They gave me the glucose test to take home

651 Views 9 Replies 8 Participants Last post by MsGrizzle, Apr 6, 2006

Maxine45

Discussion Starter · Apr 5, 2006

Today the OB told me it's time to take the glucose test.
She gave me the little bottle of syrup to bring home, and sometime in the next 2 weeks I have to drink it, then get to the lab within 1 hour so they can draw my blood.
I know a lot of you refuse it, but I figure I might as well cooperate on this one. They're not making me fast or anything really terrible like that.
In fact, the directions say I can eat some protein up to 30 minutes prior to drinking it.
What I'm wondering is, how would I take it to really get the most accurate gauge of whatever the heck it's supposed to be measuring?
Does anyone know?

Or should I just accidentally spill it down the drain on the way to the lab?

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MrsHenderson

· #2 · Apr 5, 2006

I don't think there's any reason to skip the test... unless I'm missing something. All it is is a test for gestational diabetes, a problem that can occur during pregnancy. There are few symptoms, so testing is the only way to find out if you have it.

My directions said to drink it in 5 minutes and have your blood drawn exactly 1 hr. after you FINISH. Also, I think it said not to eat any sugar or drink juice in the morning - my appt. was at 9 am so that was easy enough.

I passed

Good luck!

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sewaneecook

· #3 · Apr 5, 2006

I've heard both that it is best to carbo load and to eat light on the carbs 3 days prior to taking the test. The carbo load idea is to get your glycogen stores up so that you digest the sugar more easily and the idea behind heavy protein/light carbs is that you don't overload your system with sugar. I don't know which one is the more accurate one or the one that helps you to pass the test better ... anyone else know? I've decided to take a version of the test, but it doesn't involve the glucola, just eating a normal breakfast. I figured that will give a more accurate portrayal of how I normally eat.

ETA: I have heard of people drinking only half the drink and the rest got dumped down the drain ... but that's up to you!

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~pi

· #4 · Apr 6, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxine45
What I'm wondering is, how would I take it to really get the most accurate gauge of whatever the heck it's supposed to be measuring?
Does anyone know?

Or should I just accidentally spill it down the drain on the way to the lab?

It's supposed to be measuring your glycemic response to a fast-acting carbohydrate load.

The issue is that due to the placenta and fast-growing babe, insulin resistance starts happening around 22-28 weeks. Insulin is sort of the "key" that opens the doors for the body's cells to burn glucose for energy. Insulin resistance is when the cells cannot use insulin as well as they are supposed to.

For most women, the resistance is not a problem -- their pancreas just pumps out more insulin as needed. However, some women's pancreases just can't keep up. This is more likely if the woman has type 2 diabetes in her family. Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes, and it is marked by insulin resistance (sometimes called "pre-diabetes"). The tendency towards insulin resistance has a strong genetic component. Some people eat horribly and have no problems, others drew the short straw in the genetic lottery, eat well and still end up with GD and/or type 2.

I know there is controversy over both the test and the concept of GD. For example, for someone who eats a great diet with few simple carbs, the test would be an unrealistic scenario of what their body deals with regularly. And if they were to be diagnosed, the treatment for GD would be to just keep doing what they're doing anyway, so there is no real difference, but now they have this diagnosis that may mean that they risk out of some of their birth preferences.

OTOH, there is pretty good evidence that persistent high blood sugars during pregnancy do carry risks for the babe. If it were me, I would want to know how my body does under normal circumstances (i.e. not trying to rig it so I "pass") but keep in mind that I have type 1 diabetes, so I am pretty biased on the issue.

As far as dumping the syrup or only drinking half, honestly, if you're going to go to the trouble of having your blood drawn, I would do the test properly. The only exception IMHO would be if you aren't comfortable refusing the test outright.

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OhMeOhMy

· #5 · Apr 6, 2006

I just had my one hour test and I am going in next week for the three hour test, as my results came back high. I was not warned about the first test, I had just gone in and they said "oh time for the glucose test", so I had had breakfast an hour earlier (including a LARGE juice). This time they told me that you are supposed to fast from 9 PM the night before until the test at 8:30 AM the next day. This includes EVERYTHING according to the nurse (food, water and even my precious tums!!!!). I would call and double check with your doc for his/her requirements. GL!

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Maxine45

Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 6, 2006

thanks Pi, that helps me understand.
I don't want to rig it, or cheat it, I just want to do it right so it can measure what it's supposed to measure.
I don't know if I should have a chicken breast ahead of time, or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich . . .

I never drink soda or eat lots of sugar so it's going to be really gross trying to choke that down, but I want to allow it to measure what it's supposed to be measuring.

Nobody in my family lines has ever had diabetes that I know of, so I don't feel that I'm at a particularly high risk, though I am overweight.

And to MeOhMy, I'd be quite shocked if they just sprang that on me like they did to you! I was hoping to get away without anyone noticing me, but I guess they're on the ball with their procedures and systems, so I have to take the test afterall.

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turtlemama77

· #7 · Apr 6, 2006

I got to take mine home too, and I thought it was so weird. The clinic I went to with dd#1 had me drink the stuff at the clinic, and then I had to sit around there for an hour. They wouldn't let me leave. Haha, so maybe the first clinic was the weird place!

My appointment for the blood draw isn't until late afternoon though...should I be watching what I eat during the day? They didn't say anything about fasting.

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bass chick

· #8 · Apr 6, 2006

I took this test with pg#1. I went to a lab that was connected to a mall with the intention of drinking the drink and then browsing for an hour. I was informed that I had to SIT STILL for the whole hour as any activity at all changes your body's response to the sugar and you get an inaccurate reading. Phooey. I passed the test, but I had such a sugar crash when I left the lab that I thought I was going to pass out. I think I will opt out of the test this time as I have a toddler and there is no way that I can sit still in a lab with him for a whole freakin' hour. It surprises me that one lab would say you can drink it at home and come in an hour later, while another lab says you can't hardly move at all for that hour.

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sewaneecook

· #9 · Apr 6, 2006

Quote:

It surprises me that one lab would say you can drink it at home and come in an hour later, while another lab says you can't hardly move at all for that hour.

I don't think there are any standards across the board for what is to be done and not to be done. That's one reason why a lot of women opt out of it. Different standards mean skewed results!

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MsGrizzle

· #10 · Apr 6, 2006

Quote:

OTOH, there is pretty good evidence that persistent high blood sugars during pregnancy do carry risks for the babe.

FYI -There was quite a bit of discussion on this on another board. According to the research the outcomes for the baby are the same regardless of whether the mother is treated or not. The biggest outcome seems to be higher (unnecessary) c-section rates once a woman is tagged with this (mostly due to induction due to fear of big babies). I believe a search on Henci Goer and GD would pull up a lot of the research - just in case I remembered any of this incorrectly!

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