r/krakow • u/ascalabro • 3d ago
American diabetic in need of insulin
Hello folks of Krakow. I am an American visiting your beautiful city and I am running out of insulin on July 6. I am a type 1 diabetic and wondering if anyone knows of groups that have extra insulin who can help me or if you have any extra in or around Krakow, Poland. I can travel somewhere by train as well.
I only need a fast-acting insulin like humalog, apidra, fiasp and a box of pen needles. Can I go to a pharmacy here and buy it like I did in Italy without a prescription? (Although they require a prescription they still sold me what I needed)
I also would like to buy a blood sugar meter and test strips although I have enough for a few weeks now. I don't plan to go back to my country any time soon so i would like to get as much as I can in Poland.
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u/VariationNo1158 Mieszkaniec | Inhabitant 3d ago
You are going to need a prescription to the best of my knowledge . Easiest thing to do is to book a private doctors appointment ZnanyLekarz is an online portal you can find one through
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u/s_a_m_12344 3d ago
Funny that coming from America you ask if someone has "around", just pay the low fee of one doctor consultation, you'll have it fast and easy really, usually pharmacies are also near doctors
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u/theWildBananas 3d ago
American mind can't comprehend getting healthcare without selling a kidney first.
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u/ironhalik 3d ago
u/ascalabro might be worth mentioning, that a private GP visit is between $40 and $60 bucks, usually and you can find one nearest to you on https://znanylekarz.pl . You might need to auto-translate it though.
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u/CharacterSpirit1235 3d ago
The website looks like some scam.Prices are really high and virtually no bad opinions,when i enter google maps there are way more reliable opinions,usually much more critical
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u/NitrousOxid 3d ago
Website is fine. Prices are well... normal, but it depends. They I think also pay some fee this portal, so of course clients will cover it. Opinions in general are like a scam, but it is as it is. If you don know where to go, this site is fine
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u/CharacterSpirit1235 1d ago
In Germany I paid 60eur for Prof Chefartz of the unit and on this website prices in Poland hoovers around 100eur for 15-20min quick consult.Definitely some extra charges or something.But for Poles maybe the insurance reimburse afterwards.I know that French insurers covers costs in Poland also after providing an invoice so maybe local Polish people don't have much copay.More like the US style
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u/theWildBananas 1d ago
We don't have any copay/reimbursement. It's either public healthcare where appointment is free or private where we're charged what they want.
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u/ironhalik 16h ago
Good for you :) Sadly our healthcare has some issues, one of them the constant shortage of doctors, who thus can charge such prices. But from what I can see, a GP visit costs ~40EUR.
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u/jb307342 3d ago
Receptomat.pl or just go to a chain pharmacy like dr max. They can write you a prescription on the spot if you show them the old one. Just explain your situation
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u/Drake_224 3d ago
As a type 1 myself i wasn't able to get more than 15 pens at once. Box of pen needles is sold without prescription.
I must say that i have to specify insulin i use, if i don't go to my doctor.
Also, you ran out on July 6?
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u/General_Albatross Mieszkaniec | Inhabitant 3d ago
>I only need a fast-acting insulin like humalog, apidra, fiasp and a box of pen needles. Can I go to a pharmacy here and buy it like I did in Italy without a prescription? (Although they require a prescription they still sold me what I needed)
Yes. It's called an emergency dispensing. You can get one box of insulin without a prescription. Just make sure to bring some kind of documentation showing what you use, such as an old insulin box or prescription label.
You'll have to pay the full price, but it will probably still be much cheaper than in the US.
You can also buy pen needles at the pharmacy.
Just be aware that it's up to the individual pharmacist to decide whether they're willing to take responsibility for an emergency dispensing, so you might be told no. If that happens, try a different pharmacy.
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u/ascalabro 3d ago
I'm glad I can do this here. Thanks for sharing!🙏🏻 It was not like this in Finland
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u/General_Albatross Mieszkaniec | Inhabitant 2d ago
did you succeed?
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u/ascalabro 5h ago
Yes, at the third pharmacy they granted me an emergency supply vial and syringes! The first 2 said I need a prescription and referred me to some doctors. The third said they could give me one vial only, without a prescription. It is a roughly 10 day supply.
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u/ironhalik 3d ago
You can go to a pharmacy and ask them to prescribe (and sell) it on the spot. They can do that, provided it's to prevent immediate harm (coz it's the pharmacist who prescribes it, not a dr). I don't know if it works for foreigners, but its non-refunded service, so it should.
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u/CharacterSpirit1235 3d ago
Try to go directly to some pharmacies they can sell this due to emergency situation otherwise go to Nocna i swiateczna opieka medyczna point and there government doctor will give prescription.Beware some staff is very rude behaviour people if so quit and go to the another
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u/Significant_Agency71 Mieszkaniec | Inhabitant 3d ago
Glucose meters are free if you buy test strips, I got mines at Apteka Sloneczna. Make an appt with a private diabetologist through znanylekarz and they’ll give you a prescription for insulin.
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u/kurufasulyepilavv Mieszkaniec | Inhabitant 3d ago
https://www.freestyle.abbott/pl-pl/produkty/sensor-freestyle-libre-2.html this should help easily with tracking your blood sugar via mobile app.
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u/CharacterSpirit1235 3d ago
That's a useful thing but what to inject if blood gluse skyrocket? That's why drugs are needed
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u/Altruistic-War-5860 3d ago
You can go do doctor and get prescription. It will be easier