Guest guest Posted January 5, 2002 Report Share Posted January 5, 2002 In a message dated 1/5/02 12:00:59 PM Eastern Standard Time, cld60@... writes: > Always at waking and at bed Hi Sussie, If you are getting a constant reading at these times, why not try different times throughout the day. For instance, one day you could test fasting and before bed, the next day two hrs after breakfast and lunch. The next day could be fasting and 2 hrs after dinner. My prescription is for testing twice a day. I changed my schedule to the way I wanted it. If I eat something different, I'll test. Tonight, I know what we are having for dinner. I know about what my reading will be if I get on the treadmill for 10 minutes after eating, so I'll not test tonight. I'll save the strip for when I need to test 3 times in a day. Eunice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2002 Report Share Posted January 5, 2002 Somtimes the doctor can get an increase in the number of test strips Sincerely, Please reply to dune31@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2002 Report Share Posted January 5, 2002 there are several sources on the internet that sell diabetic supplies you might do a search http://www.hocks.com/strips/strips_1.html this is one I have purchased from and they run specials reguarlary. you could buy extra strips on sale to cover what the insurance doesn't cover Carolyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2002 Report Share Posted January 5, 2002 It has taken us 2 years of arguing with our insurance company for them to even OK me getting test strips with a copay. We've had to buy them ourselves for the last 5 years! I wish you all much better luck with insurance companies than I've had!! After surgery this company would not allow me to have one med I really needed. My husband bought 15 pills because it was all we could afford without insurance. Finally, we got a letter they had approved it. It was such a struggle! --- CLD wrote: > My health insurance will only allow 100 test strips > a month that is 3 or > so a day! I for one can not afford the 100 extra > dollars to get 100 more > that I need so I try to test 4x a day and do it at > different times. > Always at waking and at bed and then once in the > day....I may start > looking into mail order....sus > > . > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > > To leave this list please go to > diabetes-unsubscribe > Hope you come back soon! > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2002 Report Share Posted January 5, 2002 Medicare does the same thing, 100 strips per month. Since the glucometer came with 50 strips I was that much ahead. Each month I back up a week and refill the strips. The next month back up another week. Eventually you will gain an extra box of strips. Keep doing this and watch the expiration date on the boxes. So far it has worked. Marie > My health insurance will only allow 100 test strips a month that is 3 or > so a day! I for one can not afford the 100 extra dollars to get 100 more > that I need so I try to test 4x a day and do it at different times. > Always at waking and at bed and then once in the day....I may start > looking into mail order....sus > > . > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 6, 2002 Report Share Posted January 6, 2002 > I for one can not afford the 100 extra dollars to get 100 more > that I need so I try to test 4x a day and do it at different times. > ....I may start looking into mail order....sus > There are a lot of test strips being sold on Ebay at about 1/2 what you would pay at pharmacies. I saved quite a bit of money by going that route. Do a search on " accu-chek " , " comfort curve " or whatever brand of strips that you're using. Preston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 6, 2002 Report Share Posted January 6, 2002 My insurance company pays for the 1st year of diabetic testing supplies so I will be on my own come May 1. They send 150 strips every two months. With testing twice a day, I come out about 30 strips ahead -- which I will keep for when they don't send them anymore. Sometimes I do need to test more than once a day and then I end up using 3 but I also cheat and only test once a day now and then so it still works out to about 60 or 62 strips a month. Hey, we will all save a couple next month with only 28 Days! Best to all Ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2002 Report Share Posted January 9, 2002 Sus, as someone who has to test 8x a day, I am VERY thankful my insurance pays for my 250 strips a month, because a year ago I didn't have insurance, and I did have to pay, and yes, it really, really hurt me financially, but since I was pregnant and I had to test, there wasn't too much else I could do.. it was shell out about $50 a week for strips or run the very real risk of having a more complicated prengnacy and delivery. I chose to be broke. I do realize it's not a realistic possibility long term, but I think that with 100 strips a month you have three options, figure out how to manage with 100, buy more on your own, or have your Dr write a letter of medical necessety to your insurance to get them to cover more so you can test more. I do think Eunice had some good advice about alternating when you test, if you aren't on insulin there's really no reason to test fasting or before/after meals every day, you can alternate and still get a good idea of trends, even only testing 3 times a day, as long as you are consistant about the times you test, even if you alternate the days.. i.e. every other day you check fasting and after lunch, and then alternate with after breakfast and after dinner. You can add more in if you want, that's just an example. Those of us on insulin (I'm a type 1 and take about 6 shots a day right now, but I will be pumping in a few days) need to test more to make adjustments to our insulin doses and to treat/prevent low blood sugars before they become severe. Just remember that more testing doesn't necesserily mean better control, as I am sure there are people out there testing more than I do, but don't make good use of the results. I think you are a very motivated person in taking active control of your diabetes, and being limited to testing 3x a day shouldn't hold you back, as long as you can be a bit creative about testing. And remember there are no " good " or " bad " numbers, they are *just* numbers, you can't really make any judgement of your overal control based on one or two, only watching trends over time. I had a 568 new years eve, but that doesn't mean I am in horrible control, it was just a bad mistake I don't intend on repeating... but my last a1c a few days later was 6.8, so I know I am doing " ok " . T1 dx10/00 > My health insurance will only allow 100 test strips a month that is 3 or > so a day! I for one can not afford the 100 extra dollars to get 100 more > that I need so I try to test 4x a day and do it at different times. > Always at waking and at bed and then once in the day....I may start > looking into mail order....sus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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