Which home testing machine do you have?

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TXGal

TXGal

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
197
Location
Texas
Ok, many many years ago I tried to get my insurance to pay for a home machine, but they wouldn't and I didn't worry about it again. Well, in the past year or so it seems like every time I get my INR done at the hospital it's way too thick or way too thin... A few days ago mine was 6.5! I really need to be able to test at home... Soooo, I'd love to hear what everyone else is using.

What machine do you use? :confused:
And if you'd like to share, how much are your testing strips? :)
 
Hi Kristen,
I have been home testing for almost 2 years. I use the INRatio machine. I buy my strips through Express Medical Supplies - they sell 48 strips for $199. The only snag is they have to ship them to a doctor's office. My cardio lets me ship to his office and his nurse calls me when the strips arrive.

I worked through QAS to purchase my tester.

Some may say it is a hassle getting the doc to write a script, dealing with insurance, etc. but for me it was worth it!
 
Kristen:

I have the INRatio. I bought it through QAS and paid cash (well, credit card) and got a $1,000 discount that way. Then I filed with insurance and they covered it @ 60% (80% of what they call usual and customary charges).

I'm about ready to purchase new strips and will be hunting for the best price. I have a couple of sources. I have bought them through QAS, but last time I purchased from another source.
 
Hi Kristen ~~ Woe, your INR is pretty high at 6.5 and I hope it's down by now. Your insurance may pay part or all of your strip cost. Get the ball rolling by calling QAS and they will take care of everything for you. They're GREAT......!!

See my signature line for the machine info. It's worth the hassle...!
 
Hi. Following my unexpectedly early re-surgery which ended up with a mechanical valve replacement this time, the first thing I purchased was an INR home-test device. I cross-checked the results with lab results and the numbers were same.
Name of the device: CoaguCheck XS System by Roche.
Best wishes.
Cem.
 
Kristen, You can't go wrong with either Coaguchek or INRatio. I've used them both. Currently, my INRatio has been working fine with no glitches for five years.
 
Thanks everyone! So it sounds like I better get on the phone with QAS! I'm hoping that insurance will pay a big part of this. I'm getting a little frustrated with my INR levels never being where they should be and the PT clinic just tells me to adjust my medicine for that first night, then check back in a month! When I lived in another city, the hospital was completely different and if I was off the charts, I continued to get my blood checked until I was where I should be.

Janie, Yes, I was 6.5 on Tuesday! I hope I'm down now, but who knows?? I'm going to go back next Tuesday at my own decision and have my INR done again. If it were up to them I'd be back in a month.. The only thing I could think of that I had done differently was I had taken Tylenol several days in a row since I've had a headache every day (maybe because my blood is too thin?) So, the nurse said that was probably why I was thin.
I think I need to monitor myself though and my husband agrees. I will contact QAS first thing Monday morning. =)
 
Thick & Thin

Thick & Thin

it's not about thick & thin blood, but rather about how quickly or slowly your blood clots. I use an INRatio machine and test weekly. If I engage in activities that raise my metabolic rate, I test twice a week.

-Philip
 
TXGal said:
Thanks everyone! So it sounds like I better get on the phone with QAS! I'm hoping that insurance will pay a big part of this. I'm getting a little frustrated with my INR levels never being where they should be and the PT clinic just tells me to adjust my medicine for that first night, then check back in a month! When I lived in another city, the hospital was completely different and if I was off the charts, I continued to get my blood checked until I was where I should be.

Janie, Yes, I was 6.5 on Tuesday! I hope I'm down now, but who knows?? I'm going to go back next Tuesday at my own decision and have my INR done again. If it were up to them I'd be back in a month.. The only thing I could think of that I had done differently was I had taken Tylenol several days in a row since I've had a headache every day (maybe because my blood is too thin?) So, the nurse said that was probably why I was thin.
I think I need to monitor myself though and my husband agrees. I will contact QAS first thing Monday morning. =)
Click to expand...

I can't believe they adjust your amount and make you wait a month to see what is going on, that is terrible.
Can you go more often? Besides getting a machine, I would look for some one new to manage your coumadin. Do you keep track of how much you take and what your INR was? IF so I would start a thead in the anitcoag forum and I'd bet they could help get you a little more stable.

ps AM I reading that right, IF you are out of range they just change your dose one night then have you go back to what you normally take?
 
Hi Bill,

Well, I can recommend the INratio machines from Australia - mine is working just fine :)

Home testing is definitely the way to go - I had gastro and got up to 6.9 so had to adjust my dosage tilll I was well again. Would never have known if I relied on the once a month lab testing.....
 
Hey there,

I called QAS 2 weeks post-op, they told me I had to wait 90 days, (which is this week), so I'm trying to get everything setup. So far, I just called them, then they contacted my cardio, he approved, now they will submit my paperwork to BCBS, once insurance approves I will have my tester within a couple weeks. The estimate from Randy at QAS was Nov 15th I will have it! I'm so excited, I don't even know which one they are sending me, but I'm calling Randy back to find out.

Just edited this: I'm getting the InRatio2 monitor, probably in 2-5 weeks.
 
Ok, another question... When you test, do you send your results to the cardiologist or PT/INR clinic to adjust your dosage or do you adjust yourself? It seems like most machines I'm hearing about that you have to send your results to them and they adjust, is this true???
 
It's not the machines that require you to send in your results, it's the vendor or your insurance or because the insurance company sets you up to rent the machine, rather than purchase it.

I don't have to tell anyone my results. I do my own dosage changes. I figure if doctors and nurses can figure it out, and I'm far smarter than a lot of them, I can do the same.

A now-deceased friend used to say, "Marsha, you're smarter than the average bear." I have to honor that. :)
 
Thanks Marsha! My husband has been trying to order this for me since I've been busy this last week, but I'm going to look into it this week and find out details. He was telling me that it sounded like I would have to send my results to my cardiologist office which is definitely not something I want to do. It's not that I can't physically go and get my own INR, it's that I do want to adjust my own coumadin level and many times don't agree with what my PT clinic is telling me. So, I'll continue to research and hopefully find a way to get the machine & monitor my own INR!
 
Coaguchek

Coaguchek

Hi,
The new coaguchek is just great!
If you go on the Roche website you can order it.

Cheers
 
TXGal said:
Ok, another question... When you test, do you send your results to the cardiologist or PT/INR clinic to adjust your dosage or do you adjust yourself?
Click to expand...

To me the whole point IS self dosing. You very soon get to know how your body reacts and should be able to do your dosing more accurately that your doctor; you become the expert.

David.
 
TXGal said:
Ok, another question... When you test, do you send your results to the cardiologist or PT/INR clinic to adjust your dosage or do you adjust yourself? It seems like most machines I'm hearing about that you have to send your results to them and they adjust, is this true???
Click to expand...

Kristen, sorry I'm so late.
I'm required to call the INR results to QAS due to being on Medicare. Then QAS notifies my Cardiologist. I adjust the dosage as needed. He agreed about me taking care of it.
 
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