Where are you getting your supplies?

If you keep trying, eBay sometimes misses listings for strips -- although I don't know if you'll get better prices than from some of the vendors already named above.

Wilburnmedicalusa sells Coag-Sense meters and strips.

I took a look at WIlburn, Selfcaredepot, and Reliaston.

Wilburn has something about requiring an "Acknowledgement Agreement" needed to order (whatever that is). Probably no big deal but I have no idea. $149 for pack of 24 strips.

Selfcaredepot has price of $129.95 for 24.

Reliaston is the least inexpensive by far at first glance. But that is an illusion. "From" $99 for pack of 24 strips with expiration of 5/2025 is what their page that said this has on it:

Roche CoaguChek XS PT Test Strips, CoaguCheck XS Meter Kits & Supplies​

HOWEVER if you click on the item that then takes you to a page to place your order with a selection for choosing the expiration date. And it you select 5/2025 the price is $139! The $99 price ONLY works for expiration of 6/2024!! Thus the "from" qualifier on the other page I guess. Pretty goddamm shady bait & switch there IMO though. They have other expiration date choices in their pulldown menu (like 7/2024, 12/2024, and 3/2025 but those are marked as SOLD OUT). Sigh.

Oh well, have no choice at this point, need some strips starting April 1st. Maybe at some point I will figure out how to get these approved by my Medicare Advantage plan and can put in for a reimbursement but from what I've been reading in this thread it sounds like that won't work since insurance only allows for a Managed service (???) in order to feed into the general greed at the heart of our broken for profit healthcare system.

At least Reliaston gave me a 10% off coupon for "subscribing" to their newsletter (and probably sell my email address for other spam but whatever)....with that coupon they came up about $5 cheaper than selfcaredepot.

I was about to start a new thread until I saw slipkid's post. I was going to call it 'I've sold out...maybe.'

I'll be out of strips in a few weeks. I really can't spare the money for a box of 24 or 48 strips, and finally bit the bullet:

I asked my cardiologist's office to write a prescription for a local company to provide me with meter and strips. The people at the doctor's office know that I self manage, and I don't mind that they get a weekly report of my tests - and I was assured that they won't bother me unless I get results that are far out of range (and they won't be - I've been self managing for 15 years and have a pretty good idea of how I'm doing it. )

I've been critical of enriching these 'services' for doing nothing besides supplying a meter and strips.

I'm still disappointed about this scam funded by Medicare.

I may just borrow the money for 24 or 48 strips and the hell with the service.

What may help decide it for me is how intrusive this service will be, and, more importantly, will I have to pay something each month for this 'service,' and will I have to be 'taught' how to use a meter that I've been using for about a decade. Too much insult will make me decline the whole thing.

What I really want is for Medicare to pay for the strips, and the hell with the service that cheats Medicare and probably doesn't do much more than get paid a lot for very little.

I guess the way I'm looking at it now is that for about $125 I just bought enough strips to last me almost 6 months (WAIT - that will be enough for about a year right? I'm half asleep and can't think straight) if I just go to testing twice a month/every other week or so instead of weekly, although will use more since sometimes don't get enough blood and have to retest, or for times when something is going on that requires more frequent testing.

For several years it was costing me way more than that anyways even WITH my insurance through work (with my 1st 2 managed services - RCS and then Roche themselves). If I think about it more like that maybe I should just bite the $$ bullet and keep testing weekly.

My Dr originally way back in 2014 only wanted me testing twice a month anyways and made fun of me for testing weekly (saying stuff like "well if you like sticking yourself so much go right ahead"); and I had to EXPLAIN to him (1) my managed service (RCS the first one I had) REQUIRED weekly testing since that appears to be how they are able to charge so much/make their $$$, and of course (2) no harm in testing weekly, gives you better chance to manage things if not stable, better clues of what your body is doing etc.

Then when I left RCS and went to Roche, they were much more flexible than RCS and allowed my Dr to set a minimum # of times to test/month, think he filled out the form to be twice monthly (or every other week or whatever) and although then Roche expected us to stick to that at a minimum I could go more frequently with no penalty.


I do wonder though - do these strips really "go bad"?? Or if so how long does that REALLY take. I have several packages of 6 strips each that last until end of this month. If I were to change the DATE on my meter to back to February I could in theory still use those. WIll they actually report bad results? Or are those dates more like food "sell by" dates that are still perfectly edible for a while???

I got this link on the mail recently,
https://www.reliaston.com/ptinr/p/r...k!&ss_campaign_sent_date=2024-03-08T17:46:35Z

I've been wondering about 'go bad,' too. I was just given an old (new) XS meter from 2014. It also comes with a box of strips that expired in 2015.

I might put in a 2014 date, use the strips, and see how the results compare to the test I made using my XS and current strips.

The test is primarily electronic, but the reagents change and may, possibly, go bad over time. Or, perhaps, Roche is just playing it safe to avoid ANY erroneous tests.

FWIW - I was told by the former CEO of Coagusense that their strips really don't expire, and, unlike XS strips, even if they are out of their packaging, they can still be used.

I no longer use the Coag-Sense meter, so I have no way to test this.

Protimenow said:

It also comes with a box of strips that expired in 2015.

I might put in a 2014 date, use the strips, and see how the results compare to the test I made using my XS and current strips

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I guess if you're just doing it for fun in your spare time, but expired by 9 years? I'm not too sure that I'd bank my life on them still being good just to save a few bucks. That being said, I would not be surprised if they end up being accurate, just don't see much to be gained by taking the risk of relying on them. The thing is, even if it appears that the first strip you test checks out against your newer strips and did not "go bad", I would not assume that all of the other expired ones did not go bad.

However, if you do conduct the expiriment, I would be interested to hear your results.

Protimenow said:

FWIW - I was told by the former CEO of Coag-sense that their strips really don't expire, and, unlike XS strips, even if they are out of their packaging, they can still be used.

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Hello - I use the Coag-Sense PT/INR meter and it does not allow the use of expired tests. They have chips in them.
I've been buying my test supplies from Wilburn Medical for the past 3 years. The last order recently placed was for 50 tests for $215. paid directly by me.
My insurance will cover all testing costs after I meet a $4,000. deductible. Not happening.
I use Acelis Connected Health for the reporting service. They only charge $ if supplies are ordered thru them. Therefore, zero cost.
Crazy US healthcare system.

Chuck C said:

I guess if you're just doing it for fun in your spare time, but expired by 9 years? I'm not too sure that I'd bank my life on them still being good just to save a few bucks. That being said, I would not be surprised if they end up being accurate, just don't see much to be gained by taking the risk of relying on them. The thing is, even if it appears that the first strip you test checks out against your newer strips and did not "go bad", I would not assume that all of the other expired ones did not go bad.

However, if you do conduct the expiriment, I would be interested to hear your results.

Click to expand...

I only experimented with one strip, and only because someone else asked about them.

I agree - I wouldn't trust my life to an expired strip. It was just a single attempt to check out the viability of old strips -- and with a sample of one, I wouldn't be very confident in the result, anyway.

No - the savings are not worth the risk. (OTOH, if my strips expired a month or two ago, it's probably safe to reset the clock on the XS (if you really want to), and continue using the strips).

I didn't want to wait until the 'service' that my cardiologist sent a prescription to finally gets back to me.

I would be very surprised if the cost to me is $0. The cost to Medicare would still be unnecessary even if it WAS zero.

I got the money to buy strips from Reliaston - I should be good for many months - the way I sometimes feel, the strips may outlast me.

FWIW - I got a discount code from Reliaston that may work for others who plan to order from them: SaveWithRELIASTON.

48 strips for about $210 (after discount, before tax) seems like a pretty good deal...and this is from a known company (not a ?? on eBay, and not from another country).

Plus - I don't have to feel like I'm selling out by using a service and bypassing the expensive stranglehold that Roche wants to put on us. I don't get a 'free' InRange meter (that I have to return when I cancel the service), but SO WHAT? My XS and XS Pro work fine for me.

Protimenow said:

I didn't want to wait until the 'service' that my cardiologist sent a prescription to finally gets back to me.

I would be very surprised if the cost to me is $0. The cost to Medicare would still be unnecessary even if it WAS zero.

I got the money to buy strips from Reliaston - I should be good for many months - the way I sometimes feel, the strips may outlast me.

FWIW - I got a discount code from Reliaston that may work for others who plan to order from them: SaveWithRELIASTON.

48 strips for about $210 (after discount, before tax) seems like a pretty good deal...and this is from a known company (not a ?? on eBay, and not from another country).

Plus - I don't have to feel like I'm selling out by using a service and bypassing the expensive stranglehold that Roche wants to put on us. I don't get a 'free' InRange meter (that I have to return when I cancel the service), but SO WHAT? My XS and XS Pro work fine for me.

Click to expand...

So glad you worked out a way to get your test strips—one less thing to stress about.

mecretired said:

So glad you worked out a way to get your test strips—one less thing to stress about.

Click to expand...

It sure is. I should be set for about 36 weeks or so - including some possible failed tests and other accidental waste.

Protimenow said:

I was just given an old (new) XS meter from 2014.

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So that makes a total of how many machines you have now? Ha ha - aren’t you the one with like six or eight of them? ; ) Sigh. Men and their machines.

He's trying to corner the market on Coaguchek devices

The market is a bit broad, so I don't think I can corner it.

I've given away some of the Coag-Sense and CoaguChek XS machines in the past. Some of my older Coag-Sense meters are apparently now paperweights because new strips won't work on them - but it doesn't matter - I've given up on Coag-Sense.

A decade ago, I tested all the meters available in the U.S. - against each other, and against the labs. I wanted to find the one that I would trust with my life. THIS is one reason why I have extra meters.

As I said, I've sent out a few of the XS meters. I bought some for $29.95 when they came on the market - and one up with a new one that had four or five tests on it. I kept the one that I had been using that had a few years of my tests on it - but didn't really have to -- the results are on my spreadsheet.

I have a Pro, well, because it IS a Pro, and I like a bit of variety in my meters.

The XS that I got from the doctor's office -- the one that 'was too inaccurate' is fine -- I tested it against my current XS yesterday - a different code chip in each meter, paired to the right strip - and the same large drop (both were done within 15 seconds of incision) - and got the same INR and .4 seconds difference in the prothrombin time - basically identical. The old meter is smaller than the new one (for some unknown reason), but works the same.

Some of my meters are being stored - boxed up like most of the contents of my flooded house. I'll probably find someone who needs one and sell (or give) it away. And, if any of you want a Coag-Sense PT1 doorstop, let me know. (Maybe they'll make an interesting lamp? Add some LEDs, a switch, a transformer, and a rechargeable battery, and it may just be an interesting item. Wait - maybe I'll try that with discontinued meters - InRatio, CoaguChek S, XS Plus (that doesn't work), a few Coag-Sense PT1s, another that didn't make it to the U.S., maybe a Protime (if I can find it). Hell, I can make quite a display with this old junk).

I found another source of XS strips - MedicalRite. I know nothing about them - except that they offer a subscription service that will automatically ship a box of 48 strips every X weeks (your choice). How many of you GO THROUGH 48 strips in 4 weeks? These guys seem to be clueless about how people use them. Now, if I was an anticoagulant clinic, or sharing my strips (with others who use XS Strips?), it may make sense - but it doesn't work for me. And it probably makes no sense to most of us, either.

Protimenow said:

How many of you GO THROUGH 48 strips in 4 weeks?

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very rarely more than 1 a week, sometimes 5 per week (when monitoring for testing a theory). I'm sure @Chuck C beats me there....

pellicle said:

very rarely more than 1 a week, sometimes 5 per week (when monitoring for testing a theory). I'm sure @Chuck C beats me there.

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I also rarely use more than 1 per week. Although I did use about 10 the week of my thyroid procedure. I was determined to come in under the INR limit for the procedure, but not any more than I needed to, and then bounce right back into range once I was given the green light to do so. As you know, it worked well. $50 in strips was a small price to pay to minimize the risk of stroke, in my view.

I'm using a few this week. I had to drop my INR below 2 for a cardiac ablation (I brought it to 1.4), and I've been raising it, u sing my standard dose. I'll make a second check today (three days after restarting), and maybe tomorrow. So - three in a week.

The point I was trying to make was that the company that offers 'subscription' plans has no clue how many strips self testers actually need.