Fasting means no eating foods or drinking liquids that may interfere with your lab test results. The period of fasting varies from 10-12 hours and should be no more than 16 hours. Fasting means no eating foods of any kind. Fasting means no coffee, no tea and no soda. You are encouraged to drink water and only water during your fast.

 It is recommended that when you are having blood drawn, you drink plenty of water to keep properly hydrated.  By doing so, proper hydration helps in locating veins and preventing dizziness brought on by fasting.

Glucose, lactose, homocystiene and lipid panel are common tests that require fasting before the test can be done.  Follow the instructions from your provider if you are required to fast before lab testing.

•  Glucose testing requires a minimum fast of 10 hours, but no more than 16 hours.
•  Homocysteine testing requires a minimum fast of 12 hours, but no more than 16 hours.
• Lipid panel testing requires a minimum fast of 12 hours, but no more than 16 hours.
• Lactose testing requires a minimum fast of 10 hours, but no more than 16 hours.

Fasting is not required for urine or stool tests.  Check with your health provider for specific food or drink avoidance associated with stool or urine testing ordered.  

 You are encouraged to drink plenty of water during your fast. You are not permitted to eat anything or drink anything but water.  Do not drink coffee, tea or soda.

You are encouraged to drink plenty of water during your fast. You are not permitted to eat anything or drink anything but water.  Do not drink coffee, tea or sodas.

You may take medication as prescribed by your doctor when fasting for a lab test. Be sure that you take medication ONLY with water.

Stool Collection Instructions

If your provider has equested that you collect a stool specimen at home. Please follow these collection guidelines:
Collection Procedure:

1.  Collect the stool (fecal) specimen in a wide mouth container or collection “hat”.
2.  DO NOT MIX URINE WITH THE STOOL SAMPLE.
3.  Fill each container to the FILL LINE. It is important to use the portion of stool that is bloody , slimy or watery. If the stool is formed (hard), sample small amounts from each end and the middle of the specimen. Do not fill above the indicated FILL LINE. The sample may need recollecting if vial is over-filled.
4. If you do not have the special containers, you can collect the sample in a clean, dry container                                                                                             Refrigerate the sample and deliver to the lab within 24 hours**Note: O&P must be to lab within 1 hour, Culture must be to lab within 2 hours.
5.  Label each container with:(1) Patient Name (2) Date of Birth (3) Date and Time of collection.
6.  Diaper specimens: Collect the sample in a diaper that has been lined with plastic wrap or turned inside out so the outer plastic is facing the skin. It is important that the sample does not soak into the diaper lining. Samples from a diaper without these precautions will be rejected unless the stool is hard and formed. DO NOT SEND SPECIMEN IN DIAPER.
7.  Your physician may order testing times 2 or 3. No more than one set of samples may becollected per day per test.

Clean Catch Urine Instructions – Female:

Important: Failure to follow instructions may cause delay in treatment and unintended expense.

1.    Wash hands with soap and water.

2.    Spread labia (fold of skin) apart with one hand and wipe with the towelette provided. Wipe from front to back.

3.    Continue holding the labia apart. As you start to urinate, allow a small amount of urine to fall into the toilet bowl (This clears the urethra of contaminants) Do not touch the inside of the cup.

4.    After the urine stream is well established, urinate into the cup. Once an adequate amount of urine fills the cup (the cup only needs to be half-full), remove the cup from the urine stream.

5.    Pass the remaining urine into the toilet.

6.    Screw the lid on the cup tightly (do not touch the inside of the cup or lid). Place the urine sample in the designated area/cupboard as directed by the technician .

Clean Catch Urine Instructions – Male :

Important: Failure to follow instructions may cause delay in treatment and unintended expense.

Wash hands with soap and water.

1.    If uncircumcised, retract foreskin.

2.    Wipe the end of penis with towelette provided. As you start to urinate, allow a small
amount of urine to fall into the toilet bowl. (This clears the urethra of contaminants). Do
not touch the inside of the cup.

3.    After the urine stream is well established, urinate into the cup. Once an adequate amount of urine fills the cup (the cup only needs to be half-full), remove the cup from the urine stream.

4.    Pass the remaining urine into the toilet.

5.    Screw the lid on the cup tightly (do not touch the inside of the cup or lid). Place the urine sample in the designated area/cupboard as directed by the technician.

24 Hour Urine Collection Instructions

The accuracy of any urine test depends on proper specimen collection. There may be a certain diet or requirement for each test. See individual test for any special diet or storage requirement.

1.   Empty bladder first thing in the morning. Discard this first specimen and note the time. The collection time starts with an empty bladder.
2.  Document the start date and time on the specimen jug. From this point, collect ALL urine passed during the day and night into this container.
3.  On the following day, at the same hour the collection was started, empty your bladder and add this final collection to the container. The final specimen is now a 24 hour collected specimen . Document the end date and time on the specimen jug.
4.  Return the 24 hour specimen to the laboratory or doctor’s office as soon as possible . Maintain the specimen at the temperature it was collected at until it can be delivered to the laboratory or doctor’s office.

 When a person has blood taken, there is the potential that blood could either leak from the vein or that blood will become trapped under the skin from the procedure itself. Often there are just small bruises from the procedure, although heavy bruising can occur. The application of a cool pack or ice can help to reduce the potential of the bruise. Alternating ice and heat on the bruise site may promote healing.
 

Before the sampling:

1. Avoid all sexual activity (including masturbation) that results in ejaculation for at least 2-3 days before the test. At the same time one should not avoid sexual activity for more than a week or ten days also. A long period of sexual inactivity has been reported with less active sperms. This may result in a false report of decreased motility of sperms in the report.
2.  One should not have too much alcohol or take any other recreational drugs for at least one week before the test.
3.  Always inform your doctor about any medicines or herbal supplements that you may be using.

Procedure in the Lab:

1.  You will be given a clean wide mouthed jar and be asked to produce a semen sample.
2.  Most people collect semen by self masturbation and deposit the ejaculated semen directly into the container.
3.  One must wash hands, use the toilet, clean the penis with normal water and dry before starting. One should also not use any lubricant for this purpose.
4.  You must be careful that all semen has gone into the bottle. If a few drops spill out during collection the lab staff should be informed. Do not pick up any semen drops from the floor and try to put it back.