Fasting glucose test

[Lorelei353]

Hi
Has anyone had this and can you tell me what's involved?

I've just been to GP for 22 week appt and she found sugar in my urine. She wasn't initially too bothered but when I asked for more info or if I should be concerned she decided to send me for a 'fasting glucose test', just in case 'we miss something early'. My Midwife was going to do the usual Lucozade one at my 28 week appointment. I don't really have any risk factors (not overweight, baby right size, no family history).

GP didn't really give me much info but told me I could just drop in to the local clinic for blood tests from 8am and not to eat before going. I've been looking it up online though and seen that I could be there for 2 hours while they do a before and after test. Is this the case? I'm a bit confused .

I'm happy to go have it. I'd just like to know what I'm in for before I go.

I just had mine (and I had it in my last pg)

It went like this...

No food or drink from 10pm the night before, sips of water only.
Appointment at 8:30am, blood taken straight away.
Drink a disgusting glucose syrup drink that I had to fight not to throw straight up.
Sit and wait for two hours on a really uncomfortable chair.
Get called back in for second lot of bloods.
Go home.

Really boring but very straight forward.

I had one, my own fault, I ate too many sweets before a routine antenatal apt! All I had to do was go to the apt, they do a fingerprick blood sample to check your sugar levels first then give you a glucose drink. Then you need to go back after two hours for another fingerprick test to check the sugar levels in the blood again. I didn't have to hang around in between tests. Hope that helps

I think you're talking about the GTT (glucose tolerance test), I had one earlier in the week. You have to not eat from the evening before (I was told 10pm) and then have the test in the morning. They will take your bloods then give you a sugary drink to drink. Then you have blood tests at 1 hour and 2 hours after the drink. It's to test your response to the sugar and check for diabetes. So take a book and some snacks to eat immediately after!

Thanks for the info. Sounds like that's what's planned for me. Wish my GP had been a bit more informative! You'd think she would've told me I'll be there for 2 hours!

Will go when they open at 8 and then nip home for breakfast when I'm finished (fortunately it's very local). And bring a good book!

You can't eat between the bloods either, you have to fast until the whole lot is done!

There are two different tests, it sounds like you are going for a fasting blood test, basically they make you fast and then look at your blood sugar levels. If it comes back at a level they aren't happy with they may make you return for the full GTT. That is the starve, blood test (they did my 28 week bloods at the same time, so not just a finger prick, TBH no one just had a finger prick at my hospital), glucose drink (either lucozade or now more commonly a liquid glucose drink), sit and wait for 2 hours, some places let you leave, some don't, I think staying is more common, second blood test and off you go. They then give you your results up to a week later.

Ah sundae so there are two different types. She said I should call for the results in a week but then she called it a 'fasting blood test' so that makes it sound like the first one.

Argh. I'm going to ring her.

The only way to test for gestational diabetes is to do the 2hr GTT.

I work in a diabetes team & a fasting result in itself isn't that helpful (as well as not strictly diagnostic either). We use 2hr GTT's in our clinics, not fasting.

Hope it all works out ok.

I was booked in for the GTT in May because I'm too fat my BMI is over 30.

They want to check for gestational diabetes.

i think the worst thing is not being able to drink. I'm feeling thirsty just thinking about only having "sips" of tap water...

It might be the fasting one then lotsofcheese because she told me depending on the result they'll bring forward my Lucozade Glucose test - so it doesn't sound definitive.

The fasting blood test is sometimes used for people that have no risk factors but have sugar in their sample, based on the results they either decide it was a one off or book you for the GTT (the lucozade test).

It sounds like just a 12hr fast and then a blood test from which they will then decide to do your GTT soon or wait till 28 weeks.

That definitely matches my profile sundaesundae - some sugar in sample but no risk factors.

Thank you everyone!

Hi everyone. Just wanted to update you, especially in case anyone else wandered into this thread in future looking for similar info.

It was just the fasting glucose one that involved fasting from the night before and then just giving one blood sample. I didn't have to stay or get the sugary drink etc. I'll just ring my GP in a week to get the results.

Thanks.