Outpatient Instructions for Stool Occult Blood Collection


Your physician has requested that you be tested for blood in your stool. The following directions are provided to help you collect the specimen.  

You should be on a special diet for two days before, and during, the test period.  Foods you may not consume two days prior to, or during this test, include rare red meats, turnips, horseradish and melons.  On the advice of your physician the following medications should be suspended two days prior to, and during, the test: aspirin or aspirin-containing products.  Anti-inflammatory drugs, supplements containing iron, and supplements containing vitamin C in excess of 250 mg/day.

1.    You have been given 1-3 Hemocult slides with applicator sticks.  On the first day of the test, void your stool into a container.  Do not collect stool samples which have fallen into the toilet.

2.    Use the applicator stick you have been given to apply a small sampling of stool onto the Hemocult test slide.  Open the front window of the test slide and using the applicator stick apply stool sample directly to the paper within.  Discard the remainder of the stool sample collected.

3.    Repeat stool collection for three (3) consecutive days if needed, or until you have collected three samples, each from a different day.

4.    Return the Hemocult test slides to Avalon Laboratory as soon as possible after collection is complete.