How to Prepare for Your Test
How to Prepare for Your Test
  • Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) Test
  • Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)
  • Lipid Profile
  • Insulin

Please ensure that you DO NOT consume any food or beverage for 12 hours (with the exception of plain water). If you only require the FBS Test, a 10 hour fasting period is sufficient.

It is advisable to schedule the test as the first thing in the morning in order to avoid fasting during the day.

Eg:- Have your final meal for the day by 8.00 pm ad schedule the test to be done at 8.00 am the following morning

This test is conducted following a 2 hour fasting period. Please ensure that you DO NOT consume any food or beverage (with the exception of plain water).

Note 1 – It is advisable to be present at the authorized sample collection point prior to completing the 2 hour fasting period.

Note 2 – If you wish to opt for our mobile home visit services, please call ahead and arrange the pick – up at least 2 hours prior to the time of collection.

The following instructions must be followed:

  • Pass stool into a clean wide container.
  • Transfer a sufficient portion of the stool sample into the sterile container provided by the Melsta Laboratories Collection Centre closest to you.
  • Seal the container tight using the provided lid and ensure it is seal well.
  • Transport the sample to the nearest Melsta Laboratories collection centre without delay or contact our home visit service to arrange a pick – up.

You are advised to collect the sample of urine using the "clean-catch" technique:

Female

  • Wash the area between the vaginal ‘lips’ (Labia)
  • Sit on the toilet with your legs spread apart and use two fingers to spread open your labia.
  • Use the first wipe to clean the inner folds of the labia. Wipe from the front to the back.
  • Use a second wipe to clean over the opening where urine comes out (Urethra) located just above vaginal opening.
  • Urinate a small amount into the toilet bowl while keeping your labia open and then stop the flow of urine.
  • Hold the urine cup a few inches (or a few centimetres) away from the urethra and urinate until the cup is approximately half full.
  • You may finish urinating into the toilet bowl.
  • Transport the sample to the nearest Melsta Laboratories collection centre without delay or contact our home visit service to arrange a pick – up.

Male

  • Clean the head of the penis with a sterile wipe. If you are not circumcised, you will need to pull back (Retract) the foreskin of the penis first.
  • Urinate a small amount into the toilet bowl and then stop the flow of urine.
  • Collect urine into the sterile cup until it is approximately half full.
  • You may finish urinating into the toilet bowl.
  • Transport the sample to the nearest Melsta Laboratories collection centre without delay or contact our home visit service to arrange a pick – up

This is used to evaluate diabetic patients and to assess the potential of early onset of nephropathy before overt proteinuria develops. Here, a second morning urine collection is performed. The patient must rest prior to the collection of the sample.

Urine is collected over a 24 hour period into a can provided by us. You will be instructed by the staff at the Melsta Laboratories collection centre on the requirement to be met in order to complete the test, including substances to be avoided.

Eg:- The patient should strictly avoid alpha-methyldopa, buspirone, codeine, isoproterenol metabolite, Mandelamine, L dopa, paracetamol, metoclopramide, pepper, alcoholic beverages, tea/coffee tobacco and strenuous exercise at least 72 hours prior to and during specimen collection.

Thirty minutes of rest is required prior to the collection of the blood sample. It is advisable to adhere to a low carbohydrate level diet along with a normal salt diet (3g/day) for at minimum duration of 2 weeks prior to the test. Adhere to this diet 30 days prior to the test if possible. Do not consume liquorice for a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the test.

This test is conducted twice a day; first at 8.00 am when the cortisol levels are at its peak followed by the second testing at 4.00 pm when the cortisol levels are much lower. The test can be conducted with either a urine or saliva test.

OGTT is used to diagnose diabetes mellitus where random or fasting plasma glucose concentration is inconclusive in reaching a diagnosis. This test is also used during pregnancy to diagnose gestational diabetes (GD1v1) in women who are in a high-risk group during this period.

Patient preparation requirements:

  • Three days of unrestricted, carbohydrate rich diet and activity.
  • No medication to be taken on the day of the test.
  • A 10 to 12 hour fasting is required. Please ensure that you DO NOT consume any food or beverage (with the exception of plain water)
  • After taking the first blood sample is drawn, 75g of glucose dissolved in 300 ml of water is given (In line with the doctor’s orders).
  • Take the second blood sample an hour after the glucose intake.
  • Take third blood sample two hours after the glucose intake and the fourth sample three hours after the glucose intake.
  • The patient must remain at the hospital premises till the test is concluded.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Follow these simple steps to prepare your specimen and hand it over to the nearest authorised collection centre or call us and schedule a pickup with our home visit laboratory services.

Specimen Collection for Culture – Female

  • Mid – stream, clean – catch urine sample
  • Clean genitalia with soap and running water. Do not use antiseptic solutions or soap.
  • Cleanse vulva from front to back.
  • Hands must be thoroughly washed with soap and water and dried with a paper towel.
  • Using the non – dominant hand, spread the labia and keep them continuously apart until urine is collected into a sterile screw – cap container held in the dominant hand.
  • Collect urine after the first portion of the urine has passed
  • Specimen should be collected in the sterile container without stopping the stream.
  • The sterile container should be held in such a way that contact with the legs, vulva, or clothing are avoided. Hold the lid between with the second and third fingers
  • Transport specimen to the lab immediately or refrigerate if transport is delayed.

Specimen Collection for Culture – Male

  • Mid – stream, clean – catch urine sample
  • Clean genitalia with soap and running water. Do not use antiseptic solutions or soap.
  • Hands must be thoroughly washed with soap and water and dried with a paper towel.
  • Collect urine into a sterile screw – cap container after the first portion of the urine has passed
  • The sterile container should be held with the dominant hand in such a way that contact with the legs, vulva, or clothing are avoided. Hold the lid between with the second and third fingers
  • Transport specimen to the lab immediately or refrigerate if transport is delayed.
  • A sputum sample is obtained by coughing deeply and expelling the material that comes from the lungs into a sterile cup.
  • Cough up sputum in an open, well – ventilated area, with good sunlight and minimum crowd.
  • Collect the specimen first thing in the morning, right after waking up.
  • Do not put saliva into the cup.
  • Collect each sample in a cup with a lid that closes tightly.
  • Take care not to spill and contaminate the environment when traveling.
  • Bring the three samples on three consecutive days.
  • Collect the sample into the bottle with added preservative supplied by the laboratory.
  • Collect 24 hour’s urine samples according to the following instructions:
    • Discard the first morning sample and note the time.
    • Collect all Urine passed from then onwards into the collecting bottle provided by the laboratory.
    • All Urine passed for 24 hours from the time of time of first collection should be sent to the laboratory as soon possible (If there is a delay, the bottle should be refrigerated)
  • The following will affect the investigations:
    • Drugs to be avoided 3 days prior to the test;
      Amminosalicylic Acid, Aspirin, Imipramine, MAO Inhibitors, Mephenesin, Methocarbamol, Nalidixic Acid, Norepinephrine, Oxytetracycline, Chlorpromazine, Clofibrate, Glyceryl Guaiacolate, PSP, Penicillin, Phenazopyridine, Reserpine, Sulfa Drugs, Epinephrine, Insulin, Morphine
    • Patient should abstain from consuming bananas, vanilla, chocolate, coffee and tea 3 Days prior to collection of urine.
  • The following may have an effect on the investigations:
    • Excessive physical activity
    • Stressful situations
  • Collect sample into the bottle with added preservative supplied by the laboratory.
  • Collect 24 hour’s urine samples according to the following instructions:
  • Discard the first morning sample and note the time.
  • Collect all Urine passed from then onwards into the collecting bottle provided by the laboratory.
  • All Urine passed for 24 hours from the time of time of first collection should be sent to the laboratory as soon possible (If there is a delay, the bottle should be refrigerated)
  • The following will affect the investigations:
    • Drugs to be avoided at least 72 hours prior to the test; Alpha-methyldopa, buspirone, codeine, isoproterenol metabolite, mandelamine, L dopa, paracetamol, metoclopramide, pepper, alcoholic beverages, tea/coffee tobacco and strenuous exercise at least 72 hours before and during specimen collection
  • Avoid collection of specimens from patients with the following conditions:
    • Menstrual bleeding
    • Bleeding haemorrhoids
    • Constipating bleeding
    • Urinary bleeding
  • No dietary restrictions are needed
  • The Following drugs may give false positive results. It is advisable to discontinue for 7 days prior to the collection of samples, with physician’s advice.
    • Aspirin
    • Indomethacin
    • Phenylbutazone
    • NSAIDs (Non – Steroids Anti Inflammatory Drugs)
    • Reserpine
    • Corticosteroids
    • Consumption of alcohol is strictly prohibited for 7 days prior to the collection of samples.
  • Three days of unrestricted, carbohydrate rich diet and activity is required.
  • No medication on the day of the test.
  • Fasting overnight for 08 – 10 hours is required. Fasting is defined as no consumption of food or beverages other than water before blood collection.
  • After taking the 1st blood sample, 75g of glucose dissolved in 300 ml of water is to be consumed
  • Collect the samples as follows:
  • 2nd sample – 1 hour after 1st sample
  • 3rd sample – 2 hours after 1st sample
  • Wipe off any treatment creams, lotions, makeup, or powders with 70% alcohol before sampling and dry the affected area thoroughly.
  • Carefully collect an adequate amount of nail scrapings or clippings from the infected areas using a sterile nail cutter or sterile blade.
  • Collect the samples into folded dark paper squares (provided by Melsta Labs), Alternatively, use a commercially available fungal specimen packet.
  • Secure with a paper clip, and place in a plastic bag.
  • Label the sample clearly and legibly.
  • Keep the samples at room temperature; without refrigeration (nail fungi – [dermatophytes] die at low temperatures).

 

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