Glucose Test and Seizure!!

[m4c10c]

Hi,
I just took the glucose test this morning and then immediately after the last bit of blood was being drawn, went into a seizure for a few minutes and then went into a second seizure.
The paramedics came, took me to the hospital and I was hooked up to an iv and a monitoring system for a while. All my tests came back normal.
Is this typical with the glucose test? I had this test with my first baby and this didn't happen.
This is my second, a girl.
Also, does anyone know what the seizure might do to her? does it cut off blood flow/oxygen?

Thanks.
(((

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by m4c10c

Is this typical with the glucose test?

no it is not. And I wonder if it was connected at all or just coincidental that it happened then... since seizures are usually linked to low blood sugar not high (or perhaps, your blood sugar had not shot up yet after fasting?)

have you changed your diet at all since your first? I know that with my second it bothered me way worse than the first time, but I had started eating much healthier and by then I was not used to having so much sugar on an empty stomach! I can see in some people that causing a severe reaction though I think a seizure is a bit much!

[m4c10c]

quick update

So, all my tests came back normal. They think it was possibly a hypoglycemic reaction???? Where my insulin shot up to try to fight the high sugar amount and it was a reaction from that.

This was such a scary event. My DS (9 months) was in the room with me when it happened and they had to call 911 and bring in the EMTs.

My diet is about the same as it was last time, but I definitely felt the glucose test more adversely after drinking the glucose drink. Thankfully nothing happened in the car on the way to the doctors.

It definitely didn't feel normal. I don't know what other reasons there are for seizures.

[Ellen Griswold]

How scary for all of you!

[Tresa]

That's infuriating! I don't know why they take a perfectly healthy, well funcitoning pregnant woman and shock her system like that for something like a glucose test. THere are gentler ways of doing it.

More later....

[pregnant@40]

Originally Posted by m4c10c

Hi,
I just took the glucose test this morning and then immediately after the last bit of blood was being drawn, went into a seizure for a few minutes and then went into a second seizure.
The paramedics came, took me to the hospital and I was hooked up to an iv and a monitoring system for a while. All my tests came back normal.
Is this typical with the glucose test? I had this test with my first baby and this didn't happen.
This is my second, a girl.
Also, does anyone know what the seizure might do to her? does it cut off blood flow/oxygen?

Thanks.
(((

No, this is not normal. Wow, so sorry this happened to you. That's horrible! Has your doc discussed w/ you the type of seizure you had? Since you were quickly assessed and all tests came back normal (which undoubtedly included fetal monitoring), I wouldn't worry that your two quick seizures affected the baby. Here's what a quick internet search found:

http://www.med.nyu.edu/cec/epilepsy/women/effects.html

[myk]

no, definitely not typical. how scary for you!

what happens to your baby will be hard to determine, but as long as you're breathing properly it's unlikely to cause oxygen problems for her. different seizures do different things, but for the most part, low oxygen and blood flow aren't concerns. (at least, not from what i understood of my sister's seizures while pg.. i haven't had any myself).

[m4c10c]

type of seizure

I'm still not sure what "type" of seizure it was. Thanks for the website. That helped a lot. I didn't realize there were different types of seizures.
I didn't have amnesia afterwards but I did have hallucinations and incontinence (sooo yucky especially in front of the firefighters/emt guys/nurses).

It is a little frustrating that they wanted me to take that test. I usually refuse most/all tests but since my family has a history of diabetes (usually type 2 and in my overweight relatives), I thought I'd take this one. Not again though. Every time I've been tested and my son has been tested (in hospital) we've come out 50 percentile or normal.
I think next pregnancy I'll just monitor my sugar levels instead of taking the test.

I keep worrying about my DD (in the womb 7 monthsish)...

[sk8boarder15]

I did not have a seizure but also had a very bad reaction to the test (the 3 hour one)... I got very faint and couldn't even stand up. They had to carry me to a bed to recover. My first two hours were only slightly elevated, but then my sugars dropped as my body reacted to such an insane amount of sugar. I was diagnosed with GD, but didn't accept it untill I did at home monitoring under much more normal circumstances. I will NEVER take the test again! I'm supposed to take it a few weeks after the baby is born but I won't. I will continue monitoring to make sure everything goes back to normal.

I'm soooo sorry that happened to you! It must have been very scary!

[pregnant@40]

Originally Posted by m4c10c

I think next pregnancy I'll just monitor my sugar levels instead of taking the test.

I keep worrying about my DD (in the womb 7 monthsish)...

I doubt there is a doctor on this planet that would ever want you to consume glucola again!!

Of course Moms worry about everything, but I would NOT worry about your child. You received immediate medical care & undoubtedly fetal monitoring. Since they told you all tests were normal & did not express concerns, you should go with that. A pregnant woman w/ frequent uncontrolled seizures may put her fetus at risk, but this was your first ever episode.

[Lady Lilya]

Originally Posted by m4c10c

So, all my tests came back normal. They think it was possibly a hypoglycemic reaction???? Where my insulin shot up to try to fight the high sugar amount and it was a reaction from that.

This is why I would never take that test. I know that if I consume sugars my body will release way too much insulin and I will be extremely ill with low blood sugar. I eat in such a way as to avoid stimulating that over-release. I would never have even a tiny bit of sugar on an empty stomach.

So what is the point of a test to see how my body reacts to a stress that I would never put it under?