K
Karlynn
Are these articles in the References thread? If not - they need to be and with a heading so they're easy to find. (Cuz I did a brief glance and didn't see anything - note - I said brief.)
My cardio doesnt "believe in" self monitoring...grrrrr
- Thread starter COLLEEN S
- Start date
Help Support Valve Replacement Forums:
briansmom
Well-known member
I would make the drive to a cardio who lets you self test. If your doc won't let you do that, he is not going to listen to you on other stuff either.
My son was one of the first home testers in our cardio's practice. They are now starting to encourage patients to self test.
My son was one of the first home testers in our cardio's practice. They are now starting to encourage patients to self test.
K
Karlynn
I was the first home tester for my cardio too. Now she has several. She was encouraging from the moment I mentioned it.
Deanne:
When I got my tester, my PCP had 2 other patients who home-tested. One was a rancher who lived out a ways, and the other was also a physician. I don't know if any of the other doctors in the practice had patients who home-tested.
When I was at the clinic on March 19, I noticed some material from QAS on a counter and asked about it. The practice refers potential home-testers to QAS for INR machines.
Marty
Well-known member
Not all cardiologists are ...holes!
Not all cardiologists are ...holes!
My wife Alice is on warfarin because of chronic a-fib and she has a pacemaker. I have taught her how to use the INRatio and she now self tests and self doses. She is 80 but she learned how to manage her warfarin in less than two months. She goes to cardiologists at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington. This week she went in for a pacemaker check and to let the cardiologist look her over. She came home happy. He looked at all her carefully kept ACT records and approved her work. He said if he ever needs warfarin he will self monitor and dose. He said why pay $4.00 to park here, wait in the lab, get stuck, and then wait for the results, and then wait longer for the call from the doctors office. He sent her back to her internist for routine care and said he would like to see her again in one year! How does he make a living telling things like that to an ACT patient?
Not all cardiologists are ...holes!
My wife Alice is on warfarin because of chronic a-fib and she has a pacemaker. I have taught her how to use the INRatio and she now self tests and self doses. She is 80 but she learned how to manage her warfarin in less than two months. She goes to cardiologists at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington. This week she went in for a pacemaker check and to let the cardiologist look her over. She came home happy. He looked at all her carefully kept ACT records and approved her work. He said if he ever needs warfarin he will self monitor and dose. He said why pay $4.00 to park here, wait in the lab, get stuck, and then wait for the results, and then wait longer for the call from the doctors office. He sent her back to her internist for routine care and said he would like to see her again in one year! How does he make a living telling things like that to an ACT patient?
Colleen, others have made great suggestions on what to do, I can't add any better.
I would change doctors if one didn't do to suit me. But that option may not be easy for you.
I was my Cardiologist first home tester. He didn't seem to know much about it when I asked for a prescription. But he was positive. He said his office had a INR meter but didn't use it.
I downloaded the forms from QAS. Filled out my form and faxed it to them. I partially filled out my Cardiologist form, as per my name, address, SS number, frequency of testing, his name, address ,etc. I let him fill in the diagnoses. Then I hand delivered it to his office. His office faxed the completed form to QAS that day. He did request QAS to provide home training... guess he though this old man might need it.
Medicare approved me within a week for weekly testing, as I had checked on my Cardiologist form. QAS sent a trainer with my INRatio 2 meter to my home.
My next appointment I plan to discuss with him about going to full home testing. Not sure how he will take that? At the present I still get one INR check at his office each month.
I been tweaking his dosage for years so warfarin control is not new to this old buzzard.
I would change doctors if one didn't do to suit me. But that option may not be easy for you.
I was my Cardiologist first home tester. He didn't seem to know much about it when I asked for a prescription. But he was positive. He said his office had a INR meter but didn't use it.
I downloaded the forms from QAS. Filled out my form and faxed it to them. I partially filled out my Cardiologist form, as per my name, address, SS number, frequency of testing, his name, address ,etc. I let him fill in the diagnoses. Then I hand delivered it to his office. His office faxed the completed form to QAS that day. He did request QAS to provide home training... guess he though this old man might need it.
Medicare approved me within a week for weekly testing, as I had checked on my Cardiologist form. QAS sent a trainer with my INRatio 2 meter to my home.
My next appointment I plan to discuss with him about going to full home testing. Not sure how he will take that?
At the present I still get one INR check at his office each month. I been tweaking his dosage for years so warfarin control is not new to this old buzzard.
Marty
Well-known member
Colleen, others have made great suggestions on what to do, I can't add any better.
I would change doctors if one didn't do to suit me. But that option may not be easy for you.
I was my Cardiologist first home tester. He didn't seem to know much about it when I asked for a prescription. But he was positive. He said his office had a INR meter but didn't use it.
I downloaded the forms from QAS. Filled out my form and faxed it to them. I partially filled out my Cardiologist form, as per my name, address, SS number, frequency of testing, his name, address ,etc. I let him fill in the diagnoses. Then I hand delivered it to his office. His office faxed the completed form to QAS that day. He did request QAS to provide home training... guess he though this old man might need it.
Medicare approved me within a week for weekly testing, as I had checked on my Cardiologist form. QAS sent a trainer with my INRatio 2 meter to my home.
My next appointment I plan to discuss with him about going to full home testing. Not sure how he will take that?
I been tweaking his dosage for years so warfarin control is not new to this old buzzard.
Dayton, You definitely should go to self dosing. This will not only help you but will help your doctor. Just keep good records to show him on your visits. I made a spread sheet for Alice and also used one of Al Lodwicks graphs. Alice showed both to her cardio validating her dose and staying in range. This covers the cardio medicolegally in case of an untoward event. Let us know how it goes.
Ross
Well-known member
Easy. It tells his patients that he's really interested in them and not their money, hence word of mouth advertising=more patients!
Record keeping
Record keeping
Several postings have referred to the importance of accurate record keeping.
I find the Hallmark Greeting card calendars excellent and it fits into my XS carrying case. They have 1 page per month with room to enter each day's dose. There are pages at the front where I keep track of comparison test results together with the name of my monitor. There are other calendars that show 1 month per page and they would be just as useful.
Record keeping
Several postings have referred to the importance of accurate record keeping.
I find the Hallmark Greeting card calendars excellent and it fits into my XS carrying case. They have 1 page per month with room to enter each day's dose. There are pages at the front where I keep track of comparison test results together with the name of my monitor. There are other calendars that show 1 month per page and they would be just as useful.
I've had two major discussions with my doctor about home monitoring........with no luck.
I printed off all the information that has been given here, even highlighted sentences in the documents to show my doctor.
Well I still have no monitor, but crossing my fingers when I see my cardio next month. It will rub my GP the wrong way..........oh well. A person gotta do what a person gotta do.
Best of luck.
I printed off all the information that has been given here, even highlighted sentences in the documents to show my doctor.
Well I still have no monitor, but crossing my fingers when I see my cardio next month. It will rub my GP the wrong way..........oh well. A person gotta do what a person gotta do.
Best of luck.
Marty, Thanks for your suggestions.
If my Cardiologist goes along with full home testing I had planned to talk with him about self dosing. I've been tweaking his dosage for years but never mention it to him.
Would you believe I have a record of every INR and PT since I had AVR. I been using the little record books provided by DuPont. I also have Lodwicks dosing algorithms.
If my Cardiologist goes along with full home testing I had planned to talk with him about self dosing. I've been tweaking his dosage for years but never mention it to him.
Would you believe I have a record of every INR and PT since I had AVR. I been using the little record books provided by DuPont. I also have Lodwicks dosing algorithms.
Thanks to everyone for your replies. I DO intend to print off this string and mail him a copy. I only see him every 6 months but I see the nurses at the coumadin clinic every freaking week! He is the one who set up this clinic so I doubt that it is just an arrogant nurse...plus as Ross said, he's making $$$ hand over fist so why would he change. I do intend to send him a letter with the intent of getting him to let me self test, but I doubt he will change. I most likely will end up driving to Annapolis, not such a big deal twice a year. Thanks again.
ALCapshaw2
Well-known member
Marty, Thanks for your suggestions.
If my Cardiologist goes along with full home testing I had planned to talk with him about self dosing. I've been tweaking his dosage for years but never mention it to him.
Would you believe I have a record of every INR and PT since I had AVR. I been using the little record books provided by DuPont. I also have Lodwicks dosing algorithms.
Where / How do you obtain "the little record books provided by DuPont"?
'AL Capshaw'
Al:
The "little record books provided by DuPont" are the same record books my PCP has given me that are now provided by Bristol-Myers Squibb. DuPont used to produce Coumadin; BMS now produces it.
There are 2 Coumadin diaries that BMS produces. I have both types. One is a a paper booklet:
http://www.coumadin.com/pdf/293US08WA03006_v10_DiaryCalendar_WEB.pdf
The other is a shortened, folded version on more rigid, sturdier paper.
I'm not sure if BMS still produces either. I have enough booklets stockpiled for about another 3 years.
Driving to Annapolis ..................
Driving to Annapolis ..................
is nothing compared to what you're experiencing with the local cardios.
In 2004 when I started POC monitoring it was a 2 1/2 hr. drive to the hospital that trained me for a round trip if nearly 5 hours not including the training/lunch. Well worth it, even in winter I'd do it again in a heartbeat if required.
Hopefully the Annapolis cardio will do the monitoring for you at least for a while. Your current cardio can't have a problem with that.
Driving to Annapolis ..................
is nothing compared to what you're experiencing with the local cardios.
In 2004 when I started POC monitoring it was a 2 1/2 hr. drive to the hospital that trained me for a round trip if nearly 5 hours not including the training/lunch. Well worth it, even in winter
I'd do it again in a heartbeat if required.Hopefully the Annapolis cardio will do the monitoring for you at least for a while. Your current cardio can't have a problem with that.
Last edited:
B
Bridgette
Glaxo Smith Kline, who are the manufacturers of Marevan (warfarin) supply a little red handbook for patients - it is full of helpful information and has a chart where you can write in your INR, your dosage, and the date you will do your next test, etc.
It's free.
It's free.
Ross
Well-known member
http://www.warfarinfo.com/monitoringgraph.htm
Personally, I use this one:
http://www.hemosense.com/docs/0200233_PatientLogGenericRevAweb.pdf
Personally, I use this one:
http://www.hemosense.com/docs/0200233_PatientLogGenericRevAweb.pdf
Where have you looked for cuvettes and tenderlettes?
This thread helped me. Thanks for providing link to dosing charts. I will print off both and take them on my new cardio appt. May 13!
