Bilirubin in Urine

[ScaredOfDisease]

Can dehydration cause a false positive on the bilirubin pad of a reagent strip? I have a pack of these strips I got free. I notice if I wake up pretty dehydrated, it will change the color of the bilirubin strip. Usually to a light orangish color. Not really same color on the chart on the bottle. But after I drink anything(water or coffee) and I am hydrated, the bilirubin pad will remain white showing no bilirubin. If this were liver issues, would drinking water cause a false negative? Or is dehydration possibly causing false positive? I have no other symptoms. No abdominal pain, no jaundice, and no pale stools. Thanks.

[ScaredOfDisease]

Thank you so much fntn! So does dark urine affect Bilirubin on yours as well? The other white strips stay white. Just Bilirubin changes. But once I hydrate, it stops showing positive. I wasn't sure if concentrated urine was causing false positives. Or if dilluted urine was causing false negatives. I keep all strips in the container they came in. Thank you again!

[Dee1956]

Thanks so much for this information.  My husband was using a different kind of strip for his urine however he has not been storing correctly.  I will get some new ones.
Thanks for all you do on here.  You are an amazing person.  I don't know how you are able to be here every single day .  I admire your dedication. You are a marvel, I really appreciate you so much!!
Dee

[fntn]

I use the strips all the time myself and I know just what you mean about the darkly colored urine affecting things. But if you really did have something wrong like a gallstone or other bile blockage, then the urine test will remain constant in showing the problem on repeated tests. If you didn't have the strip stored properly, the testing chemicals on the strip will become compromised/contaminated and will give you the crazy results. Be sure your test strips are stored in a small, airtight container. And that you use a clean urine collection cup as well. I've made these mistakes before so it's easy enough to forget about it. Hope all is well.