Self Testers in the Salt Lake area

[khill69]

I had aortic valve replacement surgery on 12/12/08. I am now trying to figure out the best way for me to manage my warfarin testing. I do not have insurrance and was wondering about buying a tester or sharing a tester with another user. Are there any self tester in the Salt Lake City area? The local lab is not that convient and at times I feel like test more frequently. Especially until I get stabilized.

 

[zipper2]

I had aortic valve replacement surgery on 12/12/08. I am now trying to figure out the best way for me to manage my warfarin testing. I do not have insurrance and was wondering about buying a tester or sharing a tester with another user. Are there any self tester in the Salt Lake City area? The local lab is not that convient and at times I feel like test more frequently. Especially until I get stabilized.

i,m in Canada but did purchase through roche diagnostics ,forwarded to a certified pharmacey and i purchased mine,however wanna welcome you and say hello.
others will eventually be able to have better knowledge for your area when they get on to answer.
So glad to hear your surgery is complete and hope,you are fine now and that all went well for you

zipper2(DEB)

 

[Ross]

Going it alone a monitor and strips is expensive. There are a few companies that sell them and you might check into Raytel about renting. Not sure exactly how their program works, but a phone call should get you the answers.

http://refs05.securesites.net/snap045/

http://www.ptinr.com/data/pages/home-inr-testing.aspx

If you need help in the mean time, just give us a holler and we'll help you out. By now, you should be stable or very close to it.

I will tell you this, 90% of the time or there abouts, it's the people managing you that are keeping you from becoming stable. Most of the managers out there don't have any clue what their doing. The funny thing is, it's not rocket science and is laughably easy to dose when you know what your doing. They'd have you think that you don't know what your talking about, when in fact if you learn from us, you'll most likely know more then THEY do.

 

[khill69]

I am looking into the hemosense tester

I am looking into the hemosense tester

Thanks for the feed back so far. I'm looking at the hemosense Inratio2. I have read allot of information on this sight and will post my story along with the rest. It helped during this period of time to hear others with my same problems. I am still concerned about the warfarin management and feel a real urge to test frequently. I will be calling the distributor Monday to see how fast I can get a tester. The lab is currently charging $20 per test, but we have to wait until the next day to get results. I thought from what I have read here that this could be an option for me. Sharing a tester would obviously help reduce the cost of strips. I haven't found a clinic around here with an office tester, but my sister's office uses one and she is happy with this proceedure. She lives almost 80 miles away however.

 

[Ross]

I'm using the INRatio meter 1st edition and love it! I test once a week. You don't need too, but I do anyway. Most I can go is 3 weeks without mine creeping to far out one way or the other.

I am in no way a salesman or representitive for Hemosense, but I did do a review on it back in 2004:

http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6457&highlight=inratio+review

 

[Blanche]

Sorry, we are not in the Salt Lake area

Sorry, we are not in the Salt Lake area

In September 2007, we purchased our second INRatio Monitor from Raytel. The Monitor was $1,500. Our doctor helps us with the strips, which cost $200. for 48 strips.

My husband tests because he takes Coumadin for his replaced mitral valve and I take it because of A-fib.

One of our members posted this information about a company that sells monitors and supplies at a very attractive price. Had I known about this, I could have saved hundreds of dollars. But then, we are very happy with our INRatio and happy to have it.

Here is a link to the company mentioned by our member.
http://www.expressmedicalsupplies.com/

You will need a doctor authorization for the monitor and for the suppplies. That authorization does not expire like other Rxs do.

As a final thought for consideration, we both tested today. It took less than 20 minutes from the time that the monitor left the drawer until the time that it returned to the drawer. Takes me more than 20 minutes to get out of my own Garage!!!

Hope this helps. Wishing you the best,

Blanche

 

[Bina]

khill, welcome to the group. Hopefully you will find a way to get a home monitor.
I'm testing every 2 weeks and find it a huge time saver and no more $$ spent on gas and parking.

 

[khill69]

Thanks for the feed back

Thanks for the feed back

Since my surgery I have done alot of reading on this sight. Thanks so much for everyone that has input. Ross, I have run into people that don't seem to care to much about when or if they get tested, but I still feel the need. Your comment make sense, especially to be able to test when your diet, etc. changes. the self testing would really be cost effective if I were to want to test more than once a month. How do you feel about the accurracy? Do any of you feel the need to check the accurracy very often. I would like to call a distributor tomorrow and ask a few questions. Would really like to convince myself and my husband about self testing soon. running to the lab is really not that fun in the winter traffic.

 

[Bina]

I never doubt my Coaguchek XS and I have used it about 40 times.

 

[Ross]

Just as accurate as the labs.

 

[TomD]

Inratio

Inratio

I purchased the INRatio and love it.