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I suspect also that the diabetes market is much bigger, with a lot more of us testing blood glucose than blood INR, so that attracts more competition.

It is very rare to get paper grocery sacks here in the UK, and there is a mandatory charge per plastic bag of a minimum 10p each to encourage recycling, though there are a small number of exceptions. Therefore heavy duty "bag for life" plastic bags are common. Other supermarkets are available :p

For what it is worth, I had my six-monthly check of my CoaguChek XS machine results at my doctor's today. Although they have over 15,000 registered patients, only 3 other patients are on Warfarin and self-testing - others on Warfarin attend the nurse clinic there every 6 weeks or more frequently...

Personally I would raise it with the Lab as a query, and give them a chance to respond. You have set out a clear history in this thread, and at least one of their readings is not consistent with either your readings or another lab's. If they are making errors then they have a duty to take such...

Yes, great write-up, ibatt. It brings back memories of all the noise and disturbances I experienced too during hospital, and which i am sure are common. It seems to me that sleeping is an important part of the recovery process, and it amazes me how medical professionals seem oblivious to this...

I agree with both of you, and am more inclined to believe the CoaguChek than the lab. In my mind there is less to go wrong with the machine - the test result is immediate, and can be easily repeated if any doubt. There are more variables when testing at a lab, no matter how good it is. If you...

I am at a loss to help with why the sustained drop in INR, and would not normally suggest a significant change in dose but given how low he still is have you considered going to 12mg/day for a while, (I think he is currently on 10mg?) and test every 3 days (the typical time Warfarin takes to...

In terms of coping alone, I was lucky in that I already had an electric reclining sofa and so could sleep in that, adjusting the angle inch by inch as needed, and easier to get in and out of than a bed. The organisation I work for was also very supportive - no pressure to rush back to the...

Yep. Too much air is a bad thing too: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/man-impaled-air-hose-enjoying-inflated-reputation/story?id=13693534 (And this was one of the less shocking stories I found!)

Also re eBay etc: if buying test strips ensure they (1) have a few months of life before they expire as the machine will then reject them, and (2) that they come with a "code chip". Each batch of strips needs the right code to give the correct readings. A pot of 24 strips will last almost six...

Hi Chuck. I've been self-testing since soon after my AVR in 2014, as I was keen (a) to lead as normal a life as before and so (b) understand Warfarin management was needed to achieve it. Having your own machine obviously also frees you from having to visit clinics regularly. I may be lucky in...

Welcome, MIB! And as a Brit can I say it is spiffing to read a bit of Southern-talk in your well written intro! (Honestly, this is the first time in my life I have written spiffing, but it felt appropriate ...) I think there is some benefit to not having much time between the alarm bell ringing...

"for the US audience we write Day / Month / Year" @pellicle In the UK we also write it the correct way ;) :LOL:

I am not sure this issue arises here in the UK. As we have a National Health Service and a National Institute of Clinical Excellence which has published a report specifically recommending the CoaguChek devices as best practice, readings from the machines are simply accepted as sufficiently...

A quick "PS" about walking: remember that when you stop walking your blood pressure will drop. So if you're walking and get into conversation with a neighbour and stand for a while there could be a risk of dizziness, which worst case scenario could cause you to faint in the early days. Otherwise...

Welcome to the other side! My thoughts on recovery: The body is amazing, and will be diverting energy from other parts to the wound to repair the damage done. However, the biggest user of energy is the brain, so you will likely find difficulty concentrating for perhaps even 20 minutes. Don't...

Whilst we have St George's day on 23 April for England, St Andrew's Day (30 November) and St David's Day (1 March) for Wales, only Scotland's day is a public holiday. We could do with a day to celebrate the United Kingdom perhaps, but that would most likely be 1 January and we could really do...

I can't say I do particularly risky activities when on holiday, but to echo @pellicle I do my own INR testing anywhere in the world using my CoaguChek XS meter, so that part is not a worry. Also, I had an operation to replace my pacemaker in October last year which was carried out WITHOUT any...

I'm in the UK, with an 8 year old mechanical aortic valve and am currently having annual echos. I suspect frequency partly depends on other health issues, eg monitoring of other valves, and a review of 93 studies of life expectancy concluded: "The long-term deterioration of the valves suggests a...

I will admit to having used the term "blood thinners" on occasion, but increasingly I try to avoid this. It feeds in to the misinformation about Warfarin that, in my view, creates unnecessary fear about being on it. For example, how many times have people said they feel colder because they are...