If I know whether I a B+ or - do I know my secretor status? Is that it? I've read the articles but end up at a place where I am asked to pay 50 dollars to find out what I am.  
I'm just curious as to if I already know or there are other ways to find out. Can my doctor tell me during an annual physical? Is it in my blood test results and I don't know what to look for?

You can ask the doctor for a lewis test it is a blood test.   It will tell you if you are a secretor or not.

How are you doing on the B diet?

Just because you know your Rh status does not mean you know your secretor status. As Andrea said, that info may be somewhere in your medical records, or your doctor can test it; otherwise, you'll have to submit a saliva test (the $50). I don't know my secretor status. About 80% of people are secretors, so if you don't know for sure, odds are that you're a secretor. But there's only one way to find out for sure...

read this
http://www.dadamo.com/knowbase/newbie/a.htm

Figured this would be a fairly relevant place to "post" secretor stuff.... Well...it would be if I had anything to post... Just found out today that my (painstakingly secreted) saliva sample, which I posted to PathLab Australia nearly two weeks ago... has once again gone missing!!!! I am getting more & more frustrated!! The latest correspondence from them was to ask me what address I sent it to?? Duh: the one you guys printed on the envelope I really don't know what to do now & nobody has found the original one which included my credit card details At least I had the sense not to add them this time   

Possum, that is terrible!!  Gina from NZ mentioned once to me over the phone that there were problems about sending saliva samples out of the country.  I wonder if the post is deliberately holding them somewhere?  

It looks like you will have to make a special trip to aussieland, so, when are you coming over?

Send it to someone in the states and let us send it for you.
How is the package marked? Do you have to say what is in it?
Hope I don't offend anyone with this..


I live in NY and it is not legal to send saliva through the mail, but I just sent my saliva off to a research center that is collecting it to study esophageal cancer, through the US postal service. So how illegal is it really?

Quoted Text

Figured this would be a fairly relevant place to "post" secretor stuff....  Well...it would be if I had anything to post... Just found out today that my (painstakingly secreted) saliva sample, which I posted to PathLab Australia nearly two weeks ago...  has once again gone missing!!!!  I am getting more & more frustrated!! The latest correspondence from them was to ask me what address I sent it to?? Duh: the one you guys printed on the envelope  I really don't know what to do now & nobody has found the original one which included my credit card details  At least I had the sense not to add them this time    

Hi there Possum,

Please contact Aotea Pathology on (04) 381 5900 for further information.

H63 BLOOD GROUPING - RHESUS - PHENOTYPING



Hope the above will help. Anyway, ask if they do the "Lewis Phenotype" test.

I extrated the above info from  http://www.apath.co.nz/PriceInfo.htm



Good luck

Thanks so much guys!!!

Quoted from Fernando Boto

Hi there Possum,
Please contact Aotea Pathology on (04) 381 5900 for further information.
H63 BLOOD GROUPING - RHESUS - PHENOTYPING
Hope the above will help. Anyway, ask if they do the "Lewis Phenotype" test.
I extrated the above info from  http://www.apath.co.nz/PriceInfo.htm
Good luck

Thankyou so much for this...I can't believe it..I looked all over the internet for a "local" place & this phone number is here in my home town (well adopted home town ) and it takes someone on the other side of the world to alert me Cheers And thanks also for the suggestion Andrea of sending it to the States...
Hmmm.... I sent the first one from within Australia..so, don't know what that means in relation to NZ not liking saliva sampes being sent??!! Maybe Aus is the same?? Or just an unfortunate conincidence
Yeah I would love to hop on a plane & get it sorted out with a trip back "home" Cristina

Pleasure  

When I used PathLab the padded envelope they sent for return had "Bio-Hazard" written across the front which would probably scare border authorities...but the lost one in Aus is a mystery.  They only end up in the "dead letter office" of Aust. Post if incorrect address and no return info.  

Good luck with your local lab  

Thanks shells I certainly don't recall seeing that written on this envelope I'm pretty sure I would've remembered if it was...'cos it would've explained any delay... Ah well tomorrow is another day - and despite my disappointment & frustration, I believe things happen for a reason...we'll see what it is One thing I've already seen, is what a great support you guys all are

Hmmm... Latest is...that I've now got two different answers; but I'm inclined to think they are not necessarily conflicting
So...I took down the details last night from here & noted in my diary to ring them from work in the morning... Never being the patient type, I emailed them a couple of questions as well, to head off my phone enquiry
Well, the response I got on the phone was "no, you need a Doctor's referral to have the test done in NZ" - no self referrals here (an added $30-40 fee) Then I got home to discover that "no we don't do that test in NZ"
O..k...ay Back to the drawing board...Next step is maybe trying to contact the PathLab distributor in Auckland to arrange to do the test that way as I've found out you can do that...
Might first ring the Lab here in Wellington again; you know third time lucky - in case I get a more educated answer, as I'm not convinced by the email "we don't do that test here", seeing as the phone call suggested that yes they do...)

I thought we had bad service in South Africa, but I'm "glad" to see we're not alone. The reason you're getting conflicting answers is because it is not a common test. Just persevere with your patience...hmmmm, and I'm sure you'll get somewhere.

Good luck.

so frustrating, im a kiwi too and researched it for gini and went in circles in nz a while ago . would loveto hear how you get on possum,  

Hi Fernando Yeah Isn't there an expression "African Time"??!! Here its not quite as bad but it can depend on who you get answering the phone, hence the thought of repeating my query...At the risk of offending someone...(don't think there are many NZ'ers on here ) sometimes if you get an Islander or a Maori on the phone it can vary the response...

Ooops What did I say about offending someone...I wondered if this might flush out a few kiwis... Hi rangtang Nice to meet you Where do you live? Will certainly keep you posted

i sent my secretor test off through  NAP  back in late 07
to great smokies and was surpised but not that surprised when both Gina and I came back as nonnies!
It annoys me that people in charge of these tests can say  yay or nay
basically they do test for it In NZ but only to test compatibility for organ transplantation, maybe you could donate a kidney hey its all for the cause  lol  

Quoted from rangtang

i sent my secretor test off through  NAP  back in late 07
to great smokies and was surpised but not that surprised when both Gina and I came back as nonnies!
It annoys me that people in charge of these tests can say  yay or nay
basically they do test for it In NZ but only to test compatibility for organ transplantation, maybe you could donate a kidney hey its all for the cause  lol  

Sounds a bit extreme Who or where is great smokies - or do you mean Auckland
I fluctuate between thinking I am a nonnie -'cos of various "nonnie'like" attributes, to thinking I could be an Explorer, again 'cos of idiosyncrasies attributable to that status...But knowing me I would still need to get my swami done as there are various things on both "diets" that I react to...hence my confusion However I do still need my secretor status to get that...so no matter

Quoted from Possum

Hi Fernando Yeah Isn't there an expression "African Time"??!! Here its not quite as bad but it can depend on who you get answering the phone, hence the thought of repeating my query...At the risk of offending someone...(don't think there are many NZ'ers on here ) sometimes if you get an Islander or a Maori on the phone it can vary the response...

I know the feeling....That's why I said you must exercise patience

Quoted Text

Who or where is great smokies

that is a lab, I believe

Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratory is the lab in the US used by NAP to process saliva tests.

They do a variety of lab tests.

Smokies is for the Smoky Mountains, where the company is headquartered.

The company has changed its name to Genova Diagnostics.

Here is a Web site:

http://www.genovadiagnostics.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=

Well surprise, surprise...you will never believe, I have had an email update from PathLab & both my saliva samples have been miraculously "found"   Apparently they received the first sample (as they should have) back in early Sept... Weird eh?? Anyway, they have processed the results, which will be emailed to me shortly... Yay the wait is almost over Thanks again guys for all your suggestions & help...
Incidentally, my second call to the Lab here in Wellington & subsequent follow up with my local medical clinic, drew a blank again, but at least did confirm some news that I had been meaning to follow up for my husband... which was, that the Dr I had seen (who was terrific, but sadly only a locum) is now "practising" two mornings a week at the clinic, so he is pleased!!

Poss

Having just got my own (and partners results) on Tuesday after checking daily for 3 weeks I know how you feel  !

I'm excited for you - please update as soon as you have the results!

AP  

Good news Possum! So let's see if you come out a nonnie!