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Original poster

Glucose tolerance test: advice please?

18 replies

thelady · 20/08/2007 20:21

I know that it's very common to have a 'crash' i.e. very low blood sugar after a glucose tolerance test.

My worry is that I already get those, badly, if I don't eat regularly and I need to be able to function for the rest of the day.

Any advice on what I can do to minimise the chance of a complete collapse (physical and emotional - I'm a total wreck) following on from 8h fasting, lucozade, and 2h more fasting?

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Ceolas · 20/08/2007 20:28

I'm assuming you're booked to have a GTT soon? I had one at 28 weeks and have to say I felt awful after it. Took me the whole day to perk up again.

Not sure how this can be avoided. Maybe ask your MW about it?

Good luck

Original poster

thelady · 20/08/2007 21:16

Yup, booked for one in 3 weeks' time. Planning to come home and eat porridge at the moment! Can't afford an off-day as self-employed....

I was trying to explain to the stand-in midwife that coming down at 8.30 for the test was a nightmare as it's right in the middle of breakfast - we run a hotel - and I've been told by the consultant not to rush around between lucozade and second test. She pooh-poohed the sitting still bit (hmm, do I believe the consultant or the midwife) and basically said it was 8.30am or nothing.

Sigh.

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peanutbear · 20/08/2007 21:19

Take a sandwich with you some hospitals mke you toast straight after and some give you vouchers for the cafe

and its not lucozade you drink I dont think its more sickly orange stuff

I always take food to eat straight after before going home and I get there early so I am in first

Original poster

thelady · 20/08/2007 21:21

Right. So my idea to eat low GI stuff to try and buffer the effects immediately afterwards is probably a good one?

Banana and cheese is portable (unlike porridge!) and usually does the trick if I'm having a bad time of it generally.

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peanutbear · 20/08/2007 21:22

Yeah thts a good idea it really isnt tht bad just boring sitting around the hospital and they tell you not to move around much

leakyR · 20/08/2007 21:23

I took some raisins and a sandwich for after mine.

It was a weird orange still drink for me too.

I'd agree with the "get there early" advice so you can be first in and out.

Bring something to read/do. Felt like a v long 2 hours as you can't even go for a walk.

Original poster

thelady · 20/08/2007 23:14

Mine's being done at the local GP surgery - and I suspect that they won't make me sit still, despite what the consultant said.

I'll take a book - 2 hours doing nothing sounds like heaven at the moment!

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GermanGal · 21/08/2007 09:45

To be honest, I was really really worried about mine (I ALWAYS eat in the morning and I have low blood pressure and low blood sugar levels, etc).... but I thought it was actually really really easy (even though it was done on a very hot day!!).... Do you need to get the "sirup" in advance (we do here in Germany)? I put it in the fridge the night before so it was nice and cool. Tasted of sweet grape juice, not bad at all. Also fills you up quite a bit. Take some still water, which you are allowed to sip in between (1-2 glasses per hour) - that really helped! After the two hours I ate a big sandwich and felt normal!! Just take magazines, books, ipod, etc - it'll go very very quickly....would do it again anytime

iris66 · 21/08/2007 09:55

I had my third yesterday and came home & had a massive fry up (well, grill up ) as I forgot to take anything to eat. I agree with eating as soon as you've had the second test but also try eating low GI for a day or two before the test (lots of oats/veg/protein etc - no sugar/white bread/rice) that will help your body cope (oats are very sugar stabilising) Hope all goes well for you

sparklygothkat · 21/08/2007 10:09

Just don't do what I did and have steriod injections in between the test!! The hospital had booked me in for the two things on the same day, and i knew that I had to return 12 hours later to have the 2nd steriod injection, and didn't fancy going back at midnight, so went to have the steriod injection done between the two GTT tests. The result is one messed up GTT and me having to go back on thursday to have it repeated.. I am not looking forward to it again!!

missbumpy · 21/08/2007 10:24

I felt pretty horrendous after mine too. I'd had a nightmare getting to the hospital on the trains/tubes so I was late, stressed and flustered and very hungry! It was lucozade at my hospital and they didn't let you walk around. I just went to the hospital shop afterwards and got a sweet drink and some crisps. Not very healthy but I just desperately needed some energy.

I've actually moved hospitals and my new hospital says they don't do the GTT because they don't think it's a particularly reliable test. My dad's diabetic and he agrees. He was surprised that hospitals routinely did GTT tests. If you're really worried about it maybe you could tell your doctor or midwife that you'd rather not do the GTT and ask to do a normal blood glucose test instead (one where you don't have to fast)?

lisad123 · 21/08/2007 10:48

I felt terrible after mine ended up back in hospital that afternoon and didnt get home for 3 days
Take water with you, some food to eat once its done, a good book.
And its not luczade it a horrible sticky drink [sick]

Firepile · 21/08/2007 10:54

I've has a few gtts - the ones in pregnancy were all lucozade-based (which has convinced me that Lucozade is the work of the devil and should not be sold as a recreational drink). Have also had one with a high sugar solution - it made me feel really sick and shaky. The Lucozade ones were fine in comparison.

mixedmama · 21/08/2007 16:17

I had this test twice with my llast pregnancy and had to have chocolate bars as I needed somemthing immediately. Cant say it worked, but then choc prob wasnt the best thing. But defo take something to eat.

GoodGollyMissMolly · 21/08/2007 16:26

I've got my GTT tomorrow morning, I didn't know it could make you feel ill after.
I think I'll probably take a banana or two with me to eat straight after.

barbamama · 21/08/2007 16:28

I had a GTT and i did feel a bit dodgy after I had the bloodtest - but I had put a load of chocolate in my bag and immediately scoffed that and felt better! Then I had a cup of tea and was fine. Don't rush out of the hospital and drive, have a snack and cup of tea in the cafe first if you can.

curlywurlycremeegg · 21/08/2007 16:30

thelady, is there good reason for the GTT? Just asking as some places still routinely test for Gestational Diabetes even though it is now NICE guidelines that it is not needed

Original poster

thelady · 21/08/2007 17:04

Not sure if there's a "good" reason for it. I had a lot of trouble conceiving (5 years, Clomid, no joy - the BFP this year after giving up) and because I'd had some of the markers for PCOS (but no cysts, and no elevated testosterone) the consultant wants to rule out diabetes at this stage rather than waiting for things to get 'out of hand' as he put it.

It's not routine here, no, but I'm relatively heavy (80kg pre-preg) and I think he just wants to rule out any further complications.

Porridge is my breakfast of choice at the mo, but I'll lay off the sweet-and-stickies for a while before the test as you suggest.

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