[SueAndHerZoo]

#1059970

We’re all very familiar with the monthly blood work required by thyroid patients, but my tests took a strange turn a couple of months ago. All of my prior bloodwork lab slips did not require ‘fasting” but when I went two visits ago the tech checked “fasting” on my slip. She then looked at me and said “do you normally do fasting or non-fasting?” and I said “non-fasting”. She left the checkbox as it was, shrugged, and said something like “well, the liver enzymes would be more accurate if you fast and if you’re going to have blood drawn you may as well get them as accurate as you can, right?”

So I don’t know if she was covering her tracks because she accidentally checked it or if this is truly the much better way to do it and all those prior years were being done incorrectly.

When I went last time I did the “fasting” but I have to go again tomorrow and, I hate to whine, but it’s really difficult for me to get myself to the lab and sit there for 45 minutes with noting in my stomach. I’m very weak and shaky if I can’t put SOMETHING in my stomach when I first get up, so I am wondering just how important it really is to fast.

Can you share if your bloodwork requires fasting or not?

Oh, and while I’m at it, should I take my morning dose of methimazole before or after the bloodwork? I usually take it before because I go right to work after the lab, but would it be more accurate for me NOT to take it prior to bloodwork?

Thanks in advance. (maybe we should set this up as a poll?)
Sue

[snelsen]

#1179227

Well, perhaps a poll IS a good idea! (:
I have never fasted for Albumin and Alk phosphatase and bilirubin, frequently included in a larger panel of labs.
I looked it up, and some references say fast for 8-10 hours.
I have worked in hospitals and clinics for many years, never heard of this before. So it if is “right” a lot of providers are “wrong>>?” Dunno

Not so cool to check fasting on the slip, if patient (you) were not fasting. That is misleading. ANd she is altering an order written by a doc. NOt ok.

I never pay any attention to labs and when I took my ATD Never been told to.
At least, all I do is consistent over time! (:
shirley

[karenz516]

#1179228

Sue, my bloodwork requires “not fasting” but my endo usually checking my TSH, free T3 and free T4

[SueAndHerZoo]

#1179229

My doc tests my liver each month (I suppose because Methimazole can harm it?) so that’s the test the tech said would be more accurate if I were fasting.

I will ask the doc on Thursday which he prefers.
Sue

[vanillasky]

#1179230

Every time I go, it says I don’t have to fast. My husband always has to fast but he is diabetic

[Kimberly]

#1179231

Hello – My labs are always fasting, and I have been told not to take meds prior to the test…but as you can see from the responses, there doesn’t appear to be a consensus!

Do you have an option of selecting a different lab? I use a local lab that actually takes advance appointments, and this makes it MUCH easier to deal with a fasting test! Before they started doing this, I would arrive as early as possible and bring a granola bar to munch on as soon as the test was over. You can also ask the lab if they have certain days of the week that are less busy.

Hope this helps!

[SueAndHerZoo]

#1179232

Kimberly wrote:

Hello – My labs are always fasting, and I have been told not to take meds prior to the test…but as you can see from the responses, there doesn’t appear to be a consensus!

Do you have an option of selecting a different lab? I use a local lab that actually takes advance appointments, and this makes it MUCH easier to deal with a fasting test! Before they started doing this, I would arrive as early as possible and bring a granola bar to munch on as soon as the test was over. You can also ask the lab if they have certain days of the week that are less busy.

Hope this helps!

Those are great ideas, Kimberly, as always.

I’ll ask my endo Thursday if he wants them to be fasting or not and if he does, I will schedule an appointment with the lab for my next one. I’m not sure how much that really helps, but it can’t hurt!
Sue

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