Bad INRation Strips

[rwsp768]

Had a problem with brand new strips from Alere Home Monitoring, kept getting error code 412. This code doesn't show in my instruction manual for the INRatio machine. Called Alere and was transferred to HemoSense. Subject I spoke with had me tell them what the code was and how far down the channel the blood traveled. Told them the error code and that the blood only traveled a quarter of the way down the strip and then stopped. No bubbles in the blood and no change in diet or medications. Subject advised me that given the information this is a indication that I was given bad strips and or they were damaged or over heated in shipment. Gave her the lot number 315104. I believe that I read on this forum of someone else getting bad strips from Alere.

 

[chaconne]

I just got new Inratio2 strips from Amazon. They have a new wider platform to drop blood. I had one more strip left from the old lot. I tested my blood using both strips and got 2.9 with the old one (I've had 6 tests that have been within 0.1 of the lab using these, including one last week), and I got 3.8 using the new lot. With an error of 0.9, this does not instill much confidence in Alere's new strinps to say the least! Anyone else have trouble with these?

Another thing I notice is that the expiration date is in April 2014, 5.5 months from now. I've used expired strips and they work, but this is not very good service from Amazon. Is Ebay a better place to shop for strips?

 

[Protimenow]

In my experience on eBay, most sellers of InRatio strips will put the expiration date on their offerings, or will answer a question about the expiration date on their strips if you ask while the strips are still available. I've used strips months after their expiration date.

I have a box of strips that I haven't used because I NO LONGER TRUST THE ACCURACY OF THE INRATIO STRIPS OR METERS.

You'll see that I've done extensive testing for many months, comparing different meters to blood draws, and I've found that InRatio was always high - and sometimes WAY HIGH.

Alere tech support was very helpful, but I personally have lost confidence in the accuracy of the InRatio technology--and I have a TIA and a spreadsheet full of results to back this up.