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Do you typically have your lab work performed before, during, or after your appointments with your T1D health care provider?
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Online messaging has improved communication with my healthcare team.
I currently have my blood tests immediately in clinic after seeing my endocrinologist and hear back from her within a day or two of any instructions, usually only my thyroid, if needed.
Decisions on insulin changes are usually made from Dexcom and Tandem during my appointment.
That’s how it is for me too.
Protein in urine
Usually go for labs two weeks prior to appointment. That way o know results so I can ask questions if necessary.
after 30 years as a Type I – it’s the only thing we discuss, at this point I know far more about my disease and how to manage it for me than my Endo
I don’t think my Endo would see me without blood and urine labs before hand. I usually get my labs done about 3 hours before my visit with my Endo. Then we review the labs during my visit with her. Sometimes I do my labs a day or two before the visit if I’m going for a morning Endo visit.
I have AIC checked at my appointment and we look over the numbers together during the appointment and discuss changes. As far as other labs like Comprehensive Metabolic Panel, Lipids, TSH etc… those are done afterward.
I started this several years ago and the process has become much easier with the growth of patient portals and laboratory networks. Especially helpful in determining kidney function and taking proactive medication decisions.
Edward, I also am “restricted” by Medicare, so each doctor I see who needs lab tests writes the order as I leave the appointment and enters on the lab prescription that the wirk is to be done 2 weeks before my next visit. That way, all results are handy for discussion.
Also, as the lab finishes the work, I get an email with all results so I’m ready before the visit with any questions I might have,
I’m Medicare, lab orders not available until close of visit.
I’m on Medicare and I can always get my labs done the week before.
I’m on Medicare. I get my labs done 3 hours before my endo visit. There appears to be no restrictions because of Medicare.
I get labs done mostly due to my kidney transplant, rarely does my Endo ask for labs.
two weeks before. I like to have the results available to discuss. but it’s a half day round trip to the lab for me… so unfortunately it adds to the long list of doc appointments.
I get my A1C done in the office at my appointment, since it’s a finger stick. We discus the results during my visit and then if she feels I need more or it’s time for a TSH, Free T4 she orders them and I have them done when I go for my oncology appointment and get all labs drawn at the same time through my port.
I get my lab work done at the in-house lab after meeting with my doctor. I would prefer to have it done before so we migth be able to discuss the results.
“All of the above” should be an option here because depending on my situation, it could be any number of these! Sometimes I get work done right before my appointments. Other times it’s right after. Then there are times when I have to wait anywhere from a day to a month to get other work done.
A1C is done by a nurse before I see my doctor, who will order annual tests.
My endo schedules labs 1 week prior to appointment. This gives time for results to come back on various tests. He discusses results in depth.
WHEN we have our daughter’s lab work done, it’s separate from her appointment with her provider. This is because she lives with a panic disorder rooted in medical trauma, so we have to be very mindful about how much time she spends in clinical environments, and the activities that occur when she’s in them. That’s where the emphasis on WHEN comes in … she has not been able to engage in regular phlebotomy in almost three years due to the panic attacks triggered by that activity.