Did my first test

[jax]

Well I finally received my coaguchek home monitor today and ran my first test on it while the trainer was here. Came out as 3.2. Which is great. The last couple of times I have been a little high. Nothing that really concerned me because I have never gone above 4. But I was concerned the last time I tested at 3.7 and the doctor adjusted my dose (no big deal) but then told me to wait a month to test after just telling me to drop 4 mg per week on my warfarin. Now I will not have to worry about that anymore. I didn't think for any reason she should have told me to wait a month to test after making an adjustment to my dose. Now I have the control over when I test which makes me so much more comfortable in so many ways.

 

[Bina]

I remember doing my first test with my pharmacist/trainer.
What a thrill when I saw that number come up and it matched my lab test.
Trust your Coaguchek to be your new best friend.

 

[jax]

It already is bina. Just knowing that I can test when it best suits me and not have to make sure I get up early enough to go to the hospital so I can have my test results that day. Working afternoon shift and not going to bed til atleast 1 a.m. makes it difficult to drag myself out of bed any earlier than 9.

 

[Ross]

Welcome to the land of the P***ks.

 

[Blanche]

You made me smile

You made me smile

I remember Al's first test. I had to do it for him because he was still having difficulties because of the stroke he had a few months prior. I was shaking and he was shaking. Took me three tries to finally get the deed done. When we saw the result, 3.5, I wanted to dance all around the house. His range was 3.0 to 4.0, so 3.5 was his target INR. Woopie.

I know that you will really enjoy having your own monitor and being able to take charge of your anticoagulation. It really is empowering.

Regards,

Blanche

 

[olefin]

Jackie, that's great!
Home testing is the way to go.

Had it not been for Ross, I'd probably still not be home testing.
Wife wanted me to buy a monitor back in 93 but I wouldn't. Then Ross informer me Medicare had started paying for it.

 

[netmiff]

Heavens, is there any other way to do it ? Seriously, I have appreciated mine since I got it, and I only waited about 3 months post-surgery!

 

[jax]

7 months of going to the hospital to have my blood drawn was too long. The day i got the call from the trainer i had it set in my mind that i would give them to the following monday then i would be calling again. Thankfully i didn't have to do that because i have had to call them so many times i am surprised i haven't started swearing at anyone. Oh well, that is all behind me now and i can test on my own schedule now. That is definitely a freedom that i am definitely going to appreciate. now i just have to call the doctor's office and let her know. She called while i was still sleeping and told me to retest in a month. lol not gonna happen. but since i just got my monitor on saturday she doesn't know that i have it yet.

 

[Ross]

She doesn't need to either if you think your going to get some kick back from her.

 

[jax]

She was the one that prescribed the monitor. I called the office this morning to let them know that I got my machine and that I would be testing weekly as that is how she had me set up. No problem. She saw the fax from QAS and was wondering if I got my monitor according to the nurse I talked to. So everything is fine. She didn't have a problem prescribing the monitor because she had already seen it in use just didn't know that it could be used to home test.