If you are having a medical test, your doctor may ask you to fast. For some tests, fasting beforehand gives a more accurate result. For other tests, you need to fast for safety reasons. Ask your doctor how to prepare for your test. Show
What can I eat and drink while I'm fasting?You can’t eat or drink anything. You can't drink fruit juice, cordial, soft drink, coffee, tea or milk, and you can't eat or suck on lollies or chewing gum. Ask your doctor if you can drink water before your test. Which tests do I need to fast for?Blood testsYou will usually have a fasting blood test in the morning after you have fasted for 10 to 12 hours (no less than 8 hours and no more than 16 hours). Tests under anaestheticIf you are having sedation or a general anaesthetic for a test, you will need to fast beforehand. This lowers your risk of serious complications. Your anaesthetist will tell you when to stop eating and drinking. Adults can usually have small amounts of clear fluids up to 2 hours before. Your anaesthetist will tell you when to stop eating and drinking. Clear fluids include water, fruit juice without pulp, clear cordial and black tea and coffee. You can’t have jelly or milk. There are different recommendations for babies and children. Ask your anaesthetist what and when your child can drink. ColonoscopyFasting before a colonoscopy is important because:
On the day before a colonoscopy, you will need to drink at least 3 litres of clear fluids. You won’t be allowed to eat food. Before the procedure, you will take a medicine to empty your bowel. You will need to fast for at least 2 hours before the procedure. If you have diabetes, you may need to be monitored in hospital for this process. Ask your doctor what to drink and if you should take your medicines. GastroscopyYou must not eat or drink (including water) for 6 hours before a gastroscopy. This gives your doctor a clear view to examine your stomach and intestine and lowers your risk of complications from sedation. Your doctor will tell you what time to start fasting. Can I take my medicines when I'm fasting?Keep taking your medicines as usual before a test, unless your doctor instructs you otherwise. Some medicines need to be stopped, so check with your doctor if you usually take medicines. Be sure to tell your doctor everything you are taking, including over-the-counter and complementary medicines. Can I fast if I have diabetes?Fasting with diabetes can cause complications. If you have diabetes and you need to fast for a test, talk to your doctor beforehand. Ask ahead for written instructions about what to do if you have a hypoglycaemic episode (a ‘hypo’) while you're fasting. It's the morning of your bloodwork and your doctor said to fast before the test. But your stomach is growling and you have serious caffeine withdrawal hours before you roll up your sleeve. A bite of toast and a few gulps of coffee won't really make a difference, right? Not so fast. Your results could come back wrong if you give in to temptation. Fasting means you don't eat or drink anything but water usually for 8 to 12 hours beforehand. If your appointment is at 8 a.m. and you're told to fast for 8 hours, only water is OK after midnight. If it's a 12-hour fast, avoid food and drink after 8 p.m. the night before. You also shouldn't smoke, chew gum (even sugarless), or exercise. These things can rev up your digestion, and that can affect your results. Take your prescription medications unless your doctor tells you to skip them. But ask your doctor before you take any over-the-counter drugs. What Tests Do I Fast For?Blood tests help doctors check for certain health problems and find out how well your body is working. Doctors also use them to figure out how well treatments are working. You don't need to fast before all blood tests. Your doctor will tell you if you need to. These tests typically require fasting:
Nutrients in food and drinks go into your bloodstream and can change things measured by the tests, skewing your results. For instance, if you eat or drink before a fasting blood glucose test, your blood sugar probably will be higher than if you hadn't had anything. When you're fasting, doctors get a baseline result so tests can be compared to give a true picture of your sugar levels over time. What If I Slip Up?If you make a mistake and eat or drink anything besides water, tell the person taking your blood. Your doctor will want to know so they can interpret your tests correctly. For the best results, they may ask you to reschedule. When Can I Eat or Drink Again?As soon as your blood is taken, your fast is over. You might want to bring a snack and a drink with you so you can eat as soon as possible after the test. SOURCES: American Academy for Clinical Chemistry: "Basic Metabolic Panel," "Comprehensive Metabolic Panel," "GGT," "Glucose Tests," "Iron Tests," "Lipid Profile," "Renal Function Panel," "Vitamin B12 & Folate." |
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