Why Do You Need To Fast Before A Blood Sugar Examination?

Well, you do not actually need to fast for a random blood sugar examination. However, if the requested examination is fasting blood sugar or FBS, then you need to undergo a NPO procedure (non-per-orem or nothing by mouth).

“Did you fast?”

A laboratory scientist or a nurse will ask you this question before extraction. If you said no, then you could not proceed as the result would surely show a falsely elevated FBS.

What is FBS anyway? 

Fasting blood sugar is a screening test for diabetes. Because it is a screening examination, your doctor may recommend other examinations, like A1C test, that can confirm whether or not you have diabetes.

Why should you undergo fasting for 8 hours?

You must fast for six to eight hours to clear your system before the examination. In person with no diabetes, it usually takes two to five hours before the blood sugar level would return to normal after eating. So, if you did not take anything (except water) for six to eight hours before collection of blood, then your fasting blood sugar result would be accurate.

What are the normal values for this examination? 

According to the American Diabetes Association, the normal values for fasting blood sugar would be from 70 mg/dL to 99 mg/dL. But these values may vary from one laboratory to another, depending on the methods used by the laboratory to analyze the analyte.

If your FBS result is slightly higher than normal, then your doctor may request for another fasting blood sugar test to confirm the result.

Do not discuss your result with the laboratory scientist

Most of the time, patients do ask a nurse or a laboratory scientist to know what their results mean. Although health professionals can give you an idea of what they mean, you must go straight to your doctor and discuss your laboratory result with him/her. He/she is familiar with your medical history, thereby, can give you better recommendation.

Panic Attacks – What Are They

Panic attacks can be overcome by simply guarding yourself with information about this topic. In this condition, undesirable effects may arise when the patient experiences severe cases of panic attacks.

What factors that contribute to this condition? 

Having low blood sugar is one of the contributing factors of this condition. Stress and other diseases may also cause this condition to arise.

Fortunately, you can manage this condition easily, as long as you know what causes the attack.

Relaxation 

This is one of the most recommended therapy options for this condition. When your mind and body are relaxed, your muscles are also relaxed allowing you to overcome panic attacks.

Through relaxation, you can lower stress levels, which may have been causing your troubles.

Therapy with a psychologist or a medical doctor

Getting a therapy is an ideal way to overcome this condition. In this therapy session, you will learn how to properly respond to a certain situation that you may think will put a threat to your life.

How about anti-depressant pills? 

They are advisable but you must only take them when your doctor recommends it. And you must take them as needed or as instructed by your psychologist. Taking of these pills without doctor’s recommendation may lead to undesirable results.

When to seek help? 

When you are experiencing panic attacks, you must seek help immediately. This disorder may lead to a severe condition, which can greatly affect your professional and personal life. So, as soon as you notice symptoms like fear of dying and/or choking, chest pain and dizziness, you must consult an expert.

Keep in mind that panic attacks cannot be resolved with just one method. Several treatments may be needed so you can fully recover from this disorder. It may take time to see results. Therefore, you must not be frustrated when you do not notice any improvement in your behavior after a few days of therapy.

You must not self-medicate when dealing with this disorder. Instead, you must consult a specialist and discuss with him/her your situation. A medication may be prescribed, depending on the severity of your case. Visiting your doctor regularly is a must so you can easily recover from panic attacks. You must also ask the help of your family and friends to help you live a normal life, i.e. a life without panic attacks.