Glucose Tolerance Test

[MrsAngelic]

My OB said I'm scheduled for the glucuse tolerance test next month. I'm thinking of refusing it because I have none of the gestational diabetes symptoms. Even if I did have it the main treatment is in diet and exercise and I'm already forced to have a decent amount of exercise because we have no car and refined sugars and white flour are a rarity in my diet. In my pregnancy with #1 I had to retest 3 times because I kept vomiting up the drink, so I ended up fasting 3 times (not good for the baby in my opinion), my numbers were normal. With #2 I was able to hold down the drink, laying down on a bench holding my stomach while my mother watched my son because I was so nauseous and felt crummy for the rest of the day, my numbers were normal. Even though the OB didn't mention fasting this time with those pregnancies my diet was less healthy and I ate a lot more refined sugar, so i'm worried that it will be an even greater shock to my system (and baby's?) now. I don't know, have any of you had similiar concerns? What were your OB/midwives reactions? I thought of requesting a handheld glucose tester to use after regular meals. And I've seen the meals plans as alternative to the glucose drink but honestly I don't think I could stomach eating that much at one time (I'm little 4'10") and then walking anywhere. Any more ideas?

[yvonnemlv]

NO NO NONONO, skip the test! OR ask if they will do another option.. some docs will allow eating YOUR normal breakfast and coming in to get blood levels tested. or to use a snickers bar or jelly beans instead of the glucose drink. It really is a horrible shock to your system and the baby's, especially if you do not eat sugar much.

I am sugar free and if I were in teh states doing care with someone who did this test, I would tell them that. I would offer to get a blood sugar monitor that diabetes use and test a few times throughout the day if they REALLY wanted numbers.

But yes, follow what your body has told you and say NO. Please

For those who are curious: In sweden they do not do this test. THey test your glucose levels when you first come in to your first appt.. and later on like week 20 something, and one more time after week 30. Never ask you to fast or change the way you eat or anything like that. And you are welcome to decline having your finger pricked if you wish.

[Ell-Bell]

My midwife said that she will ask that I eat a good meal, maybe high in carbs before doing the test, that the results would be more realistic.

[FaeKind]

I'm going to have the test done because there is a history of diabetes in my family (including both my mom and brother being "borderline" with no symptoms but occasional high sugars or sugar in their urine) and I have PCOS with insulin resistance. I usually eat pretty well but I'll feel better knowing one way or the other.

I used to work in a lab where there were many drs who would instruct their patients to eat a regular meal, drink a certain amount of juice or eat a certain number of jelly beans instead of drinking the glucola so that is a good option if you want the test but don't want to drink the glucose. And it wasn't our policy to have the patient fasting for this test, either.

Of course, in most cases, your body can deal with the sugar drink efficiently and it won't be much, if any, any shock to the baby's system. One of the best things about pregnancy is the mom's body's ability to cushion any shock to the baby... even moms with really poor nutrition can have completely healthy babies because the body will automatically take everything for the baby first.

Which is not to say I don't understand why people would decline the test, it's not necessary for everyone. I just worry about people with diabetic family histories getting scared off of something that might be beneficial to them.

[Mrs Dimples]

I have declined the GTT test. I have no family history of any kind, no personal risk factors, and from the research I have done on it it seems to be a pretty inconclusive test, and the treatments appear to be rather ineffective as well.

Besides, I'm homebirthing with an awesome MW so there's no one to pester me about inducing early for a "HUGE" baby, so what's the point?

JK, I'm just feeling snarky today. Darn hormones.

[nubianamy]

I've declined the test, too, since I have no symptoms of high blood sugar and my test strips are normal so far. My midwife says the last trimester is when you really want to watch those test strips; before that, it's not very useful information.

[MamaChel]

I had the test with DS1 and fainted in the hallway on the way out b/c the sugar was a huge shock to my system. My sister had to retake twice b/c the dr scheduled it for the wrong week, she got sick too. Our results were normal but I'm sure that the drink did a number on our systems. I'm declining this time, I'm not comfortable with making myself sick so a dr can tell me I'm not sick.

[AppleCrisp]

Hmmm....this one was never even nmentioned to me. They do the urine dip on each appt, but other than that, it wasn't recommended as something routine or necessary. If your urine dips are ok, do they really need to do additional testing if you have no history or risk of anything?

[RedOakMomma]

I'll be doing it, if only to "give a little/get a little" from my OB. He's such a sweet guy, and he bends over backwards to accomplish my birth plan, so with the little stuff he worries about (like gest. diabetes), I just take the test and keep things running smoothly.

I am concerned about feeling kinda sick, though. That much concentrated sugar nastiness is too much! I'm not a person that refrains from sugar (how can you be when you're as crazy for chocolate as I am? ), but I am getting "to the age" when too much sweet is just gross.

Anybody know the best way to get a good result? Does the fasting help, or should I eat a normal (healthy) breakfast? Does it help to eat a lot of fiber earlier, or to stay away from other sugary things (juice, etc.)? The last thing I want is to take the test more than once....

[yvonnemlv]

you'll have better results if you eat a normal breakfast first. Then your body is not already in low sugar mode and having to super spike with the pure glucose intake.

PS I love unsweetened chocolate, always have.... now THAT is a true chocolate addict.

[MamaChel]

They made my sister retake a test b/c she ate a normal breakfast first. IF the lab/ob tells you to fast and you choose to have the test then you should fast or risk retaking the short test or taking the long test. My lab told me outright that if I ate that day, my OB would most likely schedule a longer test.

[lilsishomemade]

My mw told me to just refrain from sugar for 12 hours before drinking the glucola and trying to eat a lot of protein... I am taking it this time around, I had gd with my last pregnancy, and because of that, my mw is suggesting it. I am also very overweight, and I have a grandparent on both sides with diabetes, along with my mom, so there is some serious family history right there. I'm pretty confident I'm going to be better off this time around, though, because my diet and emotional health is sooooo much better this time compared to last.