I'm supposed to have a bunch of lab work done next Tuesday and I was told not to take water food, or meds after midnight. That is terrible! I'm honestly afraid that I won't be able to walk well enough to even make it to the darn lab. I'm supposed to have a bunch of tests done after this test. Tests that are very stressful to have including an EMG and MRI and evoked potentials. I'm totally happy to finally find a neuro who wants to get to the bottom of this but I am kinda worried that I won't be able to make it though the day!

Sunflower,

I've turned into a 'drama queen' now when they talk about me having to fast before tests. I won't fast now unless they put me in hospital on a drip because it really messes with me not being able to drink or eat. Cant' walk properly, migraine in the stratosphere. Aren't doctors good at expecting you to do things that make the symptoms of what you have even worse in order to find out what is going on?

I know your pain. When I went to get my exams done I had to have 18 of fasting so I could pee in the cup in the morning and rush over to the docs. Right after turning that in I had to go get the treadmill stress test done, after that I had to get my blood drawn and I only had a small window to eat because I needed 4 hrs of fasting for the tilt table test. So I had nothing to eat for almost a day.

Sunflower--

I had the same thing done to me when I was already very ill. I began passing out while they were hooking me up, they raised the foot end of the hospital bed up and I was STILL going into unconscious mode. It was hell.

It will be a mini hell but you'll get through it. You have to have someone that cares about you come with you though. And they may need to wheel you out to their car afterwards.

Take care,
Gen

I was told not to eat after 6am for my tilt table test. Well, I wasn't going to get up really early just to eat and drink, nor stay up late - so it end up being closer to 13 hours. I was not in very good shape and it was hot that day... I wish I had been given IV fluids after.

Chris - Fasting meaning no fluids or food? If so, how were you able to pee after 18 hours? I'm pretty much "empty" after 4-5 hours of no fluids and cannot pee.

I can go without eating, and unfortunately do sometimes when my stomach won't tolerate food, but I cannot go without drinking anything. It really makes me sick. Meds don't matter, since I'm only on midodrine. I'd just be back to lightheaded and tachy.

When I'm having bloodwork that requires fasting, my lab tells me to go ahead and drink water (just don't tell the doctor ). I've been told that there's nothing in water that would alter the results of the tests.

If I'm dehydrated, it's next to impossible for the lab to get a vein that will work. Ask your lab if water is acceptable.

If any testing requires sedation, then water would not be a good idea because of nausea.

Someone tell me if I'm off base on this.

strange_wings

no food. i had to pee so they didn't allow me more than a liter cuz they didn't want diluted pee. ahaha. i was able to pee. i had to hold it in cuz they wanted my first morning pee and i had to get it to them an hour after i peed. so there i was in mexico city riding a taxi with my pee cup in my purse. oy what a story.

My Tilt table test --- They requested that I not eat for 12 hours and to not drink any water whatsoever once I woke up in the morning prior to the test.

It varies from doctor to doctor. The idea is to provoke the symptoms. That's why it will be hell. But by provoking your symptoms you will be able to show the doctors what you're talking about.

I'm with ya''ll on this. I have gotten to the point where I won't do any testing. Darn it! Don't they have enough info yet? I've had CTs, MRIs, with and without contrast. I've had bloodwork for just about everything! I've lived to tell about an EMG, a barium enema, and ablations. Let's not forget about All the medicications I've tried, or the 17 surgeries. When I don't eat before testing, I get the shakes, and my teeth chatter. Then my anixety kicks in, and I'm a mess!

Dragonfly,

My experience has been similar to yours. With all the tests what have they been able to tell me other than I've got pots and go drink some water and eat extra salt (been told to cut out the salt now, as blood pressure is getting high). And to exercise.

I have one test that apparently needs to be done soon but I'm putting it off because I have a rash that I've had for months now and it's not going anywhere and they are just not going to get to pump more sedating drugs into my body until rash resolves itself.

BTW, in my experience,if you have sedation and have to fast before hand you can ask to be hooked up to an IV before they sedate you. It should help a bit to hydrate you so that you come out of the sedation feeling a bit better.

Personally I only allowed for one tilt table test that gave positive results. In the situation in which you haven't had one yet, I think it's good to get it done. However, you need to have a knowledgeable doctor. Not one who will throw up his hands and say, "I don't get it." The cardiologist who had ordered my tilt table test was very aware of vasovagal syncope and could put the results in context of a definitive diagnosis.

I've had doctors try to do the tilt table again and I've said no way.

Usually I feel like a walking science experiment and not human. So the only thing I agree to these days is blood work I asked for!