In anticipation of my end of the month endo appointment, I have to go for fasting blood work this week. I'm dreading it. To me, this one of the most inconvenient things in the world for several reasons.
First off, it has taken years for me to get into the habit of eating breakfast. Now that I'm a regular at the breakfast table, I'm completely hooked on the most important meal of the day. I can't leave home without it.
Second, I don't think its safe for me to drive on an empty stomach. It's kind of like not drinking liquor on an empty stomach. It's just a bad idea. I'm low, I'm shakey, I can't see straight. I'm liable to curse at anyone who crosses my path, even if they do have the right of way. Granted, the doctors office is down the hill and around the bend, literally 3 minutes away. But still, I'm not fond of driving before eating.
Third, and most importantly, I really cannot wake up without coffee in me. I know, I was pregnant for nine months, you would think I had ditched my coffee addiction in that time, but no. Despite the reports of the harm caffeine may or may not cause to unborn babies, it was once vice I could not let go of.
Truth be told, perhaps the blurry-eyed and careless driving is due more to missing my coffee than low blood sugar, but these days I can't be too sure.
In the past, fasting blood work was easier to do. My husband would drive me to the lab on a weekend, then we'd go out for breakfast. For some reason, my doctor's office changed the way they do things. I have to come to the office to have blood drawn on a weekday. Hubby can't drive me since he has to be at work.
Having a baby also makes it more complicated. I either have to get in and out of the office really quickly or I have to drop him off with a sitter early in the day. I'm going to take my chances at the office, the boy loves people watching and usually behaves better when other people are around.
As far as the results go, I'm not totally dreading it, but I'm not looking forward to it either. Diet-wise, I feel I eat pretty healthy so I'm expecting good cholesterol results. But I'm not banking on a good a1c, certainly not the nice 4.9 I attained during pregnancy. With the craziness of the last few months, I'm just hoping for under 7.


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Rebecca, How did your fasting blood work turn out?
I work as a phlebotomist in a multi doctor clinc.
The doctors usually do NOT want their diabetic patients to fast because of the effects you mentioned.
Talk to your doctor, ask if you can eat or go somewhere else to have your blood drawn.
Good Luck.
It went well, thanks for asking. My cholesterol level was awesome and my a1c was 6.0 on the nose. And having it done wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Now the bill from the lab, that's another story ;)
When I have to go for fasting blood work, it's an hour's drive to the dr's office, or a half hour to the lab. I turn up the radio to cover the sound of my growling stomach. Since I take thyroid meds, I have to wait an hour before eating anyway, but it seems to be longer while driving. I see the nurse prac ,and she can't understand why I don't run to see her every 3 months. If I make it 6 months , I'm doing well.My numbers are pretty much the same every time, so it doesn't worry me.
Hi Rebecca
I am glad your lab work went well. And your A1C looks great. It takes me 45 minutes to drive to my lab for the blood work so we have an agreement. I have one fasting blood draw per month. The rest of the blood draws, I eat before having them. When I do the fasting one, I always take breakfast with me and shoot in the car or in the lab itself. It throws off my schedule too much to wait until I get back home. I usually do something really easy like take a small individual pack of peanut butter and a spoon and a drink. When it is nice outside I can do things in the car. Now that it is winter, the lab is accustomed to me eating and shooting inside there. One of the techs there is a diabetic also. She usually asks me if I need to sit down and eat before I leave. I like having work done where people understand what you need.