# home hormone test kits - progesterone - Anyone??



## samisit

Ok,

I've been trying to figure out which board this is most suited to and i cant decide!
So Sorry in advance if this is off topic here. Maybe some one can advise me where i should post this 

My question is, has anyone used home test kits for hormone levels such as progesterone ??

If so, what did you think of them and where did you get them from?

It is going to be forever till i get my referral from my GP to see a RE so in the mean time i would like to try charting my hormone levels along with everything else.

Apparently there are saliva tests out there, but i really know nothing more.

Anyone able to point me in the right direction ?


Many thanks in advance,

Sam


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ ©

Hi

I wasn't aware that there were any home kits for testing progesterone levels but there are home tests for FSH & sperm. FSH gives an indication of your level of fertility/ovarian reserve ie how many eggs you have left (obviously doesn't literally count them !). Something like this home kit...

http://www.fertell.com/about/index.html

However, you really do need to see your GP and get these tests done properly with blood test that can be analysed by the experts & interpreted by your GP, rather than you trying to decipher what it all means and maybe worrying yourself unnecessarily.

Progesterone is tested by blood test. You can use OPKs (ovulation predictor kits) which will detect the LH surge prior to ovulation....you'd usually ovulate around 36hrs after positive OPK....they do not indicate actual ovulation though.

You can also use saliva tests but again, these don't show actual ovulation but can give you an idea of when you're more fertile...

http://www.ovulation-calculator.com/saliva-ovulation-test.htm

You could also try charting your temperature as it should dip just before ovulation and rise just after....and then there's charting your cervical mucus too as this changes throughout cycle.

None of these things are completely reliable though and really the best way to check your actual hormone levels is to have blood test done at GPs or hospital.

A good book is "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler and her website.... www.tcoyf.com

Why won't your GP refer you to a fertility consultant ? Will they not carry out some standard hormone blood tests for you ?

Hope that helps
Natasha

/links


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## samisit

Thanks for the advice.

The reason why i am doing it alone is because i am in Plymouth and the NHS is so utterly useless that i have given up with it.

It is a very long story and i wont bore you with details but i have just gone through my second unexplained miscarriage and no one here will either refer me to a specialist or basically do any tests.
I have seen 3 doctors and my own midwife and none think it's worth investigating as the protocol is they will not investigate until you miscarry 3 times.
So, even the A&E doctor said there was nothing they could do even when i BEGGED and i mean i really pleaded for them to do tests, but there is just no funds to do tests unless it is through a specialist referral. And i cant get that till i lose another baby.

I am not going to sit around and wait for that again so i am being proactive any way i can to try chart my own hormone levels, and then when i have sufficient evidence, i will then try again to persuade my doctor that i need to be see by a specialist.

I was diagnosed PCOS in 1998 but my current doctors wont take this seriously as they know nothing about the problem and say the tests were so long ago that things probably have changed.

I cant go private here in this area unless i travel up to Bristol or London.

Anyways i will shut up as this is not meant to be a rant.

I only wanted some advice from anyone using saliva ovulation kits.

The type of kit i am interested in is:
http://www.amazon.com/Saliva-Hormone-Test-Female-Kit/dp/B00025OG1C

This is for the American market and i cant seem to find anything similar in the UK.

I know there are also menopause testing kits in the UK that test saliva for hormone levels.
But that is FSH and/or LH levels.
I'm really interested in Progesterone levels.

But, it doesn't appear that anyone has had anything to do with them so i am just at a loss.

Thanks anyways.

Sam


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## joejoe

Hi Samisit,
I just came across your thread whilst searching for the very same thing.
I have had 3 miscarriages but all just before the 6 week mark so like you noone will do further tests until I have had 3 miscarriages where a heartbeat was detected!!! 
I am going through IVF as a private patient but they do not do saliva hormone testing and like you I am keen to monitor my progesterone levels as I have a feeling I deficient in this which would explain my thin uterine lining and recurring miscarriages. I almost hope this isn't the case because I don't know how it would be rectified but atleast if it is I can try to persuade my doctors to rethink my treatment plan.
So ........ where did you get with this in the end please?


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## karenb1973

Hi Ladies,

My consultant doesn't believe in extra progesterone making any difference and my GP won't prescribe anythign to do with this as I'm under private care. I'm certain that my prog was too low last time and that it may well have been a factor in my m/c.

Does anyone know of any way I can get hold of some extra progesterone?

Joejoe, like you the NHS wouldn't do the m/c tests so I paid £500 to have some done privately. I had Lupus, antibodies and karyotypes done.

Karen


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