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Fasting cholesterol check

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Due to have one taken next Tuesday at 9am, been told that I need to fast for 10 hours before where no calories are to be consumed, never had this test done before and looking forward to the results, if I were to hypo in this time would the intake of glucose make the test results worthless?
 
not certain on this but I would imagine it would skew the results. Perhaps the best option is to tell them you are a fasting diabetic and ask their advice.
 
Caroline said:
not certain on this but I would imagine it would skew the results. Perhaps the best option is to tell them you are a fasting diabetic and ask their advice.
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They are well aware I'm diabetic as I'm getting my hba check at the same time, nurse just asked if fasting was a problem which I replied no.
 
Your looking forward to the results?? or did i misread that
 
Keep the appointment and see what happens. Good luck with it. As they know you are diabetic they should know what to do in case of hypos.
 
Steff said:
Your looking forward to the results?? or did i misread that
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Yes I am, strange that I've never had the fasting check done before but they always seem more interested in the total cholesterol result.
 
Your nurse needs to read the guidelines for choleterol testing. No fasting is required.
 
toby said:
Is that for sure? I was told only last week that I needed to fast, where do I find these guidelines?
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We have had this question before and it seems it depends on what type of Cholesterol testing you are having done.

for example ...
" complete lipid profile requires fasting for 9-12 hours. If the testing occurs when a person is not fasting, only the HDL-C and total cholesterol values may be used for risk assessment."

http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/hdl/tab/test

So it seems if you want an accurate full lipid panel done its best to fast.

The Harvard pages explain the issue in more detail ...Total Cholesterol is a simple test that doesn't require fasting but ..

"The fasting cholesterol test is the traditional way to measure the level of LDL, but it doesn't measure LDL directly. Instead, your LDL is computed by plugging the measurements for total cholesterol, HDL, and triglycerides into a formula called the Friedewald equation (named for William Friedewald, who developed it). This is the equation: LDL = Total cholesterol - HDL - (Triglycerides ? 5)

Although triglyceride levels can be significant by themselves, the triglycerides ? 5 quotient is included in the equation as a way to indirectly calculate the VLDL level. So, in essence, the Friedewald equation subtracts your HDL and an estimate of VLDL from your total cholesterol to get your LDL level.

You have to fast for about 12 hours before the test because triglyceride levels can shoot up 20%-30% after a meal, which would throw off the equation. Alcohol also causes a triglyceride surge, so you shouldn't drink alcohol for 24 hours before a fasting cholesterol test."
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Which_cholesterol_test_should_you_get.htm


Generally cholesterol levels rise slowly after a meal to the three hour mark where they peak and then subside to the five hour mark. Hyper Responders to Dietary Cholesterol peak more quickly between 1 and 2 hours and suffer damaging LDL spikes as a result. Between 20 and 30% of us are thought to be Hyper Responders to Dietary Cholesterol but it is something that is not generally tested for.
 
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The question asked earlier about whether treating a hypo would make the test pointless is a question I asked my GP a few weeks ago. he said that even if I'd only treated with Lucozade it probably wouldn't then be worth having the test done - hope that helps. Good luck.x
 
Thanks for the full explanation mcdonagh, as it's a full lipid breakdown I guess a fast is required. Thanks also flutterby, if I go low I'll cancel appointment and reschedule it for another day.
 
You have to fast for about 12 hours before the test because triglyceride levels can shoot up 20%-30% after a meal, which would throw off the equation. Alcohol also causes a triglyceride surge, so you shouldn't drink alcohol for 24 hours before a fasting cholesterol test."
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oh, b******s.:(
 
If they just do total Chol you don't need to fast but I've always been told to, before a ful lipids panel. Which I'd always want anyway cos it's no good knowing your total if you don't know how it's made up. Could be virtually all LDL and Trigs and very little HDL. Or too high HDL/Trigs and very low LDL which is NBG either.

If your basal is right, you won't hypo, will you? because you won't bolus anyway if you don't eat?

By the way, you can only drink water during that 10 hours too .....

And I sincerely hope you have a really early appointment arranged? - I normally try to get one about 7.45 ish.
 
trophywench said:
If they just do total Chol you don't need to fast but I've always been told to, before a ful lipids panel. Which I'd always want anyway cos it's no good knowing your total if you don't know how it's made up. Could be virtually all LDL and Trigs and very little HDL. Or too high HDL/Trigs and very low LDL which is NBG either.

If your basal is right, you won't hypo, will you? because you won't bolus anyway if you don't eat?

By the way, you can only drink water during that 10 hours too .....

And I sincerely hope you have a really early appointment arranged? - I normally try to get one about 7.45 ish.
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Very helpful trophywench, hoping not to hypo and ruin things but my appointment isn't until 9, if anything my bg will be shooting for the stars:(
 
Yup, of course that happens with me too even with an early appt because of course I have to get out of bed and sort meself out whereas I'd normally have my brekkie, THEN sort myself out for the day. But high BG don't spoil the test at least!
 
trophywench said:
Yup, of course that happens with me too even with an early appt because of course I have to get out of bed and sort meself out whereas I'd normally have my brekkie, THEN sort myself out for the day. But high BG don't spoil the test at least!
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Much the same here, if I don't have breakfast within 15 minutes from waking my bg starts to climb, always eat first then bath or shower afterwards.
 
Went better than I thought, fasted from 9pm and was 5.2 before bed, woke at 3am tested and was 5.3, woke 7.15am and was 5.7.

Usually eat within 20mins of waking to avoid a liver dump, of course this wasn't possible so had a shave and bath and tested again before setting off to gp surgery, bg had shot up to 8.3 by this point but felt fine just the same.

Learnt long ago that I need to eat upon waking otherwise bg starts climbing, this was something I overlooked for many a year where I couldn't fathom out postprandial high's in a morning, today has only confirmed that nothing has changed so its breakfast first thing tomorrow.
 
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