INR TESTING

[1818hst]

All, would appreciate your feedback on the following please. I invested in the Roche CoaguChek XS machine and use it regulalry to monitor my INR. Last week I had my INR tested in the clininc I go to weekly and the reading came back at 2.2. I used my CoaguChek machine while in the clinic and its reading was 2.6. Yesterday, my clinical test came back at 3.6 while my CoaguChek machine read 3.4. Have any of experienced this degree of variation? This is important for me because I travel long-haul a great deal, and if my INR is below a certain level I am supposed to inject Clexane pre-flight. A scary thought if my CoaguChek is giving me incorrect readings. Thanks.

[daftdog]

Hi my machine is the same, there,s always a . difference with mine to, You could try using your strips in there machine aswell as yours to see if it the difference is in the machine or the strips.

[1818hst]

Thanks; the clinic draws blood venously for my INR test. I take the machine along with me to try and confirm the test numbers from the clinic (which I assume is the most accurate).

[warfarin1]

There can be a difference between a test with a venous sample and a test with the CoaguChek. Up to 0.5 difference is acceptable. If you sent your venous sample to two different laboratories you would very likely get two slightly different results. It depends on what methods are used. The difficulty is which one do you base your dose on? When I was first self-testing I decided that I had to have confidence in whichever method I was going to choose to use for life. so I based my dose on the CoaguChek unless there was a marked difference - which there never was. Personally I do not always assume that a lab test at the clinic is the most accurate but that might be for another debate.

[Jade]

I am afraid I don have any answers as I have never had mine compared as I was told never to come to the anti coagulation clinic again if I used my own machine.

I have used mine alone since 2004 and self medicate too. I have no idea if my machine is accurate or not. I just assume it is by how I feel.

[Skyllark]

how much is one of those?

[daisyd]

I had my coagucheck machine tested eg blood sample and my coagucheck machine. I wasn't worried that it was a couple of points out. 0. Something under five is a very small amount. I have just been on a long haul flight and found the machine absolutely fantastic. I would have been very anxious with out one.

The people from the company are really good with any advise.

I would phone them to put your mind at ease

Ps I got my machine for my birthday and Christmas present, best present ever.

I am going to write about my inr and holiday flight etc later when I have found my next bit of energy.

Hopefully tonight

Good luck Karen

[Skyllark]

so that would be about $600 Canadian - mmm now if they could only make a tool for Heperin injections, so that it would not be brusing you all the time!!

[Hidden]

I have all the antibodies and also Lupus anticoagulant. I had a Coaguchek machine 6 months ago. The result from the machine and the lab differ from time to time. Mostly it is 0,8. We trust the lab result. I take vaintest every week. The machine makes it easier for me knowing what to eat because I take a check every morning.

[Hidden]

Hello I'm Mark and I'm an australian/italian citizen living in italy for more then 15 years. I'm now planing on moving back to Perth Australia. I had heart surgery and now taking coumadin and take PT & INR blood test every two weeks. Here in Italy sicne my terapy is for life it's free and I dont pay. What I want ot know is if moving to australia would it still be free o would i need to pay for these blood tests?

[Lure2]

Hi makorocs,

Now you wish an answer on an even older question (6 years ago). I guess you have your Warfarin because of your heart surgery. We take Warfarin because of APS ("Sticky blood") and even take our bloodtests as often as every week and also selftest as our INR is difficult to stabilize for some of us and changing a lot all the time.

I wish you good luck with your heart and Warfarin and if you have got APS please put a new question and you will get answer I am sure.

Kerstin in Stockholm