Home monitoring in Australia

[aussie girl]

I am interested to know how many of my fellow aussies home test and did you speak to your cardio or GP to help organize it. I'm only 10 weeks post op, so I know I will probably have to wait for a while but I'm already sick of having to go to gribbles all the time to get tested. Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks Mary

 

[zarbie01]

Hi Mary, I am from Melbourne and I home test. I am 4 months out of double valve replacement. My surgeon provided the machine at no cost to me. He insists that home testing is the way to go. I still go to Dorevitch pathology and get a venous draw every now and then..

 

[Bina]

Mary, you should not have to wait at all..... whether it is 10 wks or 10 months post op.....jump on the telephone and make some calls. Try asking at your hospital, I hope you get one.

 

[Bridgette]

Hi Mary

I'm from across the ditch, and my cardiologist was the one who organised it for me. He got the rep from Roche to send me all the info about the Coaguchek, and I went ahead and bought it. I think I was about 2 months post op when I got it.

I think it's the only way to go - I got sick of going to the lab for blood tests and then waiting for the nurse to call back with "instructions" especially as sometimes they wouldn't call back that evening and I was left wondering what my reading was and what changes to make if necessary. Hopeless!

Having said that, I might go next week and get a test just to compare the results with my machine.....I do that every once in a while.

Good luck

 

[aussie girl]

Thanks guys, I knew someone would help me. I have a 3 month check up with my cardio in a couple of weeks so I'll speak to him about it then, if I get no joy that way I know my surgeon is a supporter of home testing so I'll contact him.

Zarbie01

I noticed that this is your first post so welcome to VR.com. The people here are fabulous for information and support so make yourself known and ask any questions you want. We also have an informal chat session sunday night US time monday morning our time (about 7am) so if your able, join in.

Mary

 

[zarbie01]

home monitoring in australia

home monitoring in australia

hello Mary,

Thanks for your warm welcome. yes it is my first post, but I had been lurking for quite some time. I have an INRRatio machine made by hemosense marketed in australia by St Jude. It is great. I was very lucky that my surgeon arranged this for me. If you talk to your cardiologist I am sure he can put you on the right track. So, happy home testing soon for you.

 

[Magic8Ball]

I'm nearly 12 months post surgery and have been home testing for about 10 months.

You don't need your cardio, surgeon or GP to be with you on the decision....mine wern't pro-home testing but at the same time they wern't against.

I was just way way past having my arm stuck every one to two weeks, gets tiresome very quickly.

I just read the benefits on here and pony'd up my $1600AUD and contacted roche diagnostics and got a coagucheck XS with 2 tubs of test sticks. Got no help from my medical insurance and can't be bothered to fight but it was all tax deductible on my medicare safety net this year so thats not too bad.

I've probably only lab tested 3 times since i got the machine and i always sit between 2.2 and 3.2, usually hovering mostly around the 2.6 level.

 

[maggiemay]

INR meter

INR meter

hi all, I finally got my home tester on Fri. the ins. picked up the full cost. First test was 4.0. I did not get excited or change my dose, just had a salad and some fresh brocc. today will test again in few days for training from Raytel. I think I prefer the little stick over the lab draw and maybe this will be so much more accurate. Thanks to all for just being there, Maggiemay.

 

[Bina]

Maggie, congratulations....that is fantastic news!!
You will see that home testing makes the whole coumadin/ACT process very simple.