Drugstore FSH Tests

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have any experience/ thoughts on how reliable the tests that you can buy at a drugstore to test FSH/ ovarian reserve are considered to be?

[Anonymous]

I believe they are reliable but the question is what are they reliable for? I have read that the FSH level they test is pretty high. You are "negative" if no line appears, meaning that your FSH is below the certain level they test. Elevated FSH can denote that have low ovarian egg supply. But since test level high it doesn't necessarily mean you FSH isn't elevated at all, just below the detection sensitivity they test at. Also there is so much more to do with fertility than FSH level so wouldn't want to rely solely on test.

But having said all that - I was way too curious and went ahead and bought one! I was negative and was nice to just have some confirmation but I knew not to rely on too much and would not take the place of fertility work up - which I am getting next week. Just another tool I guess if you have the $ to spend on it.

Hope this helps.

[Anonymous]

I used the fertell FSH test, which I passed. When I later got a full work-up, my FSH was 9.3 (later tests were as high as 10.3).

[Anonymous]

I don't know how reliable they are, but the tests seem really limited. First of all, FSH alone without knowing your estrogen doesn't tell you what is going on, because elevated estrogen can surpress FSH. Second, FSH itself is not a great measure of ovarian reserve because it can fluctuate widely from month to month. AMH, and antrical follicle counts, are better measures.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the PP that it's very limited and not that useful. The test measures only ONE thing, FSH, without taking into account estrogen, etc. You need to test all of that at the same time, so the full panel of cd3 b/w is much more reliable. The drugstore test also doesn't give you any kind of a reading, just a positive or negative.

I think these tests are like $25 for the package (comes with 2 or with an HPT or something?). That's probably about what you'd pay as a copay if you asked your OB to order the bloodwork.

[Anonymous]

I didn't find the one I took to be reliable. I passed it on the month that I had an FSH done at my RE's office, only to find that my FSH was 31!