protime vs. coaguchek

[EVELYN]

Well, here we go again. Tyce and I recently returned from a dog show in Rhode Island......seems like whenever we go away on a small vacation, his INR goes sky high, even when he's good with his food, and consistent with his glass of wine at night.....

We got home from Rhode Island and I checked his INR on our Protime....4.7, ok, we know the routine, more veggies, instead of 7.5 mg this past Thursday, he had 5......

Today he had his yearly echo, one day and a year after his surgery. While we're at the cardio's office, I said, let's just do a coagucheck draw to make sure our machines are similar.......

WHOA!!!! Coagucheck says's he's 7.2......hold coumadin for three days, etc., which of course we're not going to do. He has no bruising, bloody nose, etc. OK so we get home today and I say, let's just check that Protime one more time.....4.4 today.

Now I don't mind a small difference between the two machines, but almost 3 full points is alot........Now I'm beginning to feel like Rain did---which machine is right, wrong and trustworthy.

So (and the saga does continue) I call ITT services and speak with Elaine and she says......"You have to have a hospital draw, too!!!" "Is he bruising, blood nose.....etc" Nope, not at all OK, so on Monday he's going back to the cardio with the protime machine to recheck against the coagucheck, and if they still don't agree to within a reasonable degree, off to the hospital to do a lab draw.

This machine is still under warranty, but I have no clue who or which one is wrong.......Suggestions anyone??????

Frustrated Evelyn

 

[JimL]

Dear Frustrated,

If indeed none of the test methods are linear outside of the normal range, then the difference between 4.4 and 7.2 would be minimal.
I think I begin to understand the difference between linear and non-linear. Linear means that for every increase in thinness of the blood, the INR goes up a commensurate amount. I think of it as a diagonal line on a chart. Non-linear means that the line has taken a dramatic turn toward the vertical, so that very small changes in the thinness of the blood yield very high changes in the INR.
But then again, maybe I'm all wet.

 

[Granbonny]

Ev

Ev

Cabbage, coleslaw, spinich and v-8 for Tyce all weekend Bet he'll be back in range Monday with Protime..Now, I don't know nothing about comparing. Don't want too... Too confusing.. I trust my Protime. Good luck Monday. Maybe Tyce over exerted himself. Too much exercise at dog show? You may have to go back lifting those generators. Bonnie

 

[Granbonny]

P.S.

P.S.

How was Tyce's checkup? Good I hope..when does the Card want to see him again. I'm seeing mine every 6 months for follow ups.Of course, it's only for 3 1/2 minutes. Hello, , you are great. See you in 6 months. Bye. bonnie

 

[EVELYN]

HI BON

TYCE ONLY HAD HIS ECHO DONE BY THE PA....WILL MEET WITH OUR CARDIO ON THURSDAY, BUT SHE SAID EVERYTHING LOOKED GOOD. I'M ABOUT TO TAKE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE AND DO AN INR ON MYSELF.....THAT WAY I FIGURE I'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IF THE PROTIME IS ACCURATE.......AND BELIEVE ME, I HATE PAIN!!!!!
WILL LET YOU KNOW WHO TO BELIEVE.

EV

PS. JUST HAD A WONDERFUL HUGE SALAD DINNER!!!

 

[EVELYN]

Well, Well, Well..........after performing the supreme wifely sacrifice of doing an INR on MYSELF......YAHHHHHHOOOOOO, GRRRRRRRR!!!! I believe our protime machine. I tested exactly 1 in 13.1 seconds......guess I have to go along with Tyce's 4.4, rather than the Dr.' s coagucheck of 7.2.......we're back on track.

Ev---(not so frustrated anymore, but definitely wearing a bandaid)

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Hi Evelyn,

Would insist on a lab draw. When was the last time he tested? Shortly before your trip?

Keep us posted.

 

[EVELYN]

Hi Gina

I think that's what we'll do on Monday----this way we can have 3 numbers to play with. Both Tyce and I are inclined to believe our Protime, but I guess we'll see.

Evelyn

 

[ccrawford]

Evelyn - When I got my Protime, I checked out at my Coumadin clinic using their Coagchek. Theirs was 4.3 vs my 4.4. Seems like both machines should be close at least until the higher INRs are encountered. Chris

 

[Ross]

The only way or solution I see to the problem is to check with each machine and a draw at the same time. Every time that blood is taken and a little time elapses, your going to get different results. As is you'll probably still get 3 different results.

Be sure to check with Rain and see if her dogs been digging up the flowers again. If so, expect a wild swing in readings.

 

[EVELYN]

Hi Guys

You're right, Chris, we did the same exact thing when we first got our protime. This second draw at the cardio's office was only a "let's see how close it is." You know we're bringing our Protime unit to the cardio's office on Monday afternoon. If they're not close this time, it's off to the lab for another check....we can check the lab and the protime together, too.

Of course, I immediately bristled when the pa said to hold Tyce's coumadin for 3 days......NOT HAPPENING. Yesterday he halved his dose and is eating lots of greens. Today he goes back to normal 5 mg.

We'll see.

Ev

 

[EVELYN]

Hi All

Just figured I'd post and keep everyone up to date on our story. Today Tyce met me at the cardio's office. Luckily our regular girl was there to do a stick, but let me do it anyway. Actually I wanted to stick him twice for making me do a test run, but we didn't!!! Of course I brought the Protime machine......would you believe, Protime 2.1, Coaguchek 2.7.....back to normal on dosages, etc. Now can you imagine what it would have read if we had followed the PA's instructions and held for 3 days and retested on Monday???????

I truly DO wish people knew more about Coumadin than just saying HOLD, HOLD, HOLD!!!! All we did was half his dose on Friday, and right back to normal on Saturday and Sunday, rather than hold for three days.

Also, SOOOOOO glad our trusty Protime came through with flying colors!!!!!! Yahoo!!!! All is well and I'm off to Florida for the week tomorrow morning......See ya'll on the flip side.

Ev

 

[Granbonny]

Weather

Weather

Be careful driving to Fla. South is suppose to be soaked with rain from Hurricane Bob in next 48 hours. And watch tyce's INR..Have fun. Bonnie

 

[EVELYN]

Hi Bon

I'm leaving at the "crackers of dawn" tomorrow morning. Tyce will be home sleepin and sleepin.....I'm driving my girlfriend who just lost her husband....January....down to help her clean out their condo down in the villages, then we're turning around and coming right back home. Hopefully Bob will be just a memory by then.

Tyce is back to normal dose and will test on Wednesday as usual......that's our regular day and I'm anal about him testing every week.

I'll shout at you when we pass through Ga!!!!

Ev

 

[Ross]

Don't shout at her, throw a rock at her! hehehe
Maybe even stop by and get a picture of her with the straw hat, coveralls, etc so I can change her avatar. She's tired of the chicken and frankly, so am I.

 

[EVELYN]

Rossman

NO CAN DO!!!! YOU CAN THROW THE ROCK, BUT IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, SHE'S WAY FAR OFF 95 AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE FLYING LOW DOWN.........WISH ME LUCK.....
EV