INR self tester

[heartburst]

So I'm two weeks post surgery and feeling really good about everything. I started looking at INR self testers. There's a pretty wide choice and price range. Any recommendations? I like the idea of something portable. I don't think my insurance will pay, I will confirm this soon. I'd like to go less expensive, but I get the whole "you get what pay for" concept. This is a piece of equipment that you really have to rely on for accuracy.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

you know its like cars, many of us have our personal choice, sometimes its based on what we started with.

Myself I like my Coagucheck XS because

1. I got given it by Medtronics with my valve
2. I find that its easy to use (the modern ones seem to be much better than the older styles)
3. it has for me been very accurate.
4. strips are well priced which leads me to
5. I don't have to take into consideration any other factors (like insurance companies)

From a Roche publication it compares their product over a variety of blood samples to others.

 

[Protimenow]

If you're looking for portability, the CoaguChek XS is not a bad choice. It's relatively compact, the strips don't take up much space (they usually come in a 'tube' with a cap on it, and if it's anything like mine, it even comes with a travel case.
For myself, although I've used the XS, I personally prefer the Coag-Sense. It's bigger than the XS. The travel case, with strips, transfer tubes and lancets is larger, but it can also travel well. I haven't done much traveling recently, so the issue of portability isn't a big one for me.

What I like about the Coag-Sense is that it seems to report INRs slightly lower than the lab results, although the actual calculated prothrombin time sometimes matches the lab. In my experience with the XS, results are usually slightly higher than the lab. Both seem to meet the 30% range of error guidelines that have been established for INR testing. Personally, if my meter gave me a value of 2.2, I'd feel comfortable knowing that it was probably AT LEAST 2.2, and possibly higher if I had a blood draw; a meter that gives me a 2.2 and is consistently higher than the lab would have me a bit concerned about how low a lab result REALLY was.

Both are good meters. The XS is probably a bit easier to use than the Coag-Sense (because all you have to do is put a drop of blood on the strip, or touch the side of the strip and let the strip draw the blood in).