Well, Stick A Fork In Me...I'm Fried!

[John Stiles]

I was NPO last night from midnight, because I had to have a "fasting" blood sugar test done at my PC clinic in the VA. I sat in that dang waiting room till noon today and finally got up and walked out. I was getting close to blacking out, so I pulled into a restaurant and ordered sausage eggs and biscuits with gravy. I musta looked really goofy with my purple heart hat on, eating breakfast at noon. One of these days the VA will figure out that all those chunks of petrified wood in their waiting rooms are actually several veterans; missing in action!

[Leo Mehl]

I was NPO last night from midnight, because I had to have a "fasting" blood sugar test done at my PC clinic in the VA. I sat in that dang waiting room till noon today and finally got up and walked out. I was getting close to blacking out, so I pulled into a restaurant and ordered sausage eggs and biscuits with gravy. I musta looked really goofy with my purple heart hat on, eating breakfast at noon. One of these days the VA will figure out that all those chunks of petrified wood in their waiting rooms are actually several veterans; missing in action!

VA hospitals were never too swift and they po'd my broyher because he had to turn his cigarettes in at the desk when he took a break. I remember taking this hippie dude to the VA during the 60's and it took them three hrs to get to him. Not nice. I sympothise

[Steve Helmick]

Can't help on the attitude...it's justified...but I can sympathize with anybody taking a 5 hour (even 3 hour) Glucose Tolerence Test. Been there. I'm hypoglycemic, which means my blood sugar falls (way) below where it should oughta. Pancreas produces too much insulin, they say. Maybe I should bottle it for others that need it? Anyway, I've felt your pain, and I don't blame you for walking out. However, I suspect that means you'll have to go back and suffer through it again...so maybe it was not the swiftest move. Passing out would have gotten you in quickly, I bet...

Anyway, the reason I had to go through the tests was that I had to have a physical for disability insurance while I worked in the shipyard in Ballard. I made the mistake of admitting that I was hypoglycemic, so had to take the 5 hour GTT. Guaranteed me a splitting headache. And failed. Tried a 3 hour. Failed. Finally took a 5 hour again, but this time, I had a 3 egg omlette, a big glass of milk, and a huge bowl of Cheerios prior. Passed fine. If I'd puked all that up when I downed the syrup, I woulda been busted. But I didn't, it was worth it, & got the insurance.

What happens to me is that about 9:30 ~ 10:00 AM, my blood sugar falls dramatically. A Diabetes Specialist at Virginia Mason Hosp. (a major research center for Diabetes) said he'd never seen a graph like mine...the real one, with real fasting. So, I'm special after all.  Steve

[catdaddy]

I was NPO last night from midnight, because I had to have a "fasting" blood sugar test done at my PC clinic in the VA. I sat in that dang waiting room till noon today and finally got up and walked out. I was getting close to blacking out, so I pulled into a restaurant and ordered sausage eggs and biscuits with gravy. I musta looked really goofy with my purple heart hat on, eating breakfast at noon. One of these days the VA will figure out that all those chunks of petrified wood in their waiting rooms are actually several veterans; missing in action!

A trick I learned in dealing with sloooooow VA clinics. The one I went to closed at 5:00 and took their last walk-ins at 4:30. I would show up at 4:15 and check-in... total maximum wait time 45 minutes. Of course in your case that wouldn't have helped, with advances in diabetes testing the fasting tests are really obsolete and serve no purpose. I'd ask my doctor about it.

[peabody]

I am happy as if I had sense with the VA here in the Garden State....
At the local clinic I never have to wait more than five minutes to see the MD, and usually zero to have blood work....they schedule on five minute intervals.
I had occasion to visit the emergency room a couple weeks ago and was dazzled by the efficiency and cleanliness...
My current MD is a real cute Iranian.....

[John Stiles]

.........
My current MD is a real cute Iranian.....

[Steve Helmick]

Most the nurses and grunt workers at our (one) city hospital are from "other". I try to sleep with one eye open, when I'm there. The E-Ward is great, but no TV, and too much moaning. The female nurses and Dr.s are pretty hot in the E-ward....not so among the general staff.  Steve

[Randy Powell]

My Dad goes to the VA in Oklahoma City (run, I'm told, largely by OU). Really nice place and pretty efficient bunch. He's usually in right on his appointment time and is out as soon as they are done. Nice folks, too.

[John Stiles]

I get my PC at the CBOC, and when I switched to them, it was all good. Then somebody got the bright idea to add a seperate lab and that's what complicated the process. At the main hospital, or Ft Roots...they have a walkin lab, where you take a number, and inside there is half a dozen stations, and it never takes more than about 15 minutes in and out. But the CBOC is closer and in a different city, run by other than VA. I'm taking a 90 year old WWII vet[Lab'n'go for coumadin] tomorrow to the main VA, and I will get my FBS done there!