Gestational diabetes test

[HMT13]

Hi, I'm having to have this test done due to my dad having type 2 diabetes. At my midwife appointment this week she told me to limit my sugars in the next 2 weeks up to the appointment as it can make the results come back positive when they shouldn't. Is this right? I'm panicking about everything I'm eating now!
Obviously I want the test to come back negative if possible but I don't want to 'trick' it if you know what I mean. If I have it I want to know. Does anyone have any experience of this? Should I limit sugars or eat my normal diet?

I had this test and was not told to change my eating in any way, other than to eat a specific breakfast on the morning of the test. (They give you a list of items so that you consume exactly the right amount of sugars, and you have to eat exactly two hours before the test.) I can't see how you eat in the weeks leading up to the test would affect it - what matters is what you eat on the day. But I am not a medical professional, someone else may know better. In my case the test was negative, hope it is for you too, good luck.

Meant to say too, if you want second opinion might be worth a quick call to your GP?

Strange, I was told to eat normally in the run up to it, and nothing at all on the morning of the test. I failed it spectacularly!

It says I have to fast from 10pm the night before then take a 500ml bottle of lucozade with me to drink there. I will just eat as normal. I don't have a bad diet to be honest. Although I've definitely been wanting more chocolate since getting pregnant!

I've had 4 GTTs and have never been told to limit sugars in the run up. In most areas the procedure is to fast from 10pm the night before (but water is ok) and then when you arrive they measure your fasting blood sugar. Then they'll make you drink a sugary drink (either lucozade you have brought or a generic one they provide). Then they'll test you again after two hours to see how your body has reacted to the sugary drink.

Make sure you do drink water before hand though as it can be very hard for them to take blood if you are dehydrated. I got told off for this at my last one as it took them three attempts.

The only time I've heard you should actually change what you eat beforehand is if you normally eat a very low carb diet. In that case it's sometimes recommended you add carbs for upto a week beforehand, to give your system a chance to get used to dealing with sugars, as otherwise the test can come as a shock to the system and give higher than normal results.

I have to have it as well but I was told not to eat or drink anything from 10pm the night before and then they will give me a glucose drink on the day and retest after that xx

No, you should not limit sugars in the runup to the test, you should eat what you normally do. If you limit you carb intake (sugars) you will in effect be treating any gestational diabetes you have (or any insulin resistance you may already have had, before pregnancy), as that is the first line of treatment - dietary change.

The risk with doing that, is that you get a negative test, when it should be positive, and then go back to eating your normal diet for the rest of your pregnancy- which could put your baby at serious risk (and yourself too).

I am shocked and amazed that you say your midwife advised you to do this!!!

Oh and btw, eating sugar will NOT make a "normal" persons blood sugar go above the diagnostic level for diabetes/gestational diabetes. High blood sugar levels means the insulin response is not working as it should.

Good luck with the test next week .

I was told - as well as the fasting - to eat a 'well-balanced diet' in the 48 hours beforehand. I didn't properly read that bit of the letter though! so ate quite as lot of cake.... I ended up positive but unsure it's related!

Thanks everyone, will carry on as normal!