Lifestyle Review: Do Home Health Test Kits Work?

With so much uncertainty at the moment, a lot of treatments and tests have been put on hold for many people as our NHS is understandably pushed to the limit. Of course, for some who may have on-going medical treatments and concerns, there are things that can be done from the safety of your own home that, not only help free up some stress on the National Health Services, but keep you from leaving the house unnecessarily. That's why I was genuinely very intrigued when LetsGetChecked got in touch (actually weeks before all the COVID-19 panic kicked off) and asked if I'd be interested in trying out one of their health test kits. But do these things ever really work?

LetsGetChecked* are a wellness company based in Dublin, Ireland and New York who offer a variety of home kits for a whole host of testing - including those for vitamin deficiencies, fertility, male and female hormones, thyroid as well as general well-being and health tests. They allow you to order your own kit online, take it at home in just a few minutes, send it off in the postbox and receive the results directly to your phone within a few days. 

I've mentioned it in some previous posts that I have endometriosis. Having endometriosis can often come with a whole host problems and you can't always judge if they're linked. It could be extreme fatigue, thyroid issues effecting your ability to gain or lose weight or physical pain - but doctors, in my experience, are often dismissive of my condition. I'd like to give a shout out to one doctor who, when I told him I had endometriosis replied with "if you say so" - bearing in mind that I've had two operations to treat it and it's all over my medical file. I fully appreciate that there are many doctors out there who are nothing like the one I've mentioned but this is not entirely uncommon either.

With such bad experiences in the past, I was genuinely interested to find out how my body chemistry was doing for my own self awareness. I'd like to state also that if you can get a doctor to help you with any medical condition, I would always recommend this but this isn't always so easy for all of us. Given the current climate, some of these tests are rightfully and understandably not priority for our NHS right now but if you're still curious or want to get a home test, these are certainly an option. Please note - I'm not referring to home testing kits you can get from your local pharmacy as the NHS have already addressed the issues with the types of home testing kits. 

So how does it work? Well it's pretty simple. Having selected my choice of kit, it arrived in the post around 3-5 days afterwards and was ready to go.

Step 1 - Activate your test kit online 

As the box states, it's best to activate your test online before taking a test so you don't forget after posting it off - which I nearly did. If the lab receive your sample without an activation, they can't guarantee they will be able to test it so get it out of the way in step one. You can activate your account via the activation link here and create an account - it doesn't take long at all and asks some straight forward questions.

Step 2 - Take your test 

Each test will state how the sample is to be taken - often by blood vile or cotton swab. I'll admit I put off taking my test and it took me a while to gather the courage to prick my own finger. In my old age, I am terrible with anything like piercings or drawing blood and it was a bit of a struggle for me but I did it. It did hurt and I was glad to get it over with but all-in-all, it didn't take long. There are clear and simple instructions on how to do this and it's still far less scary than going to the hospital to have it drawn, in my personal opinion.

Some tips for getting the most accurate result:

• Take the test between Monday and Wednesday so the sample doesn't get stuck in the post over the weekend. 
• Most accurate when taken first thing in the morning and before eating any breakfast
• Make sure your hands are warm when collecting the sample, you are standing up and have kept well hydrated
• Always helps increase blood flow if you do a few jumping jacks or go for a brisk walk before taking the sample

Step 3 - Post your test, sit back and wait

Once you've taken your sample, use the instructions to carefully store it and package it up for posting. It's all super straight forward but it's worth checking you've done the steps correctly. Simply package it up in the pre-paid envelope and put it in the postbox. After a few days, you'll either receive a text message or an email to say your results are ready; broken down clearly to help you understand your results. That's it!

I understand that not everyone would necessarily feel comfortable doing a home health test themselves but I found this super interesting. I also think it's important to remember that there are chances of false results which could potentially cause more harm than good so I cannot stress enough that a doctor should always be the best port of call.

I'm pleased to say that, having received my email back a few days after my test, that everything came back normal. For those who are undergoing hormone treatment, have existing conditions or are needing a quick result for sexual health, for example, these are a really quick and easy way of testing, without having to see a GP. If you'd like to try your own kit from LetsGetChecked, you can get 20% off your order using promo code POPCORN20 at the checkout.

Well, that's it for another lifestyle review. I appreciate this isn't my usual sort of post but hopefully it'll be helpful to a few of you at least. But tell me, have you ever considered using a home health testing kit? What would you like to test for? As always,  I love reading your comment so please do share your thoughts with me below. I hope everyone is keeping safe, washing their hands and staying indoors. I'm only ever a comment or DM away if anyone needs someone to talk to. 

Stay safe and until next time,

*Disclaimer - This is a paid collaboration with LetsGetChecked. All opinions are my own and do not reflect those of the brand.