SIBO/IMO Lactulose Breath Test
Test Details
Lab Company: Commonwealth Diagnostics International, Inc.
Sample Type: Breath
Collection Location: At Home
This test is used to aid in the diagnosis of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth (IMO). This test comes with a LACTULOSE substrate.
🔑 Key Details | 📦 Shipping |
⏰ Preparation & Timing | 📊 Results |
🧪 Collection Instructions | 📚 More Resources |
💳 Requisition & Payment |
💬 Questions? |
Key Details
- You must avoid taking certain medications prior to sample collection.
- You must follow a specific diet 24 hours prior to sample collection.
- You must fast for 12 hours prior to sample collection.
- Sample collection is STRICTLY TIMED.
- Save the test kit box. You will use this to ship your samples back to the laboratory.
- Ship your samples within 24 hours of collection.
Preparation & Timing
- Avoid using any antibiotics for 4 weeks prior to sample collection.
- Avoid taking the following substances for 1 week prior to sample collection.
- Laxatives
- Promotility drugs
24 Hours Prior to Sample Collection
- Avoid the following activities:
- Smoking
- Vaping
- You must follow a specific diet. YOU CAN ONLY EAT AND DRINK THE FOLLOWING ITEMS.
- Drinks
- Plain coffee
- Plain black tea
- Plain green tea
- Water
- Meat - baked or broiled only
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Lean beef
- Lean pork
- Seafood
- Other Food
- Eggs
- White rice
- Plain white bread
- Plain tofu
- Boiled or mashed potatoes (no skin)
- Boiled or mashed carrots
- Boiled or mashed turnips
- Seasonings
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of pepper
- A teaspoon of olive oil
- Drinks
12 Hours Prior to Sample Collection
- You must fast for 12 hours prior to sample collection.
- You may drink water during your fast.
- You may brush your teeth as normal.
- DO NOT take any vitamins or supplements.
Day of Sample Collection
- DO NOT eat or drink anything but water until you have completed your sample collection.
- Avoid the following activities for 1 hour prior to sample collection:
- Sleeping
- Exercising
Collection Instructions
- Ensure you followed the restricted diet and fasting guidelines.
- This collection is strictly timed. You MUST follow the collection time exactly.
- Thoroughly mix the lactulose substrate packet into 8 oz of room-temperature water. DO NOT DRINK THE SOLUTION YET.
- Open the pack of collection tubes using a pair of scissors.
- Complete the corresponding sample label with the following information:
- Patient's Full Name
- Patient's Date of Birth
- Date of Collection
- Time of Collection
- Apply the label to the side of one collection tube.
- Unscrew the blue cap from the tube.
- Unwrap the collection straw.
- Insert the straw halfway into the tube.
- Inhale normally with your mouth away from the tube.
- Exhale normally into the straw for 5 seconds.
- You should see condensation on the inside of the tube.
- DO NOT INHALE while the straw is still in the tube/in your mouth.
- Remove the straw.
- Immediately screw the cap back on securely.
- DO NOT over-tighten the cap.
- Place the tube in the provided bubble bag.
- Immediately after collecting your first sample, drink the substrate mixture.
- You must drink the solution within 2 minutes.
- Wait 15 minutes.
- Repeat steps 5-14 for each of the 9 remaining collections. Wait 15 minutes between each collection.
- When you have completed your entire collection, complete the test requisition form.
- Instructions HERE.
- Place the tubes into the provided bubble bags.
- You should have 5 tubes in each bag.
- Place the bubble bags into the test kit box.
- Place the completed test requisition form into the box.
Requisition & Payment
- Your kit has been prepaid. You DO NOT need to pay anything extra.
- Instructions on how to fill out your requisition can be found HERE.
- Since you pre-paid for your tests, you do not need to fill in the payment information on any of these forms.
Shipping
- Ship your samples within 24 hours of collection.
- To prepare your samples for shipping,
- Ensure all tubes are properly labeled.
- Place the sample tubes into the provided bubble bags.
- You should have 5 tubes in each bag.
- Place the bubble bags into the test kit box.
- Place the completed test requisition form into the test kit box.
- Seal the test kit box.
- Place the provided return label on the test kit box.
- Make a note of the tracking number on the return label so you can track your sample back to the lab.
- Take the package to the nearest UPS location.
- DO NOT place the package in a drop box.
Results
- Results should be released to your provider 1 business day after samples are received at the lab. We cannot guarantee processing time.
- Your provider will notify you when your results are in and schedule a follow-up appointment for you to review them together.
More Resources
Questions?
For general questions, email Rupa Health at support@rupahealth.com. For test-specific questions, contact Commonwealth Diagnostics International, Inc. by calling 888-258-5966 or emailing customerservice@commdx.com.