a doctor is testing a friends urine

Thank you bbigs. Can you tell us how your friend is doing now? You seemed really worried and concerned about her. Were you, or she, able to find out exactly what test the doctor ordered and why? Please let us know what's going on and if she's okay.
Thanks.

Thank you all for your help in this matter, it is always nice to beable to talk about medical problems without that LOOK, YOU KNOW LIKE ITS ALL IN HER HEAD LOLOL. I have gotten that look more times than I care to admit, but the good news is, God made me learn about my own body and what it can handle and what it cannot handle. We are all flowers in the bouquet of the Lord no one is the same but put us all together and we are more beautiful than words can express! Thank I must thank Michelle and EmpowHER, your the best

Anon - Thank you for writing and for your concern for your friend. It sounds like she could use your help in a number of ways so you may want to consider helping her in contacting her doctor's office more aggressively and even going with her to appointments.

In terms of information about lab tests, one of the best resources is a non-profit site that was set up by several organizations that include clinical laboratory professionals. The site, lab tests online, can be found at http://www.labtestsonline.org/ You can find information by test and by diagnosis. The site can also be helpful after you get test results and need more information to understand them.

As Cary said, your friend needs to get direct information from the doctor's office. Sites like Web MD can be helpful in a general sense but using them can also be confusing if the basic information that you have for research purposes isn't the right information.

A statement was made that all doctors are the same and all doctors treat patients in a certain manner. A statement like that is the same as classifying all patients in a derogatory manner. If your friend has consistently had issues with this particular doctor's office then she may need to switch doctors to find one that is more compatible. People do this every day in order to get the care they need. If she wants to do this, and needs help, we would be happy to help.

Please keep us posted and thank you for the kind words about EmpowHER.

Take care,
Pat

All the Doctors are the same.Good luck getting in direct touch with them.You will talk to a assistant that will talk to them for you.Then you have to wait for the assistant to call back.That's when you continue to call back.Doctors are busy!Web MD is a great place to go to get info.It breaks things down in simpler terms then most web sites.I know some can be really confusing.I have been misdiagnosed twice for different reasons.It almost killed me and the other left me days away from cancer.I have am 98% in correctly diagnoising myself,my Daughter,Family and Friends and I tell the doctor what I believe I have and what he needs to test for.I have been told I was right by so many doctors,I lost count.P.S.Doctors do not like amitting that.I would have became a Doctor,but my true love is forensics and investigation.I am here to try to help people out.Especially since I have experienced various,
extreme amount of medical issues 1st hand.I have had almost every test possible,except a MRI,yet. Educate yourself,it is the best thing I can say.Read all that you can. Knowledge is power.

Hi BBIGS

Your friend should definitely ask the doctor what the purpose of the testing is. Is this a one time test? I got the feeling from your post that it was a more than once thing.

This used to be a common thing to do when you were diabetic, but now they tend not to go with this type of test as much because there are better ways to track and manage diabetes. These strip tests are usually testing for changes caused by diabetes or infection. They can also indicate a problem with liver or kidneys in a sort of general way.

I suggest your friend call the doctor and find out what they are looking for and why. Your friend sounds very sick and underweight, and I would be really aggressive in getting answers as to what they are looking for and what she should be doing to get better. A medical test is no good if you don't respond to the results.

I would not look anything up on WebMD. Your friend could continue to get sicker while you are looking for information you don't quite understand on the internet. Press the doctor for answers, and if you cannot get them, find a new doctor. It isn't worth risking her hospitalization.

Please keep us posted and good luck to you both.

Hi,I am Sorry to hear about your friend.These days you MUST be your own advocate.Keep calling back,don't worry what they think or say.You are only a number to them.WEB MD is also a wonderful source of information.Complete with Symptom checker.High nitrates can be due to a Urinary Track Infection.What is your friend's symptoms and age,if you do not mind me asking.I pray for her quick recovery.You are a great friend for helping her find some answers.Here is some info I looked up for you. 1.A ketone test checks for ketones in your blood or urine. Ketones are substances that are made when the body breaks down fat for energy. Normally, your body gets the energy it needs from carbohydrate in your diet. But stored fat is broken down and ketones are made if your diet does not contain enough carbohydrate to supply the body with sugar (glucose) for energy or if your body cannot use blood sugar (glucose) properly.Why It Is Done?A blood test is the most accurate method of measuring ketones. It is recommended for all people with diabetes,whenever symptoms of illness are present, such as nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain. These symptoms are similar to symptoms of high blood sugar and may mean you have diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially life-threatening condition.A urine test is the most commonly used method of measuring ketones. But it is less accurate than a blood test. 2.Nitrates are naturally present in soil, water, and food.The presence of nitrates in the urine can mean anything from infection to one of the many types of cancer-often bladder. Nitrates are found in many foods eaten in ones everyday diet. This can also be extended to water, although the concentrations in ground water are generally much lower than in foods.Nitrates in urine are accumulated from such vegetables as lettuce, spinach and carrots, beets. Though some plants naturally contain nitrates, researches believe that the culprit causing the real danger is use of nitrate fertilizers in the growing of the vegetable.Abnormal nitrite values may indicative of:Urinary tract infection,Bacterial infection,E Coli,Salmonella,Citrobacter,Proteus,Clebsiella. 3.Urobilinogen is a colourless product of bilirubin reduction. It is formed in the intestines by bacterial action. Some urobilinogen is reabsorbed, taken up into the circulation and excreted by the kidney. This constitutes the normal "enterohepatic urobilinogen cycle".Abnormal urobilinogen values may indicative of:Increased overburdening of the liver,excessive RBC breakdown,increased urobilinogen production,re-absorption - a large hematoma,
restricted liver function,hepatic infection,poisoning ,liver cirrhosis,LOW amounts:failure of bile production,obstruction of bile passage,restricted liver function,hepatic infection,poisoning,liver cirrhosis.