Diabetic CGM

[w94005m]

I use Diabetic Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) system to monitor my sugar and have had to have sensors shipped to me here as I have run out. First set no problem, but the last set are stuck at customs and they are saying I need Medical Import License to get these.

 

This is crazy as they are no more medical than a thermometer or a blood pressure meter.

 

I am desperate for these, as should I get the virus, continuous monitoring of my blood sugar is critical for my survival. Type 1 Diabetics through no fault of our own are one of the most vulnerable groups from this accursed virus.

 

Has anyone else had such a problem with bringing CGM supplies in?

 

Many Thanks,

 

Will.

[ukrules]

Yes, it's crazy but that's the way it is, I've read many similar complaints for all sorts of products including vitamin supplements over the years, it's always the same demand - they want some kind of FDA approval - you're not going to get it.

 

This system is designed to prevent you from ever importing items like this.

 

Your best bet would be to source them locally or just send them again and accept the loss, use a non express courier, regular post but with tracking and keep 6 months to a years worth of advance stock for times like this when a shipment goes missing.

 

Of course the international mail is not running right now.

 

I would start by contacting the manufacturer to see if they have a distributor in Thailand or Asia and follow it up from there.

Edited May 21, 2020 by ukrules

[Puchaiyank]

Purchase a "ReliOn" finger <deleted> blood glucose monitor until you can work out your Thai customs problems...

 

Try not to worry too much about it.

[w94005m]

32 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Yes, it's crazy but that's the way it is, I've read many similar complaints for all sorts of products including vitamin supplements over the years, it's always the same demand - they want some kind of FDA approval - you're not going to get it.

 

This system is designed to prevent you from ever importing items like this.

 

Your best bet would be to source them locally or just send them again and accept the loss, use a non express courier, regular post but with tracking and keep 6 months to a years worth of advance stock for times like this when a shipment goes missing.

 

Of course the international mail is not running right now.

 

I would start by contacting the manufacturer to see if they have a distributor in Thailand or Asia and follow it up from there.

Thanks for the info and that's good to know about regular post. I was considering that and with as much, as was unlikely to cause a problem.

 

The first thing I tried to do, was to source them locally, but this company has no Thai office and are unobtainable locally, so overseas is the only option.

 

It is utter madness that for something like this, that is available all over the world and critical for Type 1s. Especially with yesterday's news that we are 4 times more likely to die from this and blood sugar control being critical 24/7. 

 

Appreciate the quick response and detail.

 

 

[w94005m]

40 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

Purchase a "ReliOn" finger <deleted> blood glucose monitor until you can work out your Thai customs problems...

 

Try not to worry too much about it.

As with any Type 1, I have a whole mass of fingersticks, which are very important ,even when you have a CGM device. I have over a 1000 test strips, but the prospect of having to set an hourly alarm during my sleep is not particularly enticing or helpful in getting a vital quality night's sleep.

 

Of course, I will try not to worry with the fact that not being able to monitor 24/7 greatly increases my morbidity chances, should I get this virus.

[Why Me]

27 minutes ago, w94005m said:

Of course, I will try not to worry with the fact that not being able to monitor 24/7 greatly increases my morbidity chances, should I get this virus.

Given that there are about a 100 infected persons on the loose (rough number based on about 5 new confirmed cases/day x 14 day incubation period) currently in this country of 60million+ your chances of catching C-19 are effectively zero. Unless, of course, you are out and about on the BTS, in malls and such for hours a day. If that is not the case you should not worry and stress yourself for no good reason.

[w94005m]

On 5/21/2020 at 5:29 PM, Why Me said:

Given that there are about a 100 infected persons on the loose (rough number based on about 5 new confirmed cases/day x 14 day incubation period) currently in this country of 60million+ your chances of catching C-19 are effectively zero. Unless, of course, you are out and about on the BTS, in malls and such for hours a day. If that is not the case you should not worry and stress yourself for no good reason.

No-one knows how many cases are out and about. So please do not try to pick numbers out of the air that cannot be substantiated without enormous tests, either from infections or antibodies. Neither of which are being done here.

 

I can say that as a qualified mathematical scientist, who follows that with a passion. Are the chances dramatically lower here than Europe, USA, Brazil or Mexico? You bet your sweet life they are, but please do throw your personal or anyone else's GUSSES out there as facts. I for one am thankful for the cautious and realistic attitude of the Thai government.

 

Aside from my other 3 conditions which do not favour me, Type 1 diabetics monitor/sweat the small stuff every hour of each day they are awake, so I handle things, by being as best prepared as possible. I suggest that maybe you should look at this:

 

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-feed/everything-you-think-you-know-about-type-1-diabetes-is-wrong

 

I asked a question about customs regulations and I am very grateful to ukrules for his response.

 

Regarding everything else, particularly on numbers which I research extensively every day, being told how to handle that, is not helpful, however well appreciated that may be.

 

[w94005m]

At last I have received the sent batch of Diabetic CGM supplies, after 5 weeks stuck at Customs. This involved a lot of frustration.

 

I contacted Asia Regulatory & Quality Consultancy, who said it should be allowed in, but sadly I would have to press the matter with Immigration. As I had no Immigration contact, this had to be done visa DHL and medical certificates were requested from a Thai Hospital. I contacted numerous private hospitals, where unlike with my other questions that they quickly responded to, they failed to answer. I eventually found one that did, but they made no mention of CGM and insisted on me coming in for a full examination and no promise of anything related to a CGM because of course hospitals here have no knowledge of  it and do not use it. Utterly staggering for a country that prides itself on medical tourism. And especially sad during COVID-19, when CGM is being universally used by US hospitals for remote 24/7 monitoring of blood sugar levels..

 

So I got medical certificates from my registered practice in the UK. However, that made no difference.

 

I then contacted the UK Embassy, who at first said there was nothing they could do, but eventually appreciated that this was an important medical matter and did exchange some emails. Also via DHL - I had hoped they would contact Customs directly, who simply said they would review it in a few weeks. Embassy had stressed the importance of this, but just accepted that I would have to wait weeks. That was 3 weeks ago.

 

I was going to raise this with the US Embassy (dual national), who I felt may have had more sway, but held off.

 

Eventually, it appeared today. Than God!

 

I have another package waiting to be sent and will update how that goes later. Hopefully now I've received one, the next will be easier, but of course things work rather differently here.

 

The conclusion is that if you need supplies of Diabetic CGM (mine was Dexcom G6), make sure you do it well in advance and have medical certificates stressing the importance of these available.

 

 

 

[Sheryl]

Yes I have bern through this sort if thing. It mainly happens if a courier is used.

 

You could try going down to customs yourself and pleading your case. Courier company will be worse than useless and when customs sees something coming in by courier they assume it is being used in a business. Showing up yourself and explaining it is for personal use might work. But no guarantee.

[ukrules]

I think you got lucky here, plan accordingly for the future.

[w94005m]

15 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Yes I have bern through this sort if thing. It mainly happens if a courier is used.

 

You could try going down to customs yourself and pleading your case. Courier company will be worse than useless and when customs sees something coming in by courier they assume it is being used in a business. Showing up yourself and explaining it is for personal use might work. But no guarantee.

I would concur that DHL were utterly useless. Ironically, I'd had the same package sent by DHL a month previously via Ebay Global Shipping, identically marked and received it without a problem. Next time, I will probably try TNT (FedEx).

 

I am loathe to try normal Post as I am trying very hard to stay isolated and I have no transport. The one other package that I'd had sent that way had ended up being stuck at Laemchabang. That's a hike from Jomtien ????

 

I have no idea where this was even held. It may well have been at the airport. To try and press that with customs directly when the UK Embassy had managed to obtain zero further information about it, wasn't appealing. Hopefully I won't be so desperate to need to try your suggestion on that.

 

It's been a welcome to Thailand experience.

 

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, w94005m said:

I would concur that DHL were utterly useless. Ironically, I'd had the same package sent by DHL a month previously via Ebay Global Shipping, identically marked and received it without a problem. Next time, I will probably try TNT (FedEx).

 

I am loathe to try normal Post as I am trying very hard to stay isolated and I have no transport. The one other package that I'd had sent that way had ended up being stuck at Laemchabang. That's a hike from Jomtien ????

 

I have no idea where this was even held. It may well have been at the airport. To try and press that with customs directly when the UK Embassy had managed to obtain zero further information about it, wasn't appealing. Hopefully I won't be so desperate to need to try your suggestion on that.

 

It's been a welcome to Thailand experience.

 

Anything but normal post is likely to get stuck at customs. Try having it sent by EMS, should get deliverered to your door.

[w94005m]

33 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Anything but normal post is likely to get stuck at customs. Try having it sent by EMS, should get deliverered to your door.

The one by normal post so far, got stuck at customs in Laemchabang and I had to go there. At least with DHL, it did get delivered to my door, eventually. I'll see what happens next time with TNT (Fedex) now I've got time to wait for it.

[w94005m]

STUPIDLY, I did not open the package till today and am staggered to see that either DHL or more likely Thai Customs has stolen 5 sensors. They were sent in 2 boxes with 3 in each box and instead I received only 1 box with only a sole sensor in it.

 

I am urgently awaiting DHL to get back to me. I am intending to call the police if they cannot resolve this, but don't know where. I will also be contacting both the UK and US embassies if I do not get any sort of positive response over the weekend.

 

Any suggestions on how best to proceed, greatly appreciated.

[Sheryl]

30 minutes ago, w94005m said:

STUPIDLY, I did not open the package till today and am staggered to see that either DHL or more likely Thai Customs has stolen 5 sensors. They were sent in 2 boxes with 3 in each box and instead I received only 1 box with only a sole sensor in it.

 

I am urgently awaiting DHL to get back to me. I am intending to call the police if they cannot resolve this, but don't know where. I will also be contacting both the UK and US embassies if I do not get any sort of positive response over the weekend.

 

Any suggestions on how best to proceed, greatly appreciated.

 

Well, don't bother with the Embassies. Nothing remotely to do with them and they have no jurisdiction.

 

Do the boxes appear toi have been opened? Are you sure the correct number were sent?

 

 

[w94005m]

32 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

Well, don't bother with the Embassies. Nothing remotely to do with them and they have no jurisdiction.

 

Do the boxes appear toi have been opened? Are you sure the correct number were sent?

 

 

Yes, the correct number were sent. They were opened by customs and they even took and included a photo of the 6 sensors on the paid receipts and papers I received from them. They had of course charged me the taxes on the package as originally sent. I will be calling Thai Customs department on Monday (no answer today), but there are a whole assortment of different reference numbers and all with only thai language next to them, so I have no idea what numbers to give and have no-one with me who can read or speak Thai. So will be resorting to taking pictures and asking my nephew's That wife to help.

 

If anyone has any better suggestions than the above strategy for chasing this up, i would be very grateful to hear about them.

 

I do understand that Thai Customs has a terrible record with stuff 'disappearing', but when they have given me full notes and photographs, I am somewhat staggered. If it was for anything other than vital health monitors, I would give up. Ironically, they are completely worthless without a transmitter and that I have received.

 

Obviously will have to start to have some more sent and just need to decide how. Was really hoping to not use normal post as aside from the difficult haul up to Laemchabang, really didn't want to have friend or family in the UK risk themselves to COVID-19 at the post office.

Edited June 27, 2020 by w94005m

[ukrules]

22 minutes ago, w94005m said:

but there are a whole assortment of different reference numbers and all with only thai language next to them, so I have no idea what numbers to give and have no-one with me who can read or speak Thai.

You need a translation of this ASAP, it could be that they confiscated only some of the items.

 

Scan it or photograph it and have it translated, if you either post it here or PM me the photo with the Thai writing on it then I can have a Thai look at it for you.

Edited June 27, 2020 by ukrules

[w94005m]

4 minutes ago, ukrules said:

You need a translation of this ASAP, it could be that they confiscated only some of the items.

 

Scan it or photograph it and have it translated, if you either post it here or PM me the photo with the Thai writing on it then I can have a Thai look at it for you.

Thanks - that was what I was doing.

[ukrules]

2 minutes ago, w94005m said:

Thanks - that was what I was doing.

My wild guess here - after someone intervened on your behalf they located your package and allowed one item through on 'compassionate' grounds or due to low value for a single item and seized the rest. We can confirm this though.

Edited June 27, 2020 by ukrules

[w94005m]

11 minutes ago, ukrules said:

My wild guess here - after someone intervened on your behalf they located your package and allowed one item through on 'compassionate' grounds or due to low value for a single item and seized the rest. We can confirm this though.

I find that hard to believe. They charged me fully for taxes and DHL made no reference of any problems on their separate letter in English, but anything's possible here. And one is virtually worthless. They only last for 10 days.

 

Hoping my nephew's wife can help with the docs.

 

[w94005m]

To update, although I have to assume that there must be no other Type 1 Diabetics relying on CGM to control the condition here in Thailand.

 

However, those of you who have had the misfortune of ever having to deal with DHL and Thai Customs may be reminded of the despair of dealing with them.

 

It appears that DHL had illegally, forged a signature pertaining to me on a document, authorizing the destruction of 5 of my sensors. They had made no contact with me and failed to mention any of this when delivering the packages.

 

Thai Customs must have seen the use by date on the sensors and concluded that I only needed 1 to last me till the use by date in 2021. The fact that there are 3 in a self contained box all with the same date, never crossed their stupid minds as to why and that maybe each one is like a can of fruit, use by 2023, but it's only going to provide food for a few days once opened. ????

 

I have requested that DHL Thailand and through DHL UK (from where they were sent) notify Thai Customs, that no consent had been given and to detail that each sensor only lasts 10 days and by letting 1 through, they had only provided me with 10 days control, which is useless. I need them to understand and ensure that there will not be a repeat problem when re-sending them.

 

I've now had 10 emails and this request has not been understood in any way. Every time they are either saying they will drop it, as they have a signed document authorizing their destruction or on the last email, taking responsibility, but wanting to again immediately drop the issue. As you know, the chance of a Thai losing face, stops anything happening ????

 

I would also note that Thai Customs, despite destroying 5 of the 6 sensors, still charged import tax on them all and an extreme amount for storage while they refused to release them and taking 4 weeks to reach their flawed decision.

 

It is critical for me to get these and I am now trying to press the issue at a senior level with DHL. Legal action will get me nowhere as I can't afford the time that will take. 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 24, 2020 by w94005m

[w94005m]

Final update, as I have been able to resend and have just received my latest supplies from Dexcom UK. ????????

 

Fruitless complaining with DHL Thailand and the UK backline team, forced me to insist to the UK backline team, that unless this was raised in importance with my need for this for my personal health, I would be contacting senior DHL personnel and trying to raise that in the media with Diabetic Groups. This resulted in it being passed onto a senior DHL supervisor on the UK backline team, who communicated with DHL Thailand and then with Thai Customs.

 

She took full responsibility for the DHL error and was able to clarify the situation with DHL customs. Such, that a resend was approved, which she tracked. Thankfully for me, there was no problem and I have of course expressed my great gratitude to her ????

 

Should anyone else be trying to get CGM supplies, I would suggest that the following two points would be helpful:

 

1 - A medical certificate from your Doctor, noting your diabetic status and the need for these monitors. Ideally have that within the package and also available electronically.

 

2 - A note with the package, emphasizing the life of the product. For Dexcom, each sensor lasting only 10 days and the transmitter only 90 days was noted on my last, successful send.

 

I would also note that Amazon have stopped selling Dexcom items and Ebay UK will now not send these, should you win an auction with their Global Shipping Program. I had used that once OK, but with the last attempt after this DHL failure, they refused to send it on to Thailand and returned it to the seller.

 

I had sent my first package with USPS many months previously (I also live in the US). Although that did go through, I was required to go to Laem Chabang Customs to pick it up. WIthout transport, that is a major problem for me and I'd assumed that with this prior decision by Thai Customs, that it might prove subsequently fruitless too (as Ebay had proved). If it's easy for you to go Laem Chabang, then that might be a better option.

 

Good Luck and thanks to all contributors.

 

 

[w94005m]

I have given up having my CGM supplies sent by DHL

 

After DHL ensured that the last package had no problems, I foolishly thought that the next sent package of CGM supplies with identical labelling and documentation would have no problem, but NO.  Thai customs impounded it and demanded further new documentation. I submitted all requested doctor and medical documentation within 24 hours, but they kept my package for another 5 weeks before eventually releasing it. When they did so, they made exorbitant charges for keeping the package for every day they impounded my package.

 

So apparently, they can keep as long as they like and charge for their incompetence.

 

During this period whilst I waited for them to release my package, I complained to the lady at DHL in the UK who had ensured that my prior package went through problem-free. Incredibly, she said that DHL had no control of Thai customs behaviour. A direct contradiction of the prior send, when they promised me there would be no issue and there wasn't.

 

What a joke!

 

I will try the next package with regular post, despite the lengthy journey to Chonburi Post Office. 

 

FYI In the interim, I had attempted contacting Abbott Laboratories in Thailand for a status update on their Libre 2 system, but their Diabetic department never answered the phone or replied to my left messages. I also contacted the main office in USA, who passed on my requests to them and asked them to respond, but they still did not.

 

Edited March 31, 2021 by w94005m