16 wks and they want me to do a glucose test based on last pregnancy (which wasn't GD

[pumpkinsmama]

They want me to do a glucose test sometime soon, because I gained sooooooo much weight with DC#1 and he was "big" 9lbs 4 oz does not seem that big to me!!!

I have been doing really good comparitivally (sp?) this time. I only gained 4lbs between 9 and 16 wk apts.

I just want to see if there was any reason I should not take the test and ask what such a sugar rush does to the baby.

And sheesh! Jump the gun a little anyone???

[sophiamama]

Well, usually here they make you have one somewhere between 20-24 weeks anyway, I don't know what your dr usually does. Now, they make you have one at the very beginning and again later, which totally makes me mad.....I HATE taking those tests!

Interestingly though, I read a recent article about a study at Duke (I think?) University that found that if you didn't have GD in your first pregnancy you only had like a .3% chance of having it your second pregnancy. I'll have to look and see if I can find the link. It was an interesting article.

[BelgianSheepDog]

Hmm are you attached to these practitioners? Because if I were in your shoes I'd be looking for a new one. That sounds completely ridiculous to me.

If you want to stay with them and they insist you MUST get some kind of test, get a postprandial test or a random glucose test instead of the nasty glucola stuff. That's more accurate anyways.

[stayathomecristi]

I agree with you--sounds like jumping the gun to me! In any event, if you decide to stay with the practice, you can offer what I do (I won't do a GTT period--it just messes me up for 3 days since I'm not used to having all that sugar at one time in real life). I offer to eat a normal breakfast and if they want to take my blood an hour after I eat, no problem. If I truly had GD, I would think that a normal breakfast would elevate my blood sugar enough to show that.

JMHO and not to be taken as medical advice, but it's worked for me so far.

[maxmama]

The glucose challenge test is only validated for pregnancy when given between 24-28 weeks. Otherwise, it's not got data backing up its usefulness.

I'm high risk for GDM (my dad is diabetic and I have PCOS), so what my doc and I agreed on was that I would do a hemoglobin a1c to check my sugars over the past 12 weeks and a fasting glucose. Both were fine and the plan is to do a GTT at 24 weeks. I thought that was reasonable, since I am at high risk and did have a 3900 gram 36-weeker last time (though with negative glucose screens).

A baby over 9 pounds, even though it's not that big, is considered a risk factor for diabetes, both gestational and type II, so I think your provider is CYA a bit.

[BlissP]

I will be interested to see what my doc says. I had a raging case of GD last time - honestly I was 110% compliant with diet (honestly never cheated ever ever), and my insulin. Checked my blood sugars every time I was supposed to. Regardless of my efforts, it got so bad that ultimately they induced me early because of my wildly swinging sugars. Amazingly enough, I returned to normal within 24 hours of birth (that still amazes me.)

I am assuming I will have GD again, so I almost HOPE we can diagnose it early. My last baby was not overly large (7lbs, 7 oz) so that's good, but I would like to stave off that 60 lbs of weight gain I experienced last time (50 of which came BEFORE my diagnosis!!) I am eating my GD diet again, but I wonder if they can diagnose it any earlier in a case like mine?

Anyway, in YOUR case (sorry for the hijack), I do think it's a bit specious that they want to test so early. In fact, even in my case last time, I NEVER had sugars in my urine until like 30 weeks. So really, I just don't know what they think they will be able to prove, testing you this early, and your weight gain doesn't sound that remarkable...

I hope it all works out!

[boscopup]

I am eating my GD diet again, but I wonder if they can diagnose it any earlier in a case like mine?

I have a friend who was diagnosed with GD at 6 weeks! Totally shocked me. I'd never heard of it happening that early. Go figure. So I'd say the doc should be able to test you as early as he/she sees you, and if they don't, maybe even ask to be tested!

[pumpkinsmama]

Thanks all! Since it is a military hospital, I tend to distrust the doc's even more than normally! I am going to ask at my "final out" visit why they wanted me tested if there is only a .3% chance of GD with second baby and the test results aren't even validated until 24-28 weeks, just to see what they come up with. :lol The good thing is that I am changing hospitals anyway, since I'm moving. I am actually considering going to take the test, since it will get me out of an hour of work :lol and TBH I am just wiped out these days. I can use an hour of relaxing and reading magazines, even if it is in a waiting room! I won't ask for the other types of tests unless this comes back positive, then I definitely would. I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't anything unusual I haven't heard of yet that suggests it could be at all bad for baby.

(I am not on a no sugar/little sugar diet, so it won't really mess with me that much)

BlissP: In fact, even in my case last time, I NEVER had sugars in my urine until like 30 weeks. So really, I just don't know what they think they will be able to prove, testing you this early, and your weight gain doesn't sound that remarkable... Wow! What is the point really if they didn't diagnose you until 30 weeks??? This whole science of medicine thing makes me :lol I hope this one goes a lot easier and you blood sugar gives you credit for all that work following a strict diet!

[BlissP]

Wow! What is the point really if they didn't diagnose you until 30 weeks??? This whole science of medicine thing makes me :lol I hope this one goes a lot easier and you blood sugar gives you credit for all that work following a strict diet!

I totally get your distrust of the military medical services... I have heard some stories...

I was actually diagnosed a bit earlier (like 28 weeks) through the blood tests, but the urine tests didn't show anything until later...that's the way the disease can be sometimes. The longer I was pregnant, the worse it got, exponentially. Fortunately most people CAN control it with diet, so if you do have it, and you are already eating well, I bet you will be just fine!!! I doubt I can control mine with diet, but I take credit for my son's normal birth weight (whether that had anything to do with my good eating or not, I'm takin credit for it! :wink ) I really hope they will just find you don't have GD this time! Goodluck!

[BlissP]

I have a friend who was diagnosed with GD at 6 weeks! Totally shocked me. I'd never heard of it happening that early. Go figure. So I'd say the doc should be able to test you as early as he/she sees you, and if they don't, maybe even ask to be tested!

WOW - I have never heard of it! I am definitely going to ask at my first appointment!