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CheckoutDiabetes Test Instructions
This test should be used to guide you to seek further advice from your doctor if necessary. It does not diagnose any medical condition and, as with any test, it is not accurate in every case. The test will not help if you already know that you have diabetes. Before doing the test, please make sure you read this leaflet carefully and follow the instructions. If in any doubt, please ask your pharmacist or doctor for further advice.
What does the test measure?
The Diabetes Screening Test tells you whether there is any glucose (sugar) in your urine. It does this by using a special dye that changes from yellow to green if glucose is present. The test gives a simple positive or negative answer. A positive result means that the test has found glucose in your urine. A negative result means that the test has not found any glucose in your urine. The test does not tell you how much glucose is present, only whether or not glucose has been detected.
What is a screening test?
This Diabetes Screening Test does not diagnose diabetes – only your GP or a specialist doctor can do that. However, it may help detect one of the signs of diabetes at an early stage, before the illness causes any symptoms. Studies have shown that it is best to start treating diabetes as early as possible. Tests like these which help to detect diseases at an early stage, before other symptoms appear, are known as screening tests.
A screening test for diabetes which detects glucose in the urine is useful because:
- glucose in the urine can be an early sign of diabetes
- if diabetes is detected early on, before any symptoms are noticed, treatment is more successful.
No screening test is completely effective at detecting illness at an early stage. Therefore if the test is negative, this does not mean that you do not have diabetes. However, even if the test is negative, you should consult your doctor if you have any symptoms or concerns. This test should not replace a consultation with your own doctor.
What causes glucose in the urine?
Urine normally only contains glucose if the level of glucose in the blood is too high. High levels of glucose in the blood can indicate diabetes. However it is important to understand that a positive test does not mean that you have diabetes. Some people have glucose in the urine even when the level of glucose in the blood is normal.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an illness that results when the body can't use glucose properly. There are two types of diabetes. Type I diabetes normally affects people under the age of 40.Type II diabetes is usually found in people over 40. Both types of diabetes lead to high levels of
glucose in the blood. Diabetes is common, and affects both men and women. Some people are more likely to develop diabetes than others. The things that make someone more likely to develop diabetes are known as "risk factors".
These are some of the important risk factors for developing diabetes:
Age
Diabetes becomes more common with increasing age.
Relatives with diabetes.
People who have relatives with diabetes are more likely to develop diabetes themselves.
Race
Diabetes is more common in Asians or African-Caribbeans.
Weight
Being overweight makes you more likely to develop Diabetes.
What symptoms does diabetes cause?
In the early stages of diabetes, there may be no symptoms at all. However, high levels of blood sugar can lead to symptoms such as:
- being more thirsty than usual
- passing lots of urine
- tiredness
- weight loss
- skin infections (especially thrush)
- blurred vision
IF YOU NOTICE ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU SEE YOUR DOCTOR
How is diabetes treated?
Some people with diabetes can be treated by sticking to a healthy diet. Others need to have tablets to control the level of blood sugar, or regular injections of a hormone known as insulin.
Before you do the test:
1. Check that your pack contains:
- A pouch containing two diabetes test strips.
- A sample cup for collecting urine.
- A glove.
Precautions
1. If any of the contents are missing, do not continue. Instead put everything back into the box and return it to the place of purchase for a replacement.
2. Check the expiry date on the side of the pack. The test should not be used after the expiry date. If you have just bought the test, and the expiry date has passed, please return the test to the place of purchase for replacement.
3. If the seals were broken before you opened this pack, the test should not be used. If the pack seals were broken, please return the test to the place of purchase for a replacement.
If you are taking Vitamin C, this may interfere with the test. Do not take Vitamin C within 24 hours of conducting the test.
If you are a woman who is still having periods, the test should not be carried out while you are menstruating (bleeding).
Use each strip only once.
THE TEST IS FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY - DO NOT SWALLOW.
Storage and stability
The test kit should be stored at room temperature.
(4-30 ° C) in the sealed pouch for duration of shelf life.
Keep away from direct sunlight, moisture and heat.
HOW TO DO THE TEST?
The test is done using a sample of your urine which has been passed two hours after your main meal. This is important, as it increases the chances of finding glucose in the urine. To do the test, follow the steps below:
To collect the urine sample
1. Wait until two hours have passed since your main meal.
2. Start to pass urine into the toilet as usual.
3. Place the sample cup into the urine stream until it is over half full.
4. Finish passing urine into the toilet.
5. Test the sample as soon as possible after collection.
To perform the test
You may want to put the glove on before performing the test.
1. Remove a strip from the pouch (see diagram 1).
2. Making sure that you do not touch the yellow pad, turn the strip so that the yellow pad at the end of the strip is facing downwards.
3. Dip the strip into the urine, making sure that the yellow pad at the end of the stick is completely covered by urine (see diagram 2).
4. Remove the strip from the sample.
5. Wait for one minute (time this using a watch or clock) before reading the result (see diagram 3).
Reading the result
After a minute has passed, check the colour of the pad on the end of the strip.
- If the pad has remained YELLOW, this is a NEGATIVE result. This means that the test did not find any glucose in the urine sample on this occasion.
- If the pad has turned GREEN, this is a POSITIVE result. This means that the urine sample does contain glucose.
If you are not sure whether or not the pad has changed colour, compare the colour of the pad with the second test strip. If the test gives a negative result, repeat the test the next day with the second test strip. If the result of the first test is positive, there is no need to repeat the test. After you have completed the test, please make sure that you dispose of all materials safely.
If you have difficulty in completing the test, please ask your Pharmacist for further advice.
What to do if the result is positive?
A positive result means that the test has found glucose in your urine. This does not always mean that you have diabetes. However, it is important that you make a routine appointment
in the next two weeks to see your doctor for further tests to be done. You do not need to make an urgent appointment to see your doctor. Yo ur doctor may take a blood test to check the level of glucose in your blood.
What to do if the result is negative?
A negative result means that the test has not found any glucose in your urine. If the test is negative, and you do not have any symptoms, you do not need to do anything else. Remember, even if you have a negative result, it is very important that you see your
doctor if you notice any of the symptoms outlined persist.
Questions and answers
Q. Does anything interfere with the test?
A . If you are a woman who is still having periods, you should wait until your period is over before doing the test. If you are taking Vitamin C, this may interfere with the test. Do not take Vitamin C within 24 hours of conducting this test.
Q. If the test is negative, does this mean I don't have diabetes?
A. Not necessarily. Not everyone with diabetes has glucose in the urine. If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should still see your doctor.
Q. If the test is positive, should I make any changes to my diet?
A. If the test is positive, it is important that you make an appointment to see your doctor. You should not make any changes to your diet until you have seen your doctor
Q . Is it worth repeating the test in the future?
A. Some doctors suggest that people who have one or more risk factors should have a screening test for diabetes every three years. If you do not have any risk factors for diabetes, and you have no symptoms, it might be appropriate to repeat the test after five years. If you are not sure whether you should repeat the test, you should discuss this with your doctor.
This test relies upon detection in a biological system; therefore, it is possible that it may not be 100% accurate in every case. Occasionally, the test may produce a false positive or false
negative result. Accordingly, results should be treated as a guide to whether there may be a basis to seek specific advice from a doctor.
