Your doctor has asked you to have a blood test that you need to fast for.

What do I need to do?

You should fast for a at least 8 to 12 hoursbefore having your blood collected for testing. You can fast for longer than 12 hours. Fasting is usually done overnight with the collection in the morning. If you work evening or night shifts, please ask our staff so we can make other arrangements for you.

What can I have?

You will be asked to stop eating all solid foods and all fluids containing foods (orange juice, milkshakes) or sugar (cordials, juices, milky hot drinks).
This means you can only have water while you fast for a blood test. Please drink plenty of water before to your test.

Important warnings

Unless you have been instructed by your doctor to stop taking your medication, you should keep taking all your medications at the correct time. If you take your medication by mouth as pills or powder, you can swallow your medicine with a cup of water. If your medicine is liquid, you can still take it. Injections should occur as usual.

If you have Diabetes, fasting for this length of time may lead to symptoms of a hypoglycaemic episode (hypo). If this happens, stop your fast straight away and treat yourself for a hypo as you normally would. Do not attempt to complete the fast as this could be dangerous. Please let your treating doctor who asked you to have the test know, that you cannot fast for the test, and they will make a different plan for you.

Why do I need to fast?

Some tests are affected by the last time you ate so we try to remove the effects of food and drinks by asking you to fast. This means that the results will give us your baseline or lowest possible level for that substance rather than the food/drink you had in your last meal. This gives us a more reliable result to assist your doctor in investigating or managing your health.

Collection centres

Please remember, we are here to help you. For further information, please contact one of the following ACT Pathology collection centres:

Canberra Hospital Building 10 Collection Centre

Open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 5.30pm and Saturdays from 8.30am to 12:15pm. Closed on Sunday and public holidays.
Canberra Hospital, Gilmore Cres, Garran (next to Centenary Hospital for Women and Children
Phone (02) 5124 2816.

Tuggeranong Collection Centre

Open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm and Saturday 8:30am to 12pm. Closed on Sunday, long weekends and public holidays.
Tuggeranong Health Centre Level 1, Corner Anketell & Pitman Streets, Tuggeranong
Phone (02) 5124 1352.

North Canberra Hospital Collection Centre

Open Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 4pm and Saturday 9am to 12pm. Closed on Sunday and public holidays.
North Canberra Hospital, 1st Floor, Marian Building, Bruce (Maternity entrance)
Phone: (02) 5124 3815.

Gungahlin Collection Centre

Open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 4.30pm and Saturdays from 8.30am to 12.30pm. Closed Sunday, long weekends and public holidays.
Gungahlin Health Centre, Corner Earnest Cavanagh St & Fussell Lane, Gungahlin
Phone (02) 5124 1135.

Belconnen Collection Centre

Open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm. Closed on weekends and public holidays.
Belconnen Health Centre, Corner Lathlain & Cohen St, Belconnen
Phone (02) 5124 1502.

University of Canberra Hospital Collection Centre

Open Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 3.15pm. Closed on Sunday, long weekends and public holidays.
University of Canberra, 20 Guraguma Street, Bruce
Phone (02) 5124 0230.

Weston Creek Collection Centre

Open from Monday to Friday, 8am to 4:15pm. Closed on Sunday, long weekends and public holidays.
Weston Creek Walk-in Centre, 24 Parkinson St, Weston
Phone (02) 5124 4174.