[DreamerMama]

Long story short, failed my one hour glucose test. I asked my midwife if I could wait a couple of weeks to see if I could lower my sugar naturally before I take the 3 hour. She won't do it.

She says that if I don't take the 3 hour now I must take the acu check home and test four times a day for two weeks. I am really frustrated. All she said was that it would put me at too much risk for complications. Not sure how?

All I know is that I have heard that the glucose test is very unreliable. Your blood sugar can also be elevated by meds and other things as well.

My midwife has me in a tough spot, if I don't do this she will send me to an OB. I just can't handle that.

My one hour blood test only came back at a 148 and has to be under 130. I have only gained 6 lbs so far in this pregnancy.

So, does anyone know of any info I could print and try and change her mind before I go in this afternoon to get the acu check?

I would appreciate it.

Jenny

 

[Quirky]

This may help:

Henci Goer on gestational diabetes

Another Henci Goer on managing GD

I would seriously consider this a sign that she is a medwife, not a midwife, and consider whether you want to birth with her. Is this a sign of interventions and a medicalistic approach to come?

Are you eating the Brewer diet? www.blueribbonbaby.org

HTH!

 

[pamamidwife]

I agree!

The evidence is clear that the GTT does NOT accurately predict which women have true issues with blood sugar in pregnancy.

An easier - and more accurate - way to really tell is to use the glucometer - fasting (when you first wake up) and two hours after eating.

 

[DreamerMama]

"I would seriously consider this a sign that she is a medwife, not a midwife, and consider whether you want to birth with her. Is this a sign of interventions and a medicalistic approach to come?"

Actually, it really suprised me that she is being so persistant about it. I had my last one child her and I failed both glucose tests then as well. I ended up using the glucometer four times a day and following a strict diet for three months. I never had my blood sugar above a 110. It makes me curious to know if I did that all for nothing. Because, it sure hurt and sure took a lot of time (time I don't have now). So, did I ever really have GD to begin with or is the testing not acurate?

I don't have any other choice but to use this midwife. She is the only one here in this town. My other option would be to go to an OB.

"Are you eating the Brewer diet?"

Very close to it.

I went and picked up the glucometer today and threw a min fit (I know, real mature). I ended up not saying two words to her and stomping out.The fact that she wouldn't even discuss it made me really angry. The fact that she won't give me two weeks to get the meds out of my system and start exersizing...well, it just made me really angry! She didn't even have the decency to talk to me about it on the phone she had a nurse relay my info to her and her info to me. Really made me angry!

Honestly, I feel like if I have to deal with this kind of BS I should just go to a regular OB.

 

[Quirky]

What a bummer situation.

What meds are you on, and do they have a side effect of raising blood sugar? If so, I think she's being totally unreasonable.

What will happen if you don't go along with her protocol - will she fire you as a patient? Can you give her the Henci Goer articles and say you want to discuss them before proceeding with a course of action?

Did you like her the last time around?

Maybe there is an OB out there who would be better....tough situation.

 

[Waterdrinker]

I, too, just failed my 1hour test. 150 - over by 10 points. Now I have to or it is suggested that I take the 3 hours test. So after a 12 hour fast + the 3 hours test, that's 15 hours without food! When I said this to the midwife (in an OB practice) she didn't even realize that it was 15 hours without food. Duh! I know how I get after not eating for 3 hours - disoriented and *itchy. How can that be healthy?

Sure, I've had some cookies this pregnancy and have gained 20 pounds at 28 weeks. It's my third pregnancy (second ended in m/c at 12 weeks) I know women tend to be bigger with second pregnancy. I don't fit the "profile" of gb women who lend to be overweight to begin with. However, I do eat rather well compared to the "normal" people out there stuffing themselves with fast food. I also have very high standards - good diet = all organic, which I don't do yet.

I do have some choices:
1. get the 3 hour test done to prove that I don't have gd or get stuck with a gd diagnosis and risk all the interventions at birth
2. retake the 1 hour test and pray for a good result
3. refuse more testing and deal with the consequences
4. get a glucometer and monitor at home - will midwife believe my testing results?
5. start the "restrictive" diet now without further testing.

I have to admit that I'm embarassed at the result. Here I am "Miss Perfect Pregnancy" "Miss Research Everything" and I now I may have / get labeled with gd. I know it sounds crazy to be embarassed that my test came back a little high. I just feel like I've done something wrong. Am I just a worry wart and hormonially nuts?

What should I do?

 

[Sustainer]

Can I just vent for a minute here? I went for my one token visit with a CNM to get my name in her computer just in case I have to transfer to the hospital, and to have some bloodwork done (my homebirth Midwife and this CNM have an arrangement). Anyway, the woman who took my blood was absolutely insisting that I had to have a glucose test. I said, "no, I don't want one," and she kept insisting, "you HAVE to have one... you have no choice! It's either now or in two weeks... it's absolutely unavoidable!" blah, blah, blah. There was no arguing with her, so I finally just said "in two weeks then -- not now" so she went to check with the nurse to "make sure that was okay" and then she finally took my blood. As I left she said, "I'll see you in two weeks!" (uh, huh... whatever). Then, when I saw the CNM (I had the blood test first) she looked at my chart and said "you don't want the glucose test?" and I said "no" and she said "that's fine."

I'm telling you! That woman's attitude really ticked me off! She was really acting like I was going to be arrested or something if I tried to get out of the glucose test. Excuse me but it is my body and I can refuse any test I damn well please!

I actually hope this woman remembers me and notices that she never sees me again, but she probably has too many patients.

*whew* Okay, thanks for letting me vent!

 

[Colorful~Mama]

not pregnant anymore and nak but had to say this.

we had the same issue with my MEDwife. i failed the one hour. fasted from 10pm till the test at 7am and for the three hours of the test which is INSANE. read the henci goer article

and then BULK UP ON COMPLEX CARBS. i'm serious. everything i've read and heard says this'll basically make sureyou pass. worked for me. i ate a ton of brown rice the night before adn basically cut out all sugar. i had a week before the 3 hour, so i cut out all sweets and severely limited my fruit. i ate alot of protein and complex carbs and then carb loaded the day before the test

passed with flying colors
good luck

 

[Waterdrinker]

Colorful-Mama...

I think I'll try your strategy. Will have to schedule 3 hour next Friday right before my next prenatal appointment. Will be extra careful this coming week.

 

[Mothra]

Honestly, I would refuse to do it. If she won't care for you anymore, find a sympathetic ob (there are obs out there that do not buy the GD myth) or do a UC. I refused to do any screening at all with my second pregnancy and with this one. (This is my third child.) My ob last time was okay with it, and the ob I was seeing this time wanted a fasting blood sugar check and wanted to do a few finger sticks in the office, which I consented to, but I know that I would have refused any treatment for GD. The midwives I've interviewed with this week, four so far, have all applauded me for refusing the screening. They actually recommend that unless you have some reason to think that you might be at risk-- family members with true diabetes, sister that has had true GD (that had to be controlled with insulin), that you do not do the screening. There are few ways to put yourself at higher risk for being labeled "high risk" and at risk for an induction or c-section than to be diagnosed with GD.

If your number had been really high, I would suggest that you take the GTT and go from there, but it sounds to me like a fluke. How far along are you all? Remember that the later in pregnancy you are, the higher your blood sugar levels are going to be when taking these tests. They are most accurate early in pregnancy, but that isn't saying a lot.

You ALWAYS have a choice. They cannot force you to do anything. Refusing screening for GD is not against the law.

 

[Boobiemama]

I am supposed to be taking the 1 hour soon. I am about 17 weeks, and my dr is doing it early since I had probelms spilling sugar in all my past pregnancies, and have already done it a couple times this preg.

ABout colorful mamas carb loading.... you say this will make you pass the test. But what if you are really diabetic?

I do want to take the test, as I am overweight, and have a family history of diabetes. Is there a way that the test will come out negative, evenif you are diabetic?

And I heard you shouldnt change your diet, etc before the test. You should continue to eat as you normally would because you want a clear picture of what your body is doing.

Now in the case of a borderline reading, I would refuse the 3 hour, I did that once. Also, they have raised the max level since my first pregnancy 10 years ago, so you coudl actually test higher, but you are ok.
I was 2 points over the limit one time and I think that is rediculous.

I'm curious though over true diabetes undiagnosed until pregnancy. Is this common, or should I not worry about it?

 

[hypatia]

Quote:

Originally posted by Waterdrinker . I do have some choices: 1. get the 3 hour test done to prove that I don't have gd or get stuck with a gd diagnosis and risk all the interventions at birth 2. retake the 1 hour test and pray for a good result 3. refuse more testing and deal with the consequences 4. get a glucometer and monitor at home - will midwife believe my testing results? 5. start the "restrictive" diet now without further testing. What should I do?

I was in a similar situation (failed my GCT with a 138) and decided to take the GTT just to avoid the hassle of a high-risk diagnosis and all the accompanying interventions they would try. I figured I would rather pick my battles, and that I could make it easier for myself later on if I agreed.

I also started controlling my carb intake, just as a precaution. Those 2 weeks on the atkins diet 5 years ago have come in handy, for being aware of carbs!

I know what you mean about feeling like your failing the glucose test is a reflection on you -- that's how I felt, too.

Boobie Mama: The whole reason that they make such a big deal out of the glucose tests is that there was a lot of undiagnosed GD out there, which can cause lots of problems. Therefore, I think that if you're going to refuse the tests it's good to be on a diet that controls your sugar level. That's probably the healthy thing, anyway.

 

[Electra375]

My mom has type II diabetes, but you'd never know it now by any blood test.
There is a blood test, the most accurate, called a 3 month test. It test your blood levels over the long haul, instead of just 1 hour or 3 hours.
I was scared into the Glucose test with #1 after initially refusing. I refused with #2 and I'll more than likely refuse with #3. I've had large babies, above average weight gains, and not due to GD.
On another note, I drive 52 miles to my doctor's office b/c my insurance is not accepted at the hospital 7 minutes from my house. So, it's doable to find another midwife even if it means driving to another town. (a homebirth might just happen oops)