Regarding the glucose blood tests

[unhappyfatmama]

I am 27 weeks and due to have mine. Why do they need to take 2 lots of bloods? Why can they not do the stabby finger prick thing? I hate having blood taken and my veins do not like to cooperate

the first one is a starving blood test (no food and only water to drink from - I think- 9 pm the night before)
then you get fed a glucose drink
second test is 2 hours after the glucose to see how your body dealt with it and is you have GD
I have mine on Friday

Its as cheshire said, starving glucose test then a glucose solution folled by a testtest 2hrs later for how you dealt with the glucose solution.

Finger pricks only tell them your blood sugar at a particular point in time and are vastly effected by what you've eaten and when, so could not accurately tell if you actually have diabetes and are just useful to diabetics managing their diabetes.

I do sympathise with you though, last time they took my blood, midwife tried unsuccessfully 3 times before sending me to the phlebotimist, who took a further 3 attempts to get blood. I'm dreading my gtt in November, I'll come out like a pincushion!

Its to see how you cope with sugar. The first test gives a baseline reading, the second shows how well your body has managed the sudden sugar intake.

If you have gestational diabetes the second blood sugar level will be high as your body can't deal with the sugar as effectively as it should.

I've had four GTT tests and the worst part is the glucose drink, its not very pleasant, its almost like concentrated lucozade.

Oh right. That's a shame. I hate having my blood taken, i am such a cry baby

The two GTTs I've had involved 3 blood tests, a fasting test, then have the drink, then another blood test after 1hr, and then after 2hrs.

It's ok as long as you get a decent phlebotomist.

Some places will do capillary blood glucoses (the "stabby finger prick thing" ) for a GTT at 0, 60 and 120 minutes instead of venous blood, but there are probably small differences in blood sugar levels at the big veins and the capillaries, so the reference ranges are slightly different.

I'd recommend getting the venous bloods done so that you aren't diagnosed with gestational diabetes needlessly but for people with very bad needle phobias or terrible veins (remember that a phlebotomist does this all the time, this is the ONLY thing they do so they are very, very good at it), capillary blood sugars are an option.

The last GTT I had (not pregnant, just general high diabetes risk) involved three tests - one fasting, one an hour after the sugary drink, and one two hours after the drink. The first test I had (when I was pregnant) was just the fasting and the two hours later one. Hate them, but I just take a good book and wait it out.

Its the needle in and out bit i hate, and the fact it takes SO long to find a decent vein. Usually in my right hand.
To save me being a cry baby and the risk of them not getting a vein again is there anyway they can leave the needle in but stop the blood coming out? That might make it less . horrible?

Does every pregnant lady have to do this? I've not heard about it and I'm 23 weeks.

I think some health authorities test every woman but most don't unless you have one or more of the risk factors or symptoms (eg glucose showing in urine sample) so if you've not heard anything by 23 weeks, hopefully you won't need it.

mama, do ask them if they can put a cannula in to get the bloods done if that would make it easier for you (and them, if you are tough to bleed).

pippin, NICE guidelines say that only 'at risk' women need to be offered a GTT but there are many diabetologists who feel this misses out on a lot of women with GDM so offer glucose challenges or GTTs to all.

Having the cannula put in will be a bit more sore than just having a 'blood taking' needle (realised I don't know what they are called) put in, but then it stays there and further blood tests can be taken from it without pain.

They might even leave the butterfly needle in (we do sometimes for repeated tests over a very short space of time, like a few hours), which is smaller and so less painful than a proper cannula, but is more likely to clot up.

Do ask them when you get there and share your concerns. They will be very good at getting blood from anyone but will also be well used to people with problems with having blood taken.

I'm having the GTT test but have been told to fast overnight, then drink lucozade in the morning then I will have blood test 2 hours after that. So only one blood test. I'm confused how come everyone else is having 2?

Juts to point out - nobody HAS to have a GTT. It is becoming increasingly common but you have the right to refuse it , like any other test. Your baby's growth will still be monitored.

But growth is not the only indicator of or problem associated with GDM. While you have the right to refuse it, I really don't understand why anyone would. (I am a diabetologist and so see the problems that GDM can cause, which thankfully now with prompt diagnosis and treatment are relatively rare.)

lady, that does puzzle me a bit. You might be having an adapted glucose challenge. In my local hospital, all pregnant women are asked to drink 263ml (yes, because that's easy to measure!) of Lucozade and then have their bloods done an hour later, but no one is asked to fast for it. I'd ask for clarification because no one surely wants to drink Lucozade unless they really have to so the results had better be meaningful! ;-)

Diabetes also has a higher risk of still birth at the end of pregnancy!

My baby was 7lb4 at 36*5 and he had a larger than normal tummy, everything else was on 50th centile but his tummy was 98th! I'm a type two diabetic

As much as i hate having bloods done, my baby is already showing as a giant. So better safe then sorry!