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Articles > 24 Hour Urine Collection Instructions

The accurately timed urine collection you are about to perform is a part of your care. Important health decisions depend on it. The test is valid only if the collection includes all the urine you pass in a 24-hour period. The test will be inaccurate and may have to be repeated if, for any reason, some of the urine you pass during the 24-hour period is not put into the collection container.

Your physician may have requested several urine tests. If the tests require different preservatives, you will need to collect urine in separate 24-hour periods. You will be given container(s) for each 24-hour urine collection.

Tell the laboratory worker or nurse if you are taking an antihistamine (allergy or cold remedy). Follow the dietary instructions checked below.

- You do not need to follow any special dietary instructions. You may follow your usual dietary routine.
- (Amylase) Fast from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- (Arsenic) For 48 hours before you start your 24-hour urine collection and during the collection, do not eat seafood.
- (Heavy Metal Screen) for 48 hours before you start your 48-hour urine collection and during the collection, do not eat seafood.

(5-HIAA) for 24 hours before you start your 24-hour urine collection and during the collection, do not eat any of the following: avocados, honeydew, bananas, melon, butternuts, kiwifruit, pineapples, cantaloupe, dates, pecans, hickory, tomatoes, nuts, walnuts, eggplant, plantain, grapefruit, plums (Hydroxproline) For 24 hours before you start your 24-hour urine collection and during the collection, do not eat gelatin.

(MIAA) For 24 hours before you start your 24-hour urine collection and during the collection, do not drink wine, and do not eat any of the following: beef, spinach, cheese, tomatoes, chicken liver, veal, eggplant, yogurt, sauerkraut.

- (Oxalate) Limit vitamin C intake orally to less than 2 gm / 24 hours during your 24-hour urine collection.
- (Uric Acid) Do not drink alcoholic beverages during your 24-hour urine collection.

Preparing the container
Remove the cap from the container. Expand the container so you can pour urine into it. As more urine is added, the container will expand further.

Recording start and stop times
For your information and for laboratory documentation, record your start and stop times below and on the identification tag attached to the collection container. Stop time is 24 hours after the start time (for example, start at 7:a.m. and day and finish at 7:00 a.m. the next day).

Urinate at the start time, but do not save the urine. (This urine was formed before your collection period began and should not be part of your collection.)

Collection instructions
Collect all the urine you pass for the next 24 hours. Use a clean plastic, paper or glass container to catch your urine each time. (Do not use a metal container.) Put the urine into the collection container each time you urinate.

If a preservative has been provided, add it to the collection container after putting your first urine specimen into the collection container. Note the caution statement on the preservative. Do not urinate directly into the collection container because the preservative could splash on you causing a burn. Do not refrigerate the specimen unless instructed otherwise.

To end the collection, urinate at the stop time. Put the urine into the collection container. (This urine was formed during your collection period and should be part of your collection.) If you are doing only one collection, proceed to step 4.

If you are doing an additional 24-hour urine collection, repeat the "Recording start and stop times" followed by the "Collection instruction."

Record your start and stop times here and on the identification tag attached to the collection container.