CoaguChek XS cancelling a test

[UncleSteve]

I've not seen this in any FAQ, so...

I do sometimes struggle to get a large enough blood sample to carry out a successful test before the tester times out. Is the test strip useless if the tester times out, or if I switch the tester off before the test window time is complete? Can I re-use the un-blooded test strip again?

Thanks

 

[TheGymGuy]

Do not know for sure if the strip is useless since some chemical reaction had to have started to get it ready for your blood sample.

Now, you have a total of 180 seconds to warm up your finger, poke it and get a blood sample. Also, only 15 seconds after you poke it to get blood onto the strip. I posted earlier about easy way to get a large blood drop with hot water in a cup right before you poke your finger. Give it a read and see if this helps. I know collect a larger than needed drop with minimal effort every time.

 

[Protimenow]

For the XS, what may be happening might not be a chemical reaction -- the strip is being warmed to body temperature (as far as I know) so the blood will be processed as if it was still in the body. However, you may have to ask Roche about the viability of a strip, once it's been heated up. The Roche strips are very sensitive to moisture (which is why you are supposed to close the cap on the container as soon as you remove a strip), so moisture may be a big issue related to trying to test again with a strip that you couldn't get a blood sample for.

(The ProTime strips - they call them 'cuvettes' are toast - if you can't get the blood onto the cuvette, you may as well throw it away. The Coag-Sense is fine if you can't get a good drop -- as long as you don't get blood into the reaction area, you can still use the strip. I am not sure about InRatio)

 

[pellicle]

Hi

I'll answer your questions out of order:

Is the test strip useless if the tester times out, or if I switch the tester off before the test window time is complete? Can I re-use the un-blooded test strip again?

yes ... the strip contains materials which are intended for a 'one off use' ... they are activated when you start the sequence

so the strip is committed from the time your warmup sequence is started. However you have a 180 second window in which to get blood.

I do sometimes struggle to get a large enough blood sample to carry out a successful test before the tester times out.

There is a suggestion in the earlier manuals that you should have applied the blood sample to the strip within 15 seconds

however I notice that this has changed.

Also that page suggests that you should not massage the finger, however I notice that too seems to have changed in the latest manuals.

My technique is this:
- start warmup
- cock the lancelet mechanism
- when "ready" alert is sounded, I wrap a rubber band (scrounged from the post holding envelopes together) firmly around my finger just below the 2nd joint. This results in blood rapidly gathering in the finger, within about 10 seconds its ready.
- I then lance (the side of the finger) and often the blood appears quickly, if not a light squeeze (pressing nail and fingerpad) gets me a great sample size.

even in winter.

best wishes