Where the hell do you find the Lucozade for the GTT?? (Glucose Tolerance Test)

[littlemisseatsherfeelings]

I have done several GTT's over the years due to a high BMI and strong family history of Type 2 Diabetes, I have even had an 'early' test in April when only a few months pregnant and am now approaching the 28 wk GTT that everyone has anyway.
Apparently the NHS has issued info around a month ago that you can't use the 'Original' Lucozade for this test anymore unless you can find an OLD bottle that states 17g per 100ml in the nutritional info... the new Lucozade 'recipe' is only 8.9g per 100ml (going to try and attach a photo for you).

It seems a bit over dramatic to be worried about this but I know someone who did have complications with Gestational Diabetes and being high risk anyway, I don't want to just by pass the test...

So my question is - has anyone's midwife found (or been informed) of an alternative? The team at my surgery are scratching their heads on this until they are given some more clear direction from the central bodies. I have been to every shop in town, all the supermarkets and even the bargain basement places that tend to have old stock, with no luck...

Do you have to source your own?
I was given mine by the midwife

Worst case, they can surely just get the new one, and add in some extra glucose syrup to bring the sugar content back up

It isn't gram-accurate anyway, because you have to drink 2/3rds of the bottle, which is a guesstimate for most people

I have my GTT coming up and we are now provided with a glucose syrup or whatever at the test. I don't have to bring Lucozade like I did in my first pregnancy. The midwife promised their stuff will taste much nicer than the Lucozade did!

There was a You and Yours about this recently, diabetics are snatching up the original Lucozade when they find it and stockpiling. Apparently you can get it on Ebay, I assume at a premium price.

I did ask about an alternative, like a mix of their own but they seemed stumped. I will go back and ask knowing that some of you have had success with that.

I looked on eBay :) couldn't see any that specifically confirmed the nutritional info though.. not sure if I should be searching specific words to find the black market ones ;)

I bought mine on Amazon, I've tried getting hold of my midwife to ask what would happen if I couldn't get it, but there's been no response. Picked up the original recipe fairly cheaply.

I was given some disgusting warm lime flavoured gloop for my gtt. Can't believe you have to source your own!

I've always had to take my own, for years Penguiney!

It's only recently that I found out an actual amount that you have to consume (400 ish ml) so the 500ml bottle is enough. I was buying 1L bottles as told to every time then binning the rest as I find it grim tasting

I've had three GTTs this pregnancy and the phlebotomists have always provided three drink at the start of the test. Could the local phlebotomy department do your test rather than the midwife?

Hi Digger, that's the thing, the phlebotomist at the hospital is the same. I had the last few GTT's there and they also tell me to bring my own. Must be my region do so I'm going to push for alternatives if you guys have had that. I'm glad I asked here now: )

Duggee, Not digger. Stupid phone

I had to drink a glass of luke warm clear sugar gloop for my GTT. I had heard it would be Lucozade which I thought would have been tolerable so I was horrified when I was handed the drink. I was retching by half way through and the midwife was saying to me 'swallow it back down or you'll have to drink twice as much'. It was foul.

I posted about this issue a little while ago. My midwife warned me that this would happen and told me to grab an old recipe bottle while I could

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/2912701-FYI-Lucosade-for-blood-tests

If you can't get it in big shops like Tesco, I'd suggest trying places with a slower turn over, like a newsagent or similar to see if they have old bottles kicking around. I assume they'll have to start mixing up glucose powder drinks?

This is what was used for my glucose tolerance test. The hospital supplied it. Could you ask the clinic to supply this for you? Or if they won't get your local pharmacy to order you a bottle. Not sure of price, maybe roughly 2.50?
You only need to drink 113ml and it tasted like a melted ice pop (to me anyway!!)

Or you could buy a tube of glucose which is 75g glucose, also from pharmacy.

littlemiss I'm astounded that they do this - not least from a consistency of test viewpoint.

Although, I still give the award for money-saving Trust to the one my friend is under, who gave them one specimen bottle at booking in and told them they had to wash and reuse it after each urine test for the rest of the pregnancy

Oh Lemondrop I wish I'd seen your post! :( Will try a few local newsagents too, good idea.

Thanks Emma, will also ask the surgery and/or my pharmacist about that other one you've suggested.

Shall stop moaning... Feeling REALLY lucky now that I don't have to re-use a specimen pot!

gave them one specimen bottle at booking in and told them they had to wash and reuse it after each urine test for the rest of the pregnancy

I was told I could reuse specimen pots as well, that it was totally fine to do so after rinsing. It's just wee, why be wasteful?