Can 3 GTT tests be wrong??!

[eliayd]

Hi all!
I'm tall and so is DH. So I know I'm prone to having larger babies
My last was 10 pounds and currently 35+5 and baby measuring 8 pounds and 99th centile

Had GD last time at 32 weeks was borderline and easily diet controlled

Anyway the tested me 3 times. 8 weeks. 26 weeks. 33 weeks
All negative and passed with flying colours and well within normal. It's the oral one where they take fasting bloods and then after 2h

At 33 week scan he was measuring big and again at 35 his AC measurements were bit bigger then overall too.

I bought one of those home testing kits off Amazon ages ago and tested myself yesterday and they have been 8-9mmol after meals and fasting 6.7

Now I'm freaking out it's been Missed this whole time?

The consultant said at 35 week appointment i don't have it coz I was tested recently they can't retest and just to keep eye on diet and walk 15min a day last 3 weeks as I have a elected section booked anyway at 38+4

Anyway I read some Amazon reviews and most are good but there are a few saying when compared to the NHS one they give huge results so now I'm questioning the monitor and have ordered a Nhs one from boots.

Has anyone Else gone through this? Should I bother with self testing or rust the GTTs? I thought they were super accurate?! Thanks

Does it matter if the tests are right or not? If you think you have GD, there's nothing stopping you following a GD diet and seeing if that helps your bloods.

Agree with the above.

I've been made to repeat my GTT because he was huge - but he was huge before my first GTT.

But my normal diet (especially pre-pregnancy, because I was sick up til six month) is close enough to GD diet anyway. I like regular exercise and activity scattered through the day as a rule too. Peps up my energy. Just do that if you're worried.

I'm refusing the test if they want to do it again. He's big. That's just something that happens (if they're right, anyway).

@thecatsthecats
Did you pass your GTT?
Iv been following GD I did last time since yesterday and figures are still between 8-9mmol 1 hour after meals.
I just don't know if I need medication to control it now or just need to change the monitor. I really thought the GTT being negative would have been enough

I've passed both GTT, yes.

He measured 87th percentile before the first GTT, and 94th before the second GTT. So if he measures big again after this (I'm 29 weeks), then I'm refusing the test.

I would keep up the diet, but I'd try to have confidence in the hospital test results - which is hard when they don't seem to have much confidence in them themselves! To be fair, my consultant said that she wouldn't refer me again, but she's my second consultant, and the first wouldn't even have referred me for the second test.

Why have they sent you for four?

Yes I had exactly this. I had GD in my first pregnancy but passed the GTT 3 times in my second pregnancy (16 weeks, 28 weeks, 32 weeks). The last test was because baby was messing big (but ended up being born on the 50th, it wasn’t accurate). I was testing too and had the odd high reading but my consultant said I had some problems regulating my blood sugar but not GD so just be careful what I eat. I would stop testing as you don’t know how reliable that kit is and follow the GD diet, that’s what I did and all was well. If you’re concerned you need medication you could ask for an nhs kit and record the readings. The GD Facebook page is brilliant for advice, you could post your question there too.

@Mistymeow
Wow I can't believe same happened to you. It's odd isn't it. My consultant said due to GTTs I don't have it but every reading of mine is out of wack. I think it's the monitor. It's making me stressed so Iv stopped using it. If my new one is the same I'm going to tell my midwife and see what they say and just take that advice.

Definitely following a low carb GD diet now though to be on safe side. Hard to get exercise in as have horrible PGP atm. Use all my energy running around after 2 kids atm haha

Thanks for your reply. It's helped x

@thecatsthecats

I had 3 tests. One in first trimester because of previous GD
Second at 26 weeks the usual one.
Third because baby measuring big.
All came back normal
Latest was 33 weeks test

But my scan still measuring large baby and higher AC measurement so I asked again do I have GD. They said no but keep eye on diet exercise.

Last time they told me if the 33 week test was normal they may ask me to take finger prick test for a week just in case

But at 35 weeks appointment the senior consultant said not needed

They want to see me again in 2 weeks though. That's good I guess for another scan.

It just me I wanted to see what my monitor said in terms of blood glucose and they coming out high. Not sure

Past 34 weeks you can't do another OGTT but what you do is monitor like you are doing. You can certainly develop GD later in a pregnancy and your readings are high suggesting GD as long as your glucometer is accurate. Are you under a midwife team for women with previous GD? If so I would call them, if not then your regular midwife. Ask to be put in contact with the diabetes nurse/ midwife regarding screening again for late GD.

I am not sure what your obstetrician is talking about. You can certainly have normal OGTTs and then go on to develop GD past 34 weeks. Then protocol should be for 1 week of home blood glucose monitoring and then a referral to obstetric endo team if over a set amount of readings are high.

@Orangebadger
Thanks I'm not sure it's accurate because I took my blood glucose after my OGTT (when I got home) and it said 7mmol but the blood results that came after OGTT said 5.5. (Ones hospital took)
This was a few months ago. I was pleasantly surprised at the time.

So Iv ordered another one as I'm not sure how reliable these readings are. It's one used by NHS I think so I'll see what that says and if it's high I'll call my midwife

@Orangebadger
Yes the consultant said i don't need to do the weekly finger prick test either. But the dr I had at 33 weeks said I may do. So I asked ar 35 weeks and she said not needed. The senior OB said I think

@Orangebadger
I asked OB and senior OB and midwife and they said the 1 week monitoring wasn't needed. Weird I know

I am a maternity Diabetes Specialist Nurse. It varies depending on hospital but I think as you have had previous GD and you are having a large baby, they should be advising you to do a week of testing so I would agree with the first Dr. If you had your previous baby at the same hospital who managed your diabetes? Were you under specialist midwife and obstetric care?

Also do they know that you have been testing and what the readings are? Once you get your new machine if you are getting the same readings I would let them know. Home glucose monitoring it more accurate than the OGTT.
The discrepancy when you tested at home after your OGTT is that they use venous bloods whereas home testing uses capillary blood, so there is usually a difference.

Thanks for your advice. I appreciate it. Last time it was diagnosed at 32 weeks and was borderline (7.9) and I diet controlled it quite easily I only really had to cut out refined sugars like sweet and drinks to control them.

Diet controlled till birth and she was 10 pounds and is perfectly healthy 3 year old now. No issues at birth. I'm 5'8 and hubby is 6'1 for reference.

This time the after 2 hr blood test has been 5.5 8 weeks , 5.0 at 26 weeks and 6.7 at 33 weeks. Fasting have all been normal too.

I'll test after my new one arrives and will tell midwife if they reading high. Im 35 weeks now. I'm just surprised it's so high only 2 weeks later even after following the same diet I used last pregnancy with GD. :s

@Orangebadger
I was under consultant care last preg but for diff reason. I was also referred to diabetic team after the borderline result at 32w x