One of the goals of this blog is to share my health journey as it happens—the good, the confusing, and everything in between.
Today, I want to tell you about my very first at-home blood test with Rythm.
I’ll admit, I was a little nervous before it arrived.
Would it be difficult?
Would I get enough blood?
Would I somehow mess it up?
Would it hurt?
The answer?
It was surprisingly simple and painless.
Taking the Test
The kit came with everything I needed, along with clear instructions that walked me through the entire process.
After washing my hands and preparing my supplies, I completed a simple finger prick and collected the blood sample.
The process only took a few minutes.
As someone who has had plenty of blood drawn at a doctor’s office, I honestly found this to be much more convenient. There was no scheduling an appointment, no sitting in a waiting room, and no taking time off work.
I completed everything from my kitchen table.
The Waiting Game
I’m not the most patient person, so I expected I’d be waiting several days for my results.
Instead…
I received them in less than 24 hours.
I was genuinely impressed.
The results were organized, easy to read, and available right from my phone.
What Did I Learn?
Most of my results looked good, which was reassuring.
However, two things stood out.
Before I talk about those results, I want to make something very clear: a single lab result does not diagnose a medical condition. Lab values are just one piece of a much larger picture that includes symptoms, medical history, physical exams, and conversations with qualified healthcare professionals.
My goal isn’t to diagnose myself. It’s to gather information, recognize patterns over time, and become a more informed patient. I’ll continue reviewing my results with my healthcare provider and making decisions based on the complete picture—not just one number on a report.
Elevated Free Testosterone
My free testosterone level came back higher than the normal reference range.
Since I’ve had irregular menstrual cycles for much of my adult life, this immediately caught my attention.
Does this explain everything?
Absolutely not.
But it does provide another piece of the puzzle.
It’s something I’ll continue monitoring over the next several months while also working with my healthcare provider.
Elevated LDL Cholesterol
My LDL (“bad”) cholesterol was also elevated.
This wasn’t completely unexpected because it has been elevated on previous blood work as well.
Instead of immediately assuming medication is the only answer, I wanted to see how much lifestyle changes could influence my numbers.
That’s one of the biggest reasons I started this journey.
Can improving my nutrition, increasing my activity, losing weight, and paying closer attention to my overall health move the needle?
I don’t know yet.
But I’m excited to find out.
Why I’m Sharing This
One of the biggest problems with social media is that people often share only the success stories.
I want this blog to be different.
I’m going to share the wins.
I’m going to share the setbacks.
I’m going to share the confusing lab results.
I’m going to share what I learn along the way.
I don’t have all the answers.
In fact, this journey is about asking better questions.
I’m not trying to diagnose myself—I want to better understand my body and have more informed conversations with my healthcare providers.
Hopefully, by sharing my experience, you’ll feel empowered to learn more about your own health, too.
Health Journey Dashboard
Date: July 2026
Weight: 138 lbs
Current Focus:
- Lowering LDL cholesterol through lifestyle changes
- Understanding why my free testosterone is elevated
- Tracking hormone health with Proov
- Building healthier habits one step at a time
I’ll continue sharing my progress—including the good, the bad, and everything in between.