Glucose Test - Page 2

[lactavia]

Thanks for all your replies! I called my midwives and asked about not taking the stuff they give me, but do a real meal substitution and they said that was perfect! So I think I'll do that instead. Thanks again so much!

[ann_of_loxley]

I have refused the test.

It has been offered to me because 1). My son was huge (10 and a half pounds - it wasn't offerd to me during his pregnancy though) and 2). This baby is also measuring pretty large.

Both pregnancies I have only ever had a bit of sugar present in my urine once - all other urine checks check out fine! (and those things are natoriously innacurate - there could be countless reason there is sugar present in your urine that does not indicate something like Gestational Diabetes).

The glucose test makes no sense to me. Its nasty to start off with. It can make you feel pretty crappy for a few days - so I am told. 'Here - we think you might have GD...drink glucose!' ...Does that sound healthy to you at all? Its not like you would normally sit around drinking that stuff - or having glucose in such large amounts in any day anyhow!

Yes - GD can be pretty serious. But in all honesty - IF you did have GD, the only thing they could do about that is make sure you are eating right to keep it at bay. So why not just make sure you are eating right already? If sugar clearly is not presenting a problem for you (havn't detected it in your urine, not measuring huge for dates, etc)...then have a few more treats if you wish! lol If it is - just be vigilant about eating right (low carbs, high protein, no processed sugars, low GI, small meals often, etc) - Its very rare that eating right alone would pose a problem to even those with GD (meaning that they rely on insuline)...and there will be other indicating factors with that before something like a glucose test.

I feel the glucose test can just be another tool they can use against you - slap a lable on you and proceed to pull you downhill from there. Avoid it at all costs.

Because I have already had a large baby I can assume that either 1). I am prone to GD or 2). I just make large babies. It is more possibly the latter because my diet with my DS was crap - he turned out huge...I have had a GD diet regardless with this baby because of DS size and this baby is still looking pretty darn large! Either way - I choose to eat healthy. How much of a difference that will make on my babies size - who knows! At least both babe and I are pretty healthy so far!

[emmagrace]

I'm 24 weeks.  I'll be 35 years old next month, and this is my first baby. My next scheduled appointment is for the glucose test.  After finding out that I'll have to have 50 grams of sugar on an empty stomach, I have no interest in doing this.  I barely ever eat sweets, I don't drink soda, and on the rare occasions that I do, I react badly (seriously, if I drink a whole glass of Sprite, I get terrible jitters nearly to the point of delusion, and I throw up).  I know this will make me really sick.  I cook all my own food, and exercise regularly.  I REALLY don't want to take this test and be sick for two days. However, since it's my first baby, I'm worried that I'll be doing something wrong if I opt out.  There is also no way I can eat a gigantic breakfast or 20 jelly beans -- that's just not how I eat.  If I tried too eat a breakfast that big, I would probably throw up immediately.  The jelly bean thing would just make me ill, as well.  I'm really wondering how any of these options are relevant to the way my body processes food?  I'm skinny (well, except for baby), I'm not a big eater, and I don't eat sweets.  

Ugh.  

[Quinalla]

Originally Posted by lactavia 

Thanks for all your replies! I called my midwives and asked about not taking the stuff they give me, but do a real meal substitution and they said that was perfect! So I think I'll do that instead. Thanks again so much!

Sounds like a great compromise, I think I will suggest that to my OB next time and see what she thinks. The icky orange drink was ok for me, gross but didn't give me the shakes or anything, but I did make sure to each some solid protein/fat as close to it as allowed. I did decide to do this one since the risks are basically nil and I know I can take a bunch of sugar without much issue and to detect something like GD that they don't really know much about risk factors, it made sense to me to do. It helped that my OB just let me take the drink ~50 minutes before the appointment and not sit around bored for an hour at their office.

[herenow2]

I have a theory that people who eat really well may actually fail the 1 hour GTT more often because their body isn't used to all the sugar.  I don't like the idea that I work so hard to eat well and then the doctor makes me fast and then consume a massive amount of sugar just to see if everything is okay.  There is always the option of monitoring your own blood sugar if you don't want to take the test.

[IronMam]

I skipped it with DD, but won't this time. I learned after the fact just how serious GD can be, and that you can't always tell without the test if you've got it or not. 

According to NIH resources, fitting even one of the following criteria puts you at "average risk" for GD:

• I have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes.
• I am African American, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, or Pacific Islander.
• I am 25 years old or older.
• I am overweight.
• I have had gestational diabetes before, or I have given birth to at least one baby weighing more than 9 pounds.
• I have been told that I have "prediabetes," a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. Other names for it are "impaired glucose tolerance" and "impaired fasting glucose."

It then goes on to say that if you're "low risk," you doctor may skip testing. Though other sources I've read insist everyone should be tested.

With it being such a safe test, I'm happy to take it, even if it is gross and more sugar than I would typically want to eat at once. 

[LDoulaSteph]

I've skipped it with both pregnancies. I have no risk factors so felt comfortable opting out of that one. I give this answer as a pregnant woman NOT as a Doula.

[alaskanmomma]

It's definitely not a requirement :) I personally do it just for the peace of mind, but if you are happy, healthy, and confident, you definitely have the right to refuse it!

[Lynann]

For my first son I did the real food version and passed with flying colors. With DS2 my midwife did an Ha1C blood test instead, as she said it was more accurate at telling how your body is reacting to the actual way you eat. Again I passed with flying colors. My midwife did also comment that the women who do eat healthy pregnancy diets are more likely to fail with glucola since they are not used to processing sudden large amounts of glucose.

I have risk factors, as my mum was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes just a year ago. I am over weight and I am now 40. Yet I had no issues with my previous pregnancies, even though I grow larger babies (DS1 8lb7oz & DS2 9lb8oz) so I am not concerned for this new pregnancy. I will probably just stick to the Brewer's Pregnancy Diet and then get the Ha1C again this time.

[IronMam]

Lynann, that sounds like a really good way to handle it. I wonder if my midwives will offer different options for testing instead of just the shake. I'd much rather just let someone stab me with a needle and take some blood than down a nasty shake.

[Lynann]

My midwife offered to do the Ha1C only after I declined the GTT and she was taking blood that visit anyway, so she just took a little bit more for that test. So much easier, and much more accurate too. Ask about it if they don't just offer it to you.