Hematocrit monitoring at home?

[magnus68]

Hey guys, I have to monitor my Hematocrit fairly often because of Recent diagnosis of hemochromotosis. Do any of you use a home monitor machine? It gets expensive to keep getting it tested at lab corp and the blood donation places wont test it anymore unless I donate, but I cant wait every 56 days...any ideas?

 

[Vince Carter]

You're stuck on the 56 day schedule no matter what your tests say, that's just how donating works. No if you have a Dr that will write you an order for Therapeutic Phlebotomy, you can decrease those 56 days. I've not heard or seen any info on a home test option. Perhaps you could get your hemoglobin but if you go in to donate and you're at their low cutoff they'll just send you away = free test, so to speak.

 

[gallan]

You can also use different blood donation centers. Here in South Florida we have 4 different hospital systems within a 30 mile radius that are not in any central computer system so none are aware if you donated at any of the other ones.

 

[magnus68]

You can also use different blood donation centers. Here in South Florida we have 4 different hospital systems within a 30 mile radius that are not in any central computer system so none are aware if you donated at any of the other ones.

You see I dont want to donate UNLESS my crit is high. I just want it tested and if its high I will donate, if not I wont in order to keep my ferritin in range

 

[ERO]

I found this kit on Amazon. I have no personal experience with it, however.

Also, Defy Medical provides prescriptions for medical phlebotomy all the time, so if your doc is not willing to do so...

 

[Nelson Vergel]

CBC includes hematocrit and it is $23 (minus 5 % coupon: $21.85) at DiscountedLabs,com

http://www.discountedlabs.com/cbc-complete-blood-count-includes-hematocrit/

 

[Jon H]

It doesn't get much cheaper than the Discounted Labs test, and you get the entire CBC panel. Even if there was a home testing kit, it wouldn't be as accurate and wouldn't cost much less over a 2-3 year period.

Thanks Nelson!

 

[magnus68]

It doesn't get much cheaper than the Discounted Labs test, and you get the entire CBC panel. Even if there was a home testing kit, it wouldn't be as accurate and wouldn't cost much less over a 2-3 year period.

Thanks Nelson![/QUOT

Great! Thanks

 

[MarkLA]

There are at-home test machines. If you search Amazon for Hemoblobin Monitor you can see them.

I used to have one of these (but not the brand currently on Amazon). I found it to be unreliable -- which is dangerous. I'd be curious if someone else buys one of these and confirms it to be reliable over time.

With cost of a machine at $70 and strips at $30 for $25, you're at $4/test assuming no bad strips, etc.

Lately, I just go to Labcorp and pay more because I figure accuracy is more important than cost...

 

[Thomdavies2053]

Hey guys, I have to monitor my Hematocrit fairly often because of Recent diagnosis of hemochromotosis. Do any of you use a home monitor machine? It gets expensive to keep getting it tested at lab corp and the blood donation places wont test it anymore unless I donate, but I cant wait every 56 days...any ideas?

Actually some of the answers were not correct. My HCT runs high, my primary wrote a prescription for me to donate every 14 days or twice a month. ARC and Shepheard blood both accept the script.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Actually some of the answers were not correct. My HCT runs high, my primary wrote a prescription for me to donate every 14 days or twice a month. ARC and Shepheard blood both accept the script.

Be careful , you may tank your iron and ferritin.

 

[Vince]

Actually some of the answers were not correct. My HCT runs high, my primary wrote a prescription for me to donate every 14 days or twice a month. ARC and Shepheard blood both accept the script.

I've never heard of anyone donate blood twice a month. How high is your HCT actually.