Will you be getting tested for gestational diabetes?

[rootzdawta]

I did with my first but I don't feel like I want to with this one. First off, I have to drive 45 mins. to see the midwife and I don't want to do that after having fasted for 8 (10?) hours. Plus, I caved on the ultrasound and had that I just don't want any more tests. What are you going to do?

[Luminosea]

I'm going to skip the glucola and do the finger stick each morning instead. My midwife doesn't make you fast but I felt really awful after drinking the glucola last time that I would rather poke myself with a needle and check that way.

[simplehome]

Nope---didn't do it the first time, and won't this time either. I don't have any risk factors, and the whole test just sounds icky anyway.

[impromptukiss]

my midwife just had you eat a regular breakfast, and does the finger prick. i don't mind doing it, it's pretty non-invasive. i wouldn't do the glucola one again, though. did that with my first.

[bobandjess99]

Nope, I know I'm diabetic (all the time, lol!), so it'd be stupid and dangerous!!

[Jennah_Gole]

Well i have gotten it done everytime and before i pregnant as part of a routine checkup the doctor made me do it cuz my dad is diabetic....so i told them i just got it done before i was prego and they are insisting I get it done again....I almost puked when i wasnt pregnant drinking that nasty stuff --maybe i will just have to miss my appointment...

[Fishie Kisses]

I have many risk factors due to genetics. My test is Thursday...although I was told NOT to fast, just to not eat sweets

[lilylove]

Nope.

[matey]

I didnt realize I had an option. The dr. office said I needed to do it anytime after tomorrow. I am doing it next Tuesday. But they didnt tell me to fast, they said to avoid sweet, and to avoid carbs for the 2 hours before the test. They also said to eat a small protein meal before the test. I guess I will just do it, I am a fat ass, isnt it more common in fat people?

[bryonyvaughn]

Originally Posted by rootzdawta

I did with my first but I don't feel like I want to with this one. First off, I have to drive 45 mins. to see the midwife and I don't want to do that after having fasted for 8 (10?) hours. Plus, I caved on the ultrasound and had that I just don't want any more tests. What are you going to do?

This is my eighth pregnancy and I've never been tested for GD nor will I be. I had several GTTs when I was in high school and consider them very dangerous to anyone who would test positive. They purposefully induce wild blood sugar swings in their suspected at risk population How crazy is it to design a test such that the healthy ones aren't harmed but those with the condition are?

Anyway, I tested positive and once I moved away from home and started cooking for myself never had any symptoms. I'm positive if I went back to my parents' diet I'd be diabetic within a year.

*IF* I ever had any symptoms of sugar issues, rather than taking a GTT, I'd borrow a glucometer, monitor my own blood sugar levels, and treat myself through diet to the best of my ability... which is much easier given the rapid feedback from the glucometer.

~BV

[leewd]

Yes and No.

My midwife does a finger-prick test.
Wake up, eat a good protein breakfast without sugar and very low-carb.
MW shows up and pricks to test sugar.
Eat a donut or cookies or something. Go through the rest of appt and do all the normal stuff.
One hour after eating the sweets, do another finger-prick.
And that's it!

Because I have "sugar-issues" (I guess you could say I'm bordeline GD) during pregnancy, I've already had one. We'll do another later (I think around 30 weeks?).

Last time, I had 2 tests as well because I was showing signs of GD.

First time around, I did the glucola thing with an OB. I think I got to eat a normal breakfast, drink 1/2 bottle of glucola, go to lab and have blood drawn 1 hour after drinking the stuff. I felt nauseous and gross for the rest of the day! It was awful. Fortunately I passed though.

Good Luck!
--LEE

[SharonAnne]

My mw has me drink 16 oz of orange juice an hour before drawing the blood. That's, like, less than a normally drink in a day, anyway

[Ruthiegirl]

I haven't done it and my midwife hasn't said anything about it. I have done them in the past and they make me feel like crap. I think I might decline it this time.

My midwife and I are clashing though and I am on the hunt for a new OB. So, everything might change with the new doc.

[Jillybean]

I'll be getting it, I have many genetic risk factors as well. The mws I see don't do the fasting one and it really doesn't bother me to have it done.

[leafwood]

I just saw my MW today. She gave me the paperwork for the 1-hour GTT and told me to go in 2 weeks and then go back to see her a week later. With dd I "failed" the one hour and had the 3 hour which was fine. Dd weighed 7lbs full term and I seriously don't want to drink the glucola again! Ugh! I didn't aske the MW about my options because I was preoccupied with the fact that I couldn't pee in the cup after having IBS over the weekend. I think I may call to see if I can do another type of screening.

[ShannaW]

I have no qualms about it, so I'll be having mine at this Friday's appt. Easier here then in Vegas, they gave me the drink to take home and I just have to drink it 1 hour before my appt (while I'm driving the TWO hours to my appt!) and no other food from that point.

I've had them w/ all my pregnancies and they don't bother me a bit. The drink's just kinda like off brand gatorade IMO. I can just guarantee I'll hafta pee REEEEAAAAL bad by the time I get there,

[Stacymama]

I won't be testing for this. My current midwife isn't concerned if I skip it.
I did with my other 2 pregnancies though. My other midwife gave me a choice to either eat a full size and snack size snicker's bar 1 hour before or 17 Brock jellybeans 1 hour before. I am not a chocolate person so I opted for the jellybeans instead, beats the heck outta the glucola (gag).

[MamaEssie]

I did the glucola the first time around and passed. Second time we would have skipped it, but my midwife found sugar in my urine so we just did the high protein breakfast and finger prick and hour later. I'm going to request the same thing this time around...we'll see if my OB will cooperate.

[leafwood]

This may be OT, but does anyone know the ingredients of glucola?

[bryonyvaughn]

Originally Posted by ShannaW

...in Vegas, they gave me the drink to take home and I just have to drink it 1 hour before my appt (while I'm driving the TWO hours to my appt!) and no other food from that point...

I'm sorry for ranting but I think this is so irresponsible. They are fortunate the test didn't negatively impact you. In vulnerable people Glucola will cause rapid swings in blood sugar which can cause mental fogginess, drowsiness, fainting, and even seizures. Mental fogginess, drowsiness, fainting, and convulsions ARE NOT SAFE in someone operating a motor vehicle on the public roadways. I think any HCPs who recommend people of unknown insulin response take Glucola while operating motor vehicles deserve to be sued and to lose their licenses.

Like I mentioned in the car seat and snowsuits thread, I worked for a physical medicine and rehabilitation, a hospital department who patient base was 1/3 crash victims. I have zero tolerance for professional (especially HCPs!) recklessly endangering public safety.

BV, who's stepping off her soapbox