Coagucheck

[katiewintle]

Hiya all. I am on warfarin for the rest of my life for a mechanical mitral valve. I am considering getting a Coagucheck to self test when I am on holiday particularly when I am abroad. Does anyone else have one of these? Did you get any help in purchasing it? Can you get the test strips and the lancets on prescription? Any help gratefully received. By the way I am from the United Kingdom.

 

[Lynlw]

Hi Katie, There are quite a few members who home test and love it, There is alot of good info and the home testing section http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?14-Home-Anticoagulation-Monitoring and anticoagulation http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?5-Anti-Coagulation There are members from all over they can probably give you info on how to get them and answer any quesions you have once you get started.

 

[big_L]

I bought a meter on eBay. My plan was to then submit the paperwork and get the insurance to pay for it and the test strips. Roche will not 'sell' you a meter until you've been on warfarin for 90 days. Once I got the form filled out and sent to my cardio for his approval, then Roche contacted me. I found their rules to be rather limiting. You have to call the results to them and they contact the doctor. You have to have a new prescription to change the test frequency. At this point I decided to just keep buying the strips myself. I have my INR done at the clinic at my employer and I then do my own check with the Coaguchek at home on the weeks that I don't have a lab INR.

The meter works well, but you do need a rather large blood drop, which I still struggle with a bit. I like the meter and having my own means to test is really important to me. There is evidence out there that says that 'home testers' have a better long-term mortality due to better INR control.

You can get on the Roche site and fill out a form that will get the 'ball rolling'. You should then be contacted shortly by their representative who will forward the appropriate forms to you.

 

[Bina]

Hiya all. I am on warfarin for the rest of my life for a mechanical mitral valve. I am considering getting a Coagucheck to self test when I am on holiday particularly when I am abroad. Does anyone else have one of these? Did you get any help in purchasing it? Can you get the test strips and the lancets on prescription? Any help gratefully received. By the way I am from the United Kingdom.

Since you are from the UK it is just as easy to buy as in Canada. You will need the Coaguchek XS kit for around $500.
Here we need a prescription from our doctor to be able to order it, and after that I picked up mine from a local pharmacy.
The test strips I buy with an ongoing prescription, and the lancets are a regular purchase (cheap).
My personal insurance pays 80% of the test strips.
The monitor is extremely accurate and easy to use.
You will LOVE having one !

 

[pellicle]

Hi

I am considering getting a Coagucheck to self test when I am on holiday particularly when I am abroad.

great tool ... but you need the Coagucheck XS ... don't get the other models as they have been discontinued AFAIK ...

Does anyone else have one of these? Did you get any help in purchasing it?

I do and I did ... I got mine given to me by ATS when I got the valve (3 cheers for ATS : Hip HIP...) but they are available on eBay from time to time. Shop around for the strips as they are often WAY cheaper online than at a pharmacy.

I get mine from a mob in Ozziland (of course because I'm from there) but now that I'm in Europe for a bit I have been looking at a mob over in Deutchland who sell online ... a pack of 24 is about 145euro.

I haven't checked the UK, but let me know if you want the URL for the German place.

Google is your mate!

BTW ... you may find yourself just doing it all yourself anyway, as once you get used to doing it at home you may give up on the lab. I can do mine in less time than getting ready to go out ... let alone getting there!

 

[RunMartin]

I am in the UK and I have just started self testing with a Coagucheck XS but I have been self testing in parallel with my regular test for 6 months. I bought it off ebay for £200 but with hindsight I should have paid the £300 and got the warranty (you do not need to pay the VAT if you are a long term user of Warfarin).
I have managed to get the strips on prescription. You need to go to your GP to approve this (they are about £70 for 24). The hard bit is getting enough blood to land on the strip in the correct place. I much prefer to check my INR at a shorter interval (especially when training or on holiday). Well worth having