Coagulation Reading

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carolinemc

Well-known member
Joined
May 31, 2010
Messages
1,656
Location
kansas city, mo
I was freaking out the other day when I went to my lab and got the reading of 3.0. Forgot that was a normal reading. I figured it out yesterday. After having two readings of 1.8, it is a better reading. WOW! And I almost had a salad the day before. LOL! Just had to share. Thanks for listening and hugs for everyone today.
 
Hey, Pellicle -- if you can up the dose enough, for long enough, and your internal bleeding finishes you off, I'm sure your favorite suit will fit you -- especially after a few months in a coffin.
(I STRONGLY SUGGEST that you don't try this)
agreed ... that's what a good sawn off coach gun is for. Although I was hoping to serve in a closet for a few years before I was eventually put into a coffin...
 
Yes, a good gun would do the job - but probably leave quite a mess. I'm not sure about 'serve in a closet' (not sure what you mean by this) -- having your ashes in a box on the top shelf of a closet would certainly reflect a major weight loss -- but I'm not sure about fitting in your suit - unless some puts the ashes in a bag, and the bags in your suit's pockets.
 
Thanks to you guys have fun here, I love it. Have to have fun with the protime. At least the lab I use, has the coag- meter. Dependable and reliable. I go back on August 26, hope for the best on the protime. And have to remember to stop freaking out. LOL! Hugs for all today.
 
To get everyone caught up, my last reading was 4.3. so we waited for new dosing to work and did another INR and it was normal 3.5. I go back in three weeks. I hate summer when you are trying to get more active and INR jumps around. But I am getting out more with Zoey, and she is keeping me on my toes.
 
Update, last reading was last week and we got to 3.5. WOW. Wonderful. Now to go back in two weeks and hope it is still in range.
 
You're okay, as long as Zoey isn't STEPPING on your toes -- or, worse, you're not stepping on Zoey's toes.

I'm not especially comfortable hearing about retesting in two weeks. The best patient outcomes (the most time that the patients are in range) is when the patient has a meter and tests weekly. It's fast and easy - and highly recommended.

Two weeks is just a bit long -- even if your INR is stable. (You don't need to keep the INR THAT high)

Also - the 'wait' for your 'dosing to work' should be about three days. I wonder how much your doctor or lab knows about anticoagulation if you have to 'wait' for your dosing to work, test every two weeks, and keep the INR at 3.5. These things don't make me very confident about the care that you're receiving - or the people providing it.
 
You're okay, as long as Zoey isn't STEPPING on your toes -- or, worse, you're not stepping on Zoey's toes.

I'm not especially comfortable hearing about retesting in two weeks. The best patient outcomes (the most time that the patients are in range) is when the patient has a meter and tests weekly. It's fast and easy - and highly recommended.

Two weeks is just a bit long -- even if your INR is stable. (You don't need to keep the INR THAT high)

Also - the 'wait' for your 'dosing to work' should be about three days. I wonder how much your doctor or lab knows about anticoagulation if you have to 'wait' for your dosing to work, test every two weeks, and keep the INR at 3.5. These things don't make me very confident about the care that you're receiving - or the people providing it.
On the dosing, we are doing the same as it has been from the first change, just with the reading and time and OTC nasal drops used, we are confident for a good reading again this week. The lab people know what they are doing, professional and working with the doctors. Please do not bash these fine people for they know what they are doing. We are keeping within range of 2.5 to 3.5 the normal range. Better than the nurses I had to deal with at KU over the phone. I do this check in person, with the same machines you are using at home. More accurate than a arm stick and waiting longer for the results. I am doing great and hope I get another great reading this week. I hope for a 3.5 or lower. Consistency is better. Two week is great with you have a good reading. Three days is a nightmare, when you have people that are not professional, I have been there. Plus this is three weeks cause I went on a road trip last week with a friend. Pray I have another great reading. And pleaser do not bash the people for they are suing the same cong. machine you are using at home. I would rather depending on that reading that the arm stick. Have a great week, sorry it took so long to respond. I will be back on Wednesday afternoon and let you know what the reading is.
 
Caroline - I don't want this to devolve into a string of unpleasantness.

I'm not necessarily 'bashing' the people who are doing the testing - I don't know them.

I'm not using the 'same meter' that this clinic is probably using. I use the Coag-Sense. I wouldn't be particularly comfortable if the clinic was using the same meter as the one that I use at home -- and here's the reason: there are blood issues (hematocrit and others) that would make the CoaguChek XS give erroneous results. These are well documented. If a person has this blood condition, testing with CoaguChek XS at home and at the lab would result in the same erroneous value. Personally, I'd have more confidence in my INR if a different method was used to check it -- that way, you can avoid any anomalies that may make a meter give a bad result. If you have a problem, using the same meter wouldn't reveal it.

And testing every two or three weeks is NOT advised. A clot can form in as little as ten days - testing every two or three weeks wouldn't detect when your INR drops below 2.0. Three weeks is NOT fine. Two weeks is NOT great if 'you have the same reading' - although, I must confess, my INR is usually pretty consistent, and I sometimes go two weeks between tests, but still get a bit nervous after a week or so.

These 'good people' may be working from old information -- recent papers have shown that patients who self-test weekly show the most time in range. Maybe your 'good people' didn't see that.

Personally, I wouldn't wait two or three weeks to test - if you have a meter, it's strongly advised to test weekly - and if it makes you feel better, go to your lab for your test every two or three weeks.

One more thing -- you can't assume that the meter's results are more accurate than the lab results. Although I've recently run across some labs that do an extremely inaccurate reading, most of the readings have been very accurate. They don't do these in labs because they're inaccurate (although they sometimes are).

Testing at a lab, or with a meter isn't an exact science - it relies on how the blood is handled, the reagent used, and perhaps other factors. The testing method (tilt tube) used by the labs detects formation of an actual clot. CoaguChek XS uses a method that reads electrical changes and computes an INR and prothrombin time (probably less accurate than labs, but accurate enough for the purposes of INR management). Coag-Sense uses a mechanical method for detecting clots, similar to the way that labs do it.

Labs take longer. You have to get a larger sample of blood drawn from the arm. The results are often reported in decimals to two places (i.e. 2.35). When done right, they're more accurate than a meter.

And, FWIW, I'm not bashing any of these anonymous, unidentified people as individuals - I point out when I don't think you're getting the care (and protection) that you should be getting. I don't know WHO they are. I'm not making this a personal attack - and I don't know why you perceive it to be one.
 

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