A much simpler shopping day than anticipated

@Asylum (47893)

Manchester, England

July 26, 2016 9:52am CST

Over the years I have bought many strange items, as I suspect that most people have, but I expected this one to be unavailable. Tomorrow I have an appointment at the Eye Hospital and the letter that I received requested that I take 3 things with me: My current spectacles My medication A urine sample On the rare occasions that I have supplied a urine sample in the past, I have been provided a container for the purpose. This time I have been asked to take a sample along, but had no idea how to transport it. It is obvious that I would be unable to sterilise a bottle sufficiently for such a job. My first port of call was the Pharmacy, where to my surprise I had no difficulty purchasing such a receptacle. I genuinely had no idea that such items were available.

24 people like this

22 responses

@fishtiger58 (29819)

• Momence, Illinois

26 Jul 16

So you need a urine sample for an eye appt. hmmmm strange.

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

26 Jul 16

The appointment is to examine whether I have a certain germ that would cause infection during the next eye operation.

4 people like this

@fishtiger58 (29819)

• Momence, Illinois

26 Jul 16

@Asylum Oh I see that makes sense then

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

26 Jul 16

@fishtiger58 Sadly it just delays the process further.

4 people like this

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@Inlemay (17712)

• South Africa

27 Jul 16

I hope you used the spectacles to get the urine sample . . . .

Sorry couldn't resist because for a woman getting a urine sample poses a difficult task!

3 people like this

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

27 Jul 16

@Inlemay I could not afford the operation.

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

27 Jul 16

I have never tried as a woman.

4 people like this

@Inlemay (17712)

• South Africa

27 Jul 16

@Asylum Good Morning - and thank you for that LAUGH!! I am glad you haven't tried as a woman . . . . it makes sense

3 people like this

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@SIMPLYD (90717)

• Philippines

29 Jul 16

Yes, those urine containers are now available at pharmcies . Things now are convenient to find .

1 person likes this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

29 Jul 16

This is the only time that I have had reason to buy one during my life.

1 person likes this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

29 Jul 16

@SIMPLYD I have a spare one now, which I will probably never use.

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@SIMPLYD (90717)

• Philippines

29 Jul 16

@Asylum Now you know , where to buy if ever you need one again.

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@pgntwo (22405)

• Derry, Northern Ireland

26 Jul 16

Those small jam jars you get when you are in M&S for a cream tea usually do, washed in the dishwasher.

2 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

26 Jul 16

You may be right, but I would not be confident that a previously used receptacle was sufficiently cleaned.

1 person likes this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

26 Jul 16

@pgntwo I am not stating that the reusing of a vessel would not be adequately sterile, but that I would have reservations and prefer not to.

1 person likes this

@pgntwo (22405)

• Derry, Northern Ireland

26 Jul 16

@Asylum Remember when milk was delivered to your doorstep, in glass foil-capped bottles...?

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@moffittjc (128824)

• Gainesville, Florida

28 Jul 16

I wonder if the same receptacle you purchased for your urine sample is also the same receptacle they sell for sperm donors? lol

1 person likes this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

28 Jul 16

It would be too big for me.

1 person likes this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

28 Jul 16

@moffittjc Unfortunately she was telling the truth.

1 person likes this

@moffittjc (128824)

• Gainesville, Florida

28 Jul 16

@Asylum That's what she said!

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ElizabethWallace

@ElizabethWallace (12069)

• United States

27 Jul 16

Wait, why didn't you just show up. I think you already have a receptacle? It's internal.

2 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

27 Jul 16

That is what has always happened in the past, but this time I am asked to take a sample with me.

1 person likes this

ElizabethWallace

@ElizabethWallace (12069)

• United States

27 Jul 16

@Asylum Maybe they are in a hurry and don't want to take the time to use the receptacle you already have.

1 person likes this

@Carmelanirel2 (8085)

• United States

26 Jul 16

Okay, now I know!!! lol That is interesting it wasn't provided though, because some people wouldn't consider this and will just go into any old bottle.

1 person likes this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

26 Jul 16

I would not have considered using an old bottle because I would not be able to sterilise it properly. The reason that no container was supplied is that the appointment was arranged by letter.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

26 Jul 16

@Carmelanirel2 This seemed obvious to me because the contents will be analysed, although I suspect that you are right and many people simply do not consider this

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@Carmelanirel2 (8085)

• United States

26 Jul 16

@Asylum yeah, but how many people realize it has to be in a sterile bottle?

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Belle Starr (Iz)

@BelleStarr (61463)

• United States

30 Jul 16

Usually, here we give the sample at the doctor's office, we don't bring it from home. But I am not surprised the pharmacy has the appropriate container, they have pretty much everything these days.

1 person likes this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

30 Jul 16

This was a request by the hospital to take a sample with me for the appointment, which initially caused me quite a quandary.

1 person likes this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

30 Jul 16

@BelleStarr I made absolutely certain that the container was not leaking.

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Belle Starr (Iz)

@BelleStarr (61463)

• United States

30 Jul 16

@Asylum But why not just collect the sample when you get there? Carrying it around is not that appealing. lol

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@LadyDuck (502189)

• Italy

28 Jul 16

We always receive the sterilized container when the doctor or the hospital need the urine sample. I suppose they are checking for specific germs, to avoid problems with your next surgery. This is usually done in a couple of hours locally, I hope it's not going to delay your next appointment.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

28 Jul 16

@LadyDuck So even the problem got bored with the constant lack of progress and gave up.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

28 Jul 16

I have always been provided such receptacles by the doctor or hospital as well, which was why I expected them to be difficult to find. As for delays, I have been travelling back and forth to appointments for 11 months so far.

1 person likes this

@LadyDuck (502189)

• Italy

28 Jul 16

@Asylum When you start to go to see doctors it becomes a never ending story. It seems that after 18 months we are almost over with my husband problems. They found nothing, but now he is finally better even if they have not found the reason of his problems.

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@jaboUK (64346)

• United Kingdom

26 Jul 16

We get them free from the doctor's office.

1 person likes this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

26 Jul 16

I could acquire them free from the hospital, but they want me to take the sample with me.

2 people like this

ElizabethWallace

@ElizabethWallace (12069)

• United States

27 Jul 16

@Asylum So, just show up with the sample "inside". It is already in a sterile container. LOL

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

27 Jul 16

@ElizabethWallace Yes, but I cannot leave the sample with myself around it.

1 person likes this

@sherryericha (1806)

• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

26 Jul 16

Isn't that great? A pharmacist helped me recently. I filled an inhaler script for my grandson, two days later it was empty (don't ask, I could be charged with Stupidity While Caring For A Child). The pharmacist told me to call the insurance company and tell them I lost it. He said you get one override a year - I did not know that. Two days later I had a new inhaler!

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

26 Jul 16

What will you do when you empty the next one?

1 person likes this

@sherryericha (1806)

• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

27 Jul 16

@Asylum. They last about six months.

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@garymarsh6 (23979)

• United Kingdom

27 Jul 16

Its ok it does not have to be sterile they will just do a dip stick test on it. It wont be going off to the lab.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

27 Jul 16

It would not be the first time that someone concluded that I was a dipstick.

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@garymarsh6 (23979)

• United Kingdom

27 Jul 16

@Asylum Arr I would never take the pee!

1 person likes this

@JESSY3236 (22199)

• United States

28 Jul 16

I have had to have urine sample at the eye doctor before. But at my regular doctor I sometimes have to do one. But I always did it there. I didn't know you could purchase one.

1 person likes this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

28 Jul 16

I have only given samples there before, which is why I anticipated a problem acquiring the container.

1 person likes this

Claudia Kirkland

@CRK109 (14556)

• United States

30 Jul 16

That's good to know. I've always been supplied one by my doctors but at least if I'm ever asked to bring my own, I'll have an idea where to get one! lol

1 person likes this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

30 Jul 16

This is the first time that I was not supplied with one.

1 person likes this

@kaka135 (14994)

• Malaysia

26 Jul 16

I did not know about that too. Same as you, I have always receive the container in the hospital for urine sample. but have not bring my own before. Thanks for sharing this, that's a strange item, but it's really good to know.

1 person likes this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

26 Jul 16

I expected it to be difficult to find and only hoped for some viable alternative.

Arthur Chappell

@arthurchappell (44941)

• Preston, England

27 Jul 16

best to use whisky bottles - at least if you forget it on the bus someone will find it and euch!

1 person likes this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

27 Jul 16

Very true Arthur, they will not enjoy warm whisky.

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@sofssu (23660)

•

26 Jul 16

I wouldn't have thought it was so easily available either

1 person likes this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

26 Jul 16

It was a pleasant surprise to discover exactly what I wanted so easily.

1 person likes this

@Marilynda1225 (91013)

• United States

26 Jul 16

I never would have thought to go to a pharmacy for a sterile bottle either. Thanks for letting us know in case the need arises and we're in a pickle trying to figure out how to bring a sample to an appointment

1 person likes this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

26 Jul 16

I was actually hoping that the pharmacist would be able to offer some advice. Fortunately the result was even better.

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@MarshaMusselman (38865)

• Midland, Michigan

28 Jul 16

Well at least you didn't have to waste a day looking for one for your appointment. Good luck with the appointment if it didn't happen already.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

28 Jul 16

The appoitment was yesterday and now I am back to waiting for further contact again.

1 person likes this

@JamesHxstatic (29410)

• Eugene, Oregon

26 Jul 16

I didn't know that those were available either. Maybe a cost cutting measure by hospitals.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

26 Jul 16

I was hoping that the pharmacist could suggest a logical altern, but surpringly they actually sold them. I cannot imagine these selling very often.

1 person likes this