Got my groovy Coagucheck travel case (and monitor)

[ARGreenMN]

I think it was Bina (but could be wrong) who pointed out that the Coagucheck XS comes with a groovy travel case. Boy, was she right! I'm sooo excited. Got my monitor and had my training tonight. Went well. I'm gonna be able to do this! The best news is the lancets don't hurt as bad as those at my dr. office! Can't wait for next week to test again, lol.

 

[Bina]

Yes....Yes.....Yes. It was me !!!
Can u tell that I am excited?

 

[dick0236]

..... the Coagucheck XS comes with a groovy travel case........ I'm sooo excited........ Can't wait for next week to test again, lol.

Wow Andy, you gotta get out more:smile2:

Just don't wash it in the dishwasher:tongue2:.

 

[Freddie]

Hip-Hip-Hooray for you Andy

Just not sure who is more excited, you or Bina LOL

 

[ARGreenMN]

Now I can start my study on the effects of alcohol on INR lol. Two legs of the study. How many drinks before it affects your INR and how many drinks before you don't feel the finger pokes anymore.

Disclaimer - it's not safe to get stumbling drunk while on Coumadin for fear of a concussion. I'll stop well short of that

 

[mecretired]

Andy: Did your insurance pay for your monitor and strips? My surgery was done on May 3 and I'm still waiting for my insurance to decide if they will pay for it. I think they will--but they are in no hurry. BTW are you going to post the results of your study? It could be interesting. Mary

 

[ARGreenMN]

Yes, although I'm joking about the clinical trial, I am seriously curious if there's a big affect on my INR from having a few drinks. So I will do some tests before, during and after a drinking session one of these nights. I doubt there will be much impact on my INR, but just want to make sure. I don't drink that often, but when I do, I often have more than 1 or 2 beers (maybe 4 or 5 sometimes). So I want to know if that's skyrocketing my INR, or worse, is it dropping my INR to an unsafe #. And I'm fully aware that it's not so much the high INR that's a concern with drinking as it is the affect of alcohol on other things, like your stomach (possible ulcers) and liver. But yes, I will definitely report what I find about the affects on my INR (keeping in mind everyone's different).

Because I had my surgery in the same calendar year as getting the monitor, and had already reached my out-of-pocket maximum for the year due to the surgery, the monitor and any strips I get this year are 100% covered (under my insurance plan - may not be same for others). I'm not sure what will happen next year. I've got an HMO type of insurance plan (Healthpartners) and it typically covers 90%+ of my medical costs, so I'm assuming I'll have to pay for a portion of the strips next year - but that it'll be maybe 10% of the total cost of them.

 

[mecretired]

My husband and I like to occasionally visit our local winery and share a bottle of wine (or 2). So I will be interested in your "study". Yes, I have also met my deductible and catastrophic limit. So if my insurance covers the monitor, etc, there will be no expense for me this calendar year. They initially said they would not cover it. But they also said they wouldn't cover cardiac rehab and then approved 36 sessions.

 

[Protimenow]

I usually split a bottle of wine with my wife at dinner. I don't think there are immediate effects (like the ones you are suggesting) that can show up on a meter right away. However, I try to maintain that wine regimen in case there's any real effect of the small amount of alcohol on my INR. I test every week or two -- with two different types of meters and enough strips, a weekly test is a bit of a luxury, but it helps me assure myself that I remain in range.

I have no insurance. My machine of choice - at least for now - is the ProTime 3 (which I got on eBay). I was able to buy the strips for this machine - again, entirely out of pocket - for about $7 or $8 per strip (I got gouged on shipping).

(I won't even mention my CoaguChek S here)

 

[Country]

cant wait to see your results andy! i am also waiting on my insurance and trying to find an in network provider!!! what a headache!! glad to hear that you got yours!!

 

[Protimenow]

You mentioned that the fingerstick hurts less than it does at the doctor's office. This could partially depend on the size of the lancet and where on the finger you're doing the fingerstick.

From personal experience, I've found that the tip and sides of the finger have the most nerve endings and hurt the worst. Closer towards the the center of the fingertip, where the blood seems to pool if you 'milk' the blood into the finger - for me, at least, seems to be the part that is least sensitive, and that yields the biggest drop from a single incision.

It depends on how hard you push the lancet into the finger, the size of the lancet and, of course, the phase of the moon and your exact latitude and longitude. (The Tenderlettes that come with the ProTime strips do the largest incision and take the most blood - I was pleasantly surprised by the almost total lack of 'pain' when I used other lancets for testing with my CoaguChek S). FWIW - I also seem to get a better drop (or two or three for the ProTime) if I'm standing up when I make the incision -- maybe my BP is a bit higher when I'm standing so the blood flows a bit more strongly.

Country -- I'm hoping that you'll find an insurer who will pay for strips and meter. In my case, I bought my own (the meter was on eBay) and I'm still feeling empowered by the idea that I can test my INR any time I want.