Why is this procedure done?
A drug test is used to find out if there are drugs in your body. It tells: ‚
- If you have taken drugs
- What kind of drugs you took
- How much of the drugs you took
Doctors mostly test your urine and blood. Rarely, they may test your hair, sweat, or spit. You may have a drug test for legal reasons or before starting a job or school. ‚
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What will the results be?
- A drug test will help your doctor find out if you have taken certain drugs.
- If the results are negative or normal, it means the drug being tested for is not present or is below the established cut off level.
- If the results are positive or not normal, it means the drug being tested for is present or is above the established cut off level.
What happens before the procedure?
Your doctor will take your history. Talk to the doctor about: ‚
- All the drugs you are taking
- If you have any bleeding problems
What happens during the procedure?
Drug test using blood: ‚
- It will only take a few minutes to have this test. You will be awake the whole time. You will have a small amount of blood taken from you with a needle. You may have a little pain. The needle will be taken out and a bandage will be put on your skin. The lab will test your blood for drugs.
Drug test using urine: ‚
- The staff will give you a clean plastic cup. You will use this to catch your urine.
- You will clean your genital area and pee into the cup.
- The staff will label the cup with your name and send it to the lab for testing.
What happens after the procedure?
- You may want to sit quietly for a few minutes before standing up if you had blood drawn. This will help keep you from feeling dizzy after the test.
- Ask your doctor when you will get the results.
What care is needed at home?
You may do your everyday activities when you get back home. ‚
What follow-up care is needed?
You will need to see your doctor to go over the results. ‚
What problems could happen?
If you had a blood test: ‚
- Pain
- Bleeding
- Bruising
- Fainting dizzy
- Infection
Where can I learn more?
American Association for Clinical Chemistry ‚
http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/drug-abuse/tab/test# ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚