hazel595
05-14-2005, 01:37 PM
Hi after my little disagreement with my anti coag clinic I got in touch with Roche and explained everthing to them.
The story was that in February I did a self test INR and went to the hospital to have my monthly bloods done together with a venous INR (good way of keeping check on my coaguchek monitor).
The anti coag clinic rang me that night and said I had to miss two nights warfarin as my INR was 5.8 I told the clinic that my self test was 3.8 and I was absolutley surprised. I explained that if my INR is high I get a headache and had no headache and no other symptoms present. They insisted my coaguchek machine was faulty however I disagreed and though "stuff you mate" and continued taking my normal dose for that night.
The following day I rang Roche and explained the situation and they advised me to do a control test which I had already done and it was fine. They also advised me to check someone elses blood that was not on warfarin. I checked my hubby and my neighbours blood and both were the ratio they were supposed to be (0.8 ~1.1).
That day I had another phone call from the anticoag sister to make sure I had missed my dose and she said she wanted me to go in for another test and to take my coaguchek with me.
Hmmmm i thought if she had bothered to phone me again maybe my coaguchek was faulty but it still didn't alter the fact that I had no headache. Anyway I thought I had better miss that evenings warfarin dose.
I went in a few days later and had a capillary test on the clinic and my coag monitor and both results came out at 2.4 (low because I had missed a dose) and I also a venous test and waited for the venous result to come back - the result was 3.1 still 0.7 difference. I knew my INR was low because I had a headache from **** and my right side down body was tingly and numb in parts.
The coag clinic told me my monitor was unreliable and that I was no longer to phone results in but had to go to the clinic each time.
I went to see my GP as the coauchek cost me ?399 and I wasn't convinced it was my machine that was wrong. My GP agreed with me and wrote to the heamotology consultant and again I contacted Roche. I must say that Roche have been marvelous in their support and after care and I have had the coaguchek for nearly two years
Roche sent me a brand new monitor out on loan and gave me a list of tests to do and I must admit my head completely went and I had a panic attack. My sister came with me to the hospital and the Anti coag Sister although not happy did help me to do a control check on the loan, mine and the hospital machine before doing a capillary test on each one.
The results were all the same within 0.1 and in my eyes proving that there is nothing wrong with my coaguchek monitor and the Sister said she couldn't explain why there had been differences with the lab and my monitor results.
The reply from the Anit coag clinic to the letter my GP sent to the heamotologist read
QUOTE ?I think it is inevitable when different blood samples are tested on different occasions by different methodologies that the results will differ somewhat? UNQOTE.
Further in the letter the heamotologist said
QUOTE ?Having said all that, it is difficult to explain the discrepant results between her Coaguchek and our Pathology machine and I suppose the simple answer is the problem would not arise if she is tested only here at the Hospital? UNQUOTE.
I can only assume that although the hospital has a Coaguchek he doesn?t fully understand my circumstances and maybe they are not used to patients arguing that it could be there pathology lab equipment at fault. I am certain that they did something in February to their path lab machine which made the results come out incorrect.
It doesn?t really matter as I am happy that my machine is working correctly and after having a venous sample on Monday 9th May 2005 at the Pathology lab and doing a capillary test on both loan and my own machine immediately before the venous one I waited in anticipation for the venous result.
Monday 9th May 2005
Results:
Own Coag: Capillary 3.1
Loan Coag: Capillary 3.0
Path Lab: Venous 3.3
What further proof do I need that in February it was their result of 5.8 that was incorrect when I was convinced that my machine reading of 3.8 was correct.
Sorry Gals that this is so long winded but I hope it benefits those of you with a Roche self test monitor and just knowing that if you have any problems Roche bend over backwards to help.
Hospital path lab result can be wrong so go with how your body feels as well as what the results are.
hugs Hazel xxxxxxx
The story was that in February I did a self test INR and went to the hospital to have my monthly bloods done together with a venous INR (good way of keeping check on my coaguchek monitor).
The anti coag clinic rang me that night and said I had to miss two nights warfarin as my INR was 5.8 I told the clinic that my self test was 3.8 and I was absolutley surprised. I explained that if my INR is high I get a headache and had no headache and no other symptoms present. They insisted my coaguchek machine was faulty however I disagreed and though "stuff you mate" and continued taking my normal dose for that night.
The following day I rang Roche and explained the situation and they advised me to do a control test which I had already done and it was fine. They also advised me to check someone elses blood that was not on warfarin. I checked my hubby and my neighbours blood and both were the ratio they were supposed to be (0.8 ~1.1).
That day I had another phone call from the anticoag sister to make sure I had missed my dose and she said she wanted me to go in for another test and to take my coaguchek with me.
Hmmmm i thought if she had bothered to phone me again maybe my coaguchek was faulty but it still didn't alter the fact that I had no headache. Anyway I thought I had better miss that evenings warfarin dose.
I went in a few days later and had a capillary test on the clinic and my coag monitor and both results came out at 2.4 (low because I had missed a dose) and I also a venous test and waited for the venous result to come back - the result was 3.1 still 0.7 difference. I knew my INR was low because I had a headache from **** and my right side down body was tingly and numb in parts.
The coag clinic told me my monitor was unreliable and that I was no longer to phone results in but had to go to the clinic each time.
I went to see my GP as the coauchek cost me ?399 and I wasn't convinced it was my machine that was wrong. My GP agreed with me and wrote to the heamotology consultant and again I contacted Roche. I must say that Roche have been marvelous in their support and after care and I have had the coaguchek for nearly two years
Roche sent me a brand new monitor out on loan and gave me a list of tests to do and I must admit my head completely went and I had a panic attack. My sister came with me to the hospital and the Anti coag Sister although not happy did help me to do a control check on the loan, mine and the hospital machine before doing a capillary test on each one.
The results were all the same within 0.1 and in my eyes proving that there is nothing wrong with my coaguchek monitor and the Sister said she couldn't explain why there had been differences with the lab and my monitor results.
The reply from the Anit coag clinic to the letter my GP sent to the heamotologist read
QUOTE ?I think it is inevitable when different blood samples are tested on different occasions by different methodologies that the results will differ somewhat? UNQOTE.
Further in the letter the heamotologist said
QUOTE ?Having said all that, it is difficult to explain the discrepant results between her Coaguchek and our Pathology machine and I suppose the simple answer is the problem would not arise if she is tested only here at the Hospital? UNQUOTE.
I can only assume that although the hospital has a Coaguchek he doesn?t fully understand my circumstances and maybe they are not used to patients arguing that it could be there pathology lab equipment at fault. I am certain that they did something in February to their path lab machine which made the results come out incorrect.
It doesn?t really matter as I am happy that my machine is working correctly and after having a venous sample on Monday 9th May 2005 at the Pathology lab and doing a capillary test on both loan and my own machine immediately before the venous one I waited in anticipation for the venous result.
Monday 9th May 2005
Results:
Own Coag: Capillary 3.1
Loan Coag: Capillary 3.0
Path Lab: Venous 3.3
What further proof do I need that in February it was their result of 5.8 that was incorrect when I was convinced that my machine reading of 3.8 was correct.
Sorry Gals that this is so long winded but I hope it benefits those of you with a Roche self test monitor and just knowing that if you have any problems Roche bend over backwards to help.
Hospital path lab result can be wrong so go with how your body feels as well as what the results are.
hugs Hazel xxxxxxx