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Monitoring for kidneys at home?

Posted , 5 users are following.

TCup
TCup

I often feel I have a urine/kidney infection but don't always like to bother my GP un-necessarily so I was thinking about buying some urine testing strips that will tell you if there is protein, traces of blood, sugar etc in your urine. After taking a look on Amazon, I can see there are several brands with both positive and negative reviews so was wondering if anyone on here could recommend a brand and where to purchase them from here in the UK.I thought Boots might have sold some but the don't.

Are there any other kits we can use to monitor our kidneys at home?

1 like, 16 replies

16 Replies

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  • TCup
    TCup

    Posted

    ooops title should be 'Monitoring your kidneys at home'

  • amina_72
    amina_72 TCup

    Posted

    I believe the home testing kits are not reliable I was told last week by my urologist that the ones that the Dr's use in there surgeries are also not reliable really your urine should be sent of to the lab for an accurate reading.

    • TCup
      TCup amina_72

      Posted

      Thanks - the test kits on Amazon do seem to have a mixture of reviews - some saying they work and others saying they don't!

  • Pepasan
    Pepasan TCup

    Posted

    I've used DFI Co Ltd DUS 10 Home Test kit. Might have been via Amazon, but definitely online. Colour codes were straightforward to read, and instructions clear. Seemed just like the sort my GP uses.

  • MrsO-UK_Surrey
    MrsO-UK_Surrey TCup

    Posted

    I haven't got any experience in kidney home testing kits and anyway I would prefer to put such testing in the hands of the experts - safer and, after all, that is what they are being paid for! Certainly, as far as UTIs are concerned, lab tests/cultures are necessary to investigate which, if any, bacteria is present - different bacterias require different antibiotics to treat them.

    • Pepasan
      Pepasan MrsO-UK_Surrey

      Posted

      I agree, but in the first instance, it may be halpful to test oneself to see if infection is present rather than have to wait to make a gp appointment every time. Also, it may be a reassurance after anti-biotics have been prescribed and taken to know whether the infection has cleared.
    • TCup
      TCup MrsO-UK_Surrey

      Posted

      I agree with you there, though my doc just gets me to bring in a urine sample with me if I suspect an infection, which he dip tests there and then and if it shows I may have an infection, he just prints out a prescription there and then for a course of antibiotics!  No lab testing at all! sad

      In December I badly scalded my hand and the blister burst and became infected.  When the nurse checked it at the surgery, she took a swab, and said she would send it off to the lab to see what antibiotics would need to be prescribed - she said not all antibiotics kill the same infections!

      So I think my practise nurse is more reliable than my doctor!  

    • TCup
      TCup Pepasan

      Posted

      Yes, that is what I was thinking as there has been times I have felt like I have an infection and made an appointment to see the doc and taken in a sample that turned out to be negative.  I always feel bad that I have wasted 10 mins of his valuable time.
    • MrsO-UK_Surrey
      MrsO-UK_Surrey Pepasan

      Posted

      I do agree with the concept of being able to reassure oneself that a course of ABs have resolved the problem. Would still be on the phone to the surgery at 8am for an emergency appointment that day at the first sign of a UTI. Belt and braces and all that - probably more risk aware having spent more than 50 years with just one kidney and knowing that a UTI can quite quickly lead to kidney damage if untreated.
    • MrsO-UK_Surrey
      MrsO-UK_Surrey TCup

      Posted

      I'd definitely stick with the nurse in that case. And Snap! to the badly scalded hand. I took mine to the local NHS walk-in centre and the nurses there were amazing, treating it over three appointments until it was better, No scars remaining in spite of a few large blisters at the time.

    • TCup
      TCup MrsO-UK_Surrey

      Posted

      I went to the walk in centre first and they popped the huge brister that coverered my hand before bandaging it up.  I had to go back two days later for the bandages to be changed.  As it was still quite bad, and need to be checked and the bandages changed, it was agreed that I could get this done at my local surgery, which is literally over the road from my house, so I wouldn't have to keep getting the bus to the local walk in centre.  Sadly my wound became infected so was bandaged up for two months right over Christmas and new year - at least it got me out of washing up lol!

  • Pepasan
    Pepasan TCup

    Posted

    I agree that testing at home has its limitations, but gp surgeries vary as to whether appointments are easy to get. Even when one does, it's quite possible for the surgery staff to try one anti-biotic after another. It took a lab test to identify the little critter that was giving me a problem through 2015, but once ifdentified, the right anti-biotic was prescribed and was effective. Trouble was, it kept coming back and took 3 months of one-a-day of the same antibiotic to finally free me of recurrences. Luckily I haven't had any repeat infections for over a year, now. I still say home testing has its place, though!

  • gayle14m
    gayle14m TCup

    Posted

    Hi I found the best ones are Siemens which are what gp uses . They are on amazon around £15. But just recently my recently my renal consultant said to me that she would write to my gp and asked for a prescription for them, either nhs or private is cheaper. But it does depend if you have a good gp because it's the gp's decision. Hope that helps.

    • TCup
      TCup gayle14m

      Posted

      Thank you Gayle, I will enquire xxx
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