Home testing

[Keithl]

If it's missing pieces and parts, it's certainly not "in very good condition- does not even look used" Looks used and tired to me. I wouldn't bet my life on it...

There is no US FDA requirement to have a prescription for INR home testing meter and supplies. You cannot hurt yourself with the meter. The requirement in the US for a prescription is a monopolistic cabal between insurance companies. doctors and Roche.

I agree, another money grab.

 

[ATHENS1964]

https://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?fsb=y&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=&SearchText=coaguchek+xs
https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...offerlist.normal_offer.d_title.ad8a6614b5nYFD

 

[Chuck C]

I wouldn't bet my life on it...

I would never "bet my life" on it unless I verified its accuracy first. How often do you verify the accuracy of yours? Or do you just trust your life to it and assume that it will stay accurate?

Not everyone has a cushy insurance plan from their employer that covers 100% of the cost of a home testing device and not everyone can afford a new device. It is simple to verify the accuracy of a used device against lab results. Personally, I'm glad that there is a market where one can buy a used device at a fraction of the cost of a new one(although Athens seems to have found a great deal on new ones), which enables people to self monitor who otherwise might not be able to afford to.

 

[Chuck C]

https://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?fsb=y&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=&SearchText=coaguchek+xs
https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...offerlist.normal_offer.d_title.ad8a6614b5nYFD

Those are amazing prices. Have you ever bought from this seller?

 

[sharky7]

https://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?fsb=y&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=&SearchText=coaguchek+xs
https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...offerlist.normal_offer.d_title.ad8a6614b5nYFD

that second URL that you posted is weird to say the least, it seems to be indicating that you would need to buy at least 1000 boxes of strips, so that would be at least $4,000? or what am I missing? it seems if I was able to buy it, it would be about what, $1 a test strip? or so? are there over 4000 out there that test that would share the cost with me? ANYONE???

 

[sharky7]

Those are amazing prices. Have you ever bought from this seller?

WOW, and a NEW MACHINE is this is true, is like what, about half of what i paid, $250usd? Chuck did you see that, and that if it is true, is right now an awesome price.
AND in the ad for it, it states it come with 48 test strips.....WOW. the strips alone are at least $200 or more. the one i bought didnt come with strips at all.
i havent checked, but thing is, you may need a doctors script to buy it, i do not know.
https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...offerlist.normal_offer.d_title.63085880pjp7po

 

[slipkid]

Chuck:
general Question for you, and a slight change of topic, here and on this forum, how does one become a, Well Known Member"? i for some reason are a "active member", whatever that is.....LOL [OR if anyone else knows, that is if we do not.]

I think it is tied in with how many posts you have. At least that is how it works on other forums I belong to. I don't know the threshold to move from "active" to "well known" to "forum addict" (or whatever other designations are). Am gonna guess that 100 might be the "well known" one.

 

[ATHENS1964]

Those are amazing prices. Have you ever bought from this seller?

I have never bought from ebay or alibaba because I buy from roche wholesale, I have a medical store.
alibaba and ebay are very big companies and here are the financial data alibaba market cap 378 bilions
https://www.investing.com/equities/alibaba

 

[pellicle]

https://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?fsb=y&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=&SearchText=coaguchek+xs
https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...offerlist.normal_offer.d_title.ad8a6614b5nYFD

well, thanks for that very interesting. I'm unsurprised to find that even though I had never thought to look there. India must certainly use that path.

Mine was delivered to me by Roche in Australia (back in 2012 now) and is made in Germany

 

[Chuck C]

Mine was delivered to me by Roche in Australia (back in 2012 now) and is made in Germany

Both Coaguchek xs, which I purchased used, are also made in Germany.

 

[pellicle]

Both Coaguchek xs, which I purchased used, are also made in Germany.

for what its worth I was unable to find the XS's that were mentioned on AliExpress when searching directly for those key words on AliExpress from Australia.

So either they're region blocked or sold. Also the clearly non-genuine ones were rather highly priced

I understood that (perhaps wrongly) that Alibaba is more B2B than individual customer

 

[pellicle]

Both Coaguchek xs, which I purchased used, are also made in Germany.

but I wouldn't trust them ... they look like they're fiddled with ;-)

 

[LondonAndy]

I realise that, being in the UK, my experience doesn't directly help those in the US. However, if reassuring to users about the accuracy of the CoaguChek XS machines, and for possibly arguing against doctors who dismiss them, this report by the UK's "National Institute of Clinical Excellence" may be worth printing out and waving under their noses. Here, a patient on Warfarin is actively encouraged to use a machine at home. The quality of results is similar to a lab, and the ability to do a finger-prick test in a few minutes wherever you are means the ability to more closely monitor INR levels, helping ensure people stay in therapeutic range and therefore avoid adverse events like strokes and thrombosis. It doubtless helps here that it is also cheaper for our health service to operate this way, so everyone's a winner here.

 

[pellicle]

...arguing against doctors who dismiss them, this report by the UK's "National Institute of Clinical Excellence" may be worth printing out and waving under their noses

reading this I'm struck by this point:

• Increased time in therapeutic range (43.2% to 80.8% for self-testing compared with 22.3% to 72.0% for standard care)

which shows that we still have a long way to go to get more people in range more of the time. I can't imagine what the factors are but given what the stats are that we see so few injuries and so many out of range for so much time it strongly suggests that a well managed INR (meaning in range >90% of the time) must lead to even better results than are published for the risk ratio of choosing a mechanical valve.

As I often say, if you yourself want to have the best chances of a durable low risk valve replacement and you yourself are going to be compliant and be part of your team, then a mechanical valve is an probably the best choice for anyone under 50.

In the last 9 years I've been over 90% in range (year on year results, with weekly testing). Anyone who cares in the slightest about their health and wants to manage it themselves is entirely able to get this level.

 

[LondonAndy]

reading this I'm struck by this point:

• Increased time in therapeutic range (43.2% to 80.8% for self-testing compared with 22.3% to 72.0% for standard care)

which shows that we still have a long way to go to get more people in range more of the time.

I completely agree. Bear in mind that this report was published in 2014, and the adoption of home testing is far more widespread now with a larger cohort of users and, I suspect, more willing promotion and support from health care professionals. I am also over 90% in range, monitoring weekly.

 

[pellicle]

... I am also over 90% in range, monitoring weekly.

excellent ...

 

[Protimenow]

It appears that a lot of the XS meters were 'dumped' onto the market. The battery door and the blue piece that helps direct the strip into the meter have been removed - probably to either make them unusable, or to show that these are used meters.
In general, these meters ARE accurate, regardless of their age or how many tests they've run.

I'm guessing that a large company with a testing service pulled its 'loaner' units back, in anticipation of launching their new meters in the U.S. This would explain the lower price, and potential unusability.

I'm thinking about getting a 'spare' unit--I already have a back battery cover, and could probably craft something out of cardboard and tape. The blue piece above the guide for inserting the strip may be of an issue (but, again, I have another meter that I might be able to switch from).

These meters probably don't have many tests on them if they were 'leased' units.

I'm trying to do better than the $48 or $49 price on these meters.

I don't know how many this seller has, or when the supply will run short, but for now, anyone looking for an XS - who is crafty enough to build a battery cover and capable of inserting the strip without the blue guide may be able to snag a pretty nice bargain.

 

[ATHENS1964]

I realise that, being in the UK, my experience doesn't directly help those in the US. However, if reassuring to users about the accuracy of the CoaguChek XS machines, and for possibly arguing against doctors who dismiss them, this report by the UK's "National Institute of Clinical Excellence" may be worth printing out and waving under their noses. Here, a patient on Warfarin is actively encouraged to use a machine at home. The quality of results is similar to a lab, and the ability to do a finger-prick test in a few minutes wherever you are means the ability to more closely monitor INR levels, helping ensure people stay in therapeutic range and therefore avoid adverse events like strokes and thrombosis. It doubtless helps here that it is also cheaper for our health service to operate this way, so everyone's a winner here.

I have been using the roche device for more than a year and I am satisfied and calm with the self-control here is another study my knowledge of English does not allow me to properly evaluate what he writes.
https://academic.oup.com/ajcp/article/151/1/1/5095261

 

[tom in MO]

And if ya dont mind me asking, with the way that you get those test strips, how much are they. like i have said, an order for 2X24=48 strips, was for what i bought online ebay was total that also included taxes was $202USD, i been told this is a good price, my NEW machine run me just over $500USD. and those strips are coming down to me from OHIO somewhere.
And also if ya dont mind, i dont quite understand what ya meant when you said you found out where the machine you bought came from........not sure what point you were making. perhaps something about you not realizing that you out and out owned the machine, and it was a gift to you from the "insurance company provider", and then in turn you were the NEW owner!
To that point, i had heard posts from some others that when they chose to do the home testing, and not use a Lab, the machine that they had, had to be returned, not sure right now of the details on those!

I don't remember how much it costs because it varies by whether or not my deductible is paid up. It's more than $202 for 48. That's a really good price. I have had two meters given to me by two different suppliers but the same provider. I was not requested to give back the first but did so. When my mil passed away we did not have to give up the meter or tell the company that supplied it and her supplies.

I work in an FDA regulated field that includes diagnostics. I would never bet my life on a used meter especially one missing parts. Meters looking perfect can have problems. I've had trouble with the first meter and Roche helped me get it straightened out.

 

[tom in MO]

I would never "bet my life" on it unless I verified its accuracy first. How often do you verify the accuracy of yours? Or do you just trust your life to it and assume that it will stay accurate?

Not everyone has a cushy insurance plan from their employer that covers 100% of the cost of a home testing device and not everyone can afford a new device. It is simple to verify the accuracy of a used device against lab results. Personally, I'm glad that there is a market where one can buy a used device at a fraction of the cost of a new one(although Athens seems to have found a great deal on new ones), which enables people to self monitor who otherwise might not be able to afford to.

A single point check vs. a lab does not verify a meter's ability to function. Your meter needs to function from at least 1.8 to 4 INR. Your advice to buy visibly damaged used meters for "home repairs" is irresponsible. It's your life and you can risk it any way you want but you shouldn't encourage others to follow your path.

You know nothing about my insurance plan or my income bracket so please don't assume anything about mine. I chose to give up things (like fancy vacations and new cars) to have good insurance. With 5 operations under my belt and a spouse who needs monthly infusions I know good insurance is what a responsible US citizen obtains for their health, their family and society's well being. I don't know what kind of insurance you have, but thanks to Barak, I know you can get insurance that covers a meter if you are willing to pay for it. Three of my friends are self-employed and they and their employees all have insurance. Barak's changes has helped them increase their coverage and decrease their costs.