To Fast or Not to Fast

[jules2551]

Is there a website that lists all the various blood work and whether or not to fast.  I totally forgot to ask my Hepa Dr the other day.  I am going to Quest Labs and I looked on their website and couldn't find anything.  If anyone knows I have to do a Hep A AB, w/refl IGM, IL28B, and Vit D level.  

Have a great night!

Jules

[threepaddleCurt]

Lab place I used like to "always fast" at least six hours prior.regardless of the test.  They claimed it made the blood cleaner and easier to run their tests on.  Me, I always figured it for a great excuse to go out after for lunch at some nice place. My wife has more of an issue, since she works nights and the fasting part of things has always been horrible for her.  But the meal reward is worth it!  And it has the added benefit of giving us a little "mini-date" in the middle of the craziness.

[eureka254]

Thank YOU for the chuckle, unintended though it might have been. :)
Makes me wonder maybe subconsciously you don't like your doctor...
Or maybe you like him too much?
Hmm... somewhere between "Quest" and "fast" and "pass" and "dic" there's a joke I'm not grasping...

[pooh55811]

You caught the "pass" part... I caught the "dic" part. :)
____________________________________________________________

LOL. I did see another error but I did not bother to correct it as I thought it was easily understood despite the error ("at least' instead of "least"). But I thought I should correct the "pass part."

However, I missed the "dic" part altogether until you pointed it out. Thanks for the laugh.

[eureka254]

You caught the "pass" part... I caught the "dic" part. :)

[flcyclist]

I don't believe fasting is required for any of these tests as others have said, but when I had my Vitamin D level checked, went through the same question.  I asked my hepatologist office who said - fasting not required.  But its interesting to see some of the conflicting information, sometimes from the same site (Quest).  I had lunch at noon and did the test at 4pm.  

Following says no fasting required:
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/vitamind/index.html

Following says 8-12 hours fasting:
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/hcp/topics/endo/vitamin_d.html

Following says 4 hours fasting:
http://www.womentowomen.com/healthynutrition/vitamindtestingandtreatment.aspx

Hope that helps clear it up.  lol.   Always best to ask the treating doctor.

[jules2551]

yes I caught that...laughing

thanks to all, i am gonna fast just to be safe.  

Have a great night!

Jules

[pooh55811]

Correction:

The last sentence in the second to the last paragraph should read:
"They don't want you to pass out. " (not just pass, lol)

[Bill1954]

Hi Jules,

This is a fairly useful reference site for labs, although they no longer provide reference ranges:

http://labtestsonline.org/

Wiki lists many reference ranges here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reference_ranges_for_blood_tests

I don’t think any of those tests will require fasting status, but you should call the doctor’s office or the lab first thing to be certain.

Good luck with results,

--Bill

[pooh55811]

I don't think you have to fast for any of those tests.

Normally, before I knew I had Hep C and when I did other lab work, I fasted because usually they were doing a blood glucose level and cholesterol levels.

Since I have been on treatment, I have not fasted for any tests. There really is no way to fast for lab and still pack in the 20 grams of fat and a meal 4 times a day.

If you want to be absolutely 100% sure, call your docs office and get the lab's number and call the lab.

Here is a website about Vit D testing and it says you do not have to fast:
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/vitamind/index.html

Here is a website about Hep panel testing and it says no special prep is neded:
http://adam.about.net/encyclopedia/Hepatitis-virus-test-or-panel.htm

I could not find anything about the genotype testing but I highly doubt you would need to fast for that.

I don't know how much blood they will be taking when they do your phlebotomy. I do know that when giving blood (blood donor) they want you to be well hydrated and to have eaten something before hand, or least that was the way they did it when I used to donate blood (centuries ago, lol). They don't want you to pass.

Still, if you want to be absolutely sure, call the dic's office.

[jules2551]

oh yea and phlebotomy also