I'm disappointed.

[Zipper]

I trust in my machine and feel confidence in being able to test at home every 7-10 days. I indulge in a great Ceasar Salad if I'm a bit high..otherwise eat Iceberg...hmmm..it's just ok. I tested at 3.7 yesterday, so I even ate a sprig of Broccoli..lol!

I also go to my Lab every 6-7 weeks so my Doc will receive the report. He knows I home test and is in favor of it, so I only do the Lab as an extra precaution and assurance to him and me. My insurance pays zero for my unit and supplies, even tho I have an excellent Blue Shield PPO policy thru my hospital job. The venous draw doesn't bother me at all as we have an expert in our Lab..he knows my tiny veins.

I have had excellent results thus far and wish the same for everyone. I agree that you must trust your mode of testing and not try to get multiple tests in multiple ways/labs to match exactly. I think this causes over reactions/anxiety and skepticism where it may not be needed.

Ross, I hope your INR settles down..it will in time, I'm sure. Everyone that is over-anxious...please chill...lol...and have confidence in your chosen method. What suits one does not suit all..go with what you and your Doc are comfortable with.

Zip *~*

 

[Ross]

I was once again, getting my PT checked at the clinic yesterday, and asked the person who was working with me if she remembered what unit they tested and why it flunked out. It was a Coaguchek unit. The way she was talking, I'm not at all convinced that they even knew how to use the unit properly. She said that in one instance, the unit gave off an error code that the room was too cold?

She could have been trying to Buffalo me, but even she said that they would be open to trying another unit. They say patient comfort is one priority, but I'm thinking profits take precedence.

I'm not knocking the place, but I'd like them to give these things a true chance. I'd love to see (Be there physically and watch) the results from the lab and from the machine at the same time. I'll bet it's not as far off as I'm being told.

 

[JimL]

I think my local hospital makes out better with the Acuchek machine than with the veinous draw. I go and give a drop of blood to one nurse and am done in five minutes. But they charge the same, or slightly more, than for a veinous draw.

 

[ALCapshaw]

ROSS -

Re: Hand Sticks - Ask the technician to use a Butterfly or the smallest acceptable needle for the INR tests. My experience with SMALL needles in the hand is that they are 'not too bad'.

'AL'

 

[Granbonny]

I had a Coaguchek check

I had a Coaguchek check

yesterday at my PCP office. I have to laugh. Had a new nurse who didn't know me and they always want to know why you are there and I said to check b/p and get new med ( Hubby knows every potty in 3 counties ) And then she ask me about myself and I told her and then before I could say anything she had popped my finger (don't think she even put alcohol on it) and I was so excited I didn't say anything and it was a Coaguchek machine and it popped up 2.2.. She didn't say anything. I told my doctor I had just checked it 3 days before at 2.6...and my clinical nurse said to go 3 weeks before I check again. THANK goodness, my PCP doesn't monitor my INR. Bonnie P.S. Those of you with Coaguchek's..how do you incise your finger. Hope not the way she did me..Pop with a big needle.

 

[Gisele]

Ross I believe there is such a thing!

Ross I believe there is such a thing!

Last winter we had an unusually cold night, and I keep my Protime unit in my hutch (which is against the wall on the north side of the house). When I got up one morning, it was freezing downstairs and I knew I felt cold, but when I got an error reading from my protime indicating that the unit itself was too cold, I knew it wasn't just me!

I stood in front of the pellet stove and warmed up the unit (and my fingers ) and then it functioned just fine.

Ross, I am curious what the room temperature had been where that unit was stored. ? summer time and the A/C was too high, or cold out and the heat had been turned down?
Just a thought.

Gisele

 

[Ross]

Al C, I've been having them use the 23 1/4 gauge butterflies, but there is one nurse in the place that no matter how much I ask her not to use the 20 gauge, she still does. I try like mad not to get her when it comes time to draw.

Gisele-I don't know how cold it was or where they were testing at the time. They say they tested the Coaguchek units in July. During summer, they keep the A/C at about 75F. The Clinic is making money hand over fist on these tests, so I think they'd do just about anything to deny a quicker, more convenient method any day. I got a statement from the insurance co. It's $20 to draw and $45 for the lab. I've been going every week. It's not hard for me to see why they don't want to authorize me for my own testing. They'd lose the money from the insurance company.