Why won't they test me for gestational diabetes?

[StuntNun]

It seems as if most of the other women in my ante-natal club have had a Glucose Tolerance Test for gestational diabetes. So at my last midwife appointment I asked whether I should have it (since my dad has type 2 diabetes) and was told I wasn't high risk so I didn't need it.

I went to the doctor today because recently I have been feeling thirsty, tired, nauseous and I'm waking up with a really dry mouth. I'm fed up with drinking, as soon as I finish one drink I want another one and the thirst won't go away. Nights are a terror because I sleep okay but then wake up and have to drink a pint of water. This has been going on for about a week now. The GP did a urine dipstick test and said that since there was no glucose in my urine I didn't have gestational diabetes. But surely if the test was that simple there would be no need to do the GTT on anyone?

I'm 35+1 weeks so I haven't got to hang on much longer, and maybe I'll feel better once the baby's born. I'm just confused that my symptoms are being dismissed without performing what seems to be a fairly routine test.

[SlightlySuperiorPeasant]

I think you're too late to have a GTT as the test should be done between 24 and 28 weeks. No sugar in your urine is a good sign though :)

I'm assessed as being high risk for gestational diabetes, with family history and my own health issues, but my GTT came back clear. I've also been drinking and drinking and drinking in the third trimester but all the dips have been clear too so I suppose it's just one of those things.

[strawberrypenguin]

Hmm, tricky one. I you really feel something's wrong please keep pushing for the test. I had the GTT because of family history of diabetes, I had no sugar in my urine for my entire pregnancy and ended up having to inject insulin to keep my sugar levels under control! If you are diabetic it can effect your baby's sugar levels too and this will need to be monitored after they are born. Can you go and have a free test (not GTT just a fasting blood sugar test) taken at Lloyds pharmacy I think they still do them. Good luck.

[mrsbugsywugsy]

Just thought I'd add that I have all of those symptoms, and also don't have gestational diabetes (or rather I didn't last time they checked).

So these can also be normal pregnancy symptoms.

[Secondsop]

It is a tricky one. If it were me I'd ask again; no glucose in urine doesn't mean no GD as I've had not a single trace of glucose in my urine the whole way through but was diagnosed with GD at 29 weeks. I don't think it's too late to test although I'm no doctor - it's normally tested between 24 and 28 weeks because it doesn't tend to develop before then but I don't see why it can't be tested for later, especially because management of it in the last few weeks is pretty important.

[mom2rhysnruby]

I had a GTT at 36 weeks x

[StuntNun]

Thanks for the feedback. Bugsy it's reassuring to know you have the same symptoms without the GD. I'm worried because I feel so much worse than I did last week and the constant thirst is driving me up the wall! It just seems weird that with those particular symptoms and a parent with diabetes, they are dismissing it as not being worth testing.

[BartletForTeamGB]

I think you need to see another GP. Yes, it probably is all normal, but, as a diabetes doctor and one who does diabetes antenatal clinics, I'd want to see a random blood glucose at the least. You can not diagnose or exclude GDM on a urine dipstick.

Personally, I believe that all pregnant women should be screened for GDM, not just those that the NICE guidelines say, as do many diabetologists. In my own area, I know (as both a doctor and as a patient!) all pregnant women are offered a glucose challenge (268ml of Original Lucozade then a blood sugar level an hour letter) at 28 weeks. If this is abnormal, they then go on to have a proper GTT.