Glucose Testing

[brigadiva]

I am scheduled for my Glucose screen in a few weeks.  I have been looking this up online because, as this is my third pregnancy, the instructions from this doctor don't seem to be what I recall in the past.  They are saying it is okay to eat my "normal meals" on the day of the test, but to avoid sugary foods and drinks.  In my past two pregnancies I seem to recall having to fast before this test, which was confirmed by my findings online: " For eight to 14 hours before the test, you can't eat or drink anything but sips of water..."  Also, I will point out that they are calling this test an RGS (Random Glucose Screen) and not a Glucose Tolerance Test, just in case that makes a difference.  

Anyone else here that has taken this test been able to eat normally beforehand?  Were the results affected by this?  I am concerned if I do eat that will throw the results off, and I am concerned if I DON'T eat that will throw it off lol (catch 22 :o)  I'm sure the doctor's office wouldn't say I could eat if it was going to interfere with the results, but stranger things have happened, and this doctor's office doesn't always seem to have it together (e.g. they refer me out to a doctor two hours away for things I think they *should* be able to do here, they tried to draw blood twice for the same thing [sequential screen I had already done and *I* had to point that out, they missed it!] etc.)  Thanks!

[brigadiva]

Woohoo!  Numbers came back good!  No GD here :oD

Elixis:  Glad your levels normalized!  What a relief!

Jade: Hope all turns out well with the three hour test for you!

[happynifer]

be careful with artificial sweetners....your body can't tell the difference as far as insulin response goes (so you aren't helping yourself there) and there is a lot of new research coming out that they can have negative affects on your hormone regulation in general.
so limit your sugar, but don't replace it with chemicals.

[Elixis]

Well the 3h test came back with 2/3 normal results. the only high one was the 2nd blood (taken 1h after the drink)

Also the Dr looked over my readings I have been taking with the machine and she says my levels all seem normal so I don't need any special councelling. I'm not that high only a small bit. Now that I have the machine she says keep taking readings here and there to monitor and watch what I eat. She will meet me again on Nov 4th to make sure they didn't start rising again.

So i'm quite happy with my results, and at least I have the machine to check now so I can make sure I am keeping my sugar levels normal. I'm not doing the crazy diet that they gave me but I am watching my sugars trying to use less and more splenda/sucrelose instead of real sugar.

In the end this whole GD thing has tought me an important lesson, be careful to what you eat. Remember that things that seem bad for you you may brush off, but there is a little baby growing inside that might not take well to that kind of food. So be aware of what you eat. If you do, you will make that baby very happy!

[JadedSweetheart]

I didn't hear anything until my appt but it was about a week after I took the GTT.  My numbers are a little high so I have to do the 3 hour.  Ugh.  I am not looking forward to it at all.  This one is absolutely fasting so I'm hoping and praying I don't throw it up.  I don't want to have to do this more than once.
If I end up throwing up and having to repeat the test more than once I think I'll just ask about monitoring my blood sugar at home.  
I have ended up in the ER before because of my blood sugar dropping and it runs in my family, so I am fairly used to testing occasionally and have my own monitor already.  I had a feeling the GTT may come back high because I was going a mile a minute and felt really jittery after drinking the glucose.

[brigadiva]

Well, I took the test on September 30th and haven't heard anything.  Hopefully that means the results were good (?)  I meant to call them this week to check on it but things were pretty crazy this week.  I have an appointment on Thursday.  I'm assuming if the numbers were really bad I would have gotten a call, but I guess I'm not clear yet...

[Chez_lee81]

I also had the 1 hour test. Doctor told me not to fast but since my test was early am I did not have breakfast. My results were 5.

[Elixis]

Yeah Jess me too. I did the 3h test yesterday and man that test was TERRIBLE. I was sooo hungry after and after being poked in the arm 3 times it hurt. I slept almost all night I was so drained out!! Did not like the 3h test at all!!

Regardless I am testing my blood too and so far I seem normal too. I'll have to see what they say about the 3h results. I took tests with my meter during it and the only high test was the one after drinking the solution. Otherwise i'm fine.

But as you said, it really can't hurt to follow this diet, in the end it will be good for our babies!

[WifeofAnt]

My glucose test came back with a 75. (the cutoff is something like 130 or 140)  Definitely no GD here...

[jessmoss626]

I got sent straight to the diabetes specialists after my 1 hour test too. My dr said to not even bother with the 3 hour test, just monitor blood sugar and go on the diet. So far my numbers at home have been totally normal, so I'm getting annoyed with this diet when I'm not having any issues, but who knows, I just started! I've read that sometimes monitoring and the low carb diet can be helpful even if you're only borderline.

[brigadiva]

Oh, no!  So sorry to hear that, but TY for all the useful information.  My test is noe in two days... I sure hope it all turns out ok.  Good luck on your three hour!

[connorethansmom]

Elixis - bummer. That is good info.  I did get a glucose screening BEFORE I was pregnant and I had to fast for that one - it was a one hour test too. My doctor reminded me when I went to get this one.  So there are a lot of tests out there they use as a screening.

[Elixis]

They actually skipped over the 3h test and sent me straight to the diabetes clinic.
The lady I met gave me a requisition to take the 3h test since I had eaten during the test.

So from what I learnt the GST (screening test) is a 1h non-fasting test you take a 50ml drink and test blood 1h later. If your levels are high they send you for the 3h test which is a fasting test in which you take blood on your fast. then a 75 ml drink, and then blood after 1h and blood after 2h.

However even though you don't need to fast for the 1h screen you still shouldn't eat anything after drinking the solution. I don't know why I did not think of this a little better.

But in my case since the levels were so high they just skipped over the 3h test and diagnosed me with GD. They gave me a machine to measure the blood and so far i'm not really high.

So I will do the 3h test tommorow and wait on results. Meanwhile though I am considered a GD patient.

[JadedSweetheart]

I'm sorry you had really high levels.  Try not to beat yourself up over it as even with controlling diet, some women just develop GD or get a weird test result. I'm not saying that you have GD at all.  Hopefully it's just that you ate sugary stuff.
You're definetly not failing the baby.  It's clear that you are a good mom who cares about taking care of yourself and your baby, no matter what your test results.
I hope you get good news after the 3 hour test!

[SHVEPS]

At the lab they told me not to eat or drink anything between the glucola and the blood test, so it could totally be that whatever you ate spiked your numbers. This is just a screen anyway, it's not diagnostic, so I hope everything turns out ok for you! It's annoying you have to go through the 3 hour test though,

[Elixis]

Yeah hope you get a good result cuz i'm so freaking depressed now that I found out i have really high levels. I hope that me eating sugary stuff may have spiked the test, so I guess i'll have to wait until Monday when they do the 3h test.

It's not fun cuz it feels like i'm failing the baby. I know I can work on my diet but I still feel terrible about it. I hope you pass. Being told you don't really *****.

[JadedSweetheart]

Thanks, Brigadiva, I called the office and asked and they said it's okay.  I asked if I had to fast because that was part of the reason it was hard for me to keep the glucose down and they said I didn't have to but not to eat anything really sugary before the test.  Originally the nurse told me I did have to fast, but this time they said it would be okay to eat.  She even said if they ask me if I fasted just to tell them I did so they would do the test.  
That's the way my doctor's office is, though.  I hope you get a good result!  

[WifeofAnt]

But fasting too long can make you have high numbers too.  In my other December due dates group everyone who didn't eat anything that day failed their 1 hour.  I wouldn't advise eating sugary/carby foods before the test but not eating anything is going to send your body into starvation mode.

[Elixis]

Well I got a call this morning and my levels are REALLY HIGH. (11.2ml) 7.8 + is diabetic.
So i'm going to a diabetic clinic on Monday. I'm kinda freaked out a bit but I suppose they will do more tests.

Thing is I ate 2 pieces of cinnemon rasin bread before the glucose test. and also a muffin before the bloodtest. My dr did not say I needed to fast so i didn't. But now since my levels are so high I am wondering if maybe they are wrong and that it did affect the test.

Either way i'll find out on Monday at the diabetes clinic, but honestly, if I were any of you I would fast just in case. I found 2 links both saying to fast. I mean how can eating sugar NOT affect a test??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucose_tolerance_test

http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/glucose/test.html

[brigadiva]

JadedSweetheart: 28 weeks is when I am scheduled for my one hour (next week) so I think you are right on track! :o)

kwame's girl:  Woohoo!  Congrats!    

[kwame's girl]

yeah i passed my 2 hour...what a HUGE relief!!!

[JadedSweetheart]

I was told to fast for mine and went in the morning with an appt (because with not having an appt it can take over an hour to start) and about 5 mins after drinking the glucose I threw it up.  I've had so much going on that I haven't had a chance to go back for it.  I'm 28 weeks now, is it too late?
I need to call the office but it's huge and they barely even know one patient out of the hundreds they must see.  I guess I'm just wondering if anyone else took theirs that late?

[brigadiva]

Hope you pass!  Keep us posted :o)

[kwame's girl]

This is my third as well and I was in the same boat as you. I was told to eat normally for the 1 hour. I chose not to eat and I failed the test. The say it may have been becasue I didn't eat but I don't know what to believe. The normal result range was 3-7 and I scored a 8.3, so I had to do the 2 hour test. I had to fast for 12 hours and only allowed to have water. It was not fun and I was light headed but got through it. I am just waiting for my results now.

[brigadiva]

Thanks for all the answers :o)