I filled out the paperwork for a Coagucheck XS

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I went for my INR yesterday and I was brave enough to ask about hometesting. I was afraid that becuase I'm so new to coumadin they would think I was not ready yet. They have patients that home test and the nurse I had yesterday said they will call me if I don't call in my counts. She was very supportive.

My INRs for the last 4 counts have been: 3.1, 3.5 (they nixed my Wednesday dose by 2.5 MG), 3.1, and 2.7. ALL IN RANGE, I'M SO RELIEVED. I'm taking 40 mg a week now, down from 42.5 mg. :) :)

I had my post op visit with the cardio on Wednesday, go back in 1 year, and he supports my home testing. Yahoo! His only concern was that I would be left out there on my own so he wanted me to talk with the coumadin clinic nurses I see.

I mailed the form back to the clinic today, they'll handle all the paperwork and I'll find out if insurance will pay for everything or not.

Hmmm, wonder how long it will take to get the answers??? Anyone know? If my insurance doesn't cover it, I'll pay for it myself. What are credit cards for?:p :p
 
Louise, good for you....I trust my home testing more than the lab since they were taking my blood and then sending it to another further away lab. Dumb...too much room for error.
Most insurance companies will at least cover the test strips. I paid for the machine, gladly, since I have saved tons of gas, parking fees, and time by home testing.
 
Way to go, Louise. We bought our own machine in 2001 and have never had any regrets. Hopefully, your insurance will cover it for you. If not, I believe it is a wise decision to buy your own. We recently bought our second monitor, an INRatio in September. Home monitoring provides such a sense comfort and security.

Best wishes,
Blanche
 
I got my Coaguchek XS about 2 weeks after my dr's office sent in the request. That was when I was 3 months post op. And my insurance paid for everything. QAS provided the unit and one of their field reps. brought it to my house and gave me the training.

Good luck getting the unit; it's a must have.
 
Louise:

Get one of Al Lodwick's dosing charts at www.warfarinfo.com. Not sure the exact link to ordering the dosing chart (someone will come along with it, I'm sure).
I have one of the charts and gave my PCP's office a photocopy to put in my chart so they'd know what I was basing my dosage changes on. (The PCP's office uses a different chart.)

I live in the Fort Worth area. I'll PM you with my cell number if you ever have questions about hometesting. I have a ProTime 3, but generally hometesting is hometesting. You'll love the freedom.
 
catwoman said:
Louise:

Get one of Al Lodwick's dosing charts at www.warfarinfo.com. Not sure the exact link to ordering the dosing chart (someone will come along with it, I'm sure).
I have one of the charts and gave my PCP's office a photocopy to put in my chart so they'd know what I was basing my dosage changes on. (The PCP's office uses a different chart.)

I live in the Fort Worth area. I'll PM you with my cell number if you ever have questions about hometesting. I have a ProTime 3, but generally hometesting is hometesting. You'll love the freedom.
Click to expand...

I have Al's dosing chart also, thank you for suggesting putting a copy in my chart at the PCP office. The coumadin clinic I go to said they would still be my advocate and write scripts, etc so I'm pleased with that. I will call in my counts and continue working with them if issues or concerns come up.

It costs my insurance $65 every time I go in for an INR, right now I'm still going weekly at their request, not sure what it will cost for consultation going forward, I'm sure as they saying goes "Nothing is Free". :p
 
I'm a self-tester now

I'm a self-tester now

My Coaguchek XS is being delivered tomorrow, about 30 minutes for training and then I can 'stick' myself every two weeks or to my heart's content, which ever comes first. :p :D

Seriously, I am looking forward to the freedom that home testing provides, the control I'll have over my INRs, and peace of mind with my dosing.:)
 
Good news Louise!!

It will save a lot of time versus going to the lab. My first test can in at the exact same number as the lab test one week before.

Enjoy the XS....... :) :)
 
Louise, I'm sharing your excitement!!:)
You will actually look forward to testing now. I have a daily Agenda on my table and mark down "INR test" at 2 week intervals so that I don't forget. I call in the results to my local family doctor every few weeks.
My biggest thrill is saving my arm veins from being destroyed.....
 
yahoo louise youll luv your buddy

yahoo louise youll luv your buddy

Louise i luv my buddy machine at first i was a little shakey
and my husband had to help me out on getting the drop
of blood on the strip. but ive only had mine since Jan and im pro at it alone
now ,Iwas just nervous on wasting expensive strips and so he assisted me
the first few inrs,nothing to it and alot better than the lab where the
person picks up the blood specimens and then stops off at the coffee
shop for hours before delivering from point a to point b and blood sits
for hours before you get an available inr and by then bloods sat forever
before its ready to even be tested. I luv the freedom of doing my inr and
the fact of 16 years of poking veins its a big relief.Glad to hear your
getting a coagucheck xs ............YOULL LUV IT


zipper2
 
Home Testing

Home Testing

Yes indeed, you will enjoy doing home testing. I still test weekly and often just take my machine to work with me on Thursday mornings. It's become so routine that I don't even have to think much when I do it.

Last Thursday, I was in the middle of preping my finger and warming up the machine when one of my students dropped into my office, sat down beside me, and began talking to me about some school attendance issues she was having. I engaged her in conversation while lancing my finger, and dropping a drop of blood on the test strip. My administrative assistant stuck her head into my office about the time I was dropping the blood on the test strip and commented that she couldn't believe I was doing the test in front of a student. The student said she didn't mind watching, but did ask what I was doing. By the time we finished our conversation she had learned more than how to resolve here school attendance issues.

Doing the home test stuff beats the heck out of dealing with lab techs and their needles. You're gonna love it! It's sooooooo easy.

-Philip
 
I had to get one, too - really lousy veins in my arms, they have had to use "butterflies" on the back of my hand from time to time. Also, by the time summer rolls around, I will probably be working 7 days a week, and will not have time to sit around a lab for 3 hours to get bruised, then have them leave my blood lying around for hours, transporting it to a test site etc. etc. etc. Oh, the freedom, and I do actually look forward to Sunday (my weekly test day)
 
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