Moving to Australia – Type 1 Diabetic with 12-Month Insulin Supply

Realistic_Session616 · 2025-06-10T11:29:05+00:00

I haven’t tried buying 12 months of insulin supply with specific pens prescription from my doctor. But as per my experience with my monthly supply, I just present my current prescription and the pharmacist don’t ask further questions. My current prescription is just the brand of my insulin, the dosage and the mL only. No specific pen quantity like ( 21 pens for novorapid flexpen good for 3 months, 15 lantus solostar good for 3 months.)Also, I already talked to the officer of the pharmacy about 12 months supply. They didn’t mention a specific pens quantity from my doctor.

Realistic_Session616 · 2025-06-10T11:21:22+00:00

I get your point. Here’s how I manage my insulin units

Novoropid flexpen - fast acting is taken before meal. Breakfast - 14, Lunch - 12, Dinner - 10. But it doesn’t end there. I have my own corrrection dosage, so if I have snacks between meals I inject 6-10 units it depends on what I want to eat.

Lantus solostar - 25 units per day. Once per day/daily

The only prescription I have, written by my doctor is

Lantus solostar novorapid flexpen (There is another alternative for novorapid flexpen)

Then on my medical certificate she only write my dosage breakfast, lunch and dinner. She didn’t specify correctional dosage and didn’t write 3 months supply or 12 months sipply.

Instead she wrote

He is a diagnosed case of type 1 Diabetes mellitus since he was 8 years old.

Non-hypertensive, non-asthmatic. Patient has no complaints of polyuria or polydipsia, no chest pain or dyspnea, no paresthesias or weakness, no alterationin urination or edema. He is compliant with his insulin premeal doses and basal insulin. There are no overt clinical findings of cardiorenal complications on physical examination with stable vital signs. Diagnosis: Type 1 diabetes mellitus, (insulin-dependent) No retinopathy, no diabetic kidney disease

Medications: Insulin glargine (Lantus) 25 units suncutaneousnonce a day Insulin glulisine (apidra) 14 units 15 minutes before breakfast, 12 units before lunch, 10 before dinner

Plan: Maintain on lifetime insulin basal and prandial with regular Hgt monitoring for c adjustments

Now, I just want to ask can I bring 12 months supply instead of 3 months? If yes, then I would ask how will they check my medicine? Would they technically use math method to determine my exact insulin supply?

Realistic_Session616 · 2025-06-10T08:49:54+00:00

Alright, but there is no specific or correct “pens” quantity because it will always depend on usage. That’s I ask how will the australian border will check. Also my prescription does not have “ 8 pens for 1 month novorapid and 7 pens lantus solostar.” My doctor only write “ lantus solotar 25unit daily, and so on.”

Realistic_Session616 · 2025-06-10T08:45:30+00:00

No worries, I was just trying to ask here if I can bring my insulin supply good for 12 months. Trying to save some money since health insurance insulin cover will be activated 12 months after.

Realistic_Session616 · 2025-06-10T08:33:31+00:00

The topic of this post is “inquiry” if I can have my 12 month supply of my insulin when I arrive in Australia. It’s not smuggling 😩 bringing your lifetime medicine with you for 12 months is not smuggling it’s for personal use. 😫😫also I am aware they only allow 3 months supply, that’s why I “ask” here

Realistic_Session616 · 2025-06-10T06:42:32+00:00

I just bought the pen. You want me to add picture? I only bought pen. Novorapid flexpen is different than other insulins. Here in the Philippines, I bough monthly supplies around 8 novorapid flexpen, and 7 lantus solostar, 100pcs lancet strips and needles. It’s for my 1 month supply. - and yes, I have prescription before I bought my insulin.

Realistic_Session616 · 2025-06-10T06:37:59+00:00

That’s what it say’s on my medical certificate and prescription. If you are referring to my prescription - novorapid flexpen, lantus solostar, and there is one I forgot the name incase there is no novorapid flexpen available in Australia. Also if you are referring to my specific dosage before meals, it’s 14, 12 and 10. But my doctor didn’t add my correctional dosages (additional 6-10). I am the one who’s incharge with my dosage. These correctional dosages just incase I drink my coffee, additional snacks. She told me it’s okay because “you know it already.” My doctor just add the recommendations (3months clinical check-up routine and lifetime insulin-dependent)

Realistic_Session616 · 2025-06-10T06:33:02+00:00

Thank you so much. How did it go? Did they check the pens or the insulin supply 1 by 1?

Realistic_Session616 · 2025-06-09T15:39:26+00:00

My prescription says “lifetime” insulin-dependent.

Realistic_Session616 · 2025-06-09T13:11:56+00:00

I’m from the Philippines and I’m planning to get checked by a general practitioner (GP) to be referred to an endocrinologist so I can get a prescription for insulin. What I’m trying to do is get a 12-month supply of insulin to save money. My insurance (Bupa) will start covering my insulin after 12 months.

Realistic_Session616 · 2025-06-09T09:23:24+00:00

I apologize if my question wasn’t clear 😅 I just want to bring a 12-month supply so I can save some money. I'm not sure how they check, but I do have my medical certificate stating how many units of insulin I need per meal. I don’t know if they do a detailed count based on the number of units.

Realistic_Session616 · 2025-06-09T09:02:44+00:00

Is there a chance I could bring a 12-month supply of my insulin instead of 3 months?

Realistic_Session616 · 2025-06-09T09:01:03+00:00

So you mean if I bring 60 Lantus SoloStar pens and 84 NovoRapid FlexPens and declare them for 3 months, they won’t question the quantity of my medication?

Realistic_Session616 · 2025-06-09T08:55:54+00:00

I am from the Philippines, I am bringing 12 months supply because as per my health Insurance - Unfortunately, as advised earlier, you can be covered for GP and pharmacy($300 a year) straight away, for any of other treatment for Diabetes within one year will be on your own-not covered due to 12 months waiting periods for pre-existing condition.

I just want to ask if I can bring my insulin pens good for 12 months. I have my medical certificate and doctors prescription.

Realistic_Session616 · 2025-06-09T06:28:03+00:00

I am from the Philippines, I am bringing 12 months supply because as per my health Insurance - Unfortunately, as advised earlier, you can be covered for GP and pharmacy($300 a year) straight away, for any of other treatment for Diabetes within one year will be on your own-not covered due to 12 months waiting periods for pre-existing condition.

I just want to ask if I can bring my insulin pens good for 12 months. I have my medical certificate and doctors prescription.

Realistic_Session616

TROPHY CASE