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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Blood sugar test-advice needed

30 replies

StiffyByng · 12/02/2013 14:50

I've just had the results of my screening blood test back and have been referred for an OGTT. The number was 9.4 which I know is high, and I'm pretty freaked out. But the blood was taken less than an hour after I'd eaten a bowl of Special K and a banana. From googling it seems that this level an hour after eating would suggest glucose intolerance rather than GD, although of course I have no idea what the two hour result would have been. But can anyone with experience of monitoring blood sugar tell me if this result, less than an hour after eating what I now realise is a pretty sugary breakfast, dooms me to GD? I was 26+6 on the day of the blood test.

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Midori1999 · 12/02/2013 15:41

I think it probably will tbh, but you never know.

I had GD in my last pregnancy and targets were under 7.8mmol 1 hour after meals, although not every health trust seems to have the same targets! I was never within that target after breakfast.

I know a lot of people with GD who never get a adding as high as 9.5 after a meal.

You'll just have to have the OGTT and see.

Mixxy · 12/02/2013 15:52

It is a very high score. Just go to the follow up appointment. Don't worry too much about having GD. It takes a bit of monitoring, but it is very doable.

(Husband is a Type 1 diabetic, I read his blood 3 times a day).

Original poster

StiffyByng · 12/02/2013 15:56

I was under extreme stress at the time so that might have made it worse.

I really don't want to be induced, and I had a home birth with my first child which I desperately want to do again, but the midwife has said that if I can control things with diet alone, it doesn't necessarily mean I can't have a home birth. I am feeling so upset though. I've never had any issues with blood sugar before so this has come right out of the blue.

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Midori1999 · 12/02/2013 16:04

Try not to get too upset. Some hospitals are quite happy to just see how it goes with GD and there's no absolute that you can't have the birth you want.

Failing a home birth, perhaps your hospital has a good home from home unit? Our was fantastic, although I was too high risk (not just the GD) to give birth there.

Original poster

StiffyByng · 12/02/2013 16:11

No, we're ward or nothing. There's only one birth pool too, which I relied on totally in labour last time.

I shall try to be positive. The annoying thing is that we eat low GI normally and I haven't put on any weight this pregnancy, have lost a bit in fact, so I've been doing the right things. Except that stress has made me eat chocolate most days, which I would never normally do. (I am overweight though.) I'm cursing myself. At least it won't be a major adjustment to our diets but it does make me gloomily wonder if I'll be an insulin person,which would completely rule out the home birth it seems.

In a futile effort to bend the Internet to my will, I've found a website that says 9.4 in a random blood test can be a random result. And quite a few charts that suggest I might be pre-diabetic or glucose intolerant rather than full-blown diabetic. I will happily eat better and be a perfect preggers woman if I can just escape the GD diagnosis this once.

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Mixxy · 12/02/2013 16:45

Stress really should not impact a glucose reading all that much. If you think there was an error in the testing ask for a hemoglobin A1C test to clarify any potential misreadings.

But you really need to follow up with it.

Original poster

StiffyByng · 12/02/2013 18:29

I've got the OGTT tomorrow.

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Flisspaps · 12/02/2013 18:32

If you do have GD and want a homebirth, have a read of Angela Horn's site - www.homebirth.org.uk

Guntie · 12/02/2013 18:36

Oh no! I feel for you. I hope it all works out. I have my GTT in a few weeks and I am petrified. I hope it all works out for you.

lotsofcheese · 12/02/2013 18:43

Yes, a reading of 9.4 is high - however the only way of diagnosing GDM is through the OGTT. It will confirm if you have GDM or not - there are no "pre-diabetic" states in pregnancy - it's either GDM or not.

You're advised to eat normally in the days leading up to the OGTT - realise it's a bit late for that advice given you're having the test tomorrow! Assuming you've had advice re:fasting before the test & staying in the waiting room during the test period (ie no walking/shopping/working)?

If you have GDM, that will have implications for your pregnancy care & delivery. One thing at a time though!

Good luck for tomorrow.

Original poster

StiffyByng · 12/02/2013 20:03

I'm on the homebirth.org mailing list so I've had a good look. I'm not convinced that the risks to a baby with a mother with diagnosed, controlled GD are any greater than the risks of a large baby in general, and I'm perfectly willing to have scans etc to check on the baby.

Is there not the Insulin Resistant label, which seems to be the pregnant equivalent of pre diabetic? There certainly seem to be three categories in the tables I've seen.

I keep reading that you're meant to 'carb-load' for 2-3 days before the GTT or the results aren't reliable, but this is from US sites I think. Are things different over here? I've had all the advice, thanks, including not to smoke(!).

I've realised I can't compare my random blood test result (30 mins after a ripe banana and bowl of Special K) to the one hour test ranges as the one hour test presumably has far more sugar in it and so I'm likely to be higher on the GTT rather than anything else. That makes me sad.

I guess I'll know tomorrow.

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Original poster

StiffyByng · 13/02/2013 15:07

I have flunked the test. Here comes the finger pricking.

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Midori1999 · 13/02/2013 15:23

Sorry to hear that. Did they tell you your readings?

I will be tested at 12 weeks this time and am doomed to fail as my fasting sugars were 6.9 yesterday and 7.5 today. Annoying!

Original poster

StiffyByng · 13/02/2013 16:13

Fasting was 6.3. Two hour was 6.7. The one hour was 11.4 though. The WHO would pass me!

I hope your test is OK though. And congratulations!

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Mylittlepuds · 13/02/2013 19:25

Just to make you feel a bit better...I'm T1 diabetic and an hour after eating am around 13 . I win!

Midori1999 · 13/02/2013 19:30

Stiffy, I didn't have a one hour blood test before, just the fasting and two hour ones. Those levels aren't too bad, so maybe you can control with diet? You can only try. The good thing is you will get extra monitoring, so you can keep your baby safe, which is better than being undiagnosed.

Mylittlepuds, I think when you have GD they make such a big deal out of staying in targets that you get a bit panicked if they go over. I know I had a major panic over a reading of 11.2 the first time, but when I was chatting to a couple of friend who are type 1, they said they'd love to have a reading of 11.2, let alone in pregnancy.

Mylittlepuds · 13/02/2013 20:01

Quite - I've hit 17 quite a few times this pregnancy. We don't worry about it. T1s are told that it's your average over three months that really matters baby wise (called your HBA1C). My last baby was a non freaky 9lb so not too bad considering some lots of pretty scary blood tests.

It will be a pain if you have it though. If you need any help getting to grips with insulin feel free to message me!

VivaLeBeaver · 13/02/2013 20:07

In our hospital you'd have passed, we don't do a one hour one.

Countmyblessings · 13/02/2013 20:10

Sorry to butt in not got much knowledge of this but am 36 weeks and had MW today done a urine sample which triggered her to want to send me to get a gtt test, but this was sample was taken after I had ermmm hot choc & toasted bagel covered in choc spread!!!! So clearly sugar would be present! I refused as I'm stressed enough and can't deal with more worries! Am I being silly and reckless!!!
Also baby still not down and they are talking C.Section!

Flisspaps · 13/02/2013 20:23

As long as you are making an informed decision then it isn't a reckless one (IMO)

If a urine test later on suggests GD (when you've not just eaten) would you reconsider?

Midori1999 · 13/02/2013 20:24

Viva isn't a fasting of over 6 a 'fail'? I failed mine at 24 weeks last time with a fasting of 6.1 and two hourly of 8.1 so only just, but I was on quite a lot of insulin by the end.

Mylittlepuds, my baby when I had GD was actually smaller than when I didn't. My second son was 10lb born at 38 weeks and they tested me and said I didn't have it. I was insulin controlled last time and found it hard to keep up with increasing it in the end tbh. I did laugh when the nurse asked of I minded 'injecting' myself though as I also have to inject myself with heparin and the needle for that is nasty!

Mylittlepuds · 13/02/2013 20:32

I have to say even though I'm t1 I don't envy people with GD/t2 as getting to grips with insulin and injecting during a pregnancy must be very, very stressful. It's horrendous as it is for me and I really should know the score by now.

Isn't it strange your second son was bigger than your GD baby! The mind boggles. I should have probably mentioned mind...yes DS was quite a normal 9lb but that was at 37 weeks...

VivaLeBeaver · 13/02/2013 20:32

I might be wrong, haven't worked in clinic for years but could have sworn anything over 7 failed, under 7 on either test passed.

Original poster

StiffyByng · 13/02/2013 20:49

The WHO diagnoses at 7. Our hospital diagnoses at 6 and doesn't do a one hour so I'd have been very borderline for them. I was tested as part of a CAN research project which then refers to the hospital, and they diagnose at 5 and include all three results.

I am putting great hope in the fact that my two hour result was pretty much normal after drinking so much fizzy stuff and my fasting was borderline with me stressed and virtually sleepless. If I take my diet back to my pre-preg fairly saintly low-GI regime, I have everything crossed I can control with diet and have my home birth.

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Original poster

StiffyByng · 13/02/2013 20:51

Countmyblessings, you might want to google but I'm pretty sure I've read that GTT after 36 is contraindicated as so many women are having insulin issues by then.

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