BH24 Blood test +10

[Barann]

My apologies if this has been answered before. I have received my blood kit from BH. Instructions state no fasting required yet a lot of posts say to fast. Should I or shouldn't I? Thanks in advance

[bantam12]

Up to you, some do some don't, I don't.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Eating can affect TSH result, as can drinking coffee, so standard advice is to delay breakfast and drink water only until after the blood draw.

Also, some other blood tests require fasting, so personally I do all mine as early as possible and fasting so I don't make a mistake. Same conditions every time means you can accurately compare results.

[Barann in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you for the advice...esp about the coffee. I think I shall do a 24 hour fast which is what I do when I have the TSH blood test at the GP. At least, as you say, I'm doing what I have usually done over the years so at least it's consistent. Thanks again.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Barann]

You do not need a 24 hour fast, why would you want to starve yourself for a whole day?

You just eat your evening meal, and supper if you have that, the night before and just delay breakfast on the morning of the test, eat breakfast after the blood draw.

[Barann in reply to SeasideSusie]

I'm not a big eater at all (although I"m classed as being ovetweight by the very GP who shrugs its shoulders when I voice my concerns about the weight gain since being on Thyroid meds) so it's never bothered me doing a 24hr fast. Thank you though for your advice.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Barann]

You don't want to miss eating the evening before. That might affect the test the wrong way

Eat as normal the day before, drink plenty of water so well hydrated

Just do blood test as early as possible in morning and fasting. This has too advantages. Not eating or drinking anything apart from water before test.....may help keep TSH as high as possible

But more importantly you don't take Levothyroxine for 24 hours before test, so you want to take delayed Levo immediately after blood draw, and this must always be on an empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after

If you normally take Levo in morning, just delay until after test

If you normally take Levo at bedtime, then it's slightly more complicated

If doing bloods Monday morning, don't take Sunday evening Levothyroxine until after Monday test. Also Saturday evening dose delay until Sunday morning

[Barann in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for all that. I take my meds in morning so will follow your advice. Thanks everyone.