glucose tolerance test....

[Lazuli]

I just got home from seeing the doctor and they want me to go in in two weeks for the one hour gtt. I went ahead and made the appointment but I'm still not sure about having it done. I do have some risk factors for it. My mom had gd when she was pregnant with me, my grandmother and aunt both are now diabetic (though they're both rather overweight and sedentary). Also I was diagnosed with low blood sugar in 6th grade and spent 5 years on a very restricted no sugar diet. (The doctor forgot he put me on it....oops.) So now I'm wondering if I should go ahead and have the test done or not. Urk. Otherwise all is well. Vaysh was kicking when the doctor was listening for the heartbeat.

And now I'm going to go take a nap. I have to clean the house and pack tonight, which I'm not looking forward to. Of course, I'm also not looking forward to spending at least 6 hours in the car with my in laws tomorrow. *sigh*

Lazuli

[Tree Swallow]

My test is next week, and I don't have any risk factors. I would most definitely get it done if I were you.

[mum2tori]

I'm scheduled for mine in two weeks also. Yuck! Like drinking that nauseating drink isn't enough to make anyone yak but let's make a pregnant woman do it on an empty stomach. I'll probably still have it done, diabetes does seem to show up in my family quite a bit.

[Caroline248]

I was NOT going to do it, until I started having all these sugar issues. My midwife does not make you drink that drink though, you can drink a Pepsi or Coke, or you can drink orange juice. I selected the OJ....that test made me so sick the last time, but I didn't have it my last pregnancy. Can you see if you can substitute the glucose drink?

Caroline

[cottonwood]

Lazuli, have you seen this article by Henci Goer on GD:
http://www.parentsplace.com/expert/b...269209,00.html

[starrynight]

I didn't do it with my last pregnancy, since my only risk factor was that my father has type II diabetes (although my age supposedly is a factor now - I'm 38.) I've decided to do it this pregnancy though.

What kind of sugar issues have you been having Caroline? I've also been having sugar issues. I'm finding that if I don't eat very regularly I feel like total crap, plus I find that occasionaly when I eat sugar it makes me feel very shaky and nauseas. I've looked it up on the web and it sounds like low blood sugar symptoms, more than diabetes symptoms. It's weird though, I've never experienced anything like it before. I'm going to take the GD test next week. I'm hoping all these sugar issues aren't going to amount to a positive screening. I don't think I could handle that 3 hour screening they do after the first one. I know I'd be in pretty bad shape if I had to fast and then drink a big slug of sugar!

[cottonwood]

Starrynight, I've had those same "issues" with each of my pregnancies -- I think it's just my body telling me to get with the program and eat healthy, rather than a sign of a problem. I *have* to eat something first thing in the morning with some protein in it, I have to eat frequently throughout the day, and I cannot eat sugar unless I've had something healthy to eat first, or else I get sick. The fact that it my body is rejecting an unhealthy diet is just evidence to me that it's doing its job.

[Lazuli]

Blueviolet,

I've read 'The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth' (I think I got the title right...you know what I mean) which is why I'm not sure if I should go ahead with the test or not. I eat the occasional sweet thing, like a danish or chocolate, but not overly much, and we don't eat bread or pasta or rice except on rare occasions. *sigh* I have two weeks to think it over. They also draw blood to test for anemia, which i don't mind. So if nothing else I go in and talk to the doctor and either go ahead with the test or say no thanks. I do worry about failing it though, since I have had sugar issues in the past and I'm overweight to begin with. Ah well, no sense getting stressed about it I suppose, at least not right now.

Lazuli

[JenInMpls]

My glucose test is tomorrow. I am primarily doing it out of curiosity for myself. I don't eat a ton of sugar and work on eating whole grains vs processed grains, so I'm really curious how things look.

We'll see, won't we?

jen

[indiana ima]

I wouldn't get the test.

I wouldn't get the test. I've read compelling evidence (compelling enough for me, anyway) that gestational diabetes isn't a real thing, and that (worse) getting diagnosed with it just leads to OB created problems. I would read that Henci Goer article that blueviolet gave a link to, and I would also do a Google groups search on "Ericka Kammerer" and "gestational diabetes", because it is Ericka Kammerer's usenet posts that have convinced me that gestational diabetes isn't real.

Ericka is really, really good about referencing (and linking to) good medical studies and trying to get women to insist on evidence based medicine from their physicians. She's not a Dr or midwife or even a major birth advocate, though, she's a "private citizen" (like us) who has had three (out of 3) home births and finds birth stuff interesting.

[sistermama]

Thansk Linda and Vicki - for mentioning my two favorite GD references.

[Mom2baldie]

I wont be taking the glucose tolerance test for a variety of reasons, but good luck making your decision. Sometimes its hard to know what to do...

[Caroline248]

Well, like I said, I didn't take it in my previous pregnancies...but I will this time. My problem has been eating GOOD sugars, like fruit, OJ....I have passed out cold after eating water melon, having a glass of OJ, and eating grapes. So I have been monitered and I am doing a "version" of the test, obviously I can't drink a glass of OJ on my own and risk passing out, so I am doing the whole test at the MW office. So it is not a normal low blood sugar thing, it is more I am not tolerating. I have had the low blood sugar thing, but I have never had this before, so I feel that to do the test is in the best interest right now. I also gained about 12 pounds in one week, and I am measuring about three weeks ahead. I know these things are not indicitive themselves, but put everything together.....

If I was having no signs, I would NOT do this test...

Caroline

[starrynight]

I remember the Henci Goer info was one of the things that influenced me not to take the test last time. Ina Mae's new book also talks about the GD test and that a positive test can cause a lot more medical interventions, without necessarily improving anything for mom and baby.

I, too, am noticing problems from eating good sugars like fruit. Though I'm not passing out! Caroline, that must be awful. I definitely can't drink OJ or I am exhausted. I used to drink a fresh fruit smoothie every morning until I noticed that every time I drank one I'd have go lay down for about an hour - it just sapped all my energy. I feel like my diet in general is pretty good. I eat mostly whole grains, veggies, etc. Not much in the way of refined sugars, though I'm not perfect and do like ice cream.

When I was talking about all this with my midwife last time she basically said she didn't think I needed to worry about the GD test, but that it was up to me. If I wasn't feeling all this blood sugar sensitivity I doubt I would bother with the test, since I didn't last pregnancy and had no problems. I never measured ahead with my last pregnancy, but this time I am - 4 weeks the first time and 3 weeks ahead at my last appointment. I keep wondering about it. One thing my midwife did say that contributed to my deciding to do it this time was that the moms they've had who have gotten a positive on their GD test - nearly all of them have been able to improve their blood sugar levels through diet and excercise. That surprised me....

[Kabes]

I'm supposed to have one soon too - yuck! i had them with my other two pregnancies and it was terrible. I've been told that alternative drinks and Jelly beans(some places will let you eat a specified # of a specific brand) are not accurate. If you decide to do it definitely ask about flavors. I had orange the first time (really bad) and lime the second time (not so bad). my MW told me not to get any sugar or carbs in the am before the test but to make sure I had some protein. I don't think anyone told me this the first two times.

[Caroline248]

Starrynight...sounds similier to what I am having. Weird, because I never had it before either. And I ALWAYS measured behind with my othere babies. I really think that I am fine and this will just turn out to be a bigger baby...both my mom and my MIL had one ten pounder.....


Caroline

[hjohnson]

I had GD with my first pregnancy so I have been tested at 10 weeks which turned out normal and I am going to be tested again next Friday. Somehow the taste of the Glucola doesn't phase me. I just open up and pour it in. I don't taste it. Ladies keep your fingers crossed. I have really been watching my diet this time around and exercising a lot more.

[4under6]

I have the GD test next week.
Am I the only one who doesn't mind that crazy orange stuff? LOL!
6 of my dad's 7 siblings, and his mother, were diabetic. Not my dad though.
I am always worried about it.
I have been tested for diabetes before, though, and am always fine so far, though I am about 75 pounds overweight.

[Tree Swallow]

3under3 the taste doesn't bother me at all, either! I do hope it's chilled, though; it was yuckier the time I had to drink it room temperature.

I haven't read the sources cited saying that gestational diabetes isn't real; I'll have to check those out. I too feel I've been dealing with low blood sugar issues throughout this pregnancy. I get extremely weak and lightheaded if I go more than 4 hours without eating. It was even more pronounced in the first trimester. But, now I'm better about keeping good snacks on hand. I don't know what I'd do if fruit made me pass out! How awful for you!

[cottonwood]

Kabes, that is one reason I'm wary of the test. There seems to be no standard protocol for testing, which makes me wonder how they know that such-and-such a number is accurate or problematic.