Ordering 48 INRatio strips?

[catwoman]

For those of you who have ordered 48 INRatio strips at a time, how far out was the expiration date?

When I used a ProTime 3, I would call for an order and ask what the expiration date was, to get the farthest-out date so I didn't get stuck with unusable strips. I think I ordered bags of 24 a couple of times, but never 48.

Because I've been relatively stable (and because I'm keeping an eye on my medical costs), I now test every 2-3 weeks rather than the once weekly when I got my first machine. I would like to be able to purchase 48 strips -- but only if I could (1) get them at a really decent price and (2) have an expiration date far enough out that I will definitely use all, rather than throwing some out.

 

[geebee]

It probably depends on the turn-around. I would think HemoSense manufactures with expiration dates a year out but, unless you buy directly from them or a company that turns purchases around quickly, it could be closer to 9 months by the time you get them.

 

[Karlynn]

I wish I could order more than a box of 12. The last time I ordered 2 boxes, BC/BS got all hyper saying that it was more than a 90 day supply, that a box of 12 was a 90 day supply. I had to argue with them that they are assuming that I never have to test more than once a week, and that every test is a good one. I had to explain to them why I might need to test more than 1 time a week (having to take antibiotics etc) or if the drop of blood on the strip wasn't enough for a test.

 

[Bina]

I'm using the Coaguchek and have been able to order 24 strips ($182) which lasts me about 1 yr when I test every 2 weeks.
Marsha, if you test every 2 wks, would you really want to have test strips for 2 years?
Mine are dated for 1 year.

 

[EVELYN]

M.
Our new box expires 9/09....a year from the time we got it. We test every week, so 48 strips will last a year.

Evelyn

 

[Blanche]

As it would happen, we just received a box of 48 strips for the INRatio yesterday, October 1. They are good thru June 2009, which is 9 months.
I'm not sure, but I believe that our first box of 48 strips were good for 9 months too.

Blanche

 

[Ross]

I'm fairly certain that all FRESH boxes are good for 9 months.

 

[catwoman]

I'm using the Coaguchek and have been able to order 24 strips ($182) which lasts me about 1 yr when I test every 2 weeks.
Marsha, if you test every 2 wks, would you really want to have test strips for 2 years?
Mine are dated for 1 year.

There are times when you do go through more strips -- starting meds/going off meds; getting an error message; needing to check an INR when you are having to come off for 1 day then bridging for a procedure then returning to warfarin and watching your INR return to previous levels; etc.

The only reasons I inquired about getting 48 strips were in case they were dated to last at least, preferably much more than one year, and in case I could save some $$.

 

[Roger Frank]

Do the strips cease to operate past the expiration date?

 

[Ross]

Do the strips cease to operate past the expiration date?

Accuracy is not guaranteed beyond the expiration date, but I really don't know. Haven't tried it yet.

 

[witzkeyman]

Accuracy is not guaranteed beyond the expiration date, but I really don't know. Haven't tried it yet.

good question. I've used some Viagra that was out of date by a couple of years or so, and it worked fine. now, you have me thinking about expired strips. lol

 

[catwoman]

Do the strips cease to operate past the expiration date?

I once tried to use a cuvette with exp. date of, say, end of 2/04 with the ProTime 3 on March 1. I got a code saying the cuvette had expired and the machine refused the cuvette.

The INRatio strips have computer codes, so the machine must be corrected each time you use a batch with a different code (not difficult to change). I'm sure that computer code also carries an expiration date, and since the machine is set with a calendar, it knows when a strip has expired.
Based on my experience with the ProTime 3, I'm sure the INRatio would also refuse to accept an expired strip.

 

[EVELYN]

Hi Marsha

Our INRatio has NOT notified us or refused to read an outdated strip. I know the Coaguchek did....almost to the day of the month it expired, but not true with the INRatio. I've used strips that were outdated....actually, I used one last week....it was about one month out and nary a word from the machine. It read it just fine and when I tested myself (uncoagulated) it read .9 which is in the .7 to 1.2 range that is normal. That was one good thing about the Coaguchek.....it reminded you. I called Hemosense and asked if we could still use the expired strips, and, of course, they said, "No."

Evelyn

 

[Ross]

I called Hemosense and asked if we could still use the expired strips, and, of course, they said, "No."

Evelyn

Of course they did. They aren't going to be held legally responsible for bone head that uses out of date strips.

 

[Jackie]

I have been looking for an expiration date on my strips. Can someone tell me where they are located? I can't believe how dense I can be. Can't find any date.

 

[Blanche]

It's confusing!!!!

It's confusing!!!!

Jackie:
We have two boxes of strips. There is a sticker on the small side of the box that says
Strip Code
P04S9
Lot 080067A
2009/05
That same information, as above, appears on the front of each single packet. I'm calling the thing you tear off at the top that has a prothrombin time/INR test strip a packet.

At first I was confused. I'm used to seeing dates listed like 05/2009. I don't think I have ever seen dates listed as 2009/05 before.

Kind regards,

Blanche

 

[Jackie]

Thank you Blanche, I feel like such a dummy, that just didn't look like a date. I'm happy that this subject came up, all test strips that I have are dated 2008/10. I have 26 strips, some from QAS and some I ordered on the Internet, guess I will think twice before I do that again. I purchased them because Medicare only allows 1 a week and sometimes I have an error because of not enough blood and other times have to run tests to correlate with the Lab.

Thanks for the infomation.

Blanche, how is Albert doing?