1 hour glucose test

[krsweetpea]

Do you have any advice on the 1 hour glucose test? My dr told me to avoid sweets and carbs. I am apprehensive because I've been dry heaving a lot this weekend. I go in at 2:30 pm tomorrow. Thanks!

[AnneCan]

No advice, just a big hug. I've been dreading having to do this in a few weeks. I've heard that some docs allow people to eat and others tell them to fast. I had to fast overnight and then do it in the morning last time. I'm soooooo not looking forward to it (have to do mine in the next 2-6 weeks). If you can just make it to the end of the test so they can get blood, you can vomit after that if you need to, otherwise you'll have to repeat it.

ugh. good luck...lots of deep breathing

[nukuspot]

Is it mandatory? I decline it, I sign a piece of paper saying I understand the risks of declining, my midwife puts it in my chart, that's it....Unless you have a history of GD or any of the risk factors it shouldn't be mandatory.

[katiediloreto]

No, it's not mandatory (they can't force you to do ANY test). I thought about declining it because I didn't think the outcome really mattered (I thought that it just meant big baby... big deal). But I asked around and researched a bit, and with GD I probably wouldn't be able to have the natural water birth I want because of the possible complications of a large baby and I didn't want to take the risk. For some people it might not matter though.

I have mine in 2 weeks and i'm SO not looking forward to it either. I looked at how much sugar is in it, and I can honestly say that it doesn't seem like that much compared to what's in pop? Can't I just have a delicious freezing cold orange soda instead of the icky stuff? I don't get it.

Also, my doc said to eat what I eat normally before the test, just don't over-do it. Doesn't that make more sense than altering your diet? I guess i'm a little uneducated on the topic.

[krsweetpea]

Thanks all! I am going to attempt the test. I think different drs say different things about what to eat. From what I gather the protein advice is so I don't eat something super sugary before I go in thus skewing the results where I have to do the 3 hour test. I'm not really sure. Looking it up online, I've seen eat normally, fast completely, and avoid sugars/carbs. Since I'm feeling super nauseous today, I'll probably end up heavier on protein because sweets make me more nauseous anyway.

[krsweetpea]

I survived it... Praying I don't need the 3 hour test. I would encourage those of you with it coming up to decline it unless you have risk factors.

[nukuspot]

I'm planning a natural water birth as well and my MW is OK with me declining it. She was fine with it last time too. So I think it's probably different comfort level of individual providers whether you can decline it or not...It's worth asking!

[krsweetpea]

I agree it is really worth asking about. I felt awful while I waited and for a while after being done. If hg wasn't pretty "mild" at this point, I couldn't have kept it in. I am seeing an Ob and should have asked about declining it sooner. I also will be having an unmedicated birth, we have limited options in my town so I am with an Ob and will birth at hospital. probably worth having gd ruled out since I may have to fight for what I want anyway, especially since there is a history of large babies in my family.

[eliana1300]

I probably will decline it or ask for a different way to test. I have heard of some women here using jelly beans for the test (they tell you how many depending on your weight--if you find a decent flavor you can handle). I would probably offer to test 4 times a day to make sure my sugars weren't above normal. I know a little bit about diabetes because DH is diabetic and his mother had GD that never went away. I know my sugars are typically low, and I checked them a few times while I was pg because I was concerned about going too low (during some of my fasting points of HG). They thought my mother had GD because I was such a big baby, but seriously, she didn't. Since my mom didn't have it, and I didn't have it with one pg, I would decline to have it done again with my next pg (when/if).

[slterwil]

In addition to the jelly bean test there is also the finger prick option over a couple days and you keep track. The drink is not absolutely necessary. I was miserable when I did it my first HG pregnancy. Second time around, we were still getting the HG under control and the doc told me that I wasn't going to take it. I didn't even have to beg. When our diets are so limited as it is during HG, it's not like GD would have changed anything for me.

[krsweetpea]

Thanks! If I find out I didn't pass, I'm going to ask to do finger sticks instead of the 3 hour test:)

[daisyfairside2012]

I always have to chime in on GD conversations, lol. I had GD with my first pregnancy. I was 25, had a BMI of 18, weighed all of 95 lbs at 5' 2" prior to the pregnancy, and NO family history or symptoms. And I had raging gestational diabetes. We were barely able to treat it with diet and exercise. There is more risk beyond a large baby ... baby's kidneys can be damaged if there is untreated GD, as can other vital organs. My daughter was born hypoglycemic and required treatment at birth. I also required a glucose drip during delivery or I may have had additional complications from my blood sugars crashing while in L&D.

My present OB (I am on my third pregnancy) stated that she feels my particular case of GD was caused by hyperemesis and the unstable blood sugars that came from being unable to eat regular meals and the other issues presented by constant vomiting/dehydration. I believe she is right. My second pregnancy the HG was better controlled, and I did NOT develop diabetes.

Totally not saying this to frighten anyone, but just as a cautionary tale. I completely get just how much the GTT test sucks - I had to have it every six weeks second preg and usually puked in the lab only to return the next day, and the next day after to try again. The lab did offer me other options (FOODMENT jelly beans and coke, namely END FOODMENT) and that helped a little. Your other option is to get a monitor and do some random draws at home and chart your readings. But GD can be very serious.

((Hugs)) to those of you going through the test and good luck.

[Kalanit]

I hated the GD test. Took me 5 tries to keep the drink down (5 days). The nurse who administered it (I like to call her the evil nurse) kept telling me that if I could muster enough determination to keep it down, then it would stay down. Did she really think I liked having to come in every day when I barley had energy to get out of bed most days????? Thankfully it came out okay, but if I have another hg pregnancy I may seriously consider declining the test. Hopefully your test came out okay!!

[Hinano]

I think testing with finger prick blood glucose monitor and keeping a track over 4 days would be much easier and give you a good idea of how you are really going. drinking a huge amount of sugar and then seeing how your body copes is not really a good idea when you have HG in my mind.

[godswillseeker]

I have only had one pregnancy were I was able to do the test for GD. My last pregnancy my md would not let me out of it and it was absolutely horrible. I managed to keep it down but I paid for it the rest of the day. This time I am not as well as I was my last pregnancy there is no way I could keep it down this time. I will be declining the test and thankfully my md will allow me to decline seeing that I have no history of GD. If they is an alternative to this they should most definitely suggest it up front especially for those of us with HG. In my opinion ESP in the case of my last md to force someone who is so sick and fragile is not right. And I do fully understand the risks is GD but there needs to be an alternativ way to test that won't upset us physically. If only there were more MD's that specialized in HG.