The presence of protein in urine is a red flag for kidney disease. If preliminary urinalysis suggests that protein is present, doctors often request additional tests to better gauge the extent of the problem. Kidney patients jokingly call the 24-hour urine collection "the big pee." It is essential to collect every drop of urine or the test results will not be accurate.
Preliminaries
Before starting the test, make sure you have received a big plastic jug from your medical provider or pharmacist. Consider the impact of the test on your schedule. You may prefer doing the test over the weekend or on a day when you are not at work because you will need a place to store the jug during the day. Lastly, think about when you can return the jug to your medical provider. The jug can sit at room temperature for a day, but it will be necessary to refrigerate it if you are not able to return it promptly. Make room in your fridge if you are not be able to return it to your medical lab the same day the test ends.
Initial Void
After you wake up in the morning, urinate into the toilet as usual and flush. Make a note of the time, because this is the start of the test.
Collection
For the next 24 hours, collect every drop of urine into the collection jug. If you have to make a bowel movement, avoid urinating into the toilet.
If you have to run errands and don't want to take the jug with you, make sure you have a clean glass container in which to urinate when you are out. Transfer that urine to the jug when you get home.
End Point
Stop collecting urine within 10 minutes of the time you started the 24-hour collection. The first urine of the second morning should be included. Close the lid of the jug. Mark it with your name, the date and the time, and deliver it to your health care provider or medical lab as soon as possible.
Infant Collections
Doctors may request that a 24-hour urine collection be obtained from an infant or toddler who is still in diapers. Under these circumstances, parents receive a number of special collection bags. These are like normal plastic bags, with an adhesive at one end. Medline Plus recommends that for a boy, parents place the collection bag over the entire penis and secure it to the skin with the adhesive. For a girl, parents should place the bag over the labia and secure it to the skin.
Change the collection bag every time you change your baby's diaper, taking care not to spill the contents of the bag. The 24-hour collections are tricky with active babies and may require multiple attempts.
