Should insulin users have fasting blood tests?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hobbit

Hobbit

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I just had to cancel a blood test for my diabetic check up, and when I asked to rebook it I was told by the receptionist that insulin users shouldn't even be having fasting tests. Is that right? I could swear I've had a fasting test since I went on insulin.
 
Hobbit said:
I just had to cancel a blood test for my diabetic check up, and when I asked to rebook it I was told by the receptionist that insulin users shouldn't even be having fasting tests. Is that right? I could swear I've had a fasting test since I went on insulin.
Click to expand...
I had a discussion with my consultant about this, over whether my cholesterol test should be fasting. He said they used to excuse diabetics from fasting tests because of the difficulty of not going hypo, in the days when everyone was on a once a day mixed insulin, or similar. He said with the advent of multiple daily injections, it was easier to control your levels, so a fasting cholesterol was more accurate if you could manage it.
My GP surgery, on the other hand, just insist it's fasting!
 
My son has never had to do fasting tests, it would be quite impractical anyway because he had to travel into London for clinic.
 
I used to have fasting blood tests then it was changed to non fasting. I much prefer the non fasting and my Hb1ic is really great now so yes non fasting seems to work.
 
My annual review check and GP diabetes nurse review have always been fasting ones. A real pain. The GP one has recently changed to non-fasting but I believe my consultant review is still a fasting blood test.
 
My understanding is that HbA1c value will not be affected by fasting, but several of the other tests we have (including cholesterol and U&E I think) can be skewed by what you have eaten recently, and also if you have consumed alcohol in the past 24 hours I think.

For anyone on intensive insulin therapy (MDI or pump) fasting should not be a problem, and actually I use fasting occasionally to check my basal insulin is working right.

My surgery ask if I have fasted or not, so that they ban bear it in mind, but I prefer the un-skewed results so try to do fasting tests if possible.
 
I had two fasting tests back when I had my infection and was first diagnosed. Not had one since. Not been brought up. My tests are done by the GP. I can't remember whether I also read mention of them. At one of my attemps to get information from my GPs I did ask about fasting tests. I was told I didn't need to.
 
Fasting is not required for A1c test, but if you are having an annual diabetes review they will probably include a cholesterol test. The measure for Triglycerides is affected by food intake so this should be a fasting test. If you have refused to take statins then it's your choice whether to ignore this test.
 
I was started on statins by the cardiac doctor, completely seperately to my diabetes. I have had several cholesterol tests in the last year apparently.
 
As others have said, A1C test doesn't have to be fasting. As for other fasting tests, it depends on the patient. I couldn't possibly have done them before being on the pump. But now it's not a problem.
 
Well, thats interesting. I've never been asked for a fasting test either - does it affect your cholesterol level if you have just had breakfast before they take your blood then? If that's the case I may just refrain from eating the next time I get my cholesterol done in the hope that it will be a little lower! Although it would probably mean I will be fainting from hunger - I love my breakfast!
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
My understanding is that HbA1c value will not be affected by fasting, but several of the other tests we have (including cholesterol and U&E I think) can be skewed by what you have eaten recently, and also if you have consumed alcohol in the past 24 hours I think.

For anyone on intensive insulin therapy (MDI or pump) fasting should not be a problem, and actually I use fasting occasionally to check my basal insulin is working right.

My surgery ask if I have fasted or not, so that they ban bear it in mind, but I prefer the un-skewed results so try to do fasting tests if possible.
Click to expand...

That makes sense as it used to vary at my surgery whether it was fasting blood tests or not. I assume that the non-fasting ones were when cholesterol etc wasn't tested (I can't remember myself). However, for around the past 3 years they have said I don't need to fast now for any of the blood tests as it doesn't make much difference!
 
From 2009:

Patients do not need to fast before having their cholesterol tested, a major report has found.

After analysing data from 300,000 people, Cambridge researchers found results were just as accurate if the patient had eaten before the test.

While a number of studies have pointed to this, the "no need to fast" message has not yet been absorbed, experts say.

It is hoped the review in the Journal of the American Medical Association will inform guidelines everywhere.
Click to expand...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8353510.stm

Obviously not caught on yet! 🙄
 
A study in Canada (http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-ma...ing-may-not-be-needed-before-cholesterol-test) found :

When researchers broke down the results by fasting time, they found little change. Overall, total cholesterol and HDL "good" cholesterol varied by less than 2%, depending on when a person had last eaten. Total cholesterol and HDL are important because they are the main measures used to calculate a person's risk for heart-related events.

LDL "bad" cholesterol was less than 10% different in people who'd recently eaten compared to those who had been fasting for at least eight hours.

Triglycerides, or blood fats, were the most sensitive to food. They varied by no more than 20% between people who had fasted and those who had not.
 
I have never fasted for a blood test in the 14 years that I have been diabetic.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top