Morning blood tests for FBG

[Providence 62]

I have noticed that some people on the forum have very early times for their morning blood tests and I am wondering if I am taking my blood tests a little too late. Today I woke up at just before 5, I went back to sleep then got up at 8.30 and finally took my blood test at 9am.

Should I have taken the test at 5am?

Thanks


P

 

[Prem51]

I used to take my fbgs when I woke up, which tended to be around 5am.
Now I take them when I first get out of bed which is usually around 7am. I think they are a bit higher then.

 

[Voodoorising]

I take mine when I get out of bed and intend to stay out of it. I do shift work so I don't have regular times. I am now off on an 18 day break and It's chill out time. I woke at 7:15am today decided it's wasn't happening it's Sunday so rolled over and woke again at 9am. I made a coffee and took my bloods at 9:10am. They were 5.3

I guess if you do it at the same time each day you would get a more concistent idea of how they are.

 

[Bluetit1802]

It is probably best to take it as soon as you get up properly, ie in your case 8-30.
If you leave it until later anything you do between getting up and taking the test may affect it in some way. (pottering about, showering, dressing, whatever)

 

[AM1874]

I test my FBG when I wake up and that has been between 4.00 and 5.00 every day for longer than I care to remember. A couple of months ago, as an experiment over a week so, I did leave the test until two hours after waking (but still fasting) .. and for each day that I did this, my BG level was noticeably higher. Don't know why .. maybe a liver dump as I started using energy for the day ??

 

[13lizanne]

I was taught that fasting means a period of at least 10 hrs @Providence 62 but in the long run its our HbÀ1c results which provide a true indication of how controlled our diabetes is

 

[Bluetit1802]

I was taught that fasting means a period of at least 10 hrs @Providence 62 but in the long run its our HbÀ1c results which provide a true indication of how controlled our diabetes is

I am afraid I cannot agree with you when you say the HbA1c is a true indicator of how controlled our diabetes is.

The HbA1c relies on us all having haemoglobin cells living for the same length of time. (120 days) The calculation relies on this. There are many people whose red blood cells live longer than 120 days, and many whose red blood cells live for a shorter period than 120 days. Anyone with "abnormal" red blood cells is at risk of inaccurate HbA1c results.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/thr...due-to-red-blood-cell-age-variability.110793/

https://chriskresser.com/why-hemoglobin-a1c-is-not-a-reliable-marker/

 

[13lizanne]

I stand corrected bluetit I'm sure that your answer will help the poster

 

[ally1]

It varies with when testing my bs.
As a chronic insomniac or when I do sleep I test as soon as I get up

 

[Providence 62]

Thank you everyone for your great advice. Sometimes it can be as long as half an hour between rising and actually testing my sugars. You know how it is, check email, read news headlines, feed cat, greet husband etc. I Going to put my meter on my bedside table tonight and will test as soon as i put my feet on the floor.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Thank you everyone for your great advice. Sometimes it can be as long as half an hour between rising and actually testing my sugars. You know how it is, check email, read news headlines, feed cat, greet husband etc. I Going to put my meter on my bedside table tonight and will test as soon as i put my feet on the floor.

Don't forget to wash your hands! It will be interesting for us to see if there is much difference.

 

[pamK]

I was told to test as soon as you wake up S i do it as soon as my feet touch the floor I keep my kit at the side of my bed But some time i test at different times when i wake and i find that being an hour later or earlier also makes a difference

 

[Providence 62]

Don't forget to wash your hands! It will be interesting for us to see if there is much difference.

I will report back tomorrow

 

[Providence 62]

I was told to test as soon as you wake up S i do it as soon as my feet touch the floor I keep my kit at the side of my bed But some time i test at different times when i wake and i find that being an hour later or earlier also makes a difference

Perhaps if I wash my hands before I go to bed ? I know it's only a snapshot, but it's good to get an accurate one if possible.

 

[Providence 62]

Hello, quick update. I finally managed to test my FBG as soon as I woke up today. 6.9 - that is a bit lower than what I am used to.

 

[JohnEGreen]

If I tested on waking I would be testing 3 or four times a night every night so I leave it till I am up and out of bed but before doing any activity other than washing my hands.

 

[Bluetit1802]

If I tested on waking I would be testing 3 or four times a night every night so I leave it till I am up and out of bed but before doing any activity other than washing my hands.

That's what I do. Up, loo (a must!), wash hands, test.

 

[Mr_Pot]

The FBG doctors use involves getting up, showering, getting dressed, driving to the surgery etc. In my case that would be about 9:30am before I had the test, so is it really worth worrying about what time to test? With DP and all the other variables, is the FBG test any real use at home, or only for doctors to initially diagnose diabetes.

 

[Providence 62]

@Mr_Pot it's my way of keeping an eye on how I am getting on - quite a useful tool.

P

 

[Alison Campbell]

The FBG doctors use involves getting up, showering, getting dressed, driving to the surgery etc. In my case that would be about 9:30am before I had the test, so is it really worth worrying about what time to test? With DP and all the other variables, is the FBG test any real use at home, or only for doctors to initially diagnose diabetes.

I believe FBG is a useful tool to use at home for everyday comparison. My HBA1C has not changed much in 6 years and is borderline prediabetes/normal. My pre meal apart from breakfast is excellent, post meal is ok but my fasting is awful.

My surgery did not even want to see me for review this year as they are only concerned about HBA1C but that is not the full picture of control for me.