Ebay and Coaguchek PT Strips

[Dave Brason]

I self-test for PT INR and I ordered Coaguchek PT strips on Ebay for the first time. The seller came across my credit card as JAPINTL and I received an email from Lynwood Deals advising me that my order has shipped. Does anyone have experience ordering strips off of Ebay? It just seemed a little sketchy to me with the different names. Thanks!

 

[carolinemc]

I would never buy any kind of testing strips from ebay. Not very reliable way for the strips could be expired by the time you get them. Best go to the company or from the pharmacy. Expired strips are less reliable.

 

[Protimenow]

I've bought strips on eBay many times. The seller usually lists the expiration date. For CoaguChek XS strips, many listings state that they weren't part of the recalled lots.

Sellers on eBay may use different names from the names that process the payment. In some cases, they drop ship (in other words, the seller places the listing and takes the payment, and THEN orders the product from the company that actually ships it. This is kind of like buying at Amazon - the seller is NOT Amazon - the listing is on Amazon, and is shipped by Amazon).

I wouldn't worry about ordering strips on eBay. If there's a problem, eBay has a pretty good program for canceling sales, resolving disputes, and refunds. Most regular sellers avoid problems because they don't want to be prevented from selling again.

 

[gerrychuck]

Agree with Protimenow. Buying from sellers who clearly state the expiry date has worked for 6 years for me. If you don't mind buying more frequently, prices for lots with a relatively close expiry date tend to be less expensive. Me, I don't enjoy going shopping online any more often than I have to so I buy packages of 48 with the furthest off expiry I can find, so I only have to do it about 1x/year. I've had no problems this way with my current Coaguchek or my previous InRatio strips, and I have always ended up paying leas than if I tried to source them locally.

 

[Eva]

I have been buying mine from eBay. Recently I bought 48 strips for $226. Every time it’s a different seller.

 

[pellicle]

The seller came across my credit card as JAPINTL and I received an email from Lynwood Deals advising me that my order has shipped. ... It just seemed a little sketchy to me with the different names. Thanks!

not to me, I frequently get stuff where the sellers details don't match the ebay name (like if you buy off me for instance).

As long as product meets description and it comes with the chip ... happy days. If not then that's what paypal buyer protection is all about

 

[Dave Brason]

I've bought strips on eBay many times. The seller usually lists the expiration date. For CoaguChek XS strips, many listings state that they weren't part of the recalled lots.

Sellers on eBay may use different names from the names that process the payment. In some cases, they drop ship (in other words, the seller places the listing and takes the payment, and THEN orders the product from the company that actually ships it. This is kind of like buying at Amazon - the seller is NOT Amazon - the listing is on Amazon, and is shipped by Amazon).

I wouldn't worry about ordering strips on eBay. If there's a problem, eBay has a pretty good program for canceling sales, resolving disputes, and refunds. Most regular sellers avoid problems because they don't want to be prevented from selling again.

Thanks. Very helpful. Ironically, strips I bought through a company, Medex Supply, were recalled.

 

[TheGymGuy]

I have been buying mine from eBay. Recently I bought 48 strips for $226. Every time it’s a different seller.

Same here. Been buying strips on eBay since 2012 ever since I found out that it’s cheaper than my co-pay on insurance.

I cross check my INR with a lab and do a coaguchek xs test shortly before the blood draw. So far with all of the years of testing I come within .1 of lab result.

My conclusion is that eBay / Amazon, etc., are ok so long as strips are not expired.

 

[tom in MO]

If you buy off e-bay, you may not get notifications of a problem with the strips such as with the recent recall. I was notified first by my supplier and then by the manufacturer.

The strips could have been defective strip or defective meter chip, or a strip/chip mismatch and taken from the dumpster of the factory or out the side door by a dishonest employee. As a kid my dad used to get big syringes to use in water fights out of the garbage of a syringe manufacturer.

Depending upon the supplier (e.g. bob selling grandma's leftovers) the strips might not have been properly stored.

They could be repackaged to change the expiration date.

In my working class urban neighborhood there are routinely signs on posts asking to buy unused diabetic testing supplies. This is the "grey market" of medical supply, whether it be prescription medication, durable goods or testing supplies. Be careful and prudent if you buy your medical supplies on the "grey market". You bet your life on it.

 

[LondonAndy]

If you buy off e-bay, you may not get notifications of a problem with the strips such as with the recent recall. I was notified first by my supplier and then by the manufacturer.

True, but there have been a number of posts of the Roche recall on here, including copies of the letter with the batch reference numbers, so another benefit of being a member of Valvereplacement.org

 

[pellicle]

If you buy off e-bay, you may not get notifications of a problem with the strips such as with the recent recall. I was notified first by my supplier and then by the manufacturer.

interestingly I was not notified by either of my suppliers (both proper pharma supply businesses, one in Germany the other in Australia) and indeed I notified them, as I called and asked if they knew (which they didn't)

with respect to:

Be careful and prudent if you buy your medical supplies on the "grey market". You bet your life on it.

as far as I know there are totally zero fake strips for Roche Coaguchek on the market place, if ever you hear of any please do post that here. However as to products being properly branded with Roche, coming with the strips and code chips I would feel its very unlikely there is much more than can go wrong that would also not be able to go wrong in the rest of the supply chain for a pharmacy.

As to betting my life on it, that feels a bit melodramatic, and in my view the purpose of this forum is to make people feel comfortable (not stir anxieties) and help educate them. So even with the "Notification Issue" if you look at that declaration it is clear that inside the "normal range" is it a problem, inside one is totally fine, its only well outside the normal range (even stretching that to 2 ~ 3.5) there is stated as being (a quantified) difference. Were you to find yourself under or over that range then it would be prudent to seek your medical advice no matter what (if you weren't already a competent self manager you'd ask yourself).

As I often say, looking at your phone while driving is a far more real and present danger than this.

 

[Protimenow]

Agreed.
I've bought CoaguChek strips and InRatio strips on eBay and have had no problems (other than the InRatio strips being inherently inaccurate - Alere sent me strips and THEY were inaccurate).

The only time I had an issue was early this month when I bought two XS strips for $5 - including shipping. This seller couldn't have made more than a dollar or two. These were granny's strips. He didn't know that they were part of a recalled lot. He didn't know anything about the recall. My reason for getting the strips in the first place was to reacquaint myself with the CoaguChek XS test process and, perhaps, get a value to compare to my Coag-Sense.

One thing to remember - as Pellicle also pointed out - was that if a value is way out of range, seek medical advice. (In my case, a recent erroneous lab result had me going to two labs and testing on two Coag-Sense meters. I was able to confirm, without doubt, that the first lab result was wrong). If INR is high - verify the result - retest, or test in a lab, or using another meter.

 

[sharky7]

Agreed.
I've bought CoaguChek strips and InRatio strips on eBay and have had no problems (other than the InRatio strips being inherently inaccurate - Alere sent me strips and THEY were inaccurate).

The only time I had an issue was early this month when I bought two XS strips for $5 - including shipping. This seller couldn't have made more than a dollar or two. These were granny's strips. He didn't know that they were part of a recalled lot. He didn't know anything about the recall. My reason for getting the strips in the first place was to reacquaint myself with the CoaguChek XS test process and, perhaps, get a value to compare to my Coag-Sense.

One thing to remember - as Pellicle also pointed out - was that if a value is way out of range, seek medical advice. (In my case, a recent erroneous lab result had me going to two labs and testing on two Coag-Sense meters. I was able to confirm, without doubt, that the first lab result was wrong). If INR is high - verify the result - retest, or test in a lab, or using another meter.

YES for sure, I also have not as of heard of anyone even trying to fake those strips, I guess that it could happen, and
Pellicle is right, using a SMART PHONE is much more dangerous, than even needing to worry about a recall, or someone faking strips for INR testing! And add that to this place where you are now, and IF, and that i think is a huge IF, that even happened it would I am sure make its way here, or online and we would know! Seems that it is not the case cause the money to be made is not enough for anyone to even think of doing it! {AND I have some that I ordered only a week or so back and I haven't looked nor opened it yet, but it is late now, and I will check it out tomorrow, And Pellicle just incase that ya didn't know, you'r are one awesome human, thank you for being you. HHO] {{{and for anyone that didnt know, CHIEFS won---38-35!! sorry eagles fans...LOL not.

 

[tom in MO]

interestingly I was not notified by either of my suppliers (both proper pharma supply businesses, one in Germany the other in Australia) and indeed I notified them, as I called and asked if they knew (which they didn't)

with respect to:

as far as I know there are totally zero fake strips for Roche Coaguchek on the market place, if ever you hear of any please do post that here. However as to products being properly branded with Roche, coming with the strips and code chips I would feel its very unlikely there is much more than can go wrong that would also not be able to go wrong in the rest of the supply chain for a pharmacy.

As to betting my life on it, that feels a bit melodramatic, and in my view the purpose of this forum is to make people feel comfortable (not stir anxieties) and help educate them. So even with the "Notification Issue" if you look at that declaration it is clear that inside the "normal range" is it a problem, inside one is totally fine, its only well outside the normal range (even stretching that to 2 ~ 3.5) there is stated as being (a quantified) difference. Were you to find yourself under or over that range then it would be prudent to seek your medical advice no matter what (if you weren't already a competent self manager you'd ask yourself).

As I often say, looking at your phone while driving is a far more real and present danger than this.

Well I receive my strips through a legitimate source and received two notifications of a problem. One from the supplier and one from Roche. Maybe you didn't receive notification because your "proper" supplier's not so proper. However you might not have been notified because you didn't receive the suspect strips that I received.

You do bet your life on the meter and the strips you use. You are a proponent of running one's INR higher than the recommended range to be "prudent". I think it's prudent that if you buy from Ebay, make sure your supplier is legit. Although fake strips are not a problem, improper storage is a difficulty that cannot be readily detected.

 

[jeffp]

What kind of problem did they notify you of? Did they replace the problematic strips?

 

[sharky7]

Ebay, make sure your supplier is legit. Although fake strips are not a problem, improper storage is a difficulty that cannot be readily detected.

legit supplier, not sure about that, if you would, please indicate how someone would go by and determine that? And your right about that, when and if they were not properly stored, it would indeed be somewhat difficult to determine! And if it was, the when would be, the shipping I would think! was it shipped in a very hot container, or a frig on 18wheels, etc.! And I may add, was it regulated at all, and by whom, and where?
The most recent pack of 24 strips I bought on EBAY, were made in Germany, sorry if I should have known, but I am asking everyone here. is this the only country where they are made, and if anyone knows, where else are they made, i will also search for that answer myself, and come back here if I find anything I think I need to add to this convo/chat.
WELL WELL, i could find what I was looking for, although I did find this and its an awesome instruction on the bottom of that PAGE for PATIENT SELF-TESTING, so check it out, and please let me know what ya all think, and perhaps if anyone else found this already. {AND if you have that meter, or another one, look for the one you own, this is the one I bought and use, so it is perfect for me, i read it and there were some items that I did not know, and I been self testing now about 2 years or so. good LUCK everyone, home/self testing for INR I think is the way to go.}

https://diagnostics.roche.com/us/en/products/instruments/coaguchek-xs-ins-804.html#productSpecsAND this is the one I read for the machine I bought and now use, THIS is the
CoaguChek XS Getting Started Guide for Patient Self-Testing PDF/ADOBE file, whomever did it, did a very good job putting it together, it covers everything I think, and at a level even i am able to comprehend, and understand.

https://diagnostics.roche.com/conte...ng-Started-Guide-for-Patient-Self-Testing.pdf

 

[Protimenow]

There were some recalled strips a few years ago. Roche made the announcement.

The recalled lots became common knowledge. The recalled strips have expired.

For a while, a seller or two on eBay sold the strips. When I questioned them about this, they responded that the buyers can use them to get Roche to replace them with GOOD strips.

I doubt that there's enough volume to make counterfeiting strips worthwhile - you have to make strips, the cylinders that they're stored in, code chips, believable labels, etc. Plus, Roche probably keeps watching for any counterfeits that may make it into the market.

I buy my strips on eBay, from U.S. sellers. Roche is based in Germany, so I wouldn't be surprised that the strips are made there (and maybe other locations around the world). Still, for whatever reason, I prefer to get my strips from a U.S. based (or so they say) source.

 

[MdaPA]

Although fake strips are not a problem, improper storage is a difficulty that cannot be readily detected.

And your right about that, when and if they were not properly stored, it would indeed be somewhat difficult to determine! And if it was, the when would be, the shipping I would think! was it shipped in a very hot container, or a frig on 18wheels, etc.!

IIRC, the CoaguChek XS meter would report an error when it performs the quality control test if a strip has an issue (e.g. strip was exposed to extreme temperatures, light, strip has expired, etc.).

 

[Protimenow]

It does. There's QC built into each strip. There's QC built into Coag-Sense, too.

The XS strips can withstand some pretty extreme temperatures (while in the tube). What they can't withstand is prolonged exposure to air. Keep those tubes capped.

 

[sharky7]

It does. There's QC built into each strip. There's QC built into Coag-Sense, too.

The XS strips can withstand some pretty extreme temperatures (while in the tube). What they can't withstand is prolonged exposure to air. Keep those tubes capped.

I did not know that, although I do make sure the cap closes tight, and now I will double check em all, every time! Those things are not cheap, I think. but it is your health, which I think you cannot place a price on, right everyone? thank you