Anyone Bought An INR Home Testing Machine?

didiogo

Hi,

I´m new to the forum and live in Portugal.

I'd like to ask if anyone can tell me the price of the test strips for the coaguchek xs, retail and with perscription.

Thanks

SocrateS_2

wasleys wrote: »

spikeyblonde,

If you're still watching this thread post back and I'll tell you my experience with CoaguChek XS.

Sorry I'm not 'SpikeyBlonde' however, I would like to hear your experience with CoaguCheck XS if you're willing. As I too was thinking of purchasing such a product.

Thanks.

Jennip

I have only just seen this thread and thought I may be able to add something to the comments being made.

Following heart valve surgery late last year (2009) I was prescribed warfrin which, requires weekly (worst case) or /biweekly (best case) monitoring of my INR.

Each monitoring session necessitated a call to my doctor to book an appointment to see the nurse. Then followed a 15 minute car journey and, being a busy surgery, I often had to wait 30 minutes.

The test required a significant phial of blood being taken, sent to a local hospital for testing, and 2 days later, usually, I received my test results with the doseage plan, along with the next test date.

And so the process carried on.

I am NOT complaining just stating the facts.

Having found out about self monitorig I checked with my local pct to be advised that they recommended the Coagucheck XS model.

I purchased the tester, not cheap £399, no VAT. The local pct WILL NOT fund the test machine but they DO pay for the test strips and lancets.

So now I self test, and get the INR result, within 30 seconds, which I phone through to my local hospital who then give me a new doseage plan over the telephone, confirmed in printed format within 48 hours.

Now I can live an independent lfe.

A recent holiday meant a self check, a mobile call, and it all took less than 5 minutes from start to finish and I was aware of my updated medication level.

I fully support the Roche product BUT would not personally countenance getting second equipment if you are not fully aware of its proberty.

I do not have any connection with Roche Diagnostics other than being a satisfied customer.

Fozz2k

Hi

I have a metallic prosthetic heart valve for which I have to take warfarin for the rest of my life. I also have a hugely demanding job which demands long hours and travel

I don't get my inr checked anywhere near as often as I should and I'm getting concerned over the impact this could have on my health.

Are there any schemes under which I could obtain a home inr testing kit, or any schemes that could make buying one more affordable?

Failing that where can I just buy one?

Many thanks

Mark

Sare295

Hi there
I'm wondering if anyone has any advice for me.
I want to purchase a self test kit for warfarin; the anticoagulant services have recommended I buy a roche self test kit, I was prepared to do this and went to my GP surgery to support me by providing the strips and lansits on prescription. The feedback I've had is that the PCT where I live will not support this as it is too expensive??!!

Any ideas on how to challenge the decision? So far I've been told that they have a block contract for blood testing and the cost to them to support me to self test is too expensive.

I have been looking into buying my own strips and lansits but do not think I can maintain it long term.

I'm 28, I work full time and have been told I will be on warfarin for life due to reoccurring DVTs.
I really want to manage my own testing in my own time.

Can anyone offer advice?

anguilla

I've just been put onto warfarin for 6 months due to DVT that caused pulmonary embolism & necessitated 10 days in hospital - 5 of them on 80% oxygen. I'm also very bad with needles.

My PCT offered me outpatients fingerprick appointments - just had enough for them to baseline me and now looking forward to weekly appointments - go to the clinic, quick test at the hospital and then get your reading/dosage amendments back next day or so in the post. Note that I had to ask for this - otherwise it was a visit to Dr for bloodtest every week.

May be of help to someone else.

frugalstephen

I have recently ( 4 weeks ago), had a triple heart bypass along with a new mechanical aortic valve. As such, I will be on Warfarin the rest of my life. Currently, I have frequent visits from the District Nurse to take blood samples, and then I later phone same day for results, and get my next few days Warfarin doseage.

I am also diabetic, and am well use to taking frequent blood sugar tests using the fingerprick blood/test meter. What I can't understand is how come I can get a 'sugar' meter free of charge from my Diabetic clinic, yet the INR meter can only be privately purchased.

Also, even if you bought one in Boots, it would cost around £12, why does the INR meter cost £300?? Surely it's a very similar principal of testing with a different programmed computer chip inside?

Anyway, there's no way I could spend the rest of my life frequently visiting a clinic just for a blood test, which at home would take one minute. I called Roche, and their INR meter is on 'offer' till March 2011 at the price of £299 - guess I'll just have to pony up.....

frugalstephen

I know this thread is as old as the hills (!), but I have a little update which may interest anyone that's googled 'INR' meters and found this.

Up to March 31st, the Coaguchek meter is on special offer at £299, HOWEVER, there is another meter from a company called Alere called the INRatio2 which is also on special offer to 31st March 2011 @ only £199!!

http://www.alere.co.uk/community-nursing/inratior2-93/product-listing.htm

Both meters use strips that have been authorised by the NHS so will be available on prescription - check with your GP first.

G-Man66

hi i joined for this thread im a lurker normally but ive got bad dvts in my legs and have to on warfin for life ive hit a problem the local hospital dont have a clinic and the gp doesn't have a roche machine they use block bloods at lab
i cant have a full blood test for reasons i wont get in to and hospital said they wont test me as they are only er , so this thread may just help me out i now have more options to try , my new doc who i went to see today to see what could be done about the situation
said this " well some warfin is better than none" meaning he was thinking of giving me it at a guess dose with no testing
ive come away angry as hell, im intitled to care just the same as anyone else not a guess low dose ! that hardly right for chronic groin dvts with no visible flow is it! so thanks for this wonderful thread at least im not at a loss for what to try next
kind regards
G

kahriss

I've been using the coaguchek machine for 2 years after a massive pulmonary embolism. I was doing fine, tested myself and phoned the result to my gp who told me what warfarin dose to take. I'd go in maybe every 3 months to check their machine against mine. The strips were on prescription so it was just the initial outlay for the machine.
I moved to a different area a few months back and this gp refuses to let me self test. Luckily my inr has been stable so I only go every month but it's still a pain. They just tell me how warfarin is a dangerous drug (I was self testing not self dosing!) and if I insisted on testing myself they wouldn't supply my warfarin. Strange how surgeries vary so much. If you can get your gp to agree to it then I would say go for your own machine, it's peace of mind being able to test if you're feeling under the weather