How To Get Insulin In France

Which Are The Insulin Treatment Regimens Used In France? - Em|consulte

Which are the insulin treatment regimens used in France? B. Charbonnel[1], N. Balarac[2], B. Cazeneuve[3], B. Augendre-Ferrante[3], F. Le Tha[4], P. Drouin[5] [1]Clinique d'Endocrinologie, Htel Dieu, 44093 Nantes cedex, France. [2]Endocrinologie, Institut Arnault Tzanck, 06721 St Laurent du Var, France. [3]Lilly France, 203 bureaux de la Colline, 92213 Saint-Cloud, France. [4]4 rue de la Paix, 94250 Gentilly, France. [5]Endocrinologie, Hpital Jeanne d'Arc, 54201 Toul Cedex, France. To examine how insulin therapy is used in France under real life conditions for type 1 and insulin-treated type 2 patients. The Schema survey was a cross-sectional survey carried out for all the insulin-treated patients seen by participating physicians on a given day. All registered diabetologists in France were invited to participate, 934 initially agreed, 450 returned at least one questionnaire. These 450 physicians appeared to be representative of the whole. The reasons for which 484 physicians who had initially agreed to participate did not were collected by telephone and do not seem to introduce a bias. 1,263 patients were included in the analysis, type 1: 57.6 %, type 2: 36.8 %. Over 54 % of type 1 patients were treated with 3 or more insulin injections per day. Among type 1 patients treated with 2 injections per day, 30 % were younger than 18. Over 82 % type 2 patients were treated with 1 or 2 insulin injections per day. A regimen combining oral agents and bed time NPH was used in 18 % of type 2 patients. Premixed insulins were used by 45.5 % of type 2 and 39.5 % of type 1 patients. For patients under 3 or more injections per day, over 30 different regimens were identified. About 40 % of patients, either type 1 or 2, were poorly controlled (HbA1c > 8.5 %). The frequency of blood gluco Continue reading >>

You Can Buy Insulin Without A Prescription, But Should You?

As anyone with diabetes can tell you, managing the disease with insulin usually means regular checkups at the doctor's office to fine-tune the dosage, monitor blood-sugar levels and check for complications. But here's a little known fact: Some forms of insulin can be bought without a prescription. Carmen Smith did that for six years when she didn't have health insurance and didn't have a primary care doctor. She bought her insulin without a prescription at Wal-Mart. "It's not like we go in our trench coat and a top hat, saying, 'Uh I need the insulin,' " says Smith, who lives in Cleveland. "The clerks usually don't know it's a big secret. They'll just go, 'Do we sell over-the-counter insulin?' " Once the pharmacist says yes, the clerk just goes to get it, Smith says. "And you purchase it and go about your business." But it's still a pretty uncommon purchase. Smith didn't learn from a doctor that she could buy insulin that way. In fact, many doctors don't know it's possible. When she no longer had insurance to help pay for doctors' appointments or medicine, Smith happened to ask at Wal-Mart if she could get vials of the medicine without a prescription. To figure out the dose, she just used the same amount a doctor had given her years before. It was a way to survive, she says, but no way to live. It was horrible when she didn't get the size of the dose or the timing quite right. "It's a quick high and then, it's a down," Smith says. "The down part is, you feel icky. You feel lifeless. You feel pain. And the cramps are so intense — till you can't walk, you can't sit, you can't stand." Smith says her guesswork put her in the emergency room a handful of times over the years. The availability of insulin over the counter presents a real conundrum. As Smith's experience shows Continue reading >>

Advice Needed! I'm Type 1 Diabetic & Want To Move To France

FrenchEntre The Forum Living in France Health and Social Welfare ADVICE NEEDED! I'm Type 1 Diabetic & want to move to France ADVICE NEEDED! I'm Type 1 Diabetic & want to move to France Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 19 total) Im 52 and want to move to as far South in France as I can, with my 17 yr old and 2 cats! I have limited funds and want to know what you do about insulin and other medication, Diabetic advice and driving (do you insure from the UK or in France?). I need to do this move now, rather than never fulfil my dream. My grandmother lived in the South of France and so I feel comfortable down thereAny help and advice will really help me. I dont earn much but I have my own internet business, and so internet connection (as fast as possible) is really important.Tax? You seem to need a lot of advice. I would suggest you put each question into the relevant section i.e. tax queries in the Taxation section and be specific about what you want to know. You may have to give a bit of personal information or you may just want to know how to register. As for the diabetes, I am type 2 and get treated very well. I am on insulin and my doctor sends me for blood tests every 3 months and then I have a consultation with him. All the meds here are practically the same but here is the problem. I am registered with CPAM (the French Health System) but I am not sure what you will have to do as new immigrants come under different rules. I believe you have to have an S1 from Newcastle which will cover you for around 18 months. I get free treatment for diabetes as a Ailment longe duree with 100% refund but I dont know if this will apply to you under the new system. You need some serious advice on this as your health cover could cost you a lot of money. Also, as you say you will be Continue reading >>

What To Do If You Run Out Of Insulin

We have read several tragic examples of people in the United States dying because of lack of insulin or because of an expired insulin prescription, and countless more stories of people skipping injections or meals because of the high price of insulin. We asked Jennifer Smith, a certified diabetes educator with Integrated Diabetes Management, to provide a guide of what do if you run out of insulin. Even if you know this information already, please share this so others know they have options. Since insulin is vital to the health of people with Type 1 diabetes, it is imperative to have access 24/7. If you run out of insulin or if your prescription happens to be expired, you’ll need to have a backup plan. High blood glucose levels from lack of insulin can lead very quickly to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a potentially deadly condition. sponsor Here are some suggestions for what to do: If you run out of insulin due to prescription lapse, the pharmacy can typically call your physician to get that prescription updated within the same day as long as you call during business hours. Also, a few states have passed laws allowing pharmacists to dispense insulin on an emergency basis from an expired prescription. Make sure you stress to the pharmacist the urgency of the situation, as some aren’t as well trained as others in matters of Type 1 diabetes care. If you have run out and it’s a holiday or weekend, or you can’t get ahold of the doctor, the best option is to have a backup plan for use of over-the-counter NPH and R insulin which can be purchased over the counter at Walmart as part of its ReliOn Brand. This option is available in all states save for Indiana. If there is no way to get insulin due to the time of day or cost, go to an Urgent Care clinic or an Emergency Room Continue reading >>

Travelling Around Europe

Sorry, I can't give you guidance on the mechanics of sorting it out but in France, insulin is available only on prescription. In theory, you can see any doctor to obtain the necessary prescription and repeat prescriptions can be offered but finding an English speaking doctor might be your first challenge. The European Health Insurance Card covers EEC citizens travelling in the EEC. Mine covers me for all but two countries - France (where I live and am therefore covered by their system) and the UK (who pay my pension and who repay France for any outlays on my health) but it only provides a mechanism to avoid some of the costs of treatment. It doesn't provide any evidence of state of health or medication needs. My only advice is that you actually talk to your doctor about your trip and your worries concerning your insulin supply. Obviously, while you should take enough insulin to cover your entire trip, that isn't possible in your case since you are backpacking and staying in hostels. However, you could ask your doctor if he/she has any contacts in the countries you plan on visiting and whether you could contact them to help in replenishing your supplies. The cost for a 10ml vial of Novorapid costs 237,50kr or $41AU and 5x3ml Flexpens of NovoRapid costs 331kr or $57AU (albeit that is here in Sweden which is not on your itinerary) I'm starting to think I shouldn't do this trip. It will be one thing to come from Sydney and have to get registered with the NHS...but finding a doctor/pharmacy in France to get insulin... I have been googling for answers and I think you don't need a script in Spain, but it costs a fortune. Wait wait, I don't want you to give up the trip of a lifetime for something as silly as this. Diabetes should never limit you in life. Something I have come Continue reading >>

Insulin/needles - Need An Rx When Travelling From Us To...

Insulin/needles - need an RX when travelling from US to... - Paris Forum Insulin/needles - need an RX when travelling from US to... My mother in law asked me if she needs a perscription for her diabetic medications and insulin/syringes when traveling to Paris from the States (for customs purposes). If you're diabetic, please let me know what you take when you go to France . 1.Re: Insulin/needles - need an RX when travelling from US to... Yes, otherwise she won't be able to get them onto the plane in the US;also if she looses/breaks her insulin she will be able to replace it more easily if she has the prescription. Make sure she has a Medalert bracelet or neck chain too. 2.Re: Insulin/needles - need an RX when travelling from US to... One needs one's doctor to provide a list of medications and doses. It is handy for you to have a copy of the list in case of medical emergency. They state that all medications must be in a labeled prescription bottle. One may only take up to 90 days or the amount for you vacation time without a visa permission request to bring more. Please note one must call Insulin company to find out if particular medication is available in France . ( In case yours is lost stolen or contaminated. Last time I went a most popular insulin drug was not available in France. I also keep a copy of my eye glass prescription in case of breakage I can replace the lense . We took my daughter's needles and medication to Mexico and no one asked or even looked. She had a doctor's note also. 6.Re: Insulin/needles - need an RX when travelling from US to... I found this on the State Department's website. Hope it's helpful: If you go abroad with preexisting medical problems, you should carry a letter from you doctor describing your condition, including information on any Continue reading >>

U.s. Pays Much More Than Uk For Insulin

A study finds that U.S. consumers pay between 5.7 times and 7.5 times more for Lantus and NovoRapid than UK consumers. A new study finds that people with diabetes in the U.S. are paying between 5.7 times and 7.5 times more than those in the UK for two popular insulins and a rare drug to treat diabetic retinopathy. U.S. consumers absorb this higher cost despite often not being the first in line to have access to new drugs or medical device treatments. According to a Reuters report, researchers from the University of Liverpool (UK) analyzed the drug prices for 20 top-selling drugs worldwide, including Sanofi’s Lantus, Novo Nordisk’s NovoRapid insulins, and Roche’s Lucentis, a macular degeneration drug recently approved by the FDA to treat diabetic retinopathy. U.S. consumers ended up paying 5.7 times more for Lantus, 7.5. times more for NovoRapid, and 7.5 times more for Lucentis than their UK counterparts, according to a chart published by the Daily Mail (UK). The average price difference of the Top 20 drugs sold was 3 times higher in the U.S than in the UK. The gap between drug prices in the U.S. and prices in other industrialized countries is even greater – 6 times higher than in Brazil and 16 times higher than in India, for example. That difference comes mostly because other countries implement price controls, while the U.S. usually allows the market to set prices, according to a Reuters report. In the report, representatives of the pharmaceutical industry pushed back against the study, saying that the market price for a drug is often not the one paid by the consumer, as many insurers demand a deep discount. In 2014, for example, Sanofi’s then-CEO Chris Viehbacher warned that sales for Lantus might flatline as insurers would demand discounts in 2015 for the p Continue reading >>

Filling An Insulin Prescription In Europe

Filling an insulin prescription in Europe Filling an insulin prescription in Europe I'm insulin-dependent. I buy insulin at home in the US in vials of 100 units, with a prescription. They must be kept refrigerated till I start using an individual vial. Insulin has a "shelf-life" of 28 days after it reaches room temp. So once I take a vial out of the fridge, I must discard it within 28 days whether it's empty or not. I am considering a trip to Europe. So unless I could get a prescrip filled in Europe while I'm there, I could only take 28 days of insulin with me and I'd need to be back home in 28 days or sooner. I've filled a prescrip in Canada by finding a walk-in clinic that'd take a US citizen and the Dr wrote me a prescrip a Canadian pharmacy would fill, using my written US prescrip, of course, which I had with me So my question now is: is it reasonable to expect that I might find places like that in Europe that would also write a prescrip, using my USA one, that a local pharm would fill? If so, it would mean I could plan a longer trip than 28 days, which I would REALLY like to do! I am delighted the Frio will be good for you. It really is a superb piece of kit and whenever travelling to warm/hot countries it has never let me down. What makes it so good is that it only needs cold water and each 'fill' lasts about 5 days. When you feel the crystals through the material you simply buy some more cold water! BTW it was another regular and long-time contributor here, billbarr, who tipped me off about the Frio. It's a British product now available in the USA and he has used one for years during his travels to Greece. He did me a huge favor when he wrote me about it just before a trip to Spain when I was worried about the hot temperatures and how it would affect my insulin Continue reading >>

France - Travel Guide

The Eiffel Tower - instantly recognisable France is widely regarded as an extremely popular holiday resort for tourists, featuring world-famous attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe. Around 17 million British nationals visit France each year, which can be accessed from the United Kingdom either by a short airplane journey or ferry ride. A ferry trip from Dover to Calais takes roughly an hour and a half, an airplane journey from London to Paris is around 30 minutes long, while those taking the Eurotunnel from London to Paris can expect a trip of at least two hours and 15 minutes. Regardless of your choice of travel, the time spent travelling to France from the UK should not interfere with your diabetes too much. However, if you are unsure about managing your diabetes while travelling you should consult your diabetes team. The time difference in France is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, which should not greatly affect your diabetes management. You should discuss your management without your diabetes specialist if you have any doubts regarding medicating in France. The climate of France is very similar to that across the UK. If you plan any activities in the sun, however, be wary that insulin absorption is enhanced in warm weather so you should regularly check your blood sugar levels . The diabetic association of France is the Association Franaise des Diabtiques, which has been a member of the International Diabetic Federation (IDF) since 1952. The address is: It is important to note the diabetes associations in the country you are travelling to in case of an emergency. The currency in France is the Euro, although many restaurants, hotels and shops will accept credit and debit cards, while money can be exchanged within hotels and Continue reading >>

T1 Student To Travel To France

My daughter will probably be traveling to France in June-July 2011 with a group of students to study French and live with a host family. They are required to speak only french from the time they land and will not have contact with home except in an emergency. I have a million concerns but am trying to focus on the practical issues related to managing her d on her own. She will bring enough d supplies plus some extra to last the 8 weeks but if she were to need something - say her bag was stolen or something - how can she get insulin and syringes? Can she go to any pharmacy and pick it up or will she need to see a local doctor first for a prescription? Can an Rx from her doctor here be filled there? What is Humalog called in France? Levemir? Glucagon? Is there anything else we should know? Thanks so much. I think the easiest way to find out is to contact the D association there: (ETA: to call there, I think you have to dial 011 (int'l) 33 (for France) then the numbers above (without the 0), but probably easier to send an e-mail) As to Levemir, Humalog and Glucagon, they are called the same. I do not think an US rx is valid in France, but not sure. Does your endo have any contact endos in France? I would think the typical travel letter would be enough to go into a local hospital and get checked out and given a local rx. I hope she has a great time. I did a 7 week backpacking trip throughout Europe after I graduated from college and I had a blast. I echo the advice of others - take more supplies that she'll need and split them up between at least her carry on and her checked luggage. If I remember correctly, you don't need a script for insulin in France. If you ask at the pharmacy, you can pay out of pocket for a vial. I got a fresh vial of Novorapid during my trip because Continue reading >>

Driving In France With Diabetes

This is a question for anyone on the Forum who is insulin-dependant diabetic as I am. We intend to move permanently to France but do not have a house yet. I have a licence in UK that is renewed every 3 years after completing a questionnaire about my diabetes, its control, hypoglycaemia & my eyesight. I have Googled the regulations in France but have not found clear guidelines specific to France-perhaps they are the same as UK? I thought the title was "driving in France with the BeeGees" I should go back to spec savers We are 'resident' in our Hymer at Parc Verger in Haute Vienne for 3 months & have our CA bank a/c on the strength of that. We are both retired & I've got my S1 coming here at the end of the month. I've got stacks of insulin & hypertension tabs but may have to buy some more Accu-Chek Mobile Cassettes, thanks to my old pharmacy being awkward. I have been insulin-dependant diabetic for over 50 years, my BS averages are within a normal range & have not seen a diabetic consultant in years. Do you think I should here? I shattered my tib & fib in April 2014 & they warned me that my leg might have to be amputated. However, I exercise a fierce control over my diabetes & all was well. I eat a low CGI, low carb diet & use 'self-research' monitoring to stay OK. Thanks so much for the advice regarding the paperwork. Hi Roger, i am an insulin pump user and managed to get one supplied brand new here with no problems at all but there are a lot of things to consider for someone coming from the UK to live permanently here now unless you are in receipt of a UK state pension in which case it should be pretty plain sailing for you. If you do have a UK government pension then yes you will need an S1 form from Newcastle but make sure the date does not start before you plan to m Continue reading >>

Insulin Prices Skyrocket: Putting Pressure On Pharma To Explain

Insulin Prices Skyrocket: Putting Pressure on Pharma to Explain The Journal of the American Medical Association published a new study which highlights an alarming fact about diabetes management: the cost of insulin has beyond tripled between 2002 and 2013. The cost per year, per patient has risen from an average of $231 to $736. A milliliter of insulin rose 197% from $4.34 to $12.92 during those same years. According to the study , during the same time period, for patients with diabetes using non-insulin diabetes medications, the amount of money spent decreased by 16%from $600 to $502. Life Saving Medication Becoming Increasingly Expensive Dr. William Herman, a coauthor of the study and a professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health is very concerned about these findings. He said, Insulin is a life-saving medication, and There are people with type 1 diabetes who will die without insulin. And while there have been incremental benefits in insulin products, prices have been rising. So there are people who cant afford them. Its a real problem. Study to Find out Cost of Diabetes Medications The study, which is the first of its kind, also found that popular oral diabetes medications became more affordable or rose only slightly. Metformin, which has the additional advantage of being available as a generic drug went from $1.24 per tablet in 2002 to 31 cents a tablet in 2013. The researchers studied data from almost 28,000 patients with diabetes found in the Medical Expenditure Panel which is a database on health care costs managed by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Approximately 1 of every 4 people in the study used insulin and two-thirds took an oral medication. Close to the end of the study a small percentage of Continue reading >>

How To Get Insulin If Working In France

Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More. Get the Diabetes Forum App for your phone - available on iOS and Android . Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community My daughter is going to work as a chalet host for 4-5 months in France. She is a UK resident, type 1 Diabetic on Lantus and Novorapid, but planning to switch to a pump soon, and has a European Health card - can she get medication when she is in France, and will she have to pay for it ? Hope all goes well for your daughter in France! This is about using an EHIC. It would be different if she was paying French contributions and tax... though given my experience with the system she would only just about get registered when it was time to go home. She will have to pay up front to see a doctor to get a prescription If she has any lab tests she would again pay upfront. She will only be reimbursed at 70% for doctors visits /lab costs (of I think 22 for a GP, 41 for a specialist about 20; for an HbA1c ) She may be better going to a diabetologue , I don't think many T1s are cared for by GPs but of course any doctor can prescribe insulin. Be very careful though about whether they are sector 1 or 2. Sector 2 docs can charge considerably more than the amount the authorities will base their reimbursement on. ) Again at the the chemists she will probably have to pay upfront for for insulin/strips etc Prices (2010) 5 rapid insulin pens 43,18 euros, 5 basal pens (lantus or levimir) 67.41E, 1 vial rapid insulin 21,65 E I am not certain whether she will be 100% reimbursed for insulin, the article suggests that some medications get 100% back, and insulin seems to me to be an essential medici Continue reading >>

Getting Insulin Abroad (in France)

This story was originally published as a guest post in 2 parts for the Type 1 Diabetes Blog I write bi-weekly for Diabetes Sisters. Before moving to Europe both times, I’ve gotten this question quite often: But how will you get your insulin over there? While studying abroad in France when I was 21, I brought enough insulin for a 3-month stay. I was to be there for 4 months (which turned in to 9 months but that’s another story for another time), but I was supposed to get my visa by the second month. That visa would grant me health benefits akin to French citizens. However, if you’ve ever lived in France, you know how the French bureaucracy works. Read: slowly. Fast forward to month #3, visa “on it’s way- should arrive within the month,” and I’m cracking open the last of my Humalog supply. Obviously, I had to get more- but how, without insurance, without a visa? Without really speaking French? Without a doctor, or any clue where to begin? I emailed my study abroad advisor, and asked for her advice. She wasn’t extremely helpful, but she did send me the address to a walk-in clinic in the area. The next day, with a map in one hand and copies of my American prescriptions in the other, I began Mission Insulin. When I opened the door to the clinic, I was instantly confused. I was expecting what I am used to in the states: walls lined with clean, comfortable chairs, a plethora of health-related magazines, an unenthused secretary perched behind a wall of glass. There were indeed many chairs lining the walls of the small, stuffy room, but there was no secretary. No clipboard where you sign in, no ticket machine to get a number in line. There were 5 other people in the room, speaking quiet French to each other or coughing or checking the time. Because I didn’t kno Continue reading >>

That Time I Froze My Insulin In Spain And Managed To Get Some In France

This was the holiday of a lifetime. I was an enthusiastic 21 year old with my first 2-month trip to Europe in my sights a right of passage for the average Australian youth. Im a wanderlustful Type One and I wont let it stop me. I knew that I had to keep my insulin cool for at least half of the trip and then it could comfortably hang out at room temperature for the rest. I found a nice sized cooler bag (the sort of small one people take their lunch to work in) and some of those blue gel cooling sachets to pop in there too. I had the perfect insulin home that I could put in the fridge on the plane** ** Emirates were awesome with letting me do this back in 2012. Qantas have done it for me also. Cathay Pacific outright refused recently in 2016. Safe to say that I wont be flying them again for a few reasons that being one of them. My mother had a perfect idea why not put a big label on the cooler with Please keep in refrigerator Do NOT freeze and translate it into Spanish, Italian, French, Dutch, and German. That way if there was ever a language barrier at a hostel then they would know exactly where to put it. We were at a hostel in Barcelona. Day 5/6 of 26 into the Contiki trip I was doing through Europe. At this stage it was about day 12/13 of my total time in Europe (I explored London for a bit before starting). I spoke to the Spanish gent at the front desk who appeared to understand what I was saying in English. His eyes lit up when I pointed to the Spanish translation on the top of it. He hands it to a young woman working with him, said something in Spanish, and then she walked off to store it. We had two big nights in Barcelona. I was especially hung over when I went downstairs to collect my insulin before getting on the bus at a brisk 8am. I took the cooler bag, walk Continue reading >>