Will you be getting tested for gestational diabetes? - Page 2

[bobandjess99]

Originally Posted by bryonyvaughn

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

i hear you! *IF* I didn't know anything, and if I were just blindly doing what some doctor told me to do, drinking a 50 gram slug of sugar would cause me to PASS OUT. This is actually HOW my diabetes got diagnosed. I was passing out in the afternoons after lunch. I really might have killled myself and/or other people n that situation, if I were driving. :

[feebeeglee]

Nope.

[rootzdawta]

Originally Posted by leafwood

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

As a matter of fact, I have the stuff right here. Here are the ingredients:
water, 50g dextrose (D-Glucose)(Source of dextrose: corn), Citric acid, natural flavoring, FD&C Yellow #6, Sodium Hexametaphoshate and 0.10% Sodium Benzoate as a preservative.

But hey, it's caffeine free and non-carbonated! :

Sheesh, I can't believe I drank this stuff the first time around! Glad that I know better this time.

My mw gave me a concoction to make at home so that we can test for GD without drinking the glucola. It is made with apricots, dates, banana and carob powder. Drink one hour before I get there. No fasting. No wild sugar surges. No headaches. Much, much, much better.

Thanks for all your resonses, ladies! Oh, and BV, I love reading your posts!

[g&a]

My MW doesn't do the standard test. You eat a good meal and then have your blood tested a specified amount of time later (when they're taking blood for other tests anyways). I can't see the harm in that kind of test.

My question is this: what happens if you do test positive - how will this affect you? What are the protocols you will be under? what are the risks? Those are the types of things I would want to know before agreeing to any testing. (I'm thinking about the GBS test, but will start another thread on that.)

g.

[Tiffany_PartyOf5]

We wont be.. we are having a UC and UP so I dont have to decline it lol.. I did it with each of my previous pregnancies because I didnt even think about how it could be a bad idea lol. With my first 2 it was with OB's and a nasty drink that tasted like very salty gatorade lmao.. with my 3rd, the midwife had be eat a specific breakfast on the day of... this time I just wont do it.

[rootzdawta]

Originally Posted by g&a

My question is this: what happens if you do test positive - how will this affect you? What are the protocols you will be under? what are the risks? Those are the types of things I would want to know before agreeing to any testing. (I'm thinking about the GBS test, but will start another thread on that.)

g.

I doubt that I will test positive but if I were to, I'd just change my diet and hopefully that would keep things under control. Beyond that, I guess it's just good to know.

[pampered_mom]

Nope - and this in spite of the fact that I have PCOS. My mw actually never tests for GD and the thought didn't even cross her mind in my case either. She did offer a meter if I wanted to check my own levels upon waking. 25 wks and it couldn't be the furthest thing from my mind.

Besides...I find myself more along the lines of Henci Goer when it comes to GD.

[secondintheoven]

I'm not sure yet. I had it done with my first pregnancy but now I'm going to a different midwife and have not discussed her method yet. I'll make my decision then. My next appt is in two weeks, we'll see what she says.

[neverdoingitagain]

I am, I don't know why, but I am. Well, ok, I am worried about my blood sugar, personally, otherwise I would forget about it. My mother was just recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and there is diabetes in my family history. I have a bit of hypoglycemia, soooo I'm concerned. But I have resources on hand that will help should I test positive.
I did fine the last time, I didn't realize until recently just how crappy the whole process can be.
Ugh, now I'm debating it. I feel like passing out after I have coffee with sugar, how am I going to react if I take that stuff?

[bryonyvaughn]

Originally Posted by neverdoingitagain

I am, I don't know why, but I am. Well, ok, I am worried about my blood sugar, personally, otherwise I would forget about it. My mother was just recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and there is diabetes in my family history. I have a bit of hypoglycemia, soooo I'm concerned. But I have resources on hand that will help should I test positive.
I did fine the last time, I didn't realize until recently just how crappy the whole process can be.
Ugh, now I'm debating it. I feel like passing out after I have coffee with sugar, how am I going to react if I take that stuff?

As you are someone with a family history of diabetes, who *has* sugar issues and reacts noticeably to the small amount of sugar in a cup of coffee, and is concerned about GC, I strongly urge you take charge of your health right now by monitoring your blood sugar with a glucometer. Regular testing will give you the information you need to develop a diet that is healthy *for you*. (The glycemic index is based on averages. Some foods [e.g. oatmeal] which beautifully stabilize the blood sugar levels of some, causes others to spike.)

Beyond that I just don't think the GTT is safe for anyone with proven sugar issues. With your hypoglycemia (which some folks consider pre-preDiabetes), your sensitivity to sweetened coffee *and* your being pregnant, I don't think any responsible HCP should ever give you a GTT.

BV, who really plans to get off her soap box soon

[neverdoingitagain]

Originally Posted by bryonyvaughn

As you are someone with a family history of diabetes, who *has* sugar issues and reacts noticeably to the small amount of sugar in a cup of coffee, and is concerned about GC, I strongly urge you take charge of your health right now by monitoring your blood sugar with a glucometer. Regular testing will give you the information you need to develop a diet that is healthy *for you*. (The glycemic index is based on averages. Some foods [e.g. oatmeal] which beautifully stabilize the blood sugar levels of some, causes others to spike.)

Beyond that I just don't think the GTT is safe for anyone with proven sugar issues. With your hypoglycemia (which some folks consider pre-preDiabetes), your sensitivity to sweetened coffee *and* your being pregnant, I don't think any responsible HCP should ever give you a GTT.

BV, who really plans to get off her soap box soon

What exactly is a glucometer? Is that the monitor where you give a fingertip sample?
For a long time now, I've been trying to pay attention to the glycemic index of foods. I found it really helped me just feel better, on a day to day basis. Its one of the reasons I eat so often
As for the hypoglycemia, apparently, its all in my head : I did have testing done, an my blood sugar is "just fine". Right... and I feel like crap, shaky, ready to pass out, and turn a sickly shade of white for absolutely NO reason.
I think I will forgo it, and talk to my doctor about other options. He's pretty umm... I can't say laid-back, but he's a little more receptive. He still bugs me every once in awhile about vaccinating, basically just asking why we chose not to. Hasn't asked about nursing for awhile I kinda think he's not sure what to do with me
Well, we'll see how it goes in couple weeks.

[bryonyvaughn]

Originally Posted by neverdoingitagain

What exactly is a glucometer? Is that the monitor where you give a fingertip sample?

Yes! You should be able to pick one up at your local pharmacy but if it's prescribed its cost might be covered by health insurance.

For a long time now, I've been trying to pay attention to the glycemic index of foods. I found it really helped me just feel better, on a day to day basis. Its one of the reasons I eat so often

Good! I wasn't trying to bash the glycemic index in my earlier post. I consider it a good tool for training people how to view food *but* they must always balance the index numbers with how their individual bodies respond to specific foods.

As for the hypoglycemia, apparently, its all in my head : I did have testing done, an my blood sugar is "just fine". Right... and I feel like crap, shaky, ready to pass out, and turn a sickly shade of white for absolutely NO reason.

As a CAM HCP I'd say your symptoms just shows you *do* have hypoglycemia which you should control through diet *and* the range for your hypoglycemia to be considered controlled is narrower than for the average person. I'm a big stickler for viewing the test results in light of the patient rather than seeing the patient in light of the test results.

I think I will forgo it, and talk to my doctor about other options. He's pretty umm... I can't say laid-back, but he's a little more receptive. He still bugs me every once in awhile about vaccinating, basically just asking why we chose not to. Hasn't asked about nursing for awhile I kinda think he's not sure what to do with me
Well, we'll see how it goes in couple weeks.

That sounds great. I would think *most* HCPs, having a patient express concern over the potential side effects over a test *while* offering to take responsibility for testing with more helpful results, would feel pretty good about helping out. That might get you a prescription for a glucometer and test strips covered by insurance.

Not that you asked but I'll pitch in the urine dipsticks they do on pregnant women are terribly insensitive on the sugar test. Just with a sniff I can pick out lots of false negatives which are later confirmed via a refractometer test of the urine or a blood prick test. Urine with sugar smells mildly of apple juice.

BV, who just 'fessed up to sniffing urine

[neverdoingitagain]

Originally Posted by bryonyvaughn

BV, who just 'fessed up to sniffing urine

: laughup
I won't tell :

[muttix2]

I have risk factors so I did it with both of my last. This time though, I don't want to do it and I'm going to ask my mw if she'd mind skipping it. I'll keep an eye out for symptoms but I didn't get it with my oldest and I gained 52 pounds with him (the most I've gained, I was eating for eight ) so I think I'm somewhat safe. I'm trying to avoid more tests this time, I hate them all. I already deny most of them but a few (like this one) I've done in the past.

[leafwood]

OK, I've decided not to do it. I have to call my MW in the morning and inform her and ask her how to proceed with finger pricking at home. I'll go get a glucometer (perhaps she will prescribe it) and I have a scheduled appointment with my endocrinologist (for thyroid stuff) a few days before my next MW appointment. I will go over what I get with him first.

Does anyone know what usual ranges for blood sugar would be with a finger prick or how I would go about monitoring? I feel like it's something you test in the morning (before eating) then right after a meal and a couple of hours after a meal throughout the day, but I'm not sure and I'm not sure how long I should do it for.

This whole thing is stressing me out, and I wish that there had been more of a discussion with my MW instead of the nurse handing me the lab order as I walked out.

[bryonyvaughn]

Originally Posted by leafwood

...Does anyone know what usual ranges for blood sugar would be with a finger prick or how I would go about monitoring? I feel like it's something you test in the morning (before eating) then right after a meal and a couple of hours after a meal throughout the day, but I'm not sure and I'm not sure how long I should do it for.

Often doctors will recommend someone just starting out to test upon waking, before each meal, and one to two hours after each meal. Targets are...

• First morning: < 95
• One hour after meals: < 140
• Two hours after meals: < 120

If you test out in the normal range you can give the results to your HCP and stop testing if you so please. If you're reactive to your normal diet you should consider continuing to test to tweak your diet to stabilize blood glucose levels and minimize symptoms. Some folks do better at the lower end of average, some higher, and others across a much narrower range. Monitoring yourself and observing your symptoms should show you that. With time you might be able to stop monitoring altogether or just when you suspect something's up (or down as the case may be!)

~BV

[*knittingmomma*]

I will most likely not. My midwife only does it if she has a reason to suspect something's going on. Then, she'll send me out for a specific breakfast rather than the glucose drink. I took the test when pregnant with dd and I felt awful after it.

[Shefalismommy]

My husband has type 1 diabetes so I'll probably check my sugar on his meter in the morning. I know I don't have it, but I don't mind checking for my OB's sake. I don't want to waste time witht he sugar drink test. Poor guy has to prick and take insulin, and all i have to do is prick myself once.

When my husband was diagnosed with type 1, they had him drink the drink and it raised his sugar to over 600! Dangerously high, we were furious. It was obvious he had diabetes, I don't know why they did that to him. If you are at risk, ask your midwife to do a fasting finger prick in the morning--NOT the sugar drink.

[happymomma]

Nope. No test for me this time around. I do have a glucose monitor at home that I might use to check sugars after a normal meal here and there but no formal test.

[matey]

i did it on tuesday, and I didnt have any problems. I got to spend an hour reading a book while I waited on my blood draw and then I was out the door.