Glucose tolerance test

[Lemondrop99]

I'm having my GTT on Monday. I have to provide my own bottle of lucosade. I wasn't given much more in the way of instruction about what to actually do before the appointment except that I don't have to fast, but don't eat after drinking the lucosade.

I know bloods are taken an hour after drinking. When am I supposed to drink it? When I rang up to check my appointment time, the receptionist said I could drink it "a bit before". But what if they're running late? I'm not sure how much before the appointment is "a bit".

Equally I don't want to have to sit around for a whole hour there, or cause problems if I was supposed to drink the lucosade in advance.

How did your appointment work?

I arrived at the GP, had bloods taken, told to drink the Lucozade within about 10mins I think and then just hung around until it was time for the second set of bloods.

I think they do bloods, then you drink the sugary drink, then they wait an hour or two (sitting about, no food or exercise) and do second bloods to see how the drink affected you. That's how it worked for me last time. I'm sure there were two blood tests. How would they be able to measure how you handled the drink otherwise? Hope they clarify for you!

I've had 2 glucose tests. With mine the hospital provided the drink. I arrived, had a finger prick test done to check blood sugar levels, then had blood taken. I downed the drink provided then had to sit for 2hrs, I could drink water in this time but not eat. Then, after the 2hrs they took more blood and let me go. I called 2 days later for the results. They compare the bloods before the drink and after so I can't see how they would want you to drink before the first lot of blood being taken?

I had one last week and it was the same as above. Had to fast from after tea the night before (was from midnight but who eats then?) then had a fasting blood test taken as soon as I arrived. Then they provided a measured out sugary drink, which had to be drunk within 10 minutes. After that I had to sit around for 2 hours - no leaving the building or walking around - before having another blood test. I would give them a ring if I were you.

God this is confusing 😕 So maybe the receptionist gave me wrong advice. Might just accept I'll be sitting around, take a book along and not drink until I arrive

That sounds like a good plan OP! I've had the this pregnancy. The first one I arrived, they took blood, was given lucozade (they measured it out and I think it was more than a small bottle but I could be wrong! Sat in the waiting room for 2 hours then they took more blood. I had mine at the hospital and the results were back that afternoon.
I had another on Thursday as my growth scan showed a huge growth spurt (I just have huge babies). I, luckily, hadn't eaten at all that morning so they did the GTT there and then. This time, I had the blood drawn then they gave me this packet of orange flavour glucose drink. It was so much easier to drink than lucozade (which I can't stand) but still very sweet. 2 hours of sitting in the waiting room again and more blood.
During the wait I was only allowed to go to the toilet and no further as walking affects the results.

I just wanted to add that lucozade has recently changed its recipe; they have lowered the sugar content due to govt. regulations. This is why I was given a packet of orange drink rather than the lucozade the second time around. If you have to source it yourself, I'm assuming you would have to find the old recipe version with the larger amount of sugar. The midwife explained this is why they didn't buy lucozade anymore when I had my second one.

Thanks vfoster, yes I have a bottle of the old recipe Lucosade which has been put away especially for this. My midwife warned me in advance to stock up!

I've just re-read the (not at all clear instructions) and it does seem they want me to drink before I go. My friend is under the same unit and said she drank it so the one hour was up for the time of her appointment. Seems these checks are done different ways by different hospitals - which is so strange.

I'm going to text my midwife and double check

Ahh cool, I can't stand lucozade so don't envy you having to drink it!
That sounds like a much less time consuming test to do! I don't know if I read that there are two kinds: perhaps a screening and a more indepth one. I may have read that but, in all honesty, at 39 weeks pregnant I don't really remember my name!

I've got one of these lovely visits to dracula appointments in August. I HATE needles even finger pricks. My advice from MW is prepare to be there anywhere between 2 and 2.5 hours. I have to have nothing but water from 10pm the night before. Appointment is at 9.05 for first bloods. Then I have to drink their own awful concoction of glucose solution (it's minging but it's a necessary evil) wait an hour and have more bloods and then an hour later a 3rd set done.
It's because diabetes runs in my family ie EVERYONE on my mum's side has it as adult onset type 2.

I'm cutting down on sugary stuff from now just in case it is borderline again (I was with dd) although wasn't medicated.

Have to say though my MW department is fab and have given me the very experienced lady who helped me get through my booking bloods and as much info on timings as possible and what will happen cause they know I will freak out even though I know it has to be done iyswim

I didn't have a blood test before drinking at my hospital (a couple of weeks ago). I was told to fast for 12 hours, then drink 410mls of Lucozade within 10 minutes. I had to arrive at the hospital 1.5 hours after finishing the drink, and they took the blood half an hour after this (2 hours after drinking). They said it wouldn't matter if the test was a few minutes late (although in the end they were very punctual).

This just bizarre. My instructions say there no need to fast, just not to eat or drink anything after drinking the lucosade. How can the tests be conducted so completely differently?!

I've had diabetes in two pregnancies. Both times the test was identical. Fast from 10pm - appointment at 8am. Have bloods taken. Drink (hospital provided) sugary stuff within five minutes of blood being taken. Sit still for two hours and then have more blood taken. I thought that was the standard way?

That's strange!

I had mine done last Thursday. I had to fast from 9pm the night before until my appointment which was at 9:30am but I wasn't seen until 10am. I didn't eat or drink anything, but I'm sure I could've had sips of water.
The nurse took my blood then gave me a cup of water and a cup of a sweet orange juice, it wasn't Lucazade, it was flat and disgusting. I then had to wait 2 hours. I wasn't allowed to walk or move a lot. After the 2 hours were up, the nurse took my bloods again and said that I'd either get a phone call if I had it, or receive a letter.

Be careful when you eat something afterwards as I had hot sweats and felt faint and shaky, I didn't feel like eating but I forced myself to.

I think the confusion is that there are two different tests. There's a screening test and a formal glucose tolerance test. In the screening test, which not every hospital does, you drink the lucozade approximately an hour before your blood test and it check how your body handles the glucose load. If this is unusual you will progress to a formal glucose tolerance test with fasting, a measured amount of lucozade etc. Some places don't do the first test and just do the second. Some risk assess you as to whether you need the formal test and then only do it on those patients.

It sounds like you're having the screening test so don't worry too much about the timings. Drink your (nasty) lucozade about 45 mins to an hour before your appointment and then let the vampires at you.

Happy to be corrected if I've got that wrong.

Ok mystery solved.

Midwife called me to explain. She said I am having a glucose screening, not the full GTT. I drink the lucosade one hour before the appointment and they test the blood. If the results come back high, then I need the full GTT (fasting bloods, the two hour gap etc). So it's different tests.

She said it's all very confusing and she gets lots of queries about this. Apparently they are now asking women to mix their own drinks out of crushed lucosade tablets (as the new recipe lucosade is reduced sugar) so just wither factor that can cause more confusion!

Ah just saw your post Cycling. Yes, you are completely correct

I'm astounded that my recollection was actually correct. My brain has been barely functioning this week!
Fingers crossed you don't need the full GTT!

Glad it's all been cleared up. hope it all goes well.

I hope the screening goes well. I've been told I have to have the GTT test as I'm into the BMI obese category by 0.3 (although I blame the GG cup boobs, a size 12 isn't obese!),with no other risk factors.

For some reason I'm really really worried about it!

Also, with my nausea as bad as it is I'm not sure I could cope with the fasting. It's not until August so hopefully the nausea has gone by then.