High blod sugar at 12 weeks, GTT at 18 weeks?

[EffiePerine]

Had a mw appt last week and it turns out that my blood sugar levels from the 12 week blood tests are a bit high (8.0). Not that they informed me or anything, luckily she spotted it and booked me in for a GTT.

Have been reading up on GTTs and gestational diabetes (BIG mistake) and am now worried: most people are tested later on unless there is a definite risk? How common is high blood sugar at 12 weeks (given a diet of 90% carbs in the first trimester ). If I do have GD will I have to be induced? (really want to avoid that one).

Has anyone had high blood sugar levels this early on and NOT GD?

Also, the GTT will be done at my local surgery and I think they will send me home between the 9am test and the 11am glucose bit. Is this usual?

blood sugar that should be

anyone?

have been googling (I know I know) and it look likely that if I have high levels at this point I have undiagnosed diabetes (with risks to developing baby in first trimester)

aaargh

Efiie Found it! Try not to worry, they tested me twice for GD last pregnancy and there was nothing. I was also tested between pregnancies to double check as my son was very large at birth (common sign) and they will carry out GTT on me for this pregnancy as well. I don't really know what the implications are for the pregnancy if you test positive, but from what they told me last time it is a case of just keeping a very close eye on you and baby. Try not to worry until you actually have the test, if it is positive they will give you extra attention and make a plan for you.
It is perfectly normal to be sent home in between the tests, just make sure that you get to back in to see the Doc quickly at 11am as you will be feeling pretty hungry and faint by then.
Letme know what happens, and I'll let you know when my test comes through so that we can hold (virtual) hands!

Thanks Katie . Will try not to worry until next week - any idea how long it takes for the results?

If I remember rightly, I got mine straight away last time I think. Might vary though as mine was done at hospital.

Hi Effie - have popped over from the GD support thread .

Firstly, try not to panic, and try not to google too much!

Most people aren't tested until later unless there are 2 or more risk factors present, or GD in a previous pregnancy. The high blood sugar would certainly be one risk factor. Others can include a previous large baby, being overweight, having a family history of diabetes.

One question worth asking, is can you remember how long before your 12 week bloods you had eaten, and what that meal/snack was, as this may have affected your results. I don't have stats for how common high blood sugar at 12 weeks is, but it isn't something I've come across often. That said, the diabetes midwife that I see told me on my first visit that the early tests are often to try and catch people who had undiagnosed type 2 diabetes pre-pregnancy. She worried me that that was the case for me (I just failed my GTT at 17 weeks), but after monitoring my blood sugars for 4 days, the diabetes consultant was quite definite that it is 'just' GD that I have.

If you fail the GTT (and it is just an if at the moment) then you will need to monitor your blood sugar at home (I do a finger prick test 4 times a day) for a while so that they can ascertain whether the same is true of you.

If you do have GD, then you may need to be induced. This depends largely on whether you can control it through diet or not. So far (am almost 30 weeks now) I have managed to do this, as I also am adamant that I don't want to be induced. If you can't control it through diet/exercise, then you will need to have insulin injections, and should then be induced at 38 weeks. My hospital will let me go to term on diet alone, but will try to induce me if I don't deliver naturally by my due date. I'm crossing that bridge if and when I get to it .

IME it's unusual to be sent home between the blood tests, but I don't think that there are many surgeries who do the tests themselves, so that may be why. It is important not to do much in the way of activity for these 2 hours, so tbh I'd be inclined to take yourself a book into the surgery and sit there and read during the wait.

When are they doing the GTT?

pretty much going to say aqll that CSWS said.

ps CSWS, am back at hospital on the 4th, are you?

oh my consultant last time booked me in for induction at 38weeks, as at 36 weeks my levels were becoming mroe erratic after being controlled almost perfectly until that point on diet alone. they werent bad enough for insulin but the numbers were slowly creeping up.

hello effie.

oh bugger . are you still at the homerton? if i were you, i'd get on the phone asap & try and get yourself an appointment at the joint diabetes/pg antenatal clinic. it used to be on a weds afternoon. make them do the gtt there & then so at least you're in the right place.

8.0 isn't desperately high as a random glucose, but it's not great. it would be high for fasting - can you remember how recently you'd eaten when you had the blood test?

above all, please don't panic. diabetes & pregnancy is hard work but ultimately dealable with. i have pre-existing diabetes & was really well looked after both times (had my 2nd at the homerton) & had 2 completely average sized babies (3.46 & 3.01 kg respectively). you are likely to be induced, but given this is your 2nd baby it should be ok & quite quick.

hth & take care

Yes I'll be there misdee - scan at 9:50 and clinic at 10:30 iirc (not that appointment times seem to count for much at that clinic!).

Thanks for all the replies and helpful info. It's good to know induction isn't guaranteed (ds was early too)

I really cant remember how soon after eating the test was - maybe three hours?

yes am still at the homerton

blood test is next tues at the surgery. DS would be with me on weds so dont think it would be doable to go tomorrow even if they could fit me in. I'm just surprised that it wasn't picked up automatically - as I said the mw noticed it at my booking appt 4 weeks later.

no other risk factors - not overweight, DS not big at birth (tho shot up later), no family history so all a bit odd...

Update: just range maternity help at the H and they were really helpful . Turns out I have 2 hospital numbers which is why I wasn;t contacted by the antenatal clinic beforehand (grrr) but she doesn't think that a) it is likely I have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes (esp as no prob in previous pg and no other risk factors) or b) there will have been any adverse effects on the baby. More likely to be a rogue result but GTT should show up any probs. Phew. Will try not to worry until I hear otherwise (but still watching the lovely carbs and sweet stuff, sigh).

helpline that should be

well the mw rang back and she has emailed the heads of maternity and community services to try and make sure this kind of mistake doesn;t happen again - let's hope . Very good and prompt service, which is reassuring.

oh good, glad they're being efficient on your behalf.

Have you had the results of your test back yet Effie?

I have to ring the surgery tomorrow

I am feeling tired and headachy but suspect hypochondria

Ah yes, I've heard that the symptoms of that can be quite many and varied!

What is GTT?

Glucose tolerance test.

Thank you.

Phew! Results back and all normal

Can now stop stressing (until the next thing!)

Thanks for all the help and support

Hurrah!
I'd imagine that they might want to test you again at 28 weeks just in case, but at least you'll know what to expect next time.

Yes, and it wasn't as bad as I expected (prob because I went home and went back to bed in between blood tests!)