Coaguchek S glitch

[lance]

Self tested with a GOOD drop of blood on target.

Monitor did it's count down and shut itself off.

INR level did not appear.

The narrow neck of the test strip area that disappears into the Monitor's innards was full of blood.

Any one else experience this?

If so what is the solution?

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Are you saying the top portion of the test strip looks dry compared to the rear? This has happened a few times when my INR was too low.

 

[JimChicago]

Batteries dead?

 

[lance]

Thanks for replying.

1. Area on strip for testing shaped like an old fashioned beer bottle with a vey long neck. Blood reservoir situated in large portion of bottle and the blood had gone up into the neck like it should. Strip was right side up.

2. Batteries fully charged.

Electronic quality control carried out prior to testing--all was well.

It was not a new box of strips.

So the mystery remains.

Cheers

 

[Guest]

No error message?

Blood looks all the way to the wide part of the strip?

It could be that your hematocrit (the percentage of your blood that is taken up by red blood cells) is higher than 50%. In this case the blood is literally too thick to flow smoothly up the strip. Usually this occurs in people with a blood disease called polycythemia vera. It also happens in heavy smokers, but it can happen in anyone who is chronically short of breath and refuses to use oxygen.

If it is polycythemia vera, the solution is to have a lab or blood bank draw off a unit (maybe two) of blood and throw it away - or use for research, not to give to another person. If it is caused by smoking or shortness of breath you cannot throw away the blood. Doing so will put the person in a world of hurt because they are already short of the needed hemoglobin to get oxygen to the body. In the latter case, you simply cannot use the CoaguChek. I don't know about the limits of ProTime or INRatio but I'm sure that they have some. I had to discharge someone from my clinic this month because of this. I see it about twice a year.

 

[lance]

Nope, no error message

Nope, no error message

No error message?

Blood looks all the way to the wide part of the strip?

It could be that your hematocrit (the percentage of your blood that is taken up by red blood cells) is higher than 50%. In this case the blood is literally too thick to flow smoothly up the strip. Usually this occurs in people with a blood disease called polycythemia vera. It also happens in heavy smokers, but it can happen in anyone who is chronically short of breath and refuses to use oxygen.

If it is polycythemia vera, the solution is to have a lab or blood bank draw off a unit (maybe two) of blood and throw it away - or use for research, not to give to another person. If it is caused by smoking or shortness of breath you cannot throw away the blood. Doing so will put the person in a world of hurt because they are already short of the needed hemoglobin to get oxygen to the body. In the latter case, you simply cannot use the CoaguChek. I don't know about the limits of ProTime or INRatio but I'm sure that they have some. I had to discharge someone from my clinic this month because of this. I see it about twice a year.

Thanks for responding.

I am a life-long non-smoker and am not on oxygen nor short of breath. The representative at Roch is very concerned, is sending a new box of strips and has requested the return of the ones I have.

Hopefully I won't have the condition you describe.

 

[Guest]

It is more likely that it is a malfunction of the equipment than you having a disease. I just mentioned it because it is so rare than probably no single person would be likely to pick it up.