Failed the 1 hour glucose test... any tips??

smeep · Dec 6, 2010

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(I posted this in my DDC but figured I should post it here as well.)
 
I failed the 1 hour.

My midwife wants me to go in on Monday and do the 3 hour. She said to eat nothing after midnight and then we'll do the fasting draw and the glucose draw and all that jazz. She said that for 3 days prior to the test that I should eat a lot of complex carbs (whole grains, potatoes, beans, rice, etc.), and obviously to not eat any candy, sodas, cake, ice cream, etc., lol. 
 
Any other tips??? Anything else I should avoid or eat a lot of? I'm definitely planning to be stocking up on the salad!!! She said my number was 150 and that she prefers to keep it under 130. Is 150 really bad or is it generally considered more borderline?
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FoxintheSnow · Dec 6, 2010

I don't know. They keep changing the numbers. When I had my first 7 years ago the number was under 160. Then when I had my second the number was under 140. Now they are saying 130. They keep lowering it.

gemasita · Dec 6, 2010

Yeah, my midwife said for fasting, some say 100 and some say 95 or 90! Good grief! For one hour, my midwife said 140 and the family practice said 130. UGH!
 
I ate only eggs and water for bf the morning of my one-hour and ate them in the parking lot to make sure the protein and fat could help my body process the sugar slowly. And I passed easily. Fasting, I don't know what would have happened.
 
I'm not sure about the complex carbs....seems like you would want to eat plenty of fat and protein and really limit ALL carbs. But I hear something different from everyone.

smeep · Dec 6, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by gemasita <a href="/community/forum/thread/1283838/failed-the-1-hour-glucose-test-any-tips#post_16097166"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a> I'm not sure about the complex carbs....seems like you would want to eat plenty of fat and protein and really limit ALL carbs. But I hear something different from everyone.
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 She said because she didn't want the sugar to shock my system. Though this is the 3 hour so it's a LOT more glucose than the 1 hour.

heavensearth · Dec 6, 2010

I just found out today that I failed the 1 hour test (im only 10 weeks along, but we were testing early because of a family history). My doctor said that I am very slightly over (0.4, I think our numbers are different here in Canada) but he wants to do the 3 hour test tomorrow.
He gave me the same info about fasting, not even water.
 
This is kinda freaking me out! I really didnt expect this at all..

javilu · Dec 7, 2010

Generally, women should do a 3-day carbo load before the 3-hour test. Scroll around here for the thread on it. I would look into postponing the 3-hour until you are able to do that.

javilu · Dec 7, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by smeep <a href="/community/forum/thread/1283838/failed-the-1-hour-glucose-test-any-tips#post_16097174"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-bottom:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-right:0px solid;"></a> <div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by gemasita <a href="/community/forum/thread/1283838/failed-the-1-hour-glucose-test-any-tips#post_16097166"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-bottom:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-right:0px solid;"></a> I'm not sure about the complex carbs....seems like you would want to eat plenty of fat and protein and really limit ALL carbs. But I hear something different from everyone.
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 She said because she didn't want the sugar to shock my system. Though this is the 3 hour so it's a LOT more glucose than the 1 hour.
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Generally speaking, the woman is supposed to "carbo-load" for several days before a GTT. This apparently stimulates her body to produce more insulin and be more prepared for the overload of the 100g test. However, many doctors do not instruct their patients on this at all, and some even forget to tell the patient to fast ahead of time. In addition, even those who tell their patients to carbo-load do not give consistent advice. Some give a specific diet to follow, specifying exactly how many extra carbs to eat and when (usually >150g--10 servings or more--of carbs per day; remember that carbs in this case includes all starches, fruits, sweets, and dairy products). On the other hand, other doctors just tell the woman to eat a few extra servings of carbs 1-2 days before the test. Be sure to press your doctor for more details on this and question your care closely if the doctor seems careless in attitude towards the test protocols. The official recommendation is to carbo-load for at least 3 days before the test, but since many doctors do not follow this, the lack of uniform testing conditions is a major criticism of this test.
 
Exercise also improves your levels of insulin sensitivity, so exercising for several days before the test could theoretically improve your results if you were borderline, although longer-term exercise is usually required for significant effect. Since you want to have ACCURATE test results based on your NORMAL habits, it is probably not a good idea to increase your exercise pattern significantly, though the official recommendations do not recommend restricting activity either. You want your true test results to reflect the conditions you live under on a regular, daily basis so a one-time sudden surge in exercise is not a good idea and smacks of trying to artificially 'fool' the test. If you do already exercise regularly, then you should continue in your normal patterns but not restrict activity.
 
For the fasting draw (before drinking the glucola), you should have about 10 hours of fasting overnight. If you have less than 8 hours, your bG may still be elevated from food the night before. If you have more than 12-14 hours, your bG may have dipped so low that the body needed to access other bodily sources of energy and the number may be falsely high as a result. Different providers recommend different fasting intervals, but the most common recommendations seem to be 9-10 hours. It may be very important to keep within this time window. Consult your provider.
 
You should probably eat a small bedtime snack, one that contains protein, shortly before starting your fast. This will hopefully keep your body from dipping too low between your last meal and your fasting test. For example, if your last meal is at 6 p.m. the night before and you do not test until 8 a.m. the next morning, your fasting interval will be 14 hours, and your body may already have had to access other sources of energy and your readings may be falsely high. So try to eat a small snack with protein about 9-12 hours before your test is scheduled in the morning. Protein is important because it slows down the absorption of carbohydrates, giving you a more consistent and long-term supply of energy. Otherwise, you may get a quick spike, then a crash, and then another spike as the body compensates for the lack of energy. 
 
(excerpted from: <a href="http://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org/gd/gd_testing.htm" target="_blank">http://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org/gd/gd_testing.htm</a>)

heavensearth · Dec 7, 2010

javilu, thanks for all the info! my doctor didnt say anything about carb loading, wouldnt that skew the results? If I do end up have GD, I want to know, its not worth putting my baby at risk. I will ask him about carb loading when we go over the results in two weeks.

javilu · Dec 7, 2010

if anything, i think taking 100g of glucose at once and then sitting around for three hours gives a skewed result in terms of not really representing the way your body works, but whatev. =D

heavensearth · Dec 7, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by javilu <a href="/community/forum/thread/1283838/failed-the-1-hour-glucose-test-any-tips#post_16098145"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-bottom:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-right:0px solid;"></a> if anything, i think taking 100g of glucose at once and then sitting around for three hours gives a skewed result in terms of not really representing the way your body works, but whatev. =D
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I dunno, if I was to go to a movie and have pop, wouldn't that be the same thing?
 
Either way, I will be asking my doctor about carb loading and if that is something I should have done before the test. I got my result of the first test this afternoon and they already have me scheduled for the 3 hour tomorrow morning, sure didn't give me a lot of time for research!!!

javilu · Dec 7, 2010

That's a good point. If you would normally consume it, then it's likely less of a shock. Good luck!

NicaG · Dec 7, 2010

I've taken the GTT 3-hour test about 5 times (including once last week). I've had gd with two pregnancies. I don't know if there's much you can do to "optimize" your results. Exercise lowers blood sugar levels generally--you could try going for a brisk walk before you go in for your first (fasting) blood draw. You could eat a high-protein snack the night before. In the end, probably none of this is going to move you over into the "passing" range if there's truly a problem. The test is meant to screen for gestational diabetes, and if you have it, it's good to know and to treat it appropriately. Gd is not much fun, but in some ways I'm glad I had it because I've learned a lot about nutrition, I've had an advanced warning about my own predisposition to actual diabetes so I can make lifestyle changes. And I got great, personalized medical care when I was pregnant. Good luck!

myk · Dec 7, 2010

i get a good result when i DON'T eat a ton of carbs.. i mean yes, eat carbs, but focus VERY MUCH on low-glycemic carbs and eating plenty of protein. it appears to have a good effect on glycemic volatility in my case, and i passed the big test with flying colours twice

my doc was completely convinced i'm diabetic, but i guess not!

smeep · Dec 7, 2010

<div> <div class="quote-container" style="margin-top:5px;margin-right:20px;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:20px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;">Quote:
<div class="quote-block" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:3px;padding-right:3px;padding-bottom:3px;padding-left:3px;border-top-width:1px;border-right-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;border-left-width:1px;border-top-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-bottom-style:solid;border-left-style:solid;border-top-color:rgb(217,218,216);border-right-color:rgb(217,218,216);border-bottom-color:rgb(217,218,216);border-left-color:rgb(217,218,216);background-color:rgb(234,235,233);">Originally Posted by javilu <a href="http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1283838/failed-the-1-hour-glucose-test-any-tips#post_16098043" style="color:rgb(96,73,154);"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-top-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-bottom-style:solid;border-left-style:solid;"></a> (excerpted from: <a href="http://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org/gd/gd_testing.htm" style="color:rgb(96,73,154);" target="_blank">http://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org/gd/gd_testing.htm</a>)
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Thank you! VERY helpful!!! 
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 <div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by NicaG <a href="/community/forum/thread/1283838/failed-the-1-hour-glucose-test-any-tips#post_16098381"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a> In the end, probably none of this is going to move you over into the "passing" range if there's truly a problem.
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This is what I have pretty much figured...so I'm just crossing my fingers that changing my diet for the next week will make me pass. If that's the case, then I can blame it on the sugary kid cereal I lived off of the day before! (<img alt="duck.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/duck.gif">Hush...cereal was all I could tolerate, the sugary kid cereal was the only stuff around because it's not my house, and I wasn't thinking...and, because I never eat it, I did enjoy it. <img alt="lol.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/lol.gif"> Forgive me?)
 
 
 <div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by myk <a href="/community/forum/thread/1283838/failed-the-1-hour-glucose-test-any-tips#post_16098524"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a> i get a good result when i DON'T eat a ton of carbs.. i mean yes, eat carbs, but focus VERY MUCH on low-glycemic carbs and eating plenty of protein. it appears to have a good effect on glycemic volatility in my case, and i passed the big test with flying colours twice

my doc was completely convinced i'm diabetic, but i guess not!
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What is an example of low glycemic carbs? I know a lot about a lot of stuff but, I'll admit, carbs/sugars just confuse the crap out of me and I honestly haven't sat down and taken the time to really explain it to myself.

NicaG · Dec 7, 2010

As a purely practical tip, bring a straw to the test! Makes chugging that sugar water so much easier.

heavensearth · Dec 7, 2010

I went for what I thought was the 3 hour test today, but it was only 2 hours. The drink was so disgusting!!!! I dont drink pop, but I think that even a pop drinker would be grossed out by it! bleh! glad its over

JFTB1177 · Dec 7, 2010

Hey good luck with your 3-he test! I failed my 1-hr glucose too and have yet to schedule my 3-hr lol. I have an OB appt today so I will see if they say anything about me not having taken it yet. Btw, my # was 161. I had a long thread on here about it a few weeks ago.

smeep · Dec 7, 2010

I actually don't find the drink to be that disgusting. I surely wouldn't choose to drink it on my own but it doesn't make me puke either and I've had a very "sensitive" pregnancy in regards to food this time around. <img alt="shrug.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/shrug.gif">
 
JFTB1177 - hahaha, that's funny! I assume since it's an OB appointment you're far more likely to be "forgotten" about...not to say all OB's suck, but they do tend to take on a LOT more patients than my midwife (she takes on 6 EDDs a month) and so it's a lot easier to slip through the cracks, which can really come in handy sometimes. <img alt="winky.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/winky.gif">

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