Toxicity Testing

Quick Intro

VEI Clinic Apgujeong is an English-friendly internal-medicine clinic in Gangnam offering targeted toxicity evaluations with doctor oversight—from blood/urine draws to coordinated reference-lab panels and practical follow-up.

What We Mean by “Toxicity Testing”

A focused medical workup for suspected exposure to metals, chemicals, or drugs—chosen to answer a specific question, not a one-size-fits-all “detox test.” After a brief consult, we select appropriate tests and timing, interpret the results in context, and plan next steps.

Common categories we evaluate (tailored to your history):

• Heavy metals: lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium (± copper, zinc)
• Occupational/environmental monitoring: selected solvents/by-products (via partner reference labs), carbon monoxide (CO), nicotine/cotinine, etc.
• Medication/drug levels (where clinically indicated)
• Follow-up labs for organ impact: kidney/liver function, blood counts, electrolytes

Specimens & Timing (Why It Matters)

• Blood vs. Urine: Some exposures show up best in blood (e.g., lead), others in urine (e.g., arsenic). Your doctor will time the sample based on how long ago the exposure occurred.
• Spot vs. 24-hour urine: For certain metals, a 24-hour urine collection better estimates body burden; we provide containers and instructions.
• Hair/nail testing: May reflect past exposure but is not first-line for diagnosis because of contamination/interpretation limits. We only use it selectively.

Pre-Test Preparation (Improve Accuracy)

• Arsenic testing: Avoid seafood (especially shellfish/seaweed) for 48–72 hours beforehand, as it can falsely elevate results.
• Metal contamination: Remove metal jewelry; wash hands with plain soap (no exfoliants). Avoid applying mineral-heavy creams to the draw site that day.
• Supplements: Bring a list; avoid non-essential mineral supplements for 24–48 hours unless prescribed.
• Medications: Do not stop chronic meds unless a clinician tells you to.
• 24-hour urine: We’ll give you containers and a simple checklist (start/end times, cold storage, no missed collections).

Results & Turnaround

• Routine heavy-metal panels: typically 3–7 business days.
• Specialized send-outs: 5–14 business days (we’ll advise).
• We provide trend charts for monitoring and fit-for-work/school notes when appropriate.

Safety & Follow-Up

If results are elevated, we’ll:

• Review ways to reduce your exposure (steps at home and at work).
• Manage or refer for treatment (e.g., chelation is specialist-directed and not indicated for many mild elevations).
• Arrange repeat testing to confirm levels decline after interventions.

What to Bring

• Medication & supplement list (exact doses)
• Workplace SDS/MSDS or exposure info (if available)
• Prior labs/reports and a brief timeline of symptoms/exposure

Pricing & Transparency

We’ll quote before testing. Costs vary by analyte (e.g., single metal vs. panel), specimen type (spot vs. 24-hour), and whether chain-of-custody is needed. Itemized English receipts are provided for insurance claims.

Disclaimer

This page is informational and not medical advice. Testing is selected after clinician review. Emergencies require immediate ER care.