Instructions for Patients with Diabetes Having Outpatient Procedures/Tests
Patients who manage
their diabetes with pills alone (no insulin.)
For patients with diabetes, any test or procedure that causes you to miss
a meal or change your usual meal plan will require special planning to
safely manage your blood sugar. Because the timing of your meals and medicines
is different than usual, your blood sugar level is also likely to be different
than usual and you will want to watch it closely. You should test your
blood sugar at dinner and bedtime the night before the procedure and first
thing in the morning of the procedure. You should continue to check your
blood sugars every 1 – 2 hours up to and right after your procedure
has ended. Also, check your blood sugars whenever you feel that you might
be experiencing low blood sugars or very high blood sugars. We want you
to bring your blood glucose monitor and blood glucose strips with you
to the procedure. Be sure to tell the nurse, doctor or technician
if you think you are having a low blood sugar reaction during the procedure.
We also want you to bring a source of sugar, should it be needed: (glucose
tablets, glucose gel, sugar packets) can all be used to treat a low blood
sugar, should this happen.
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If it possible, schedule your appointments for early in the day so that after the procedure, you may eat and take your diabetes pills as close to your usual time as possible.
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For procedure scheduled before noon: Do not take your diabetes oral medications pills the morning of the procedure. You should bring your pills with you and take them as soon as the procedure is over. It is also important that your eat your usual meal at this time, as well. Evening pills can be taken at the usual time.
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For procedures scheduled in the afternoon: If your test lasts into the afternoon, skip your morning pills completely the day of the test. Take your evening pills at the usual time, and and eat your usual evening meal.
NOTE: if you take any Metformin containing pills (Glucophage, Glucovance, etc.) to control your blood sugar: For procedures that inject dye (CT scans, IVP, some Angio procedures), you will need to be off of your Metformin containing pills the entire day of the test and for two days after the test. A blood test for kidney function will need to be done before you restart these pills. Please speak to your doctor or nurse about this.
Information provided by Lisa Sylvest, RN, BSN, UMHS GI Clinic, April 2008