• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

is a1c test old fashioned

starlight1

Well-Known Member
Messages
67
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Dislikes
people who have no manners
hi there, my sister who is type 2 like me, recently joined a new medical practice so she asked them to book her in for a fasting blood test. The receptionist told her that a fasting blood test was not needed any more for an a1c test just an ordinary blood test can be done, she told my sister that fasting blood tests were old fashioned and are being fazed out by many surgeries, has any one else on here heard the same or indeed had an a1c without fasting. x starlight
 
All my A1C tests have been done non-fasting. Since it's a long term test I can't see why fasting would be necessary.
 
its the first time i have heard of none fasting a1c test , i always have too fast for mine but i am going to mention to my d.n and my g.p. about haveing a none fasting a1c test in the future.
 
I have never had to do a fasting test for anything
 
I think that most of us have had various tests on our blood ,I know I have about 4 different tests eg cholesterol , calcium etc so that is why I need a fasting test but when I just had HbA 1c I didnt have to fast.
CAROL
 
yes i have my thyroid checked and my cholestral and my liver checked when i have an a1c test so thats probably why i have too fast.
 
there has been mentioned on here that some people have had non-fasting bloods for Cholesterol as well as HBA1c.

Bout time they got all there ducks in a row

Mary x
 
My surgery say's that diabetics aren't to have any fasting blood test, even when diet controlled. So even cholesterol test are now done none fasting, I used to hate having to go and have a test without even a morning cuppa.

Ann
 
My HbA1c has always been done when I arrive at the surgery, after lunch, when I get the results after 10 minutes. But for the other tests I have to go first thing in the morning before breakfast i.e. fasting. I have had cholesterol tests done in the pharmacy during the day, non-fasting.
 
Hb A1c doesn't need to be done fasting, but since it's usually done at the same time as Cholesterol tests, which do need to be fasting, confusion and misunderstanding occur. This is just a consequence of doing all the tests at once only once a year.
Hana
 
When first diagnosed 5 years ago I always had fasting tests. This was HBA1C cholesterol ec and somertinmes heyroid.
When i changed practices the new one never ask diabetics to fast but est everyhing non-fasting.

I understand that the BMA {I think } announced 3 years ago that this was OK. Ineresting thing to me was hat the only problem with my recent results was a slight rise in total choleserol. This coincided with my requesting a change of ststin. The doctor has now ordered a FASTING blood test in 6 weeks for the cholesterol.

Perhaps they just ake non-fasting cholesterol ests as general guidance and sill rely on asin for the more acurae picture.
 
Yes, HbA1c definitely does not require fasting. Fasting would make no difference to the results. Latest view on cholesterol I believe is that fasting isn't necessary unless you get a high reading, then you may be asked to fast for a repeat test as fasting only affects high readings.
 
I was told this year by my surgery that Diabetics now no longer have a fasting blood test. Normal bloods including lipids are done without fasting now, even though my cholesterol and especially my triglycerides are very high.
 
HbA1c doesn't need to be fasting as the result is the average glucose level over the past 3 months so eating the previous night or the morning of the test isn't going to change the outcome. My surgery told be it was non fasting when I booked my last HbA1c then when they agreed to also do Cholesterol tests they phoned back and said because of the Cholesterol tests I would now need to fast.
 
My work place had a visit from the mobile Chest, heart and stroke people, and everyone gets a chance to test their BG Cholesteriol, BG, weight flexabilty etc. all my results we good except for my triglycerides. I was a bit concerned about this, but the nures explained as I had only finished my lunch an hour ago she expected my triglycerides to be high. She explained thats why when you go for your lipid test you fast, its for your triglycerides, not cholesteriol, or BGs
 

Yes - especially if you've been eating carbohydrates (counter-intuitively).
 
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…