How accurate are home monitors................

[lance]

when compared to vein draw results? 100% accurate for the fourth time.

Monday I had the vein draw for comparison with my XS as required by the manufacturer.

What a scenario. Clean car of snow, drive into town, sit and shiver until it warms up, wait, then fill in a lot of paper work, wait, convince skeptical technician I know what I'm doing so I can use a counter in the lab, patiently explain why their test results need to be sent to two different destinations, wait some more, uncomfortable stick in vein, get dressed, clean car of snow, shiver 'til it warms up, drive home. Everything took 1 1/2 hours.

Learning the results of the vein draw took a day and a half.

Anyway that's two thumbs up, way up for home monitors and my handy, dandy XS. Couldn't live without it.

 

[Bina]

You sure did waste your time and gas....I could've told you that the Coaguchek is accurate. hee hee

 

[lance]

Of course you could have told me that .....................

Of course you could have told me that .....................

You sure did waste your time and gas....I could've told you that the Coaguchek is accurate. hee hee

convincing everyone else, especially the medical profession, that's the challenge.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

when compared to vein draw results? 100% accurate for the fourth time.

Monday I had the vein draw for comparison with my XS as required by the manufacturer.

What a scenario. Clean car of snow, drive into town, sit and shiver until it warms up, wait, then fill in a lot of paper work, wait, convince skeptical technician I know what I'm doing so I can use a counter in the lab, patiently explain why their test results need to be sent to two different destinations, wait some more, uncomfortable stick in vein, get dressed, clean car of snow, shiver 'til it warms up, drive home. Everything took 1 1/2 hours.

Learning the results of the vein draw took a day and a half.

Anyway that's two thumbs up, way up for home monitors and my handy, dandy XS. Couldn't live without it.

A day and a half to get the results of your Vein Stick?

That's not Horrible, but still not really acceptable.

You NEED to be able to get the results the Same Day so that you can make any necessary change in dose that night. I would BUG the lab manager and your Doctor and anyone else who might be able to assert some influence to get the results out the same day, if not for you (since you will be home testing), but for the wellbeing of ALL the other patients who rely on that lab.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Bina]

A day and a half to get the results of your Vein Stick?

That's not Horrible, but still not really acceptable.

You NEED to be able to get the results the Same Day so that you can make any necessary change in dose that night. I would BUG the lab manager and your Doctor and anyone else who might be able to assert some influence to get the results out the same day, if not for you (since you will be home testing), but for the wellbeing of ALL the other patients who rely on that lab.

'AL Capshaw'

Al, this was a unique "side by side" comparison.....Lance has already been home testing for years.

 

[olefin]

You sure did waste your time and gas....I could've told you that the Coaguchek is accurate. hee hee

I've read that Coaguchek is the meter that most doctor offices and clinics use.

I get all my prescriptions through VA because I get a discount. Therefore have to go to the local VA clinic once a year for a check up. Normally they do blood work but don't check my INR. Because they know I rely on my cardiologist for control. Well this time for some reason they did check INR, must been with a meter for they had results in minutes. They panic! For it showed 6.3 INR.

They wanted give me a vitamin K shot but I flat refused. Went right to my cardiologist to get the INR checked. He uses the local hospital's lab. INR was normal 3.1.

 

[Bina]

Whoever got a 6.3 reading should have done it again.
I trust the tests that I perform myself on my own equipment.

 

[olefin]

Whoever got a 6.3 reading should have done it again.
I trust the tests that I perform myself on my own equipment.

Agree but I had no interest in them doing the rechecking.

I have my paper work at Medicare, awaiting approval for home testing.

 

[ChouDoufu]

They panic! For it showed 6.3 INR. They wanted give me a vitamin K shot but I flat refused. Went right to my cardiologist to get the INR checked. He uses the local hospital's lab. INR was normal 3.1.

that's just scary. one of the reasons i didn't want to try to have my
avr through the va.

 

[Freddie]

Gee Lance, wonder how I could get a copy of those results??
I need all the ammunition I can get my hands on

By the way....what were the results?

 

[Eva]

Great encouraging news, Lance,

I can't wait to receive my CoagucheckXS. Thanks for sharing the news, and we share your happiness and satisfaction!

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I've read that Coaguchek is the meter that most doctor offices and clinics use.

I get all my prescriptions through VA because I get a discount. Therefore have to go to the local VA clinic once a year for a check up. Normally they do blood work but don't check my INR. Because they know I rely on my cardiologist for control. Well this time for some reason they did check INR, must been with a meter for they had results in minutes. They panic! For it showed 6.3 INR.

They wanted give me a vitamin K shot but I flat refused. Went right to my cardiologist to get the INR checked. He uses the local hospital's lab. INR was normal 3.1.

My Coumadin Clinic uses some professinal grade INR testers with the capability to read Bar Codes and download the results to a computer system.

Whenever they get an INR reading over 4.5 they automatically do a Vein Draw for verification before making any recommendation on dose change or other aggressive action.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[R&N Brown]

I had one occasion where I tested 4.2 at the clinic on a machine. They immediately after took a vein draw and sent it to the lab. Later that day the office called and said I was actually 3.2 not 4.3, and they dosed me according to the 3.2. The following week I was back in the 2.5 range.

I did ask at that next visit how much faith they had in the machine?
The Answer, "As long as your in range we trust it" “Cool!”

I received an INRatio Machine as part of being in the On-X valve study.
For the first few tests I took my machine to the clinic and we tested using both their equipment and mine, to verify its accuracy. It works.

I test weekly and call my results into a National collection center, QAS, and my cardiologist. My cardiologist oversees the dosing. I have been doing my own at home testing for a few months now and I have to say It does beat going to the clinic.

I have not tested on the machine more then a point or two +/- out of range since the 4.3 stick, I assume that if I do though I will have to go in to have blood drawn.

 

[lance]

Hi Al

Warfarin clinic in Toronto manages my warfarin and it's rare to not receive dosage notification the same day usually before noon based on XS results. Vein draw just confirms accuracy. PCP's office not critical thank heaven. I'd be very disturbed to wait that long. Thankfully I don't have to but I suspect some do. So all is well.