Test for pre-diabetes or insulin resistance in Ireland?

I asked my GP to do this and he said not possible.

I understand the tests are: fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test or the A1C test.

Was he correct, can GP's not order these?

There's a campaign in the Netherlands at the moment to encourage pre-diabetes testing, yet it's not even available in Ireland to get at all? (outside of a consultant)

Icemancometh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058352224/test-for-pre-diabetes-or-insulin-resistance-in-ireland

They're pretty standard tests, must be a miscommunication somewhere.

Vorsprung

yea absolutely routine tests

Jim2007

Seem like some kind of misunderstanding as they are widely available and there should be no problem ordering them provided you are willing to pay for them.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122154329#Comment_122154329

Get them done with a GP?

Or where?

Tony H

Had both done by my GP about 18 months ago, confirmed type two ,I get the A1C done every 6 months , got mine down from 159 to 141 through diet and meds (forziga) , go to a different GP if you can

Kurooi

They're blood tests, you don't eat for 8-12 hours (thus the 'fasting') then , normally, your GP takes the blood sample early in the morning and they send it off to a lab.

While getting this done you'd normally get the full works - hormones, cholesterol, vitamin deficiencies.

Icemancometh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122154951#Comment_122154951

Yeah, any GP can do it.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122154963#Comment_122154963

Both being?

A1C, what's the other?

Glucose?

Tony H

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122155952#Comment_122155952

The other is called a glucose tolerance test

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003466.htm#:~:text=Before%20the%20test%20begins%2C%20when,after%20you%20drink%20the%20solution.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122156324#Comment_122156324

A GP wouldn't be ordering that though?

It's definitely not routine, and my clinic are very particular about not ordering non-routine/conventional tests.

But if conventional glucose testing is (A1C?), I guess I'll just ask for that.

Arbie

It's not clear what you mean by routine/non-routine/conventional.

These are the 3 main tests for diabetes:

• Fasting blood glucose - very common and can be done by any GP
• HbA1c blood test - very common and can be done by any GP
• Oral glucose tolerance test - done regularly but not as often as the others, usually performed in a hospital outpatient phlebotomy (blood sampling) or diabetes department, takes a couple of hours

You need to have a discussion with your GP about this as there are several reasons they may not be able to do/request the tests for you.

Tony H

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122158588#Comment_122158588

I got this test done in my doctors office , I had to get blood drawn a few times over the course of a few hours , this was done by the practice nurse .