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Furious with my mum's doctors!

paganlass

Well-Known Member
Messages
125
Location
manchester/ england
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
nhs. religion for the sake of it.
Hi everyone, I'm furious! My mum has been diabetic since 1997. She told me today that her doctor has never taken a fasting blood test from her . She has to go for a review next week. So I said have u had ur fasting blood test in preparation. No she said. My doctor says he knows I'm diabetic so why do I need u to have a fasting blood test! How can he possibly know wat her hba1c level is? How does he know if the 2000mg of metformin is doing its job?
I've only been diabetic for almost 4 months. Am I wrong?
My review bus also next week and I've already had my fasting bloods done!
Different surgery I mite add.
 
HbA1c won't be influenced by fasting or not really as it's a measure of the blood sugar levels from the past 2-3 months. Cholesterol on the other hand may be influenced by eating before the bloods are taken. Then again you may not be concerned about cholesterol levels...
 
GP's should all work from the same rule book. It would cause less confusion.
 
You do not need to fast for an HbA1c test
 
As others have said, fasting is not required for hba1c as it measures last glucose levels over a 3 month period. Would normally only do a fasting test when being diagnosed.
 
Does the doc do HbA1c tests at least annually? He should.

Fasting tests are usually used for diagnosis, or pre-diagnosis. The HbA1c is used to monitor average glucose over 2-3 months, and doesn't need to be fasting.
 
Last edited:
Hi. The HBa1c does not need to be fasting but for a cholesterol lipids breakdown it does need to be fasting. Have the blood test done at least a week before the review so the results can be discussed at the review. I always arrange for my blood test at the surgery reception when I book my annual review.
 
According to http://labtestsonline.org.uk/understanding/analytes/cholesterol/tab/sample/ and http://labtestsonline.org.uk/understanding/analytes/triglycerides/tab/sample/ since 2014 people don't need to fast for cholesterol or triglyceride testing.
 
paganlass said:
How can he possibly know wat her hba1c level is?
Click to expand...

As others have said, you don't need to fast for a hba1c. It's a 3 month "average" so what/whether you eat in the 12 hours before the blood is drawn will have no impact on the hba1c results.

paganlass said:
How does he know if the 2000mg of metformin is doing its job?
Click to expand...

Will probably use the hba1c and, hopefully, discussion with your mum.

paganlass said:
I've only been diabetic for almost 4 months. Am I wrong?
Click to expand...

Yes. But hopefully the responses you have received on this thread have given you some useful information for you & your mum. No need to be furious - hope you can harness that energy for something more productive/pleasant and I hope both reviews go well!
 
Dark Horse said:
According to http://labtestsonline.org.uk/understanding/analytes/cholesterol/tab/sample/ and http://labtestsonline.org.uk/understanding/analytes/triglycerides/tab/sample/ since 2014 people don't need to fast for cholesterol or triglyceride testing.
Click to expand...

Hmmm that IS interesting.

I am interested in my 'baseline' fasted Trig level, because of what it tells me (and Ken Sikaris) about heart risk. But I do take the point that most people spend a heck of a lot of time UNfasted.

Intermittent fasting and NOT doing the 'grazing' thing seems to help my body in lots of ways.
 
I wonder how often doctors actually ask for a blood test just for HbA1c surely they should also test for other things at the same time My 6 monthly diabetic review blood tests are always fasting ones so are my husbands who is also T2 not just to test our Hba1c but also to check cholesterol levels kidneys and liver
 
The links in Dark Horse's post say that none of these tests need to be fasting ones anymore -

"Is any test preparation needed to ensure the quality of the sample?
The test for triglyceride can be performed without any special preparation. Previously, fasting for 12 hours was recommended, but this changed in 2014. As we spend many hours of the day in a "post-meal" state, triglyceride levels after a meal are just as valid a representation of what our body is exposed to as levels taken when fasting."
 
Well Thankyou everyone who replied. As they say "you learn something new everyday". I certainly have! I know I personally am new to diabetes but I honestly thought you "had" to have a fasting blood test for your review. I know they do check my liver and kidney and cholesterol. I found out today that they haven't asked my mum for a blood test of any sort! Perhaps they will do it on the day eh?
 
I think I'm going to talk to my GP about the need for fasting blood tests after reading this. I have a problem with the fear of hypos and get stressed when I'm not allowed to eat, the stress causes me to spike and then my blood sugar is always high for the test! (If I actually do go hypo I of course treat it and have to rebook my test)

Editted to add: I know the spike won't affect my HbA1c significantly but he always mentions how high my 'normal' blood sugar is too
 
Well if its a review they should have done a blood test beforehand otherwise what is there to review. Why don't you book your mum in for a test a week before the review and maybe accompany her? Sure way to get some answers..
 
Yes bulkbiker I agree. Imphoned them today and said the same thing and they said "web only do bloods on the day of the review and the patient rings up a week later for results! Nuts!
 
paganlass said:
Yes bulkbiker I agree. Imphoned them today and said the same thing and they said "web only do bloods on the day of the review and the patient rings up a week later for results! Nuts!
Click to expand...
Wow how stupid can the NHS get...
 
I was told to go for my test a week before my appointment - the irony was that the docs had the result back the next day!
 
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