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Non fasting blood test ?

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philfatkid

Member
Messages
19
Hi all,
Just been to my doctors to pick up form etc for my blood test tomorrow for my diabetic review, and was told by the receptionist that it isn't fasting anymore, has anyone else been told this ?
 
Re: Non fasting bpood test ?

depends which test they are doing...? if it's HbA1c (average blood sugar over the last few weeks) then it need not be fasting.
 
Re: Non fasting bpood test ?

Snodger said:
depends which test they are doing...? if it's HbA1c (average blood sugar over the last few weeks) then it need not be fasting.
Click to expand...

I have been diabetic for the last 8 years and every blood test i've had before have been fasting tests.
 
Re: Non fasting bpood test ?

Depends on the Practice policy. I have been a patient at a practice where they always wanted fasting tess. My present Practice make a virtue of saying that NO diabetic need ever fast for diabetes -related tests.
 
Re: Non fasting bpood test ?

Unbeliever said:
Depends on the Practice policy. I have been a patient at a practice where they always wanted fasting tess. My present Practice make a virtue of saying that NO diabetic need ever fast for diabetes -related tests.
Click to expand...

No doubt it has something to do with cost cutting, or am i being cynical ?
 
I suspect it's more to do with GPs who don't really know much about diabetes and aren't sure why they are asking people to fast. But that's ME being cynical...!
 
I don't think the HbA1C test needs to fasting at all, but if they are checking your Cholesterol at the same time then that has to be a fasting test. I also get the LFT test done along with these and that is non fasting also...just for Statins I think ,are you on them?
 
I haven't had to fast for a cholesterol test yet, good job as I usually have them taken in the afternoon!!
Apparently they just tick on the form whether it was fasting or not when they send the sample off.
My Mum says at her surgery they told her it may influence the result slightly so they still prefer fasting, but obviously mine think it's fine.
Regards
Angie
 
Yes thats what they do in my practice too. I always have cholesterol and all the res too.

In he case of my practice I hink it is more to do wih logistics than cost . They have two surgeries.

It may well become universal though. If some can do it so can they all and it must be cheaper.
 
HbA1c and total Cholesterol do NOT need to be fasting.

Fasting is only required for a full Lipid panel count, Cholesterol breakdown into Trigs, LDL and HDL.

And there is one school of thought that believes that even a full Lipid panel count does not require fasting, although I have always done so. I believe that fewer practices are now asking for a full breakdown probably due to costs, I haven't had one for over a year perhaps because my total cholesterol is 4.2. Yes I bet its down to the cost of the tests :roll:
 
Correct, HbA1c does NOT need fasting. However, some HCPs don't seem to know this. My DSN insisted I needed to fast for HbA1c, (no other tests were being done at the same time), so I queried this with the senior practice manager, my GP. HE thought you did, but looked it up in his big book and confirmed it wasn't necessary after all. DSN just shrugged and said "Ok then". A "sorry, you were right" would have been nice, but hey ho. Another example of the fairly widespread lack of knowledge of diabetes among SOME HCPs - don't all get up in arms!
 
Good post.
I've never understood why I have to fast with mine. I have the full whack of tests every time, including thyroid and full blood count, so I thought it was probably because of one of these why I have to fast.

Helena.
 
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