Didn't expect Hertility test to be like this?!

[m00ngirl]

Just did my Hertility at-home fertility test and, Jesus, it was an absolute palaver! I got through all 5 needles for the blood collection (I passed clean out after needle 1... they're tiny and absolutely fine but I am a fainter plus had to do it on day 3 of period, and I have savagely painful periods so quite vulnerable today) had DH rubbing my arm and wrist like a junkie with the other needles, my fingertips are bruised and all I got after hours of this shit was about 0.6ml. It clotted as well. My blood just clots very quickly (as it should?!). It was a very fucking unpleasant experience tbh and now I'm worried they're going to say its failed as I didn't collect enough blood.

£150 and a really weird evening, for nothing? So on edge now.

Also someone gave me the £15 off code which I put my email address in for but it never sent the code. So I tried another email address. Same thing, waited 2 days. So had to pay full whack.

Anyone else had a similar experience or bad time with Hertility? Praying to god they don't reject the sample!!

The reason I'm doing this: I'm mid 30s and have never conceived, no hormonal contraception for 10y, am now on cycle 8 of actively TTC. DH has conceived before so I'm the problem. I'd like a big family. I know I'll get there by hook or by crook, but this is not going well. Am waiting to hear from my GP about it all (but have tailored my expectations accordingly).

If they give me results I think I'll get over the palaver of it all but if they don't I'll feel extremely kicked whilst down. Has anyone sent a less than full sample to Hertility and got results?

Was there a reason you went down that route? £400 ish would have paid for an appt with a fertility consultant, bloods, scan and semen analysis. The fact your partner has conceived children before doesn't mean he's fine now. You both need baseline tests, not just some random bloods. If you can afford it I'd write that off as lost money and start again through a fertility clinic. Blood results mean nothing in isolation and a clinic isn't going to take results from a home testing kit. Sorry to be a bit of a downer, just a bit unsure how these bloods are going to help you. Robert Winston's 'the essential fertility guide' is an excellent, pragmatic book that takes you through fertility testing.

@SErunner no I appreciate it, you're absolutely right. I realise now I should have saved to do just that. I just read a lot of posts on here from people saying they'd done Hertility tests or advising others to do them, which is why I think I did it. So far I think that was a mistake.

Hi OP, yeah I struggled with the hertility test the first time I did it and I had to get a new test kit because there wasn't enough blood, and wait until the next day 3. I literally spent 40 mins and all the lancets doing it and barely had a smudge in the bottom. The second go I started with different fingers and it went much better. Still quite hard work but I got enough.

I actually found the results fairly useful, but NHS and any private clinics will want to do their own tests so I don't think it really saves you money in the long term. I think it's good to get the checks though, things like your thyroid being out of range can lie low and not get picked up on NHS. I'm booked in to start IVF in March and I haven't had any day 3 blood tests at all on the NHS so far.

Wow thank you @Lucylaughing that's really interesting and glad I'm not alone in how hard the tests can be! They did reject my sample. Wahh. I can't go through it again though. My fingers are really bruised, makes typing, cleaning, showering etc a bit of a pain! Just don't think I have the right blood/circulation for it.

Wishing you really good luck with your IVF 🌻

Yeah it does give you sore fingers for a few days! Those lancets definitely bruise

Thanks and good ood luck to you too