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Original poster

Glucose Test

23 replies

OnMyJourney · 13/06/2023 23:48

Hi everyone!

So my midwife has booked me in for the 2 hour Glucose test in early august, I'm just wondering peoples experiences on it, from my understanding you have your bloods taken, drink the drink, then have bloods taken again 2 hours later. I always read that ladies throw up, pass out, feel extremely nauseous during the test, I'm scared especially as it could be quite hot being august, plus I'll be on my own for 2 hours just sat in a hospital, they've said I can't leave at all, I'm only being tested as I have PCOS and that ticks the box to have the test done, I don't want to turn it down as I want to make sure I'm as healthy as can be for the baby but i'm scared!

Any experience, advice, things to do in the 2 hour wait (I'm not a book reader or a movie watcher lol) and how did it taste? Any help is appreciated 💖

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CalamityCara · 13/06/2023 23:54

It’s not something I’d choose to drink, but it’s manageable.

Magazine, wordseach/crossword book, knitting, write a letter, sit outside on a blanket and people watch, take a tablet & watch a film on Netflix?

redlou123 · 14/06/2023 00:46

I had one last summer when it was really warm. The bit I had to wait in had no windows and was quite stuffy so I was really glad I'd taken a little handheld fan. The drink was really, really sweet. I'm not a fan of sweet drinks (I water down fruit juice) so I wasn't a massive fan of it but I just closed my eyes and knocked it back in one to get it down as quickly as possible. The flavour of it wasn't too bad, it was just the sweetness that did it for me.

I felt fine during the test itself, but felt dreadful afterwards, absolutely exhausted and really nauseous. My test was first thing in the morning and I was due back in work afterwards, but ended up ringing in sick and spent the day on the couch. There was no way I would have been able to work. I felt completely normal again by the evening. Everyone reacts differently to it though so you won't necessarily be the same, I'd just bare it in mind in case you have plans for afterwards.

In terms of tips to pass the time, I'd just do whatever you normally do when travelling on a plane or train - listen to music, read a magazine etc. I downloaded a few episodes of programmes to watch on my iPad and took a book. One bit of advice I was given which I found helpful, was to take some food and drink with you for as soon as the test is over. You might feel like you need something ASAP so it's handy to have it ready and waiting for you, especially if you do feel a bit ill. Hope it goes ok for you.

Laserbeam24 · 14/06/2023 00:55

It's really not that bad. If you're lucky, the waiting room might have a TV. FaceTime a friend or family, or play games on your phone. It sounds like a long time but it's not. The drink is strange. It doesn't really have a taste other than ridiculously sweet! It's kinda syrupy in texture, but it's not disgusting. I was asked to drink a jug of water with mine so it was easier, sip of drink, sip of water etc.

Namechangedforthis25 · 14/06/2023 01:47

Have had this twice and it’s been absolutely fine

the wait went really quickly - I bought a book and my laptop and ended up just looking at mumsnet and the news and the time went

the drink is a bit like lucozade - so not that bad

i felt hungry but didn’t feel any other symptoms at all and then ate a nice sandwich after the second blood test

try and get a test in the morning if you can so you only fast overnight - but you can and should drink water overnight

RecklessBlackberries · 14/06/2023 02:37

I had this in June or July the year I was pregnant and the heat didn't cause any issues. It's not fun, but it's not as bad as you seem to have heard. I felt absolutely fine all the way through, and that's as someone who did have diabetes.

Jericha · 14/06/2023 02:41

I felt ok after mine but it did make my baby go crazy with movements for hours.

DifficultBloodyWoman · 14/06/2023 03:06

First time - I thought I was going to puke. But I didn’t. I felt much better afterwards when I could get some fresh air and eat something solid. However, this may have been related to really bad morning sickness.

Second time - I was terrified of feeling as bad as I did the first time. I didn’t. I felt absolutely fine the entire time. Coincidentally, I didn’t have morning sickness that day. I did have lots of carbs the night before which may have been a mistake.

Top tip - drink it in one go if possible (it wasn’t for me but I did try). It gets harder to drink towards the end because it is so sweet which is unusual for me because I can guzzle Pepsi and coke like nobody’s business.

Take a book or magazine or make sure your devices are fully charged so you can MumsNet fir two hours because the time passes s l o w l y.

Good luck!

QueenOfWeeds · 14/06/2023 03:19

Charge your devices and download in advance because some hospital wifi is pants, and signal might not be the best.

It will almost certainly be uncomfortably hot so yes to a fan. Take a bottle of iced water as well, and just double check that they are happy for you to drink it (from memory it was encouraged?).

I hadn’t realised I would have to drink the whole bottle! She put it in front of me, and I smiled back at her and waited for a little spoon/measuring cup to appear 😄.

AlltheFs · 14/06/2023 03:21

I got myself a bit wound up about it as I throw up liquid medications and was worried I’d not get it down and keep it there (I can swallow huge pills without water but couldn’t take cough medicine for example if my life depended on it).
I did struggle to drink it all and it did make me nauseous but it wasn’t as bad as I feared. Mine was also in hot weather.

The wait was fine, I did work emails on my phone mostly plus social media. That went quickly. You have to sit down, can’t move about.

I did feel absolutely rubbish afterwards, hideous headache and a bit like a hangover so I did have to go to bed for the rest of the day after eating. But I was absolutely fine by the next day. I wouldn’t plan to do anything at all but you night be ok.

I did have GD so was glad I went through it.

Saturnsmoon · 14/06/2023 03:30

I had an early one (16weeks) and probably went in to it a bit unaware and felt not great after drinking the drink (which was gross but manageable) was quite worried I was going to puke or faint but ended up doing neither ;). I have another one at 28 weeks and really not fussed about it although I will be taking my husband along as I think I would have felt more comfortable last time having him with me.

I was very grateful for the naked bar I’d shoved in my bag to eat straight after, before I managed to get lunch. I was fine after I’d eaten and could have gone about my day normally.

redlou123 · 14/06/2023 08:08

Jericha · 14/06/2023 02:41

I felt ok after mine but it did make my baby go crazy with movements for hours.

I'd forgotten about that bit! My baby was bouncing round like crazy in there after I had the drink.

MapofVenice · 14/06/2023 08:09

It was absolutely fine! A nice excuse to sit down for a while 🤣

Summerishereagain · 14/06/2023 08:13

It tasted like capri sun. Not to my taste at all but it wasn’t horrific.

FirstTimeTryer93 · 14/06/2023 08:51

Just take a handheld fan and make sure you're well hydrated the day before. They tried to give me the test but my veins are rubbish so couldn't do it. Ended up with one of them diabetic testing machines for a week x

Readingisgoodforyou · 14/06/2023 08:55

I've had it 3 x in hot weather. It's not something I'd choose to drink but you just have to get on with it. You'll be fine. Take some magazines as it's boring and grab the most comfortable looking chair.

Stormydanielss · 14/06/2023 08:58

I had one (may have changed cos it was 13years ago) but I read and they gave us a sandwich after. I then went shopping and felt like I would faint, so I suggest going straight home. Try and get a lift or a taxi xxx

sanityisamyth · 14/06/2023 08:58

It made me pass out. It tasted like flat lucozade (apparently as I can't stand lucozade) and gave me a splitting headache. I have an intolerance to a type of carbohydrate (not sure which one) and it made me feel very lightheaded and sick. My actual blood sugars were fine and no sign of GD. Never again!

QueenOfWeeds · 14/06/2023 09:05

Oh yes! Get a seat in the corner so you can get comfy ish and maybe doze?

Pitstop1986 · 14/06/2023 12:38

I'd take food for afterwards. I feel sick when pregnant if I've not eaten and skipping breakfast followed by 2 hours of only liquids I was feeling awful by the end. I ran straight to the hospital cafe afterwards, but choices weren't great and I wished that I'd taken something myself

allgoodthings84 · 14/06/2023 12:54

I passed out around 20 mins after the first drink and bloods. They think it was the drink as I am fine giving bloods and needles etc. It was mega sweet and I never drink sugary drinks. I then could t do the second bloods as had been moved too much (I was taken to a&e) so had to go back a week later to do it again. I nearly passed out a second time but when I could feel myself going I told someone and they moved me to a reclining chair in a private air conned room and I was then able to do the second bloods. I don’t have GD my body just hated it.

Original poster

OnMyJourney · 23/06/2023 07:54

Thank you all for your responses, seems like a mixed bag of experiences so I guess it's a wait and see situation! By the sounds of it I need a fan, cold water and food for after! Needles don't bother me at all I've had my blood drawn more times than I can count, like someone had said I get nauseous when I haven't eaten but the midwife said not to eat after 10pm so the day before I guess I'll just have to have a big dinner and hope for the best! My test isn't booked in until 9am but my midwife thought just to keep me busy is to book a midwife appointment in half way through so I've got that at 9:40 so hopefully that should help pass some time!

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Gloopyhoop · 23/06/2023 11:21

When I had mine done last month at 16w she gave me a cup of solution to drink (really not that bad, I gag at any liquid that has some form of medicine in it & this one I didn't 😂) and a cup of water. I didn't feel any side effects at all. There was a lady doing it at the same time who felt very sick and had to sit by an open window and in the end she had to restart the test, she was halfway through too 😞
My numbers ended up being 4.6 fasting and 4.3 2 hrs after. I also had GD in my last pregnancy as well as high BMI so I had to redo it. Just waiting on my 28 week retest now 😮‍💨

Original poster

OnMyJourney · 01/09/2023 15:00

Just in case anyone comes back to this post for advice and I would like to thank everyone for their advice!

I had my test yesterday and it was absolutely fine, I had blood taken, drank the drink and felt completely normal for the 2 hours, I was very hungry and my butt went numb from sitting on the chair for so long and it was very boring having to wait but either way it was no problem at all, I had a sandwich for afterwards and luckily it wasn't too hot outside as it was raining, the drink tasted like a melted orange ice lolly which wasn't too bad at all, it didn't smell or taste like medicine or anything bad it was all good! I got the test results back this morning and I don't have GD (which is a shock because I eat lots of sugar lol) but thank you everyone for your advice it came in handy 😊

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