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Growth hormone suppression test
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Growth hormone suppression test
What is a growth hormone suppression test?
A growth hormone suppression test can be used to see if your pituitary gland ( a part of your brain) is making too much growth hormone.
How does the test work?
To test this, we will give you a sugary drink to stop the production of growth hormone in the pituitary gland.
We will take a few blood samples throughout the test to measure the level of growth hormone in your blood.
The easiest way to do this is with a cannula in the vein in the back of your hand or arm. We will give you a local anaesthetic cream or cold spray to help with any pain or discomfort.
Please arrive 30 minutes earlier than your appointment time to allow for this cream to work.
Once the cannula is in, you can play with toys, read books and watch TV.
This test will take around 2 hours.
What about eating and drinking?
You cannot eat or drink anything before the test. This is from midnight the night before until the test begins, and this includes breakfast.
You must have a drink of plain water just before the test starts.
Once the test has started you are allowed to eat and drink. If you want, your can bring in your favourite snack and drink. If not, you will be given toast, juice, cereal or a snack box will be provided once the test has finished.
What about my medications?
If you have any prescribed medications, they should be taken as normal before you come in. Please double check this with your doctor if you are not sure.
What happens after my test?
You will be discharged once you have fully recovered from the test and feeling well.
When will my results come back?
The results take around 1 month to be analysed. Your consultant might write to you with the results or want to talk about them with you at your next appointment.
What happens if I cannot make my appointment?
Please make every effort to attend the appointment. If the date or time you have been given is not convenient or your child is unwell, please contact the Endocrine nurse on 0114 226 7815.
Contact us
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the endocrine clinical nurse specialists on: 0114 226 7815 between 8.30am and 5pm.
Out of these hours please contact the on-call medical team at Sheffield Children’s hospital on: 0114 271 7000
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Disclaimer
Please note: this is a generic information sheet relating to care at Sheffield Children’s NHS FT. These details may not reflect treatment at other hospitals. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professionals’ instructions. If this resource relates to medicines, please read it alongside the medicine manufacturer’s patient information leaflet. If this information has been translated into another language from English, efforts have been made to maintain accuracy, but there may still be some translation errors. If you are unsure about any of the guidance in this resource or have specific questions about how it relates to your child, always ask your healthcare professional for further advice.
Resource number: END12
Resource Type: Article
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TH
United Kingdom
Switchboard: 0114 271 7000
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