Type 1 Fasting Blood Test

cricketer

Active Member
Messages
27
My GP wants me to have a fasting blood test, cant eat for 12 hours before. God knows what its for as I have my blood tests done at the hospital by the Diabetic clinic.

A type1 doing a fasting blood test doesn't sound very safe to me and the doctor was very rude when I asked about it
 

Fallenstar

Well-Known Member
Messages
546
Hi
No it's not dangerous, I have to do them every 12 weeks and am fine, run your sugars a little higher at bedtime and make sure you get a first AM appointment with the nurse for the blood draw.
you will be fine, don't stress it :D
Obviously test before you set out ,but I have never had a hypo due to not eating breakfast, just need to get organised, oooo and it's nice to have a bit extra after :wink:
 

cricketer

Active Member
Messages
27
Fallenstar said:
Hi
No it's not dangerous, I have to do them every 12 weeks and am fine, run your sugars a little higher at bedtime and make sure you get a first AM appointment with the nurse for the blood draw.
you will be fine, don't stress it :D
Obviously test before you set out ,but I have never had a hypo due to not eating breakfast, just need to get organised, oooo and it's nice to have a bit extra after :wink:
Hi Fallenstar, do you think its ok to have some lucozade in the morning?
 

Fallenstar

Well-Known Member
Messages
546
Hi C :D
Do you tend to wake up quiet low on a morning? It would be better if you didn't do the lucozade , I don't know what the test is for but they do say fasting for a reason, and you don't want to get any false negatives with results ,with starting any hormone processes within the body by starting consuming food stuff...which glucose is.
have a snack the night before or inject a bit less so you know you will be within a fasting range, If you inject your Basal first thing postpone it till after the test, you will be fine.
 

ishjohno

Active Member
Messages
31
Hi

A fasting blood test is for a HbA1c to see how your blood glucose has been, you must have had 1 before and possibly a cholesterol level test as well. You can drink water but nothing else. Don't take any insulin.
As suggested before get the earliest appointment with whoever, test your blood glucose when you get home, have breakfast and if you need to adjust your insulin rations.

I have these done 2 x a year, been a T1 for 32yrs and have never had any problems, you'll be fine :eek:)
 

AMBrennan

Well-Known Member
Messages
826
If you are not on MDI, I'll defer to others with relevant experience.

Assuming that you are on MDI/Basal-bolus (which you don't mention):
As the others have said a fasting test should be perfectly safe (unless you tend to drop too low in the morning, in which case you might want to adjust your insulin doses anyway).
You shouldn't have to postpone your basal injection either, but it won't do any harm if it makes you feel safer; being able to eat (or not eat) whenever one wants is one of the advantages of MDI.

In any case, you should obviously follow whatever instructions you have received, but the instructions I got from the hospital (for HbA1C and friends) explicitly said that Lucozade was OK and the invitation for a blood test from my GP said that anybody taking insulin should have breakfast as normal (and tell the phlebotomist). Make of that what you will.
 

steveinblackpool

Active Member
Messages
28
I have them once a year and have that little extra carbs before bed; being a little higher in the morning of the test wont matter but do get 1st appointment of the day (explain to receptionist).
Test blood in morning; to make sure your blood isnt too low (as i drive to docs) if it is low eat/re-arrange appointment. Dont bother with shower etc go straight there and have a big bacon butty when u get home as a reward ;-)
 

davidjlea

Newbie
Messages
2
Unfortunately 1st thing appointments are 8.30am and I get to work at 6am. I also tend to be low in the morning. Got fasting blood test tomorrow so I'll leave work at about 8am and fingers crossed I won't have a hypo!