Glucose Tolerance Test

Toots

Sorry if this has been posted before, I did a search and couldn't find the answers I was looking for. I've got my glucose tolerance test next week, it's in the morning, so I was wondering do I go in fasting for it or what's the story? I know I didn't have to fast for my booking bloods but seeing as they're giving me that glucose drink and then testing to see how my body breaks it down, surely something I'd eaten beforehand could also affect it?

Also if your glucose is higher than normal, do they keep testing again? I'm utterly useless with blood tests, so the possibility of weekly/fortnightly blood draws is completely terrifying! My poor husband is having to take a day off work to bring me in next week

Thanks in advance for any replies!

angelfire9

Toots* wrote: »

Sorry if this has been posted before, I did a search and couldn't find the answers I was looking for. I've got my glucose tolerance test next week, it's in the morning, so I was wondering do I go in fasting for it or what's the story? I know I didn't have to fast for my booking bloods but seeing as they're giving me that glucose drink and then testing to see how my body breaks it down, surely something I'd eaten beforehand could also affect it?

Also if your glucose is higher than normal, do they keep testing again? I'm utterly useless with blood tests, so the possibility of weekly/fortnightly blood draws is completely terrifying! My poor husband is having to take a day off work to bring me in next week

Thanks in advance for any replies!

Yep you go in fasting
I've no idea what happens if the results aren't normal, i would assume they will monitor your sugar levels more carefully??? Mine was fine thank God so i didn't have to worry about it
Tis great fun....

Hannibal Smith

Yes, go in fasting. Booking bloods is just testing your blood levels and for infections etc, the glucose is obviously testing your blood sugar, and if you eat before hand the higher your blood sugar will be.

If the levels turn out to be high, I presume it would just be like any other diabetic situation, where they give you a machine so you can test yourself by pricking your finger, drawing blood and testing that way? When I was in hosp in my first there were 2 other women with gestational diabetes and from what I could here from the other side of the curtain, that's how they were being tested.

mariaf24

Congrats on your pregnancy

Did your hospital not post you all the info on the test? That's ridiculous!!

I had mine done around 28 weeks. I went in for 8.30 in the morning. I had to fast from around 11pm the night before which isn't too bad. I was more worried that the baby would be wondering where's breakfast :pac::o

Went in and did fasting bloods. Just a little prick and the nurse was so nice and chatty i hardly noticed it. Then had to drink almost 2 bottles of Lucozade. That was definitely the hardest part I would never drink it normally, let alone on an empty stomach.
Then went back an hour later and gave more blood...also repeated this one hour later. It was honestly fine, teenie pinch. The hardest part was waiting around...i forgot to bring the book i had left at home.

I was absolutely STARVING when i came out, went straight to a hotel and got soup and salad rolls lol.

My results were normal and i think it's something very small like 5% will have GD (Gest. Diabetes). If your results arent normal you will be referred to a dietician, apparently it can be controlled through diet alone...non sugary foods etc. In severe cases you would have to inject yourself with insulin but that is very rare.
Im pretty sure if there was anything wrong you would have symptoms...+++glucose in urine, excessive thirst, weight loss etc.
I wouldnt even think about the results to be honest, i bet you'll be fine

Cottontail

When I got this done on my first pregnancy, they gave me the most vile substance known to man to drink, it was so disgusting it's beyond words. It made me absolutely dread getting it done again but i've found out since that they have changed the stuff they use because it was making so many women sick :rolleyes:. I'd love to use lucozade instead!! Here's hoping the new stuff isn't as bad as the old stuff!

Oral Slang

Do all of us have to get this done or is it only if something has shown up on a previous test or something? Only 21 weeks now, in with the midwives during week 28.

angelfire9

Oral Slang wrote: »

Do all of us have to get this done or is it only if something has shown up on a previous test or something? Only 21 weeks now, in with the midwives during week 28.

AFAIK you only end up having the test if your blood tests show an elevated level of sugar or if you have a family history or close family member with Diabetes

Cottontail

My dad has diabetes, and his father before him had it too, so that's the reason I have to have the test, I don't think it's standard if there's no family history.

Betsy18

you need to be fasting 10 hrs beforehand. you will have a blood test and be given a cup of glucose to drink. they then do another blood test 1 hour after you have drank this and the final test an hour later. your blood levels need to be 5 fasting and below 7 at final test. if it is higher than 7 they will diagnose you with gestational diabetes. you will be called to the diabetic clinic and to see a dietician. you will possibly have to monitor your sugar levels for the next 2 weeks or so by doing a finger prick test, if your levels are not satisfactory you may have to go on some meds to help break down your insulin levels.

good luck with your test i hope all works out for you!!:)

Toots

Thanks for the replies guys! I've never had any problems with my blood sugars and nobody in my family is diabetic. I asked them in Holles St today and they say they test all expectant mothers for it as a matter of routine. No getting out of it for me so!

Lola92

I had my baby in Holles Street 6 months ago. I was under the impression that I needed to go in fasting.

I was fasting since after dinner time the previous night. When I went to have my bloods taken I was severely dehydrated, they couldn't get blood, I was sick and fainted it was so bad.

It was only then that the midwife told me that you are not supposed to fast, and that I should have eaten breakfast before coming to the hospital. With the Glucose Tolerance test you are supposed to fast from the the time you take the glucose drink until the bloods are taken an hour later - no water, chewing gum, nothing.

I understand that this may be different in other hospitals but I had a really horrible experience because of fasting before the GTT. So PLEASE check with your doctor before hand, I wouldn't want anyone else to go through what I did

Toots

Lola92 wrote: »

I had my baby in Holles Street 6 months ago. I was under the impression that I needed to go in fasting.

I was fasting since after dinner time the previous night. When I went to have my bloods taken I was severely dehydrated, they couldn't get blood, I was sick and fainted it was so bad.

It was only then that the midwife told me that you are not supposed to fast, and that I should have eaten breakfast before coming to the hospital. With the Glucose Tolerance test you are supposed to fast from the the time you take the glucose drink until the bloods are taken an hour later - no water, chewing gum, nothing.

I understand that this may be different in other hospitals but I had a really horrible experience because of fasting before the GTT. So PLEASE check with your doctor before hand, I wouldn't want anyone else to go through what I did

Oh god! I'll probably faint anyway, so I don't want to make it worse!! I'll try ringing them again in the morning and see what they say. Did you get one blood draw or two?

Lola92

Toots* wrote: »

Oh god! I'll probably faint anyway, so I don't want to make it worse!! I'll try ringing them again in the morning and see what they say. Did you get one blood draw or two?

Sorry Toots, I didn't want to worry or freak any one out, just hoping nobody has a nasty experience because of it. To be honest I can't remember how many vials of blood were taken but there were several attempts before they managed to get any!

Toots

Lola92 wrote: »

Sorry Toots, I didn't want to worry or freak any one out, just hoping nobody has a nasty experience because of it. To be honest I can't remember how many vials of blood were taken but there were several attempts before they managed to get any!

No worries, I always faint anyway! Will definitely be trying to keep hydrated, the quicker they get the blood out the quicker it'll be over and my poor husband can drag me back home!

Mom2Be

I had to fast from 12 midnight before i went in at 8am for the test. Wasnt allowed to eat, smoke or drink from 12 midnight. That was in Limerick. Seems that all hospitals are different so best to ring and check beforehand..

Hope it goes ok for you.. x

irishbabe52

There's 2 tests that they do - not sure exactly what they're called though. I was in Holles St this morning for the basic one, which you don't have to fast for. They just gave me a glucose drink and told me not to drink or eat anything for an hour,including chewing gum, and not to smoke either (I wish !!). Then they took bloods and I ring tommorrow for results.
If the results aren't ok, then you have to do the next test which involves fasting but they gave me a sheet of paper telling me all about the fasting and stuff - think it was 12 hours but I left it in my file in the hospital - baby brain is advancing well !!

cbyrd

The ordinary glucose test you usually have your breakfast as usual unless they tell you to go in fasting you don't. when you fast your blood sugars drop and it can give a wrong result. .. just had mine this morning.. all normal

Toots

Excellent! Glad to hear it went well. I'm trying to keep myself calm here. Husband thinks it's hilarious that the thing that frightens me most about giving birth is the amount of needles that'll be involved, not the pain of labour lol!

Hannibal Smith

Toots* wrote: »

Excellent! Glad to hear it went well. I'm trying to keep myself calm here. Husband thinks it's hilarious that the thing that frightens me most about giving birth is the amount of needles that'll be involved, not the pain of labour lol!

I'm actually the same this time round. It took them three goes to get my booking bloods from me...and I don't mean three different veins on the one day, I mean trying every vein in both arms, giving up and asking me to come back on three different occasions On the third day, they finally got it, that was a week ago and I still have the bruises I've to get the glucose test done at 28 weeks (mum has diabetes) and I'm dreading it! What if they don't get blood :eek:

Toots

Well back from the hospital now, it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. Had some sort of super blood drawing midwife, it was done in seconds! I didn't even faint, for the first time ever!! I think she though I was a total idiot though cos I nearly passed out just walking into the room.

Got my "delicious" drink, sat in merrion square for the hour and then went back for the blood draw. Have to ring tomorrow for the results. Apparently if they're high I have to go to a different place and get more tests which involve fasting for 12 hours beforehand and then getting a blood test, then drink and then more tests. I think they said that one takes 3 hours, so crossing fingers, toes and all other appendages that I don't need that one!

Lola92

Glad to hear it went okay Toots

cbyrd

Dammit. . i spoke too soon. . something's shown up in one of the tests and now i have to go back next week for the more indepth one. . My dad had type 2 and if i end up with it i'll scream. . Now all i can think of is every piece of chocolate i put in my mouth and feel guilty and upset. . and i've a whole week to panic. Would explain the tiredness though. . i just feel so disappointed with myself ..

Lola92

cbyrd don't feel guilty! Apparently gestational diabetes is really common, most times it goes away soon after the baby is born!

And that's only if something does come up on your next test, hopefully its just an extra precaution

KayTee

Try not to worry cbyrd, it's still possible that it may not be GD. Everything crossed for you.

Had my GTT this morning, bloods, glucose drink, bloods after an hour, then again after 2 hours. Arms a bit butchered, my veins didn't want to give away my precious blood! Midwife will ring me in the morning if anything turns up, otherwise I'm off the hook!

Hannibal Smith

cbyrd wrote: »

Dammit. . i spoke too soon. . something's shown up in one of the tests and now i have to go back next week for the more indepth one. . My dad had type 2 and if i end up with it i'll scream. . Now all i can think of is every piece of chocolate i put in my mouth and feel guilty and upset. . and i've a whole week to panic. Would explain the tiredness though. . i just feel so disappointed with myself ..

*hugs* best of luck for next week. It could only be gestational diabetes, I don't mean 'only' as in it's nowt, but if it is that it'll go away after junior's born. In the meantime, you might only need a change of diet to get you through till then. Don't beat yourself up xx

cynder

cbyrd wrote: »

Dammit. . i spoke too soon. . something's shown up in one of the tests and now i have to go back next week for the more indepth one. . My dad had type 2 and if i end up with it i'll scream. . Now all i can think of is every piece of chocolate i put in my mouth and feel guilty and upset. . and i've a whole week to panic. Would explain the tiredness though. . i just feel so disappointed with myself ..

Fingers crossed for you.

I had 2 gtts with my 3 pregnancies due to diabetes type 2 in the family, with my 3rd pregnancy i have every symptom you could name but it never kicked off, just one of my readings was off.

I was told to go on a diabetic diet and not eat white bread or anything that contained a lot of sugar. I had constant thrush and every time my urine was checked it had high levels of sugar, i would also have episodes of where i would nearly faint, i would go all week and really hungry, knowing what i do now, that was my bp and my blood sugar levels dropping.

The week that my son was born (christmas week 2006) my eldest got diabetes type 1 and we didn't realise it until she was going into a diabetic coma on the 26th of feb 2007. Her diabetes is genetic.

deeduck48

limerick maternity do the GTT on everyone at 28 weeks but a friend of mine who had a baby 4 yrs ago there said it wasnt the case back then, so i guess things change over time.:)

cbyrd

The funny thing is i don't have any symptoms. . nothing has shown up in the urine tests and i'm not showing any other symptoms. My dad had type 2 and i would've been heavier and less diet concious on the last pregnancy. . They really push the over 35 thing at me every hospital visit though and i come out feeling every hour of my age
I'm hoping it'll be ok though. I've had so many things go wrong with my health over the last 3 years this would just be the limit. wouldn't be so bad if i had answers to the other things but it just feels like my body is slowly letting me down, first the allergies then the mystery illnesses and the funny things going on with my liver. . :eek: that and the panic this time that something will be wrong with the baby cos of my age. . . i'm just freaking out all over the place.
Even my husband commented that he's never seen me so worried during a pregnancy, and here was me thinking i had it well hidden :rolleyes:
Sorry. .. rant over

Toots

Try not to worry, it might be ok. Your sugars might have just been a bit high for the test, but the tolerance test will tell you for sure if there's anything wrong.

nicowa

Sorry for borrowing your thread here but I'm just wondering... I'm going in for my first hospital visit on Thursday - it's the first check up with all those exams and stuff (ya, I don't really know...). I'm just wondering how long I'll be in there. My appointment is booked for 8am so I suppose I'm one of the first of the day and they won't have had time to get backed up or anything. So... half and hour? a bit longer?

Lola92

nicowa wrote: »

Sorry for borrowing your thread here but I'm just wondering... I'm going in for my first hospital visit on Thursday - it's the first check up with all those exams and stuff (ya, I don't really know...). I'm just wondering how long I'll be in there. My appointment is booked for 8am so I suppose I'm one of the first of the day and they won't have had time to get backed up or anything. So... half and hour? a bit longer?

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but if you are going public it will be a lot longer than half an hour. My booking appointment in Holles street I was there almost 3 and a half hours. Subsequent visits do tend to be shorter though (usually only 1- 1&1/2 hours when I was there last year anyway!)

The first visit is longer because they take full bloods, medical history and admin stuff in addition to the usual weight, urine samples and meeting the doctor.

nicowa

Lola92 wrote: »

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but if you are going public it will be a lot longer than half an hour. My booking appointment in Holles street I was there almost 3 and a half hours. Subsequent visits do tend to be shorter though (usually only 1- 1&1/2 hours when I was there last year anyway!)

The first visit is longer because they take full bloods, medical history and admin stuff in addition to the usual weight, urine samples and meeting the doctor.

Wow! Really? I suppose I've just been thinking it's all so quick cos all my doctors appointments are over with in about ten minutes - including time to pee...

Ok, better cancel my 10am meeting...

Lola92

Yes GP visits are a lot quicker, it is best to do combined GP and hospital care if you haven't signed up for this already! That way you alternate between the two and don't end up with a big wait every visit!

sillysocks

nicowa wrote: »

Sorry for borrowing your thread here but I'm just wondering... I'm going in for my first hospital visit on Thursday - it's the first check up with all those exams and stuff (ya, I don't really know...). I'm just wondering how long I'll be in there. My appointment is booked for 8am so I suppose I'm one of the first of the day and they won't have had time to get backed up or anything. So... half and hour? a bit longer?

Not sure if its the same with every hospital, but where I am (in the public section) everyone was given the same appointment time and it was first come first served, so just because you're time is 8am doesn't mean you'll get in at 8am!