Help! Inratio gone bad!

[Marty]

Lately my INRatio has let me down. About every other time ,I use a big drop from my trusty capillary tube onto the strip well and the monitor sits there on APPLY SAMPLE , no error message or anything. I finally pull the strip out and it looks like the blood didn't wick up and cover all three test areas. Bad strips?, good monitor-probably. Did this three times tonite and now I'm out of strips and have two sore fingers. Does any body have any experience with this type of problem? I've notified Hemosense but nobody home on Saturday night even on their "24/7" tech support!

 

[Marty]

Call from Tech Support!

Call from Tech Support!

Sholea, from Hemosense tech support, called at 9:00 PM Saturday evening.
She said I am having trouble because the capillary tubes I am using (and quite successfully) until recently are made by Roche for the Coaguchek and cause problems for the INR ratio- little air bubbles keep the blood from wicking up and covering adequately the three sensors at the top of the strip.She urged me to go back to use a hanging drop direct from the finger. I used to have trouble with this but will try do it.She then asked me whyI didn't use Hemosense MICROSAFE collection and dispensing tubes. I said I tried them a couple of times and couldn't get them to work.So she said she will airmail me some new strips and Hemosense MICROSAFE tubes; then Tuesday she will talk me through a test . Sounds good to me and speaks well for Hemosense support.

 

[geebee]

Marty,
I had this happen when I used the Hemosense capillary tubes I do not have the problem with the cheapy generic ones also sold at QAS. I know it sounds a little wacky but it is true. I talked to Hemosense and they told me capillary tubes are capillary tubes and the problem I explained couldn't be happening.
Are you using the Hemosense capillary tubes?

 

[Marty]

Marty,
I had this happen when I used the Hemosense capillary tubes I do not have the problem with the cheapy generic ones also sold at QAS. I know it sounds a little wacky but it is true. I talked to Hemosense and they told me capillary tubes are capillary tubes and the problem I explained couldn't be happening.
Are you using the Hemosense capillary tubes?

Geebee, see above post almost simultaneous with yours. I never got the Hemosense tubes to work either but maybe I'll give them another try. Maybe I'll go back to direct finger drop which I think she would really like me to do.

 

[geebee]

I have never been able to get the drop to work. It always ends up running down the bottom of the hole instead of going in. Maybe I need to actually let it fall rather than "touch" it to the strip.
Anyway, I hope the help from Hemosense works. They have always been very helpful for me. My claim to fame is a quote on their brochure.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

When is Coaguchek going to get on the stick and release their New Home Tester to the American Market?

Just when I decided that's how I wanted go (assuming I can ever get my company's Home Office to approve Home Testers for insurance coverage...ARRGH!), Coaguchek went OFF the market (double ARRGH!).

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Karlynn]

Maybe I'm not following directions, but I've never had a problem with the drop of blood directly from the finger. But then maybe I'm supposed to let it actually drop off and on to the well. I get a good drop of blood hanging there and just barely touch it to the well. Only the blood touches the well and not my finger.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Hi Marty!

Sorry to hear you are having those issues. When did you give up on the Coaguchek? And I agree with Al.....hopefully Roche will market in the US soon. I am ready for an upgrade!

 

[RandyL]

Maybe I'm not following directions, but I've never had a problem with the drop of blood directly from the finger. But then maybe I'm supposed to let it actually drop off and on to the well. I get a good drop of blood hanging there and just barely touch it to the well. Only the blood touches the well and not my finger.

Never had a problem and do it just like Karlynn. I do sqeeze my finger until I feel I have enough blood.

 

[Marty]

OK Gang! You've convinced me to change. Next batch of strips are all gonna be done with hanging drop from finger! Thanks Marty

 

[Ross]

No offense meant to Hemosense, but those Microsafe tubes are junk. I just got a new batch and seems like 1 out of 3 simply will not release the blood once it's collected. Me thinks they need to do some quality control on those babies.

 

[geebee]

No offense meant to Hemosense, but those Microsafe tubes are junk. I just got a new batch and seems like 1 out of 3 simply will not release the blood once it's collected. Me thinks they need to do some quality control on those babies.

I agree. I tried to tell Hemosense this but they told me I was using them wrong. Since the cheap generic ones do work, obviously it is not me. I threw the rest of the batch of the Microsafe tubes away and bought a bunch of the generic. No problems at all.
However, today I decided to try it without the tubes just to see if my technique had improved. I managed two tests with just the hanging drop so maybe there is a future for me without capillary tubes.

 

[Philip]

I use the "Karlynn Method" with great results.
Philip

 

[Marty]

Sholea called from Hemosense this AM at 9:30 AM EST, 6:30 AM in San Jose.
She is sending four new test strips plus Microsafe tubes. Pretty good support,Eh? I'm going to try direct hanging drop, get a god test and then maybe experiment to see if I can get one of those Microsafe tubes to work. Sholea says "draw the blood up to the black line by capillary action, then go to the strip and squeeze at the top with the right hand ...and cover the little hole between the black lines with the left index finger". She says this is fool proof( Nothing personal Ross, but did you cover up the little hole?) and delivers 15uL blood which is enough.

 

[Ross]

Sholea called from Hemosense this AM at 9:30 AM EST, 6:30 AM in San Jose.
She is sending four new test strips plus Microsafe tubes. Pretty good support,Eh? I'm going to try direct hanging drop, get a god test and then maybe experiment to see if I can get one of those Microsafe tubes to work. Sholea says "draw the blood up to the black line by capillary action, then go to the strip and squeeze at the top with the right hand ...and cover the little hole between the black lines with the left index finger". She says this is fool proof( Nothing personal Ross, but did you cover up the little hole?) and delivers 15uL blood which is enough.

Nope. Always make sure the hole isn't covered. I don't think they get all the plastic out of the vent hole, so it draws the blood in, but it won't release when you squeeze the top. Maybe I should send her about 60 out of 100 full of blood for her to see.

 

[Karlynn]

Nope. Always make sure the hole isn't covered. I don't think they get all the plastic out of the vent hole, so it draws the blood in, but it won't release when you squeeze the top. Maybe I should send her about 60 out of 100 full of blood for her to see.

Hmmm, this is sounding like a bigger learning curve than the hanging drop of blood from the finger. You guys must be really smart!

 

[Marty]

Hmmm, this is sounding like a bigger learning curve than the hanging drop of blood from the finger. You guys must be really smart!

You need to be smart to make something simple , really complicated. Maybe I can get a job with the government and write a directive on how to get blood on to a test strip!

 

[Marty]

Hooray!!!!

Hooray!!!!

Sholeh, got my fresh test strips to me today by FEDEX "extemely urgent".
I tried hanging drop and didn't make it. Bood ran off my finger before I could get it to the well. I didn't waste a strip though I went to my old faithful Roche capillary tube, pulled in blood almost to the top and then went to the well and squirted on a nice big drop WITH NO AIR IN IT. The little monitor tested immediately and I got a good reading.The key ,fellow students, is getting at least 15uL of blood on the test well WITH NO AIR IN IT and it doesn't matter how you do it-hanging drop, Microsafe tube, or any old capillary tube like the Roche tube. I am very impressed with the excellent Tech Support from Hemosese and will not be going back to Coaguchek any time soon.

 

[Ross]

I am very impressed with the excellent Tech Support from Hemosense and will not be going back to Coaguchek any time soon.

Marty when I had that problem of getting nothing but error codes (because my hematocrit was out of whack) I mean to tell you I got phone calls from people in some high places there, more then willing to bend over to answer the question of why. If they keep that up, they'll win all the home testers over in a short period of time. Not just people at the home office called, but a field rep too almost back to back. Heck yes, I'm impressed.

 

[Karlynn]

I HATE air bubble error messages. I got them all the time with my Protime. Trying to get that blood into the little tiny cup with no air bubbles was tricky. I've only had one error in about 20 tests with my INRatio, and that was "not enough blood". I can deal with that.