My understanding is that Mexico does not have any options for buying a CGM over the counter prescription free.
How about Canada? What are the CGM options there that one can pay out of pocket for?
I’m headed “home” (i.e. MN) probably September timeframe and thinking of a quick run across the border!
Thoughts?
Both the Libre and Dexcom are available without a prescription in Canada, but I think the issue you may have is finding someone that stocks them.
I’m Canadian and using a Dexcom CGM. As far as I know the only way to source Dexcom sensors or transmitters in Canada is direct through Dexcom Canada and/or pump providers (Animas sold them prior to leaving business; I’d guess Medtronic and Omnipod also will provide them as well).
Dexcom Canada is currently charging $389 per transmitter, while the sensors are $340 for a box of 4 (all prices Canadian dollars; the Canadian dollar is worth 0.76 US dollars today)
Libre’s are available at many pharmacies without prescription, I’ll have to check on cost.
I don’t know about Medtronic in Canada, but Omnipod doesn’t deal in Dexcom supplies, though I wonder if that will change with their Horizon release in a couple of years. The only way I can get Dexcom supplies, in Ontario, is direct from Dexcom. I had to set up an account, with a Canadian address for shipping.
At least in Ontario (or the Toronto area I should say since this is anecdotal), you can buy the Libre reader and sensors in almost any pharmacy now. No prescription is required. Costco is by far the cheapest source.
I just ran into the other thread regarding specifically the Libre. So if I order from Abbott online - it must be shipped to an address in Canada? Can someone link the abbott website where the ordering is?
Is one able to buy a one-day membership at Costco? Costco’s don’t exist where I live - otherwise I would already have one!
Sorry if these are dumb questions! argh
You have to buy an annual membership, but it isn’t that expensive and you can walk in and buy it on the spot. I am told you may not need a membership to use the pharmacy however.
I just got confirmation from a personal finance forum that you do NOT need a Costco membership to buy from the pharmacy!
For general use Costco Pharmacy, you do not need membership. But this past year when they offered a special rebate on Dexcom G6, that rebate pricing was only available to Costco members.
(The G6 rebate expired).
And the fun part is that Canada uses a different numbering system than the USA AND it says " Canadian FreeStyle Libre readers and sensors work together exclusively to meet Canadian compliance requirements. FreeStyle Libre readers from other countries are only compatible with sensors from the same country."
Unsure if you can change a setting or not. I doubt it.
You cannot. But all you have to do is multiply by 18 to get an American number. It’s not that hard, I swear. You might even learn to like our numbers better. No matter how high your blood sugar is you’ll never even break 30, never mind 300. Heck, once upon a time we spoke in farenheit, miles per hour and bought our gasoline in gallons too, but Pierre Trudeau senior said no more, and suddenly we were all speaking European…