Buying on eBay

[Protimenow]

Nancy:

I don't have a manual for the ProTime 3 (you can probably find it at the ITC website), but I'm pretty certain that it's using NiCad batteries -- and these are supposed to be good for up to 1000 charge/discharge cycles. (I'm pretty sure they're NiCad because they take a lot longer to charge than LiIon and LiIon batteries are probably too new). I'm adding this in after I posted my speculation on the batteries -- this new meter (ProTime3) uses NiMh (Nickel MetalHydride) batteries, which hold a charge pretty well, have a pretty long lifespan and aren't subject to the 'memory effect' that NiCd batteries had). Depending on how many tests you took, 4-6 months between recharges doesn't sound unreasonable. (If you had a meter that uses disposable alkaline batteries, I don't think they would have lasted TOO MUCH longer). As long as the rechargable batteries held a charge, are almost fully discharged between charges, and are fully recharged before you use them again, they should last for many, many years (especially if you only have to recharge every 4 months).

The ProTime that I bought for 99 cents appears to have last been used in 2004, but once charged, it seemed to hold the charge - even after being dead for who knows how long?

One of the reasons I 'upgraded' to the ProTime 3 was that I'm confident that, if necessary, I could probably make a new battery pack using standard NiCad batteries and the connectors already on the current battery, and save myself a lot of money -- but I'm hoping never to have to do that. (The ProTime meter uses 15 Volts - the battery probably uses 12 or so batteries)

 

[Cris N]

(I am planning on starting some initiatives that would enable anyone who is on warfarin to have INR tested - and possibly anticoagulation management - regardless of ability to pay. This is one of the reasons I am slowly acquiring meters).

In addition to some other questionable 'facts' in your post I am concerned about the statement above. It reads like you're planning some sort of redistribution of meters or are planning to open some kind of facility where people can come to do their own tests. If that's the case, please be aware that you may be preparing to break some laws.

 

[Cris N]

Weren't you a member at one time -- under another name -- left about 1 to 1.5 years ago? If not, we had a member with very much the same profile as you. May be a twin of yours out there! You know what they say -- we all have a twin in this world!

Marsha, I do believe you hit the nail on the head. Banned, right?

 

[Protimenow]

The owners' manual for my ProTime 3 did specify how many charges you could expect out of a brand-new battery. Unfortunately, I don't remember that info and I passed my unit on to a friend whose insurance had said Heck No to providing an INR tester. Do you have such a manual for your ProTime 3?
Seems like I recharged mine about every 4-6 months.

Catwoman -- when the unit starts, it goes through a battery test. Just watching startup should give an indication of when a recharge is needed.

A complete recharge takes hours - but the charge holds for many tests.

Just remind your friend that the meter will tell her how much charge is left -- but she probably won't do the batteries much harm charging it every few months. (Really, battery use is related to how many tests are run, so 4-6 months for you may be fewer if your friend tests more often than you did)

 

[Protimenow]

In addition to some other questionable 'facts' in your post I am concerned about the statement above. It reads like you're planning some sort of redistribution of meters or are planning to open some kind of facility where people can come to do their own tests. If that's the case, please be aware that you may be preparing to break some laws.

Cris -- no, I'm not looking to 'break' any laws. I'm not looking to let people do their own tests, either. But why not have anticoagulation clinics - run by medical practitioners - that can help anyone taking anticoagulants, regardless of ability to pay? What's wrong with that? Of course, the AMA wouldn't like a source of income challenged by 'free' anticoagulation clinics, but enabling anyone who needs monitoring and management to be monitored should be a right - if only to prevent the cost to society of treating a person who has a stroke or bleeding problem that could have been prevented with adequate monitoring and management. No laws broken. Perhaps, eventually, some eyes will be opened to the possibility of reducing barriers to self-management (or financial barriers to clinical management).

This is a public health issue. When Polio vaccines were developed, widescale inoculation programs were held, and if I recall (I was a kid at the time), these programs were free or very low cost, because the cost to society was much higher if people GOT Polio than if the disease was prevented. It should be considered a similar thing here -- EVERYONE who takes an anticoagulant should have it managed - whether they do it themselves or go to a doctor or clinic -- although the numbers are much smaller than, say, a Polio epidemic, the costs of treatment for people who have problems because they were underanticoagulated or overanticoagulated could be quite large. Sure, if insurance will cover testing and management, great; if a person can pay to home test or for testing at a medical facility of some sort, great; but for people who may be financially challenged and either don't have a doctor or can't afford a visit to a clinic or doctor for testing and management, I think this service should be available anyway.

As far as questionable 'facts' - the assumptions I made about depreciated meters or meters bought at auction or other sales are based on information I got from sellers. Plus, I don't think I labeled anything as a 'fact.'

 

[ShezaGirlie]

Free anticoagulation clinics are a wonderful idea, but one that might be difficult to establish. For all us folks age 65, Medicare does afford valve patients the coverage for free or close to free (depending on your medigap policy) INR testing. Furthermore; Medicare does approve the use of "used" machines because I told the training gal that my machine looked "used". She told me that they actually use "refurbished" machines because so many Medicare recipients gave up on home testing and sent their machines back....too difficult for some folks or they just didn't want to mess with it.

 

[Protimenow]

Good information. Thanks.

I certainly don't want to advocate for replacing a system that works--and, clearly, Medicare does for a lot of the people on Medicare. My interest was for those not of Medicare age, or not insured, who may need such testing...and these clinics don't have to be 'free.' Certainly insurance can be billed, the uninsured (or underinsured) who CAN pay will be asked to pay, but those who can't (or claim they can't) should be able to get tested (probably paid for out of profits from insurance and the payments of those who are able to pay, and possibly through a fund or endowments created for this purpose) and managed anyway. The monthly cost for warfarin shouldn't be more than five or six dollars per person (based on the generics being about a dime a pill, and usually not needing more than two pills to reach any required dosage).

Last generation meters were good enough until newer models came out -- they didn't stop being useful once newer meters became available. I'm glad to hear that these patients returned their meters, and that they're doing good for clinics or patients who want to self-test. It's a lot better than meters that get tossed in a drawer after a person dies (or something) and not being able to help anyone.

 

[Protimenow]

AVOID COAGUCHEK S

Roche is really serious about discontinuing the CoaguChek S. There are quite a few of these meters for sale on eBay, and will probably be more.

I bought one brand new - I'm not entirely sorry I did - for $40 including shipping. I got 48 strips for about $130, including shipping. If I didn't waste about 1/2 of my strips I've tested with so far trying to get the blood on them, my supply would possibly last until June 2011.

ROCHE WILL STOP MAKING THE STRIPS FOR THE COAGUCHEK S AND ALL STRIPS ARE EXPECTED TO EXPIRE BY OCTOBER 2011. (It's possible that my source was wrong, and that they'll stop making the strips in October 2011, but I wouldn't bank on that information). If you plan on buying a new or used CoaguChek S for long term home use, think again. You will probably get a little over a year of use. Although the meter can be tricked into thinking it's an earlier date, without quality controls, I don't know if I'd trust it.

My advice -- ProTime meters are usually less expensive than the time-limited CoaguChek S, and the manufacturer is probably going to provide strips for a long time into the future. If you can't get a CoaguChek XS or one of the InRatio machines, the ProTime is probably a good choice -- and has, so far, worked well for me.