Hi, I’m Rachel, founder of wellness brand Our Remedy. I wanted to share my story about hormone testing with an at-home finger prick blood test at home, in case it helps you.
When it comes to our health, knowledge is power. So, when I stumbled upon a finger prick hormone testing kit, I thought I had found the key to understanding my body better. Little did I know, this journey would take me on a rollercoaster of emotions, panic, and unnecessary expenses.
How it started - some alarming results
I suffered from ovarian tumors in the past and had a hysterectomy, starting HRT in my mid-30s. Now that I was on HRT, I thought it would be empowering to test my hormone levels, so I decided to give an at-home hormone blood test a try.
After a painful finger prick and some difficulty getting enough blood into the tube, I finally sent in my sample, eagerly anticipating the insights it would provide.
When the results came back, to my shock, my oestrogen levels were through the roof. I was told by the hormone testing company to immediately visit my GP, which I did. But they put me on an 18-month waitlist for a referral.
Misleading results and the start of many months of worry
I was getting really worried, so I decided to take matters into my own hands and repeated the at-home hormone test six months later. Unfortunately, the results were consistent: alarmingly high oestrogen levels. This time, I was not content with waiting for the NHS waitlist, especially given my history with ovarian tumors.
I took the proactive step of booking a private appointment with a menopause specialist. This decision came at a serious cost, both financially (£300) and emotionally. The specialist was taken aback by my results and suspected a recurrence of ovarian tumors, urging me to undergo an urgent MRI. The NHS wait for an MRI was too long, so I opted for a private one, costing me an additional £1,000.
A week of anguish and uncertainty
The week leading up to the MRI was nothing short of a nightmare. I grappled with overwhelming sadness, anxiety, and fear. The thought of facing a battle with ovarian tumors once again haunted me. I was emotionally drained, and it was incredibly tough to cope with the uncertainty looming over me. (As the founder of a wellness brand, thankfully I have lots of natural remedies like CBD oil at my disposal to ease anxiety.)
Some unexpected news
The MRI results were all clear. No tumors were detected. To further investigate, the private medical team conducted blood tests, which, to my immense surprise, returned perfectly normal hormone levels.
It was a bittersweet moment. I was relieved that I didn’t have to face a medical crisis but also frustrated by the rollercoaster of emotions I had been through.
And it begged the question, what went wrong with the first two at-home blood tests I did? Why were the results so out of range?
I finally figured out what happened
It wasn’t until much later that I discovered what had happened. A crucial piece of information had been missing: the results of the at-home hormone test I had taken were impacted by my use of oestrogen HRT gel. The gel on my skin had infiltrated the sample, leading to scarily high oestrogen levels in the results.
Surprisingly, this vital piece of information had not been communicated to me before I embarked on my hormone testing journey.
In the end, my attempt to gain insight into my health had cost me thousands of pounds and countless sleepless nights.
A better way forward with FUTURE WOMAN
Looking back on this ordeal, I can’t help but think that my experience could have been vastly different if I had chosen a more comprehensive and informed approach to hormone testing. But what’s the alternative?
I’ve since discovered that FUTURE WOMAN provides a much more robust and accurate at-home hormone testing service for women. Their hormone tests are different because they collect samples using dried urine.
This method of hormone testing has been shown in research to be more accurate than a blood test because it’s easier to collect multiple samples and take an average and it also can’t be contaminated in the same way my blood sample was.
Urine testing also provides additional valuable information (missing from a blood test) about hormone metabolism. This is great news if you’re on HRT like me – it means I can see not only whether my HRT dose is right for me, but also how well I am metabolising my oestrogen, which has a big impact on how the HRT makes me feel (it’s also a key piece of information if you have a history of cancer or cancer in their family).
Read more about the benefits of testing hormone metabolism.
Finally, because FUTURE WOMAN are 100% focused on women’s hormones, they ensure that clients receive the guidance and information they need to interpret the results correctly. If you’re on HRT, they ask you to provide information on type and dosing so they can take it into account in the interpretation of your results. This was the worst part of my experience – if I’d had proper guidance I wouldn’t have ended up in the same situation.
My conclusion
My hormone testing nightmare was a harrowing experience that could have been avoided with the right guidance and testing methodology. In hindsight, I would unquestionably choose a service like FUTURE WOMAN, where accuracy, expertise, and a personal touch are priorities. The cost of a thorough and accurate assessment of one’s hormones is priceless compared to the emotional and financial toll of misinformation and fear.
If you’re considering hormone testing, I implore you to choose a service that prioritises your well-being, offers clear communication, and ensures you’re well-informed throughout the process. Your health is too important to leave to chance.
Our Remedy is a popular wellness brand that offers natural remedies including CBD oil, supplements and teas.
