Has anyone with the loop ostomy done 14 hr fasting?
My doctor wants me to have a fasting glucouse and cholestrol test done....I'm having trouble fasting
for that length of time..
My ET nurse and surgeon told me I should have something to eat every 4 hours..I don't know how
I'm going to be able to do this...I sure don't want
to end up dehydrated...I could see doing 8 hrs but
isn't 14 a little unreasonable?
Char......

are you sure you are not allowed clear fluids, or at least water? if not i don't think i would do it personally...but you know your own body...do you get dehydrated very easily? being dehydrated makes me sick so i avoid it...maybe you could time your appointment so that half of that 14 hours is during the night when you are usually sleeping...then you only have to go 7 hours or even less the next morning without food before you get to the appointment! and also stay cool and don't do anything strenuous...i think it can be done...but if you get dehydrated easily and you really can't have any fluids then is this test the only one available, or is there another one that doesn't require fasting?? how important is the test is the question i guess...good luck

You can usually have water for a fasting blood test. I have no problem doing this with my ostomy. My challenge is that I have reflux that gets real bad if I let my stomach get really empty. I usually schedule the test for first thing in the morning (my docs have always said 12 hrs). I will have a large dinner or something that I know will fill me up and eat as late as I can to be right at the cutoff mark. Then I will try to sleep as much as I can so my stomach doesn't get upset. When I get up I have plain water and go for the blood test. This has always worked for me with and without a colon.

Yes, for fasting blood work you can have water and also non-caloric drinks (but no caffeine because it can stimulate glucose release). I have fasting labs every three months and it mostly just means no dessert before bed. And, 12 hours is good enough. I've never heard of requiring more than that and some labs say only 9 hours. You should call the lab where you will be having the work done and see what their protocol is.

Jan

Thanks all for your replies..They draw the blood right at my doctor's office...and they do say 14 hrs....which I agree with Jan, 12 should be good enough....8 would work for me!
If I ate my last meal at 7:00pm.and had a 9:00am doctor apt. that would be 14 hours. But that's a long time for me not to eat. when I'm up until 11:00pm or midnight..I guess I just don't have good willpower!
I am going to the office today and will see what they say...the last test showed a slightly high glucose reading.....but it was taken about 2 hrs after I had eaten..hence the fasting test.
Jan--What are some non caloric drinks besides water?
Char.....

Any diet drink (Crystal Lite, Seven Up, Root Beer, etc). Just avoid the caffeinated ones, like coffee, tea, Coke, Mountain Dew, etc.

They will not fill you up, but at least they provide some flavor.

Hmmm....never heard of having a doctor's appointment to draw blood. Seems like overkill to me. I just go to the lab on my schedule, they open at 8 a.m., then I can go out to breakfast. Plus, I would question the 14 hours, because I know of no lab that requires it. 12 hours is the longest I know of.

Jan

Many of the doctor's office's in my area has their nurse draw your blood-then sends it to the lab..when you have your physically they just do any blood work needed.. etc.
I don't know.....it's always been that way so I never questioned it.
The nurse did tell me I could go to the hospital to the lab if that would be easier for me....so I guess it's and either or thing.....

Jan-I didn't realize either that diet drinks would be as good as water~where have I been!!

I went to my appointment today and told of my woes on the fasting' So they took blood again for the test
to see what your glucose is over the past 3 months...forgot what it's called-A1 something...
I thought I read that they didn't do that test anymore!?
Char......

You're talking about the HbA1c and it basically tests the average blood glucose over a three month period. They absolutely still do it and it is a standard test for evaluating diabetes. It is one of the tests I have done every three months, but fasting is not required. However, fasting is required for a lipid panel. No way out of that.

My doc would be pretty sick of seeing me if I had to go to him for every routine lab I had done! Since I have Kaiser, everything is on the same campus- doctors' offices, hospital, lab, x-ray, etc. I get all my results by email and we stay in touch through email, only making an office visit when necessary.

Jan

Yes, that's the test I had done....along with some others...I found out today that they all came out good. Dr. said we'd re-test in another three months.
Even tho I have not been diagnosed as having diabetes...
Char...