GTT

[FeralCloud]

Hi all,

Last pregnancy I had the GTT and I passed it. Then 4 weeks later the hospital called me and said 'we've changed the threshold and now you're 0.1 over the required reading so we consider you to have gestational diabetes. Now, because it was my first baby I completely read into their scaremongering about how if I don't attend the diabetes clinics I would kill my baby so I attended and was completely honest. Then they decided to put me on metaformin. I took it at first but it was making me so ill so I started lying about my readings and just flat out did not take it. They induced me 3 weeks early because I was and am a big girl and the birth was horrendous because they strapped me to a bed and hooked me to machines for my so called diabetes. No one listened. Anyway my baby was born 6lb 12oz, perfectly fine, and I didn't have diabetes after.

So this time I am looking to avoid all that crap by just passing the stupid GTT test. Any pointers how?? They try and fit us all into these uniform cookie cutters and yes I may be big and obese but I am ex army and I'm very muscular under my fat, you can't compare me to a thin girl who has never exercised or eaten for the love of all that is chocolate.

I'm not sure what you're asking? How to make a test show no gestational diabetes even if you have it? Left untreated it can be very serious, I can't understand why you wouldn't want to know.

I had gestational diabetes (was borderline positive on the test too) and there are a number of factors that can cause it, not just weight. I am, as you put it, a "skinny" girl, I have always exercised regularly, and I eat well. For me, the only relevant risk factor was my age (I'm over 30) so if I had another pregnancy I would, according to my dr, most likely have it again - I am only going to get older, and I can't cheat time!

Have you spoken to your GP about what would make the difference for you? This is going to sound blunt, but if the answer is your weight then unfortunately that's where you'll have to make a change in order to have a safe pregnancy. Cheating on your prick tests makes it sound like you're trying to bury your head in the sand about where the problem lies.

I controlled my GD with diet during the day but I had to take insulin at night as my blood sugar levels didn't drop while I was sleeping for some reason. Before that I'd wake up with the same levels as I had two hours after dinner - nobody could explain why! I hate needles so for me having to inject was torture at first but it was what I had to do. I certainly wouldn't have avoided doing it because the alternative was far worse!

Apologies if this comes across as a bit preachy - am just trying to get across that GD is a fucking pain in the arse for everyone and there's no easy way around it. Whatever your Dr advises, you'll just have to do it and fingers crossed you won't get it next time.

I find it strange that you were immediately prescribed metformin without attempting control through diet and exercise first.

Fact of the matter is, OP. If you have gestational diabetes, it must be controlled.

If you are asking how you can avoid being diagnosed, well, your blood glucose level will be your blood glucose level regardless. I would not advise or expect anyone here to try to 'trick' the GTT. It's foolish.

In fact, you shoud have ensured your blood glucose levels were stable prior to even getting pregnant for a second time.

Your birth experience sounds traumatic, I'm sorry for you. Perhaps now you know what to expect you might be able to better prepare and improve your experience this time. Good luck.

And just to mention that your baby while not quite 7lbs at 37 weeks could have easily reached 9 or 10lbs if you'd gone past your due date. Now, that's not to say that you couldn't give birth to a baby of that weight, women do all the time. However, don't hang onto your first baby's birth weight as some sort of proof as to your non-diabetic state.

You don't have to trick the test, you can just refuse it. All care is optional. They'll likely explore why you're refusing and offer reassurances and accomodations (they did to me, when I refused). It might help you to have a meeting with midwives/consultant to talk through what happened last time.

AnUtterIdiot that was a bit of clumsy phrasing on my behalf - what I meant was the OP should address her diet, not go on a diet. Carbs are just as bad as sugar if you have GD.

And exercise is just as important in reducing sugars, eg going for a short walk after lunch. It just seemed from reading the OP between the lines that diet/lifestyle was something that had been mentioned by doctors a few times so she should see her GP to address why in case she is wrong footing it somewhere.