Preparing for a health check: fasting, medicines and appointments

Get the final examination schedule

Check which tests are actually booked and in what order. Blood sampling, ultrasound, imaging and endoscopy can have different preparation requirements. Ask the center to resolve any conflicting instructions and identify when you can eat and drink again.

Keep a contact number for preparation questions. If the appointment time changes, ask whether the preparation timing changes too. A written schedule is particularly helpful when you are crossing time zones or receiving instructions in a language you do not normally use for medical care.

Sources and references: [1] [2] [3]

Ask whether fasting is needed for your blood tests

For a blood test that requires fasting, the usual instruction is to avoid food and drinks other than plain water for a specified period, often 8 to 12 hours. The exact requirement depends on the test and the laboratory. Fasting is not needed for every blood sample.

Coffee, sweetened drinks, gum and exercise can interfere with fasting preparation. Tell the staff if you ate or drank something outside the instructions. They can decide whether the result will still be useful or the sample should be taken at another time.

Sources and references: [1]

Do not improvise a medicine pause

Send a complete medicine list, including non-prescription products, supplements and injections taken weekly or monthly. Ask the prescribing or examination team which medicines to take, hold or adjust and when to resume them. Different tests may require different decisions.

Diabetes treatment deserves an individual plan when meals are delayed or bowel preparation is needed. Blood-thinning medicines require a procedure-specific discussion, particularly if tissue might be removed. Do not stop either category simply because you have been told to fast. Keep the written medicine advice with the appointment instructions.

Sources and references: [2] [3]

Treat bowel preparation and sedation as separate tasks

Colonoscopy requires a specific bowel-cleaning regimen. Follow the diet, fluid and laxative schedule from the endoscopy service, and report vomiting or difficulty finishing it. Kidney and heart conditions can affect the preparation selected, so disclose them beforehand.

Gastroscopy has its own fasting instructions. If either examination uses sedation, arrange transport and the required adult supervision afterward. Avoid planning driving, major decisions or a demanding work schedule during the restricted period. A general blood-test instruction to drink water should not override the endoscopy team's fluid cutoff.

Sources and references: [3] [4]

Mention contrast, implants and pregnancy possibility

For an examination using contrast, tell the team about previous reactions and kidney problems. Bring any recent kidney-function result the service requests. If MRI is planned, disclose implanted devices and metal so the imaging service can check compatibility before you arrive.

Mention pregnancy possibility before imaging or sedation. For coronary CT angiography, the service may give specific caffeine and medicine instructions. Ask which preparation applies to your booked scan; a calcium-score CT and a contrast coronary examination are not interchangeable appointments.

Sources and references: [5] [6]

Pack for the visit and explain changes

Bring identification, your medicine list, allergy details, earlier reports and the preparation instructions. Take any requested imaging files in the agreed format. If you need interpreting, confirm the language and which parts of the appointment it covers.

Tell the staff if you are newly unwell, did not follow a preparation step or have had a medicine change. The team can adjust safely when they know what happened. Bring food for after the examinations only if the center confirms when eating will be appropriate.

Sources and references: [2]

Confirm preparation before you travel

When you inquire about an EastMedGo Shanghai health-check package, share the medicines and conditions that could affect preparation. We can help obtain the provider's instructions and clarify the appointment sequence, language support and report handover.

Ask us to confirm the examination location and whether an accompanying adult is required before booking transport. Clinical medicine changes come from the medical team. EastMedGo's coordination can help make those instructions clear and available in time, rather than leaving important questions until the morning of the check.

Common questions