Do you have CoaguCheck experience?

[Budeci Cristian]

Hello everybody!

My father-in-law back in Romania has a mechanical mitral valve and succeded to control fairly the coumadin. Almost two times a year (at season changes) he has to change his dosage otherwise he had hemorhages and hypotension and vertigo. Two weeks he was surprised to find his INR almost 5 and has problems to control it. He spent visits to the coag lab and cardiologist regularly but I am very sure he could better avoid his sesonal problems and all the emotion with a home control INR device. We asked the cardiologist about an instrument but he still recomanded the lab tests since the home devices had frequent discorelations and calibration issues with the lab results, and the capillary coagulations testing is not as a good predictor as the whole blood test. On the other side, I am sure that my father-in-law is now tired of drawing blood from his veins, as he did last month, so from his point of view he would be happy with capillary testing.

The point is that we want to buy for him a home test, and we are looking for a second-hand one in good condition, with reliable results, easy to use and calibrate and with available test strips. I found a CoaguCheck (the old one not the S model) from Roche for sale, and I am looking forward to buy it, but before taking a decision I would like to know your opinions and experience with Roche CoaguCheck.

Is it a reliable instrument? Has consistent results?
What about calibration? Is it easy to perform? Do I need aditional calibration solution or staff?
Is the instrument easy to use?
Why Roche has a new instrument "S" model? It was something wrong with CoaguCheck? I saw something on internet with broken seals on strips.
It uses the same strips as "S" model, or could I get any problem to find strips for the "old" CoaguCheck?
What would be a fair price for CoacguCheck pretended to be new?

Thank you for you kind replies and take care of your hearts.

Best regards,

Cristian

 

[JimL]

I have been tested with a Coaguchek unit for three years now, and with good results. But I would recommend that you call QAS for advise and help, both about supplies and potential repair and/or replacement of your unit.

It may be that there are seasonal changes necessary in the dosage, changes tied into activity levels. When the snow starts here, my activity level drops off, and my dose needs to decline. Spring will reverse things.

 

[ShezaGirlie]

It uses the same strips as "S" model, or could I get any problem to find strips for the "old" CoaguCheck

The CoaguChek S uses strips that look similar to the old CoaguChek strips, but the chips are NOT interchangeable between machines; therefore, you will not be able to use the 'old' variety of strips in a 'new' "S" machine or vice versa.

There's nothing wrong with the 'old' CoaguChek machine....the "S" is merely a new model which is available in Europe to the public, but only for professional use in the USA. Go figure..

If you're in Europe, I would definitely go with the newer "S" machine.

 

[tommy]

About the defective strips...............

Roche appeared to bend over backwards in disclosuure. The test strips have a perforation that helps you tear off the top of the strip. Some of the perforations were cut too deep and allowed air to contaminate the strip. I never saw any of the bad strips, but was on the watch for them as a result of several mailings from Roche.