Fasting blood tests

[Sprogladite]

I'm due to have bloods done on Tuesday and one of them is a fasting test. However, my appointment is not until 11:40am and I'm concerned as I've been having severe issues with night time hypos - as a result I have been waking up at 3am every night to eat something to avoid the hypo (and subsequent rebound). I guess my question is, should I do this as normal? How severe an effect will eating at 3am have? It'll *technically* be 8 hours between 3am and the test so I'm thinking I should be ok...right??

 

[Pumper_Sue]

No idea about the fasting times, but surely if you are going hypo on a regular bases the simplest option is to lower your background insulin?

 

[Sprogladite]

No idea about the fasting times, but surely if you are going hypo on a regular bases the simplest option is to lower your background insulin?

Yes, this has been an ongoing issue since February and I've had all sorts of issues trying to get this sorted out, but long story short I was on 28 units lantus originally, reduced to 26 (no difference at all), reduced to 22 a week later but still had hypos and then struggled to keep sugars down in the day as well. So I was still having to get up in the early hours to prevent hypos but was then having to fight off high bg's in the day too. I have an appointment with the Dsn on Friday about switching to a different basal but have this blood test first x

 

[Kaylz]

As far as I'm aware you are meant to fast for at least 8 hours, preferably 8-10 x

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Ok fair enough then if you have to eat you do but just tell them it's non fasting. It's only a cholesterol test which does not actually have to be fasting anyway. I'm surprised they gave you an apt so late in the day for a fasting anyway.

 

[Amberzak]

When I was on multiple injections and had lots of hypos they didn't make me do fasting blood tests. However, I would try and fast if you're worried then if you have a hypo treat it. It's more important to treat the hypo.

 

[Sprogladite]

Thanks all, appreciate your replies 🙂 hope you're all having lovely weekends! X

 

[Greyhound Gal]

I've had fasting tests and procedures in the afternoon before now, and I've rung them and explained about being T1 and that there would be a chance of a hypo due to not eating. I've been told that as long as all it took to rectify was glucose tablet and no more than 2 biscuits, that would be fine. They were clear about only water to sip though - no fruit juice etc to recover from hypo.
At the end of the day, IMO it is more important to treat your hypo than be fasting for a test (which doesn't have to be fasting anyway). They can always rearrange the blood test to a time better suited to you.

 

[Sprogladite]

I've had fasting tests and procedures in the afternoon before now, and I've rung them and explained about being T1 and that there would be a chance of a hypo due to not eating. I've been told that as long as all it took to rectify was glucose tablet and no more than 2 biscuits, that would be fine. They were clear about only water to sip though - no fruit juice etc to recover from hypo.
At the end of the day, IMO it is more important to treat your hypo than be fasting for a test (which doesn't have to be fasting anyway). They can always rearrange the blood test to a time better suited to you.

Thank you for this @Greyhound Gal, I did end up having a hypo at 10am and had jelly babies to fix - I let the lady know and she said it was fine as I hadn't drunk anything else with it. I wouldn't have thought to stick to water only, so that was really helpful! Bloods were all drawn fine, fingers crossed for some decent results now lol 🙂

 

[Greyhound Gal]

Hope the results are OK.