Has anyone ever had a fasting insulin test on the NHS?

[bulkbiker]

Just wondering if anyone has ever managed to get one of these. I'm interested to see what my fasting insulin level is but have just been informed by my surgery that this test os not available on the NHS and ... wait for it.. the Diabetes Nurse couldn't see that it would be any use to my condition. So either she is covering her ignorance, genuinely thinks that it won't be useful or doesn't want to let me have it. Hence my question.
No-one that I have spoken to so far in the HCP realm seems to have ever heard of it although I do believe that it is fairly common in the US.
Looks like more private medicine for me if I want one.

 

[JohnEGreen]

No have not been offered it, mind you my GP woudn't do C-Pep or GaD when I asked just said no more blood tests for you John he of course is mistaken in that.

 

[bulkbiker]

Just found that Medichecks offer it for £39.00 so have sent off for the kit.
Brighton private hospital £139.00 !
Will report back when it arrives.

 

[Chook]

The very first time I had a diabetes blood test I was told to fast for it. Since then - no - just standard HbA1c.

 

[Bluetit1802]

The very first time I had a diabetes blood test I was told to fast for it. Since then - no - just standard HbA1c.

He means an insulin level test, not a blood glucose test.

 

[Bluetit1802]

@bulkbiker

A c-peptide test would produce similar results. Surely your surgery does those, when appropriate, although of course unlikely to allow you one.

http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/c-peptide#1

 

[Natt]

Just wondering if anyone has ever managed to get one of these. I'm interested to see what my fasting insulin level is but have just been informed by my surgery that this test os not available on the NHS and ... wait for it.. the Diabetes Nurse couldn't see that it would be any use to my condition. So either she is covering her ignorance, genuinely thinks that it won't be useful or doesn't want to let me have it. Hence my question.
No-one that I have spoken to so far in the HCP realm seems to have ever heard of it although I do believe that it is fairly common in the US.
Looks like more private medicine for me if I want one.

I have done it privately for my son who iscrecently diagnosed, we don't live in UK so it was cheap. It is a c peptide test and I also ordered GAD antibodies.However c peptide test was done immidiately after eating and it was pretty high. Nobody told us about fasting so we will probably do it again.

 

[Chook]

He means an insulin level test, not a blood glucose test.

I didn't know what it was - still don't - I just knew I was told to fast for it.

 

[Brunneria]

Just found that Medichecks offer it for £39.00 so have sent off for the kit.
Brighton private hospital £139.00 !
Will report back when it arrives.

Oh BB, you may have hit the jackpot.

They do Insulin level, Leptin, Insulin Resistance, Lipid profile AND Microalbumin

I know what I want for Xmas.

 

[derry60]

I know that when I asked if I have to fast for BG test,my nurse said that they do not do that anymore,and to eat as normal. Needless to say I did not eat

 

[GrantGam]

Just found that Medichecks offer it for £39.00 so have sent off for the kit.

I'd be interested to hear about the standards and accuracy of the kits offered by Medichecks. I'll be looking to purchase one of the thyroid ones if (in the unlikely event) I run into issues with getting antibodies and T3 tested on the NHS.

Do let us know how you go

 

[ringi]

A single fasting insulin level test would be of no interest to me, but having a fasting insulin and glucose level test every 6 months would let me track how much I am decreasing my insulin resistance.

If the NHS was willing to do this test as standard, then the cost would come down greatly as labs could get automated machines to process it. But someone needs to fund the research to prove if doing the test results in changes of diet etc first - not likely to give a positive outcome unless the complete process of how test results are presented and explained is changed.

(A lot of GPs have stopped doing fasting glucose tests are now so cheap and they often request a hba1c next anyway requiring the cost of an additional blood taking.)

 

[DCUKMod]

I'd be interested to hear about the standards and accuracy of the kits offered by Medichecks. I'll be looking to purchase one of the thyroid ones if (in the unlikely event) I run into issues with getting antibodies and T3 tested on the NHS.

Do let us know how you go

Grant - Bearing in mind you already have one AI condition, I doubt there'll be a problem having the antibodies done. The T3 might be more of a challenge, unless you get lucky.

I hope you get them both.

 

[ringi]

My last thyroid test included T3 that it has never in the past. I think our local lab has a new machine that does it as part of the T4 test.

(The antibodies test is a lot less common as it only has to be done if it is not clear what is going on, and it does not need repeating every year for life.)

 

[bulkbiker]

I'd be interested to hear about the standards and accuracy of the kits offered by Medichecks. I'll be looking to purchase one of the thyroid ones if (in the unlikely event) I run into issues with getting antibodies and T3 tested on the NHS.

Do let us know how you go

Not sure I'll be able to comment on accuracy unless I get a wacky result.. then again that could be my deranged metabolism!

 

[Mbaker]

By coincidence I was researching this a couple of days ago. I decided that when my next A1c is due I am getting the fasting insulin at the Liverpool Street branch of this outfit https://www.londondoctorsclinic.co.uk/clinic-locations/ it will cost £152.60 (ouch).

 

[ickihun]

I'd be interested to hear about the standards and accuracy of the kits offered by Medichecks. I'll be looking to purchase one of the thyroid ones if (in the unlikely event) I run into issues with getting antibodies and T3 tested on the NHS.

Do let us know how you go

Thyroid uk may advise you on a reliable testing company Grant. Give them a go rather than waiting for nhs.
Its a good idea. Let me know how you get on.

 

[ickihun]

I'd be very interested @bulkbiker . I may press for something if my insulin need doesn't change after the mass of weight loss done. I may be able to talk my endocrologist into it.
Currently working on gp for liquid metformin after bariatric op in its early stages. I'll keep those interested posted.
Its 50x cost of tablets. Also results not as impressive, apparently as tablet form.

 

[ringi]

I question if a fasting insulin level test will result in any action from most people or their doctor's. The only real use I can think of for the number is to warm someone who has reversed their diabetes that it is coming back before the BG start to increase.

(It's a useful number for a researcher to compare groups of people on different diets etc, so if the NHS did it for everyone it may be very useful to have in the national datasets.)

 

[bulkbiker]

I question if a fasting insulin level test will result in any action from most people or their doctor's. The only real use I can think of for the number is to warm someone who has reversed their diabetes that it is coming back before the BG start to increase.

(It's a useful number for a researcher to compare groups of people on different diets etc, so if the NHS did it for everyone it may be very useful to have in the national datasets.)

Fine.. but of more concern to me was that no-one had ever heard of it.. then again if no-one can ever get it why would they..?