This morning I went in for my one hour glucose test. It's a normal screening test - routinely given for women between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy to check for gestational diabetes (which occurs in 2-5% of pregnancies). A "positive" result on the one hour test doesn't normally mean that you have gestational diabetes, just that you need to have a longer test called a glucose tolerance test.
I was instructed to fast or to eat approximately 2 hours before the test. I went first thing this morning, so I just went ahead and fasted. They prick your finger and take a blood sugar reading, then give you a sugar solution that contains 50 grams of glucose. Allegedly it comes in cola, orange or lime flavors. I ended up with orange. I hate fake orange flavoring, and the taste was akin to what I'd imagine one would put in a hummingbird feeder. You have to drink the entire thing in five minutes (the phlebotomist watched me do it) and then made me sit in the waiting area for an hour. It was gagtastic.
Sadly, I had absolutely no cell or blackberry coverage in the waiting area, and they had the t.v. cranked up SO EFFING LOUD. I tried to read but meh. The hour long wait is to see how efficiently your body processes sugar. Approximately 15-23% of the time, the reading comes back abnormal. A "normal" result after the one hour wait is a blood sugar level of 140 or less, though some practitioners make the cut off at 130.
Mine was a 154.
So, this means I have to take a 3 hour test. In the three hour test, you drink the same sugary sweet concoction - though with 100 grams of glucose in it instead of 50, and they monitor your sugar levels via blood and urine at 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours and 3 hours after you finish it. You're supposed to carb-load a few days before the test -which I'll likely have at some point next week.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Well *#%&
Thankfully I read a study this morning that said that only about 30% of women that are in my "bracket" at the end of the one hour test go on to develop full fledged gestational diabetes. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
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7 comments:
Only 154? That's borderline at my OBs. The next time I went in I did the finger stick and it came back at 104, so then I did the 3 hour test with yet another 50g of the orange gunk. Trust me, it's a lot better when it's fizzy. And cold. Very cold.
The results for the first two hours came back high, for hour 3 94, so they still consider me borderline. I was not told to carb-load at all previous to either test (I personally find the testing pretty darned whimsical). They gave me a glucosometer to take home. I test 2x a day, once in the am before I eat, and once 2 hours after dinner, then call in the results every couple of days.
End result? Everything comes back in the normal range. I have adjusted my diet slightly, ditching most of the bread I was eating, but I'm still eating chocolate (not a lot of choccy, mind) and bits of goodies.
So, if you 'fail' the hour test, see if you can just bring home a glucosometer and use that for a week or so instead. I'll bet you'll come back normal, just as I do, and avoid going on insulin.
Good luck ith the 3-hour test. Been there, done that. And yes, Oro is right--the glucola drink is much better (or at least more bearable) flatly fizzy and very cold :-)
If you do fail the 3-hour (knocking on wood as I type that), you might not need insulin. It might be controlled just be diet alone or, as was my case, with the addition of a drug called glyburide. I was on it, watching my carbs and sugars, and finger sticking myself 5x a day last go'round. It really wasn't all that bad all around. A bit of a pain but, as with most things, you get used to it.
I was never told to carb-load in the days preceeding either the 1- or 3-hour tests. In fact, I was told the opposite--eat more protein and less carbs. Heck, I was even told that while I should be fasting for at least 12 hours for each test, if I couldn't handle that time period w/o eating, I could have bacon and eggs (i.e., an all protein meal) before the test. I didn't though, just in case.
Regardless, I hope all of my drivel is for naught as you pass the 3-hour test with flying colors! Best of luck--and hang in there, you're doing great :-)
I think I'll be o.k. - I'm just nervous as I started this pregnancy a little heavier than I should have been and the fact that both of my grandmothers have (or had, my dad's mother is deceased) extremely bad diabetes.
I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make it through this healthy for the both of us. I'd just like to have one day of normalcy and not having to worry.
Hi, I just randomly came across your blog and I wanted to tell you that I had the exact same thing. The second time (3 hour test) the nurse told me to take a walk and so I did. I walked for about 30 minutes. I walked pretty fast too, due to the sugar high, but I'm pretty sure it's not all that important. When I came back three hours later, my glucose level was better than the number I got on the first test. (BTW, I sat on my butt and read a magazine the first test.)
Maybe this might help!
That orange stuff made me feel sick for two days. Sorry you have to drink it again.
I hope that's the worst part, though. I'll keep my fingers crossed, too, that your results come back OK.
I hope that the next test turns out better. Like you need that added stress.
I got your comment but don't have your email on my home email and have managed to get locked out of my work email from home. Email me from my blog so we can talk.
since we are practically neighbors we should meet someday. hint hint. ;)
It amuses me how much more stringent the docs in the US are about this. I was not told to fast, given a can of lucozade (sports type drink) and told to finish drinking it an hour before my appointment. It all turned out fine. I hope your 3 hour experience isn't too bad.
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