# Brexit supplies...



## wolvesd (Dec 17, 2018)

Hi 

I am a Type 1 Diabetic in the UK, concerned by the impending events of Brexit and the potential effect on my supply of  insulin.

With this in mind I am thinking about alternatives to my normal supply routes, in the event that delays occur and I am at risk of running out...

Can anyone offer any advice on procuring Insulin from outside the UK? Is it possible to buy it in France for example? Or any other country? 

Me flying to another country to get what I need is a real option that I have to consider given the current timeline and lack of certainty about what will happen at the end of March. 

Grateful for any advice apart from the standard government statements, which given the current political chaos I am not giving me much comfort!

Many thanks


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## Robin (Dec 17, 2018)

Insulin suppliers are all saying that they are stockpiling insulin in this country to avoid a shortage, some reports say 4 months, others 6.
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/board...th-stockpile-in-case-of-no-deal-brexit.75041/
So if you do end up jetting off to France for more supplies, you may not have to do it til the summer!


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## trophywench (Dec 17, 2018)

Well - we have been told that there won't be a problem - and I can't see our Prime Minister letting there be really, since her life depends on it too.  Despite the chaos you describe - I draw some comfort from that thought myself.

No Government - however much the currently appear to be behaving like a horde of screaming babies who have thrown their toys out of their prams - want to be responsible for bumping off so many of the voting public, surely?  Cos it isn't only insulin to keep the likes of us going - what about all the other life saving drugs people need?  'Today we announce that (eg) all UK chemotherapy treatment will stop next Monday, diabetics the following week, cardiac patients the next week ……… '

Do you seriously think that's going to happen?


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## wolvesd (Dec 17, 2018)

trophywench said:


> Well - we have been told that there won't be a problem - and I can't see our Prime Minister letting there be really, since her life depends on it too.  Despite the chaos you describe - I draw some comfort from that thought myself.
> 
> No Government - however much the currently appear to be behaving like a horde of screaming babies who have thrown their toys out of their prams - want to be responsible for bumping off so many of the voting public, surely?  Cos it isn't only insulin to keep the likes of us going - what about all the other life saving drugs people need?  'Today we announce that (eg) all UK chemotherapy treatment will stop next Monday, diabetics the following week, cardiac patients the next week ……… '
> 
> Do you seriously think that's going to happen?



Hi Jenny thanks for replying,

I sincerely hope it wont happen but there is a chance that it will, and I just want to know what my options are so I'm trying to find as much info as possible. I am 99% certain that what you've said is the case, but there is 1% chance that there will be chaos, causing people to panic buy everything and flood hospitals and GPs and there will be jams of Lorries on the roads from Dover and and other major ports. As you touched on, more immediately life threatening conditions will be supplied first, then I want to know what my options are. Also I suspect Mrs May might be slightly higher up on the pecking order than me!

That said, hopefully it will be fine! Just thinking of the worst case scenario and trying to find out where I could go to buy what I need if it did get urgent..... 

Thanks
Steve


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## Lizzy78 (Dec 17, 2018)

Hi Steve

I have thought about this too. Can't really offer any advice as I am newly diagnosed and not up with the latest on how insulin supplies are going to be affected. Let's hope the politicians get their finger out and put a lot of minds at rest.


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## trophywench (Dec 17, 2018)

Well I imagine if every single European nation gang up together - or the EU decrees to their members that they're going to kill some of us off to spite us - then it could happen but if all or any of them do try that one on - then I'd very much like to believe that more heads than mine would literally roll.

I wouldn't go back to MDI or animal insulin by choice - but if we're all stuck with that then we'd have to, wouldn't we?

Wockhardt still have the recipes!


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## Madeline (Dec 17, 2018)

We’ve had problems with epi pens the last few months - a manufacturing issue apparently. I’ve only just recieved the 2 owed from August, when mine when out of date. We were all assured it was fine to use them up to 6 months out of date, which directly goes against everything previously said.


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## Bruce Stephens (Dec 17, 2018)

trophywench said:


> Do you seriously think that's going to happen?



I'd hope not. It would surely not look good. On the other hand, how many times have I thought "surely politicians wouldn't be _that_ daft"?


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## Madeline (Dec 17, 2018)

Bruce Stephens said:


> I'd hope not. It would surely not look good. On the other hand, how many times have I thought "surely politicians wouldn't be _that_ daft"?


Rather like Leave and Trump winning


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## KARNAK (Dec 18, 2018)

trophywench said:


> Well - we have been told that there won't be a problem - and I can't see our Prime Minister letting there be really, since her life depends on it too.  Despite the chaos you describe - I draw some comfort from that thought myself.
> 
> No Government - however much the currently appear to be behaving like a horde of screaming babies who have thrown their toys out of their prams - want to be responsible for bumping off so many of the voting public, surely?  Cos it isn't only insulin to keep the likes of us going - what about all the other life saving drugs people need?  'Today we announce that (eg) all UK chemotherapy treatment will stop next Monday, diabetics the following week, cardiac patients the next week ……… '
> 
> Do you seriously think that's going to happen?



Hear, Hear, Jenny I fully support the P.M. on this issue.


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## trophywench (Dec 18, 2018)

Madeline said:


> We’ve had problems with epi pens the last few months - a manufacturing issue apparently. I’ve only just recieved the 2 owed from August, when mine when out of date. We were all assured it was fine to use them up to 6 months out of date, which directly goes against everything previously said.



Perhaps it's much like food stuffs, which they want us to throw away and buy a new one as soon as it gets to the date they stamp on it, whereas it's utterly fine to eat for ages after that.


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## Madeline (Dec 18, 2018)

Y


trophywench said:


> Perhaps it's much like food stuffs, which they want us to throw away and buy a new one as soon as it gets to the date they stamp on it, whereas it's utterly fine to eat for ages after that.


I think you’ve probably got it there. Appalling really, they are so expensive.


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## wolvesd (Feb 14, 2019)

Hi all
Latest I have seen from Diabetes UK on Brexit advice, or lack of:

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-u..._campaign=Enewsletter+February+2019+-+updated


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## Lanny (Feb 14, 2019)

One change I have made is instead of waiting until I start my last insulin flexpen in the box before ordering, I now keep 1 whole box of 5 pens each as a backup. Because of 2 things:- 1 is my increased doses due to a lot of illness this winter & 2 the extra box gives me more leeway in case things get delayed for whatever reason. So, I have up to 4 boxes of basal & bolus insulins in the fridge: any more would take up too much space!


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## TheClockworkDodo (Feb 14, 2019)

I'm doing that too Lanny, just making sure I get my new prescriptions of things a bit earlier than I would have done before.  I'm not so concerned about the insulin as I use very little of that and even one full box will last me several months - it's the test strips that worry me!


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## mikeyB (Feb 14, 2019)

Aye, lets all stockpile, then we can use up the stored insulin the drug companies have arranged. That’ll help, won’t it ?


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## Docb (Feb 15, 2019)

Quite right Mike, stockpiling just screws up the supply chain with the biggest problems being caused at the manufacturer.  They have to boost production to feed the stockpile and then cut production while the stockpiles are used up and that is bad for production safety and cost.


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## nonethewiser (Feb 15, 2019)

Docb said:


> Quite right Mike, stockpiling just screws up the supply chain with the biggest problems being caused at the manufacturer.  They have to boost production to feed the stockpile and then cut production while the stockpiles are used up and that is bad for production safety and cost.



Project fear in full force, the insulin manufacturers have said there will be no shortages after the leave date.


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## Northerner (Feb 15, 2019)

I have always kept a spare box of cartridges in case I find I have a dud batch. I rotate the spare box to the front of the butter compartment when the current box is used, and order another  - no extra supply pressures from me, the companies have become accustomed to my requirements and will have adjusted their production accordingly


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## Sally71 (Feb 15, 2019)

nonethewiser said:


> Project fear in full force, the insulin manufacturers have said there will be no shortages after the leave date.


There won't be any shortage of production going on, but all the common insulins are manufactured outside the UK and the problem comes if there are any delays getting it into the country when we aren't part of the EU free movement of goods any more.  Which I agree may also be scaremongering, however the clowns we call a government are making such a mess of Brexit that it's quite feasible that there will be problems of some sort somewhere.  The problem is the not knowing - maybe there won't be massive delays while every lorry trying to come into the UK has to have its load checked.  Or maybe there will.  And when people's lives depend on the import of particular products then you can understand them being a bit worried!

I have built up a stock of 3-4 months worth of insulin in our fridge, I did this gradually though and now try to just replace what we use, so no sudden stockpiling.  I did not so long ago double the amount we can get on each prescription, but only because my daughter's insulin requirements shot up so much that the 2 vials we were getting before didn't last long enough.  If I find my stock creeping up a bit too much then I don't order it for a month or two.


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## CosmicHedgehog (Feb 15, 2019)

Northerner said:


> I have always kept a spare box of cartridges in case I find I have a dud batch. I rotate the spare box to the front of the butter compartment when the current box is used, and order another  - no extra supply pressures from me, the companies have become accustomed to my requirements and will have adjusted their production accordingly


That's exactly what i do  also that covers extra usage when ill etc. Although with my current lurgy ive been using double my normal amount. Back up is standard anyway and what  we get told to do that.. there's big difference between back up and stockpiling though.


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## SB2015 (Feb 15, 2019)

CosmicHedgehog said:


> That's exactly what i do  also that covers extra usage when ill etc. Although with my current lurgy ive been using double my normal amount. Back up is standard anyway and what  we get told to do that.. there's big difference between back up and stockpiling though.


I also keep spares.  Over the last couple of weeks I was glad of them as I ran my pump at 250%, and forever correcting to get rid of ketones, so was easlily using the contents of a cartridge up before the six days were up.
I certainly don’t want to be worrying about if Inhave enough insulin in the fridge when I am ill so my buffer is an illness extra, as well as back up pens.  Normal stock for me.


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## Northerner (Feb 15, 2019)

My insulin requirements doubled over the past few months, then in the last few days it has been plummeting - down 25% on a week ago and I'm getting hypos when I used to get highs! Maybe my spare box will last me until everything has settled down at this rate!   Although, I somehow doubt it....


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## SB2015 (Feb 15, 2019)

Northerner said:


> My insulin requirements doubled over the past few months, then in the last few days it has been plummeting - down 25% on a week ago and I'm getting hypos when I used to get highs! Maybe my spare box will last me until everything has settled down at this rate!   Although, I somehow doubt it....


I hope things start to settle back to something ‘normal’ soon.
D definitely has a mind of its own sometimes, however much we think we are in control of it.


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## TheClockworkDodo (Feb 15, 2019)

I don't think spending several months gradually building up an extra couple of months' worth of insulin in case of emergencies is quite the same as mucking up the supply at the last minute by stockpiling vast amounts which might not be needed.  Those of us who've said we're doing the former are just being sensible about having some back up.  I'm now requesting insulin when I'm down to 5 or 6 cartridges rather than when I'm down to 1 or 2 cartridges, I'm not building it up and up and up.


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## mikeyB (Feb 15, 2019)

I’ve reordered my insulin this afternoon. Always do it when I take the last pen out of the box. The only way I can use a whole pen in a weekend is buy eating a jar of jam. Am I worried? No. And I will continue to do that. I’ve done it for 23 years. It only went wrong due to my mistake once, and on Mull when the ferries weren’t running for a week one winter. Then, I just switched to Novorapid for a week or so. Of course, I may drop dead between now and Monday, so I’ll be past caring, or World War 3 might break out.

Or, of course, if the diabetics of the Ribble Valley have a run on insulin, there may be slight delay. No worries.


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## Northerner (Feb 15, 2019)

I did see a man in the pharmacy getting some insulin and assessed him in case I might need to fight him for it in future...  He was a big man, but he was out of shape...


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## trophywench (Feb 16, 2019)

Well exactly - we all keep a sensible spare supply and my standard point to re-order is still after I've started the last cartridge in the penultimate box - bearing in mind my cartridges are 1.6ml and last me about 5 days because I use virtually a whole day's worth to prime new tubing - 17u when I actually use just over 20u daily TDD.


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