# Microdot blood glucose machine



## Roni (Feb 21, 2012)

Hello

Has anyone else been ''forced'' by their GP to change to the Microdot monitor? (Cambridge Sensors). I was happily using a one touch meter, and things were going very well. My HB1A was a consistent 7 and life was on the whole good. Just under a year ago, I was told by my GP I HAD to switch meters. I immediately noticed the results were not consistent, and asked to go back to my original meter. The answer was no - and I was given a second meter, which again, did not give consistent results. I'm now on my third meter, and I still do not get accurate tests - I can do a test which shows a reading of say 7, and two minutes later this can show 18 !! This is making control an absolute nightmare - and, surprise surprise, my HB1A last week had rocketed to 8.6. It appears my PCT are ''cutting costs'' but they are ignoring the future costs of complications caused by bad control. I have been on insulin for 46 years (since the age of 2) and I am now very scared of what my future will now hold. My life was transformed when I was about 8 and got my first meter, but now the control of my condition has gone back to what I remember from my early childhood - pure guesswork and terrifying. Has anyone yet managed to get round their PCT and force them to prescribe a meter that suits the individual, not the PCT savings target?

Roni


----------



## Northerner (Feb 21, 2012)

Hi Roni, welcome to the forum  You are not the only person in this situation, the same meter was being pressed on a member some time ago.

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=23168

Can you speak to your DSN or Consultant and get them to write to your GP about the situation? People on insulin in particular need a reliable and trustworthy meter in order to stay safe - particularly if you drive, where a misleading result may be dangerous.


----------



## novorapidboi26 (Feb 21, 2012)

If there is a recurring problem with the meters accuracy it should be withdrawn...........


are the consumables significantly cheaper...........?


----------



## Abi (Feb 21, 2012)

This is a very significant safety issue. I wonder if the surgery/ manufacturers are not taking it seriously whether there is some other body to whom it should be reported- sorry I should knwo but I don't
As a stand bye the old visual "BM strips" are still prescribable but known by a different name ( not sure - might be glucochek), and there are several other bands of strip which are cheaper- caersens and nexus ring a bell- I'm not sure about the accuracy but your practice might be happy to rpescribe them. Also if you google SD no code meter you will be directed to a strip which retails for < ?7 for 50- I don;t know if these can be prescribed and am not sure of their accuracy.
If desparate I am told that abbot and roche retails their strips to patients at the same price as they wholesale to the NHS ( ie about ?14 to ?15 per 50 rather than bumping up the price to > ?20. Remember if you have tto purchse some strips yourself to tide things over until the problem is resolved you are exempt from apying VAT
Bottom line is you need relaible strips. Please make your concern regarding these strips  heard by diabetes uk- it's fair enough that the NHS needs to save money but not at the expense of denying you proper tools to control your diabetes


----------



## Robster65 (Feb 21, 2012)

Hi Roni. Welcome. 

If you don't mind the publicity, perhaps the local newspaper would be interested in your story. If you can demonstrate clearly the innacuracy of the current meter and then get a statement of your PCTs position (they would presumably do this) then it would show that they are willing to put patients' safety at risk to save a few pounds. 

Northerner's mention of driving is particularly important. It could cost you your licence and, potentially yours and others lives. The DVLA have very clear statements about diabetes and driving.

There have been some PCTs that direct GPs to give cheaper meters to non-medicated type 2s but, when it is extended to type 1s, admit that it is a mistake and the directive has been misinterpreted by the GP. Have you tried contacting your PCT directly to check with them?

Rob


----------



## Vicsetter (Feb 21, 2012)

Do you drive?  
I am sure the microdot and the other cheap meters do not store sufficient results to be able to provide 3 months worth of test results for a T1 (must be more than 500 isn't it)?


----------



## Roni (Feb 21, 2012)

*Microdot*



Northerner said:


> Hi Roni, welcome to the forum  You are not the only person in this situation, the same meter was being pressed on a member some time ago.
> 
> http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=23168
> 
> Can you speak to your DSN or Consultant and get them to write to your GP about the situation? People on insulin in particular need a reliable and trustworthy meter in order to stay safe - particularly if you drive, where a misleading result may be dangerous.



Hello Northerner

At the moment I don't have a consultant, as everything is now managed by my GP. (Bit like putting Dracula in charge of a blood bank).

However, he has now agreed to refer me to a consultant at last.

Roni


----------



## Roni (Feb 21, 2012)

novorapidboi26 said:


> If there is a recurring problem with the meters accuracy it should be withdrawn...........
> 
> 
> are the consumables significantly cheaper...........?



Hello

As far as I know, the sticks are more or less the same price as my previous ones - and I paid for the tester myself, so I'm at a loss to see why this is a problem for the PCT.

So much for patient choice !!

Roni


----------



## Roni (Feb 21, 2012)

Abi said:


> This is a very significant safety issue. I wonder if the surgery/ manufacturers are not taking it seriously whether there is some other body to whom it should be reported- sorry I should knwo but I don't
> As a stand bye the old visual "BM strips" are still prescribable but known by a different name ( not sure - might be glucochek), and there are several other bands of strip which are cheaper- caersens and nexus ring a bell- I'm not sure about the accuracy but your practice might be happy to rpescribe them. Also if you google SD no code meter you will be directed to a strip which retails for < ?7 for 50- I don;t know if these can be prescribed and am not sure of their accuracy.
> If desparate I am told that abbot and roche retails their strips to patients at the same price as they wholesale to the NHS ( ie about ?14 to ?15 per 50 rather than bumping up the price to > ?20. Remember if you have tto purchse some strips yourself to tide things over until the problem is resolved you are exempt from apying VAT
> Bottom line is you need relaible strips. Please make your concern regarding these strips  heard by diabetes uk- it's fair enough that the NHS needs to save money but not at the expense of denying you proper tools to control your diabetes



Hello

It's something I'm continuing to fight - the cost of the strips for my old machine are actually very similar to this new one, so really not sure what's going on here. I hit a brick wall whenever I try and get a name for whoever actually took this decision - and why someone seems to be able to dictate what a doctor should prescribe.

Roni


----------



## Roni (Feb 21, 2012)

Robster65 said:


> Hi Roni. Welcome.
> 
> If you don't mind the publicity, perhaps the local newspaper would be interested in your story. If you can demonstrate clearly the innacuracy of the current meter and then get a statement of your PCTs position (they would presumably do this) then it would show that they are willing to put patients' safety at risk to save a few pounds.
> 
> ...



Hi Rob

Thanks for  the heads up on this one - I'll contact the PCT and ask them to clarify the position in writing

Roni


----------



## Roni (Feb 21, 2012)

Vicsetter said:


> Do you drive?
> I am sure the microdot and the other cheap meters do not store sufficient results to be able to provide 3 months worth of test results for a T1 (must be more than 500 isn't it)?



Hello Vicsetter

I've checked with DVLA and it seems you only need to be able to provide 3 months tests from a meter that records the tests if you are trying to get a license to drive a lorry or bus. The car requirement is that you have not had a hypo where you need assistance. Thankfully, although I've been diabetic for many years now, I still fully recognise the symptoms of being hypo, and would never drive unless I had just eaten something - and I always carry a trusty Mars Bar in the car (yuk - I hate chocolate !)

Does anyone else know any different?

Roni


----------



## Roni (Feb 21, 2012)

Hello everyone above

Thanks so much for taking the time to look at my original post - you have all come up with some helpful stuff, and more importantly lots of support.

Cheers

Roni


----------



## Northerner (Feb 21, 2012)

Roni said:


> Hello Northerner
> 
> At the moment I don't have a consultant, as everything is now managed by my GP. (Bit like putting Dracula in charge of a blood bank).
> 
> ...



Good, I hope that the new consultant 'encourages' the GP to prescribe the kit you prefer. The thing that angers me most about such decisions is that in practically every case the GP doesn't have a clue what it is like to live with diabetes and supposes that things like testing are somehow a luxury rather than something we'd rather not be doing at all!


----------



## trophywench (Feb 21, 2012)

Well tell you what Roni, every single time you get a result like that from your meter, how about you ring the doctors and ask for their advice?

I know it's likely to be hours before they ring you back but so what? - if they want to be awkward well two can play at that game .....


----------



## James McCann (Feb 27, 2012)

Dear Mr Roni, I am one of the engineers working on the Microdot system in Cambridgeshire. We are very concerned about your issues with the meter and wish to investigate and help you as much as possible. Could you call our helpline at 01480-482920 so we can contact and assist.


----------



## Copepod (Feb 27, 2012)

Hope Roni and Microdot can work out something. 

Please can Roni and / or James McCann report back to let us know the outcome?


----------



## trophywench (Feb 27, 2012)

Well I certainly hope it can be sorted out - we expect up to 20% tolerance which is bad enough (from our POV), but the numbers that Roni has quoted do seem worrying.


----------



## tony173 (Dec 31, 2014)

*microdot problems*

Hi Roni, 

Just got issued a microdot meter from my GP, tested it with the test solution that is 4mmol and it showed 7.3, so i tested it against my old contour meter and its seems about 3.0mmol out . I told the surgery and they changed it with another microdot meter that is exactly the same about 3.0mmol out, (I have been a type 2 for 10 years  i know when something wrong.
Next i tested the replacement meter on my wife on a morning fasting test, my wife is NOT diabetic, the old trusty contour read 4.2mmol and the new microdot read 7.2mmol , Whats going on REALLY?
Ive just ordered a new Bayer Contour Next , and i cant wait for it to arrive , dishing out cheap meters is not the answer to this condition , so if you can afford it buy a decent one .

tony173


----------



## Andy HB (Dec 31, 2014)

Just a warning. This thread was over two years old.

Not that the issue raised isn't important though.

Andy


----------



## Northerner (Dec 31, 2014)

tony173 said:


> Hi Roni,
> 
> Just got issued a microdot meter from my GP, tested it with the test solution that is 4mmol and it showed 7.3, so i tested it against my old contour meter and its seems about 3.0mmol out . I told the surgery and they changed it with another microdot meter that is exactly the same about 3.0mmol out, (I have been a type 2 for 10 years  i know when something wrong.
> Next i tested the replacement meter on my wife on a morning fasting test, my wife is NOT diabetic, the old trusty contour read 4.2mmol and the new microdot read 7.2mmol , Whats going on REALLY?
> ...



Hi tony173, welcome to the forum  It's very worrying to hear that the problem does not seem to have been rectified in the two years since the issue was raised here. Having a meter that records erroneous measurements is completely useless, and potentially dangerous depending on medication  I would raise the issue with the Practice Manager that the meters are not fit for purpose  You shouldn't have to foot the bill for your own meter and strips for this reason.


----------



## tony173 (Dec 31, 2014)

*microdot problems*

Hi all, 

Yes i did realize the thread was quite old but I had to let people know that the cheap meters should be treated with caution, you mentioned contacting the practice about the problem, that can only done very very tactfully as these days it seems stress levels are rising behind reception and they tend to just roll there eyes back as if your a numpty . I will mention it though .


----------



## Northerner (Dec 31, 2014)

tony173 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Yes i did realize the thread was quite old but I had to let people know that the cheap meters should be treated with caution, you mentioned contacting the practice about the problem, that can only done very very tactfully as these days it seems stress levels are rising behind reception and they tend to just roll there eyes back as if your a numpty . I will mention it though .



In that case, since CCGs are probably the ones issuing the edict, might be worth going directly to them


----------



## HOBIE (Dec 31, 2014)

Sounds like a problem with GP to me. He should not be telling you which meter to get within reason


----------



## TwistyDebs (Jul 31, 2015)

I'm 21 weeks pregnant with baby no2 (Gestational Diabetes)

I was given the Microdot machine at 19 weeks and with this machines all my readings being sky high. (Before I was given this machine I was using my old machine. Freestyle Insulinx, which were coming back as reasonable reading for what I had/hadn't eaten) 

I became obsessed and depressed over these readings as I was honestly starving myself (I have lost weight due to starving myself because of this machine) and when I was eating, I was eating the same foods that I ate with baby no1 yet when testing they always seems to come back at 7.8-7.9 etc whereas with baby no1 the readings were 5.8-5.9.

I rung the hospital and they said they allow a 10% difference in readings that are done close together which would be .78-.79

I went to my doctors yesterday to speak to someone about going back to my Freestyle as I had completely lost all trust with this Microdot Machine.
When explaining to the Receptionist It was by luck that a nurse was in the background (before I go on, please let me state that I QC my strips as advised to do) she said come through and I will have a look.

Discussing and showing the nurse my book I was nearly in tears with the stress this has caused me. I have lost weight and no-one was believing me that this machine is faulty.

She said I don’t think this machine is faulty but I’ll give you this Accu-Chek machine and we will do a test on that now.
I done the test, it came back as 5.3
I said OK, now you have done the test on this one, let me do the test on the Microdot….It came back as 7.2!

The nurse was shocked and said “oh, they rarely are faulty. I can see you are extremely upset with this so take this Accu-Chek one and ill set up repeat prescriptions for you.”

In the evening I had a Low GI Cookbook meal I done my reading an hour later with Accu It was 5.6
I done my reading straight after the Accu test with Microdot, it was 8.2…….from a Low GI recipe.

I do not rate Microdot I think it is an awful, unsafe machine and I have just sent them a message in my hormonal rage for them to peruse at their convenience.
This is my message to them.

Just want to let you know. I am 21 weeks pregnant. I got your machine at 19 weeks. Your machine has caused me depression and malnourishment due to your inaccurate readings which im sure will have affected my unborn child!
I have lost a serious amount of weight and was starving myself. I will never recommend your monitor to anyone and whoever is thinking of getting one, I will advise against it.
I am also in the middle of composing a letter to the hospital of my finding with your god awful machine in the hope they they choose quality machines over cheapness!


----------



## Copepod (Jul 31, 2015)

Welcome to the forum, TwistyDebs.

Good to hear you are now using a meter that you trust.


----------

