Managing diabetes requires careful attention to diet, medication, and timing. If you have a fasting blood sugar test scheduled in the morning, a common question arises: Should you take your diabetes medicine the night before or skip it? Many people worry that taking medicine might lower their sugar level and affect the test, while skipping it could cause their sugar to spike. Here’s what doctors recommend for accurate testing and safe diabetes management.

Should You Take Your Diabetes Medicine Before the Test?

According to Healthline and Dr. Sameer Bhati, MD and public health expert, you should not stop taking your diabetes medicine without consulting your doctor. Stopping medication suddenly can cause dangerous fluctuations in blood sugar — either too high or too low — especially overnight.

The purpose of the fasting blood sugar (Fasting Plasma Glucose or FPG) test is to see how your blood sugar behaves naturally in the morning while you are on your regular medication. Skipping your medicine defeats this purpose and can give misleading results.

When and How to Do the Fasting Sugar Test?

• The fasting test requires you to fast for 8 to 10 hours—usually from after dinner until the test next morning.

• During this fasting period, you should only drink water, no food or sugary drinks.

• It is best to get the test done between 7 AM and 9 AM to capture your natural fasting blood sugar level.

Special Advice for People Using Insulin

If you take insulin, it is even more crucial not to skip your dose without your doctor’s advice. Insulin given at night helps keep your sugar stable overnight. Missing doses can cause serious problems such as:

• Hyperglycemia: dangerously high blood sugar

• Hypoglycemia: dangerously low blood sugar

Why You Should Always Consult Your Doctor

Every patient’s diabetes condition is different—some control sugar with pills, others need insulin, and some have varying levels of sugar control. Only your healthcare provider can advise whether you should adjust your medication before a test.

Never self-decide to skip your medicine. Taking your routine medicines as prescribed before your fasting sugar test ensures an accurate report, which helps your doctor provide the best treatment plan.