Hypoglycemia+Screening+Tests

=Questionnaires= two main questionnaires are a low cost way of pre-screening. [|www.hypoglycemie.qc.ca] [|glycemiasolutions.com]

in 60% of the cases the person must undergo complementary blood tests (5 hour induced hypoglycemia test, see below) or complete a health profile to allow the doctor to provide a differential diagnosis

=Glucometer Test= A manual device for measuring and reading glycemia (blood sugar level)

Those sold in pharmacies can easily lose their calibration; they were designed for those with high glucose levels.

Interpreting the results is difficult and misleading, as the user is unable to compare the numbers to the values of a normal curve associated w/ eating.

It does however remain the best way to pay attention to your signs and symptoms in order to prevent attacks.

=Five-hour Induced Hypoglycemia Test (IHT)= Blood test performed under the supervision of a nurse Consists of: -Taking a first blood sample at fasting -After the patient take a 75g glucose solution the nurse takes 7-11 blood samples every hour or half-hour.

From this they create a personalized curve.

Requires the patient to fast from 8 pm the previous night and drink a sugared beverage after the first sample.

As it requires a day off work and another to recover, as well as the cost doctors often reserve this test for diabetic cases and recommend the less reliable Glucoval test

=Blotting Paper Test (Glucoval)= Allows people to take their blood at home. 8 drops of blood are pricked from the fingertip over a period of 3 weeks.

Each drop is placed on a circle of blotting paper and the symptoms are recorded in a journal and then all materials are returned for analysis.