How essential is GTT

[Titchypanda]

My midwife has referred me for GTT. Bizarrely I am allergic to colourants used in energy drinks and they affect my breathing. Is there a way to find out the exact ingredients in the drink they give you? I'm not willing to put myself through a test that's going to make it difficult for me to breathe for rest of day if it's not essential.

Any advice please?

Have you called your screening midwife? They may well have an alternative you can have or some sort of protocol for people with allergies.

It's not worth risking a nasty reaction if you can avoid it.

If you look at the NICE guidelines you can find monitor your bloods.

The GTT can be quite a flawed test. I have declined it this time around and agreed to home monitor.

They use lucozade because it contains the right amount of sugars etc for the test, but I'm fairly certain the hospital could provide a simple sugar solution for the test if you explain the situation.

Also I'd want to know exactly under what criteria they wanted me to have the GTT.

some trusts use luzokade and others used a glucose syrup. They actually should tell you ingredients if you ask.

*home monitor.

I had a simple glucose syrup as I can't drink caffeine. It wasn't an issue at all. Tastes revolting though!

They can use anhydrous glucose powder mixed with water, the equivalent number of glucose tablets or as others have said monitor your bloods instead. I would call your midwife and ask to be put in touch with hospital pharmacist or diabetes specialist midwife to discuss it.

The test itself is quite important as you'll need to carefully monitor your blood sugar if you have GD.

If unmonitored GD can be lethal, however as you say challenging breathing is just as bad. Contact the GD specialist and they will advise a best plan.