covers the strips.
Coagucheck home testing
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Strips at 80 %
Lancets are quite affordable, unless you get the pre-loaded, one use kind. For myself, a lancing device and 21 or 22 gauge lancets work fine. I just got a lifetime supply of lancets (more than I'll need, even if I test weekly) on eBay. There doesn't seem to be a lot of demand for these larger lancets, so they are often pretty affordable.
It's the strips and the meter that can eat you up -- if you can get 80% coverage for the strips, this would be great.
(FWIW -- the blood glucose meters are very affordable, and the strips are probably pennies per test - a far cry from INR testing. Perhaps this is why the insurers are not resistant to covering blood glucose, and why they're less than happy to cover INR testing.)
It's the strips and the meter that can eat you up -- if you can get 80% coverage for the strips, this would be great.
(FWIW -- the blood glucose meters are very affordable, and the strips are probably pennies per test - a far cry from INR testing. Perhaps this is why the insurers are not resistant to covering blood glucose, and why they're less than happy to cover INR testing.)
Forgot to mention, the Coaguchek XS will come with the Softclix lancing pen and I ordered a little box of, I
believe, 50 lancet needles for $10 (that will last me 2 years).
sweetmarie
Well-known member
While continuing my saga concerning a coagucheck, I have learned that there are at least 1 maybe 2 in my small town who have one. Sources from my clinic tell me that in a short period of about a month, they have determined a +/- .2 compared to the clinic's meter. I was wondering if those that own one is what you people have experienced in comparison? I'm not implying that one meter or the other is more correct. Perhaps this has been talked about in an other thread?
I'm considering buying one outright regardless of the non-insurance.
I'm considering buying one outright regardless of the non-insurance.
SM, my monitor has been comparison tested against the lab standards of the Ottawa Hospital, and it has been
exactly the same, even though a difference of .2 is acceptable according to the Coaguchek XS quality assurance.
Keeping my INR around 3.0 ensures that I am always safely in range.
Go buy it and put it on your taxes next year.
GO GO GO
exactly the same, even though a difference of .2 is acceptable according to the Coaguchek XS quality assurance.
Keeping my INR around 3.0 ensures that I am always safely in range.
Go buy it and put it on your taxes next year.
GO GO GO
I've used a few different meters. A Protime 3 test in December 2009 (when I had a concussion) was almost an exact match for a lab test. I haven't tested my InRatio against a lab results, but I'm comfortable with the InRatio results.
There have been reports of a slightly higher than 'normal' score for INRs above 4 or so (I'm not sure of the exact number) on some of the meters. (There are also potential inaccuracies in lab results, based on improper storage and handling of the blood samples, variability in the reagents used, and other factors). The CoaguChek XS, InRatio, and ProTime meters have quality controls built into the strips, and the reagents used in each batch of strips have a code on (or recorded into) the strip, so the meter can give a result based on the reagent.
As long as the meter's quality control works, and reports no QC problems, I would expect the results from any of the meters I've mentioned to be within .2 or .3 of a blood draw. As long as you're in the middle of your target range, there's probably not much cause for concern.
There have been reports of a slightly higher than 'normal' score for INRs above 4 or so (I'm not sure of the exact number) on some of the meters. (There are also potential inaccuracies in lab results, based on improper storage and handling of the blood samples, variability in the reagents used, and other factors). The CoaguChek XS, InRatio, and ProTime meters have quality controls built into the strips, and the reagents used in each batch of strips have a code on (or recorded into) the strip, so the meter can give a result based on the reagent.
As long as the meter's quality control works, and reports no QC problems, I would expect the results from any of the meters I've mentioned to be within .2 or .3 of a blood draw. As long as you're in the middle of your target range, there's probably not much cause for concern.
sweetmarie
Well-known member
quote "As long as the meter's quality control works, and reports no QC problems, I would expect the results from any of the meters I've mentioned to be within .2 or .3 of a blood draw. As long as you're in the middle of your target range, there's probably not much cause for concern. "
This is what concerns me. How can I be sure that the quality control works? I know some of you will say "How can I be sure that the hospital's or clicnic's quality control works?
This is what concerns me. How can I be sure that the quality control works? I know some of you will say "How can I be sure that the hospital's or clicnic's quality control works?
When you go to the hospital/clinic, from the blood draw they take, they do 'their' test 3 times then average out the results. Therefore the standard for them is to have a variance of .2 (high or low).
My meter (CoaguChek XS) is always a bid higher than the lab. If your concerned if the quality control works, test another person who isn't on warfarin, the reading should be somewhere between 1.0 to 1.2.
My meter (CoaguChek XS) is always a bid higher than the lab. If your concerned if the quality control works, test another person who isn't on warfarin, the reading should be somewhere between 1.0 to 1.2.
My old "S" refused to run a test and the unit displayed an "Error Code". This Error Code advised a call to Roche which I did. "S" was beyond help so I switched to the "XS".
This leads me to believe if all is not well with the monitor it won't process the blood. These electronic gadgets are quite sophisticated.
This leads me to believe if all is not well with the monitor it won't process the blood. These electronic gadgets are quite sophisticated.
SM, Here in Canada, you will be buying the Coaguchek XS. This latest model for home use has the QC built into
every strip and the pack of strips comes with a matching computer chip that you plug into the side of the monitor.
If anything is messed up----expiry date, wrong chip, not enough blood, dead battery, etc. The monitor will pick up
on it and give an error message before processing the INR.
My life has been in the hands of this machine for the past 4 years and I feel totally safe. You will too.
The quality controls are built into the strips with the express goal of determining that the test will be accurate. As Lance said, the meters are designed so that they CAN'T report a result if the QC fails. The liability faced by these meter manufacturers --- and the professionals who make dosing decisions based on the accuracy of the tests -- should be high enough that it's imperative for the manufacturers to make sure that no erroneous test results are produced.
It may have been possible to get errors using meters (like the CoaguChekS) with quality controls that weren't built into the strips, but I don't think there would be much of an accuracy issue with the current meters (or any of the ProTime meters).
As far as agreement between lab and meters - at higher INRs, the meters WILL show an increasing difference from lab tests. It's a characteristic of the testing technologies. For really high values, it's probably a good idea to do a lab test to confirm.
It may have been possible to get errors using meters (like the CoaguChekS) with quality controls that weren't built into the strips, but I don't think there would be much of an accuracy issue with the current meters (or any of the ProTime meters).
As far as agreement between lab and meters - at higher INRs, the meters WILL show an increasing difference from lab tests. It's a characteristic of the testing technologies. For really high values, it's probably a good idea to do a lab test to confirm.
sweetmarie
Well-known member
I`m having the manager of our pharmacy contact Roche to set up the purchase. My doc already told me she would write the prescription.
And I`ve already volunteered my wife to be the 1.0 INR guinea pig:thumbup: if ever need be to help crosscheck a non coumadin user. I`m such a nice person, lol.
And I`ve already volunteered my wife
to be the 1.0 INR guinea pig:thumbup: if ever need be to help crosscheck a non coumadin user. I`m such a nice person, lol.
I`m having the manager of our pharmacy contact Roche to set up the purchase. My doc already told me she would write the prescription.
And I`ve already volunteered my wife
Totally cool, you are on your way. And tell your wife not to worry, you won't be needing her blood. The monitor
is extremely reliable and very advanced. But feel free to stick her if you just want to have fun.
I ordered test strips on Monday and got them 2 days later. All set for another year.
sweetmarie
Well-known member
Totally cool, you are on your way. And tell your wife not to worry, you won't be needing her blood. The monitor
is extremely reliable and very advanced. But feel free to stick her if you just want to have fun.
I ordered test strips on Monday and got them 2 days later. All set for another year.
"But feel free to stick her if you just want to have fun.
" Now my wife wants to know exactly what you meant by that? lol
"But feel free to stick her if you just want to have fun.
Would she prefer a detailed description or a detailed diagram ?
sweetmarie
Well-known member
wrote alternate post
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sweetmarie
Well-known member
Some info from my local pharmacy. I'd like to know first of all if some of you had to pay more than $500.00 for your XS unit? Did your pharmacy charge extra for ordering and selling you the unit? My local pharmacy made me a price higher than the $500.00 that Roche charges and I told them this. They said they'd get back to me. I don't have to buy it from them, there are many pharmacies less than an hour away from where I live but I'd give them the business first. It's not like they're going to service it for me if need be, if it fails, it'll be going back to the supplier anyway.
I am in Canada as most of you know.
Thanks.
Your Roche rep will have a list of the specific pharmacies in your area that they supply with products. But I think that
you have discovered, like I, that this year the prices have gone up on some items.
For 3 years I paid $182 for a one year supply of 24 test strips and this year the price jumped to $205.
(that may be only in Ontario, I'm not sure about Quebec)
Even at the higher price, I still consider it a bargain to be able to home test.
YES, some pharmacy's will charge more. I shopped around, since there were only two places in my city that carried the unit I went with the cheaper place and told London Drugs that were too expensive when Roche's suggested price retail price was $500.00 - mind you that was 2 or 3 ago.
Maybe Roche would tell you what their new suggested retail price is.
Bina, thanks for the heads up on price hike, guess I got under the wire when I got a new supply earlier this spring.
Maybe Roche would tell you what their new suggested retail price is.
Bina, thanks for the heads up on price hike, guess I got under the wire when I got a new supply earlier this spring.
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