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Bina

Bina

Premium Level User
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2007
Messages
12,718
Location
East Ontario, Canada
The fabulous service I had enjoyed for the past 18 months is no more.....The blood nurse who visited my town every Friday has stopped. Apparently she got a better job...... the nerve:)

So, now I had to get hubby to leave work, pick me up and drive 30 minutes away to a hospital for testing; ridiculous! Mind you, results were fast.

So home testing entered my mind again. I tried calling a couple of pharmacies, they know nothing; and my doc has no other patients who home test.
Anyway, I have searched for and found the phone number for Roche Diagnostics in Montreal, Quebec, and will be calling them on Monday.
They supply Coaguchek products.

I just happen to have an AVR friend in town and she will join me in home testing if I can swing it.
I'm crossing my fingers:)
 
Bina:
Al has been home testing since March 2001. It's the best. Good luck with your prospects. I recall another member recently who was from Ontario who got a machine. Lets hope he sees these posts.
Blanche
 
Blanche said:
Bina:
Al has been home testing since March 2001. It's the best. Good luck with your prospects. I recall another member recently who was from Ontario who got a machine. Lets hope he sees these posts.
Blanche
Click to expand...
Yes, I spoke with that member several weeks ago. We live really far apart, so I don't think his contacts will work for me; but I will keep that as a back up plan:)
Thanks.
 
I hope you get it and then I hope you'll become self dosing too. Life is so much better this way.
 
home testing is the way to go. i've been doing it for months and i do it every couple of weeks and it's no big deal. good luck! it's well worth it once you consider the cost of your time and gas, what they charge, etc.

getting insurance to pay was a bitch, but it finally worked. and even without the insurance i will make the investment because what you can do in five minutes or less will take a couple of hours if you have to drive, park, wait, call, etc. etc.

so it does work, and good luck!!!:)
 
Today I spoke to a rep who supplies Coaguchek.
Super nice guy....we found a pharmacy 30 minutes from me where the pharmacist is certified to instruct and sell the products.
He is sending me the info pamphlets and a coupon for $500 off the machine, which is regularly $995. Box of 12 strips is $100
I'll see if my insurance covers any of it, but I am at the point where I just want it SO much.
We could have everything up and running within 2 weeks :) :) :) :) :)
 
Self testing? Absolutely!

Self testing? Absolutely!

Like others, I know self-testing is the absolute best way to monitor ACT. You will soon wonder how you managed without it.

I have Al's chart as a guideline and cannot recommend it enough.

$500 off the machine hmmm. My "S" wore out while under warranty and the cost of the XS to me was $500 too. So you have been offered a really good deal. Good for you. Will the strips always be supplied at the price you quoted or is that a one-time offer only?

I hope your insurance helps you out.
 
Lance is that "In range 99% of the time" exaggeration? If not, I'm jealous. Best I can get is 83% of the time, which is still far better then when I was going to the clinic. Then I was only in range 45% of the time.
 
Accurate, not exaggerated

Accurate, not exaggerated

Hi Ross,

ACT is so much better when done at home. Probably most things are.

No exaggeration--fairly accurate. I'm really lucky that way, live a dull life and am certainly not worthy of envy at all. Maybe I'm just anal and dedicated to avoiding ACT problems. Certainly nothing amiss with your memory either. If only I could be warm even 50% of the time--pure bliss.

Happy ACTing.
 
Yup, when I got the price at $500. I was very eager to get things moving!

Even with my lab draws I am probably 99% in range also.
In 17 months I was off range twice: 2.4 and 3.7 (hardly off at all)

I believe it is something to do with living the good, clean, country life here in Ontario.....right Lance?

If I was still in Quebec it would be another story for sure.....party, party:D
 
Monitor acquisition status

Monitor acquisition status

Hi Brina,

Have you received training/monitor yet.
 
coaguchek xs

coaguchek xs

YES, today I got a monitor, 6 strips, case, book,etc. ( 20 more strips ordered.)
Had to make a trip into the big city to be trained by a pharmacist.
The machine is simple enough.
I suggested we try the lancer adjusted low (1.5) because I have thin skin, bleed easy.
Well after sticking 4 fingers with only a tiny drop of blood on each....and then I ruined 2 test strips.....now the pharmacist was scratching his head!!
It occurred to me that maybe I should be lancing deeper; I had really felt nothing, so we cranked that thing up to 4.5 and I stuck finger number 5 *******BLOOD*******lots of it.
We touched the strip and got a very perfect reading of 3.4
I'm exhausted......but happy!
 
Bina:

Three Cheers For You!!!

This will add peace and security to your life. Home testing is so vital because it puts the responsibility for your anticoagulation right in your hands, where it belongs.

Happy to know you are taking positive steps.

Blanche
 
Hey Bina: Congratulations on the machine. I am sure I am the exception, but I had a terrible start to home testing. I would often go through 4 strips or more to get a good reading.

Al Lodwick suggested having my wife help. I wish I could find that particular email. Anyway, it turned out that if I set up the machine, and turned my hand over to Barb, we hardly ever had a miss. I bet I get 24 valid tests out of 25 strips. Most people handle it without help, but Al's suggestion made a big difference for me.
 
Bina said:
YES, today I got a monitor, 6 strips, case, book,etc. ( 20 more strips ordered.)
Had to make a trip into the big city to be trained by a pharmacist.
The machine is simple enough.
I suggested we try the lancer adjusted low (1.5) because I have thin skin, bleed easy.
Well after sticking 4 fingers with only a tiny drop of blood on each....and then I ruined 2 test strips.....now the pharmacist was scratching his head!!
It occurred to me that maybe I should be lancing deeper; I had really felt nothing, so we cranked that thing up to 4.5 and I stuck finger number 5 *******BLOOD*******lots of it.
We touched the strip and got a very perfect reading of 3.4
I'm exhausted......but happy!
Click to expand...
You'll actually enjoy pricking yourself. :D
 
Way to go

Way to go

Bina,

When I started home testing just two years ago it was a challenge to convince my PCP of the advantages. He only agreed because I was trained in a hospital.

So things are looking up for us.

The hardest problem for me is getting enough blood even on 5 so I soak my hand/fingers in very warm water before the stick--I don't feel it either.

With a little practice you'll be performing like a pro and wonder how you managed without your very own monitor.

Great news.
 
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