(Low Carb) Food for Thought

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    • #5940
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      Just thought I’d share a bit of fun I had with a GP the other week…… The subject was the cost of T1 treatment on the NHS (I’d tried to blag an Aviva Mobile testing kit out of ’em and they weren’t playing). I may have upset him by telling him that I’d been diagnosed at the ripe old age of 43 and that for the past 18 years of working life must have paid around £80 to £90k into the NHS via my National Insurance contributions and that as an “Insurance” policy I was simply making a claim against it. Suffice to say he didnt see my point of view even when I pointed out that if this was his car policy he would expect the best fix possible and not be told to make do with what the garage has lying around. Luckily my regular GP is a decent bloke and is trying to get the kit for me. Funny how the system likes to take but is reluctant to give eh? By the way, I do feel for you guys and gals who have no choice but to pay for your kit, only been sans pancreas for 5 months but have seen how much test strips are etc.

    • #6939
      Stephen
      Participant

      I’ve never actually tried to blag a meter from my GP – my diabetes specialist / nurse always has one or two different makes they are quite happy to give away. Was it a case of your GP wasn’t prepared to give you that one, or any one?

      TBH I rarely ask for a meter nowadays, I much prefer to go and get the pretty one I want (for normally less than £30) and the supplies are always readily available on prescription.

    • #6940
      Alison
      Keymaster

      I drive the NHS pretty hard to deliver what I need but I’ve never bothered fighting with them for meters. If I’m not happy with what they’re offering I’ve always gone direct to the manufacturers for meters and got them free – I’ve just told them I’m interested in trying their particular meter and they’re normally pretty happy to give you one for free as they make the profit from the test strips.

    • #6941
      Hairy Gnome
      Participant

      @savagebiker650 – You could always try the Accu-Chek Compact Plus Tim, it’s big, black, and butch, and all the test strips come in drums, so no strip handling. Tim hates it! If you already have an Accu-Chek meter, just ring up and tell them you want an upgrade, or as @Alison says, just ring up ant tell them you want to try it. They’re very helpful! ;)

    • #6942
      Stephen
      Participant

      @alison does the NHS fund all your pump / cgm stuff? I never thought of going direct to the manufacturers, wonder if I can swing a Contour USB from Bayer ….. *goes to find phone*

    • #6943
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      I love the Contour USB! But if you get one gratis I’ll be well miffed!! ha ha, not really, go for it.. I had a voucher from my DSN to get £5 off.. but if you can do better… I’ve mostly bought meters or had them free from the hospital, they sometimes give them out free for diabetes week (mid/late June, my birthday!) in pharmacies (particularly supermarket ones) or, if you can bare it, sign up to Diabetes UK and get Balance magazine – always offers in there… My mum signed me up as a life member in ’89 when I was diagnosed, so have the ongoing pleasure of Balance and all the happy stories of toe amputations etc..!

    • #6944
      Alison
      Keymaster

      @Stephen Yes my pump and CGM are both NHS funded, the pump wasn’t too difficult, the CGM was a long and bloody battle where I think they eventually gave in to shut me up. There’s more thoughts on how to get funding here – http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2009/07/show-me-the-money/ . Let us know how you get on with blagging a meter.

    • #6947
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      Any idea how much this stuff actually costs the NHS?
      Someone once told me it was about 50p per test strip on average. That about right?

    • #6948
      Alison
      Keymaster

      @Scotty, 50p per test strip sounds familiar but I don’t know whether that’s fact or rumour. I know my CGM sensors cost around £30 each, so that’s £1500 a year, plus about another £1000 for pump supplies. Compared to the approx £15,000 a year that kidney dialysis costs, I think it’s a bargain and I’m worth it.

    • #6950
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      Ta for all the useful info folks, I recently bought an Accu-chek Aviva Nano just because it has the Multi-clix finger pricker jobbie,(brilliant bit of kit). Trying to get the Accu-chek Mobile, it’s £50 but my current GP is very keen for me to get stuff so it shouldn’t be a problem. Only want this as it has testing tape (in cartridge form) and a multi-clix system, much easier/lazier to use, spend a lot of time out on the motorbike so having a pretty much self contained system will be good. Only been light in the pancreas department for 5 months so still learning how different kit works etc but all good fun!

    • #6952
      Hairy Gnome
      Participant

      @savagebiker650 – Yup! It’s definitely fun Tim, and trust me, it gets even funner! :P

    • #6953
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      I find my DSN will provide me with all the basic meters I want.
      Today I was given the Accu-Chek Aviva expert after completing the local DAFNE course. So far the system has been great nice colour screen, lots of graphs to play about with. Finally got my ultimate geeky meter!! Once I had it setup it tells me my Bolus rates for each meal after counting the carbs. Not a cheap system mind you was told its about £120 to buy.

    • #6992
      Tim
      Keymaster

      The way to get free meters a) set up a diabetes website b) obtain co-writer c) write over 200 articles on diabetes d) review some meters e) email manufacturers tell them you’re going to review their product and ask them to send you a free one f) await delivery of meter. Easy! :-D

    • #6996
      Stephen
      Participant

      @Tim you forgot e) share the wealth with website readers :) *cough*usb contour please*cough*

    • #7000
      Tim
      Keymaster

      @stephen – sorry! I gave the Countour to @ckoei – if you want any of the others, however, just yell!

    • #7002
      Cecile
      Participant

      And here’s proof of @tim‘s munificence…I’m sure @stephen would love the Menarini :)

    • #7003
      Stephen
      Participant

      @tim – thanks for the offer, but I’m sure there’s more deserving candidates :) I’m waiting till I talk to doc about pump before I seriously think about changing my meter again. If I don’t get a sexy Medtronic Veo like you, I think one of the other ones has a blood meter that talks to the pump and that would probably go pretty high up my list. (Gadgetry above everything else in my book!!!)

      @ckoei – oh wow, I’d need it in pink though ….

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