAFNE book & my DUK advocacy pack about test strips.

Have wondered if my complaint to nhs England has sparked all this?
 
Lauras87 said:
They've been told by both my consultants (normal diabetes & pump consultants)

Have got the letter, DVLA guidelines, PCT guidelines, my DAFNE book & my DUK advocacy pack about test strips.

Have wondered if my complaint to nhs England has sparked all this?
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!!!! Someone at your GP practice is either very stubborn or just has no common sense. There was a time a few years back when I was told I could only have 4 boxes at a time, but when I said I'd be back for a repeat every 3 weeks they realised how stupid it was. I hope you can get them to see sense, it's so tiresome having to sort out basic stuff like this :(
 
Extra big rocket for the Doc ! ( made me smile, does he not know who he is dealing with ? ) 🙂
 
Lauras87 said:
I agree about the appointments! I had my yearly medication review in April so shouldn't need one til April 2014

Was refused all medication in July as I needed a medication review again - had it

And received a letter telling me I need another review on 1 September so rung today & lost my temper about needing another review (a review where I was told I only need to test pre breakfast, lunch & tea - apparently I don't need to confirm hypo or illness or to drive - they said dvla guidelines doesn't say we need to test plus type 1's don't need to carb count)

Can't wait to see the doctor on Wednesday now
Click to expand...

Absolutely horrendous! And quite possibly malpractice? If you have a letter in front of you that says T1s MUST test before any driven journey, and every 2hrs on longer journeys how can you say they 'don't need to test'?!? 'Not needing to carb count' is just stupidity and as for refusing medication until review that is just utterly shocking. Is there nowhere else you can go?
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Absolutely horrendous! And quite possibly malpractice? If you have a letter in front of you that says T1s MUST test before any driven journey, and every 2hrs on longer journeys how can you say they 'don't need to test'?!? 'Not needing to carb count' is just stupidity and as for refusing medication until review that is just utterly shocking. Is there nowhere else you can go?
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Just some doctors are still in the dark ages, was asked a similar question why are you testing. I am not a pumper just on hypo causing meds. 😱
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Absolutely horrendous! And quite possibly malpractice? If you have a letter in front of you that says T1s MUST test before any driven journey, and every 2hrs on longer journeys how can you say they 'don't need to test'?!? 'Not needing to carb count' is just stupidity and as for refusing medication until review that is just utterly shocking. Is there nowhere else you can go?
Click to expand...

i've actually spoken to a solicitor today who deals with clinical neg & they said to sue as its putting myself & other type 1's (and 2's on insulin) in danger.

i always test before i drive & stop just short of 2 hours to test again, i'm not loosing my licence for them.

the senior partner at the docs said that about carb counting but said the docs there know jack about insulin & type 1 care

i'm in the process of battling to get a place at an excellent surgery with type 1 care (just out of the catchment)
 
Lauras87 said:
i'm in the process of battling to get a place at an excellent surgery with type 1 care (just out of the catchment)
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Fingers crossed for you! May well be worth mentioning your info about clinical negligence to the surgery or possibly PALS (does that still exist?)
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Fingers crossed for you! May well be worth mentioning your info about clinical negligence to the surgery or possibly PALS (does that still exist?)
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PALS does apparently exist but you never get an answer.

i currently have a complaint with nhs england, so wonder if it would help.

had to ring about not being allowed ketostix & surprise, the new practice manager isnt aware of any failings by the surgery!
 
Just had my quarterly review at the pump clinic. Consultant has never mentioned testing frequency before but today she said that I should be aiming to test between 4/5 times a day. I went straight back at her and pointed out that with carb counting, DVLA guidance for driving and testing, being alone often when husband away, battling with blood sugars because of age/hormones playing havoc and illnesses due to long-term antibiotic use, her suggested level of testing is just unrealistic. She didn't have a response so I just said that testing is what keeps my sugars at a reasonable level as I test and act of the results I.e, change basal rates and/or correct. I also don't feel hypos until quite late (under 3) so I would rather catch lowering BSs early and treat them rather than end up with a disabling hypo involving more cost to the NHS. I fear the way things are going though.
 
Riri said:
Just had my quarterly review at the pump clinic. Consultant has never mentioned testing frequency before but today she said that I should be aiming to test between 4/5 times a day.
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I would hope if someone said that to me that they were using that figure as an absolute minimum, rather than any kind of upper limit!
 
Hia - maybe so. But I get the feeling it's a message that's being fed to all NHS diabetes nurses, doctors and GPs. My own GP asked me if I'd heard that reent research was showing that diabetics test too often (hint hint)!! I quickly told him that he should try balancing diabetes levels on a pump with only 4-6 tests per day. Probably some can do it but I know I couldn't as things stand. If my levels ever get to the point of being the same for even 2 days running then maybe there's a chance.
 
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