So I have a mechanical heart valve so I'm on warfarin for life, and I have a new job where I'm away from home all week (very early mon-late fri) so I can no longer attend my local doctors to have my INR checked.
The doctors said theres nothing they can do except prescribe the strips for a self testing machine but they said there are nearly £1000 which I simply cannot afford to buy.
They said "Well you'll just have to ring round the local pharmacies and see if any do INR testing on saturdays" which I have done and none of them do testing let alone do it on weekends.
What on earth do I do?
Written by
lmo90
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I have my INR testing done at the local hospital's Warfarin Clinic, as I'm only 5 mins away it's actually the best option for me. Where I've had call for my INR to be taken at Weekends/Bank Holidays, the clinic arrange for it to be taken at the hospitals Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) unit. It's never been a problem, but, I appreciate not everyone has the same access.
I've been on warfarin 10years and in that time I've been under the care of Anticoagulant Services of the local Trust. I had a short period where it suited me to go elsewhere other than hospital, but, it was still under there jurisdiction and not at my GPs'.
I agree it's bizarre that they won't refer you back to hospital, which can't be right surely, unless they're saying that the hospital doesn't have a clinic.
Daft question, but, does your yellow book not have an address/contact details/tel.no details. It should have details of what to do in an emergency.
Buy yourself a home testing machine, I have one you can take it with you. Inform your local hospital you have it. You ring them with the results and they will dose you over the phone or by post. Cost around £300 but invaluable
I know others who have Coagucheck machines and the cost was nearer £300. Do you think that your employers would pay for it, as the reason you can't go to a local Warfarin clinic is because of work. Worth asking 😊
1 Are you working at the same place each week and if so you could try registering with a local surgery? Not helpful I suppose if you are on a North Sea oil rig.
2 As you are being tested weekly am I right in thinking your INR results aren’t stable? I ask this because when my results are stable my test interval is far more than a week.
Hello. My husband has a mechanical aortic valve so he’s on warfarin for life too. He bought his own testing machine fromRoche and gets the lancets & test strips on prescription. Self-testing is supported by NICE. Here’s the link to buy a machine
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Self testing INR
Testing my INR at home
INR home testing 
Any suggestions to sitting in hospital for hours waiting for INR test
Monthly warfarin blood tests still necessary? 
