Glucose test next week - advice please.

[Chelle1986]

Hiya.

Ok so am 26 weeks at the moment, and we actually only found out about the pregnancy 4 weeks ago. Big and lovely surprise! (I had no symptoms or anything and only found out when went to docs with lower tummy pain).

So next week am being sent for a glucose test before my 28 week scan - is this normal? Especially this late on? I am overweight, but healthy.

I know this is to test for GD but surely I would be feeling poorly if I had that? And I feel completely normal apart from tired!

Any advice on what they will do during procedure and what the outcome might be, plus how this will affect me afterwards would be great. Also if I have GD - does it go away after the baby is born?

Thank you.x

Wow! COngratulations! I would loved to have found out that late on in all my pregnancies because the waiting drove me mad in the end!

I had my GTT around 28-30 weeks so I think it is a normal time to have it. I had to have a blood test, wait an hour, drink the glucose drink, wait an hour, have another blood test. I wasn't allowed to go anywhere or do anything, so I would suggest you bring a book or something to keep you occupied whilst you wait.

They did mine because my second baby was quite big, plus there were complications when he was born which left me quite traumatised and frightened about going through it all again. They literally offered my every test going this time to check for growth. I didn't feel unwell at all. Just very, very tired, but then I also had an older DD and a toddler DS, so really it was no wonder I was knackered most of the time!

I didn't have GD, so not sure about what happens afterwards. Good luck though and I hope everything is ok.

Heya! firstly Congratulations!! what a lovely surprise! :D and you've managaged to completely avoid morning sickness symptons...lucky so and so! hehe

Glucose tolerance tests are completely routine for the majority of us who are overweight. I also had to go for one around 28 weeks and its just to test your levels in your blood before and after a glucose drink (which didnt taste bad at all!). So first blood test, followed by the drink. A wait of two hours in hospital (Take a book!! ) followed by the last blood test. and thats that. You cant eat from 10pm the night before nor drink apart from water until after ALL the tests have been done and you're on your way home, so take an apple or something to eat on way home (I wish i did, was starving!!!) If you're worried, give your community midwife a quick call, she can go into more detail with you xxx

Hello. Congratulations! You're well over half way done without all the crap at the beginning!

Where I live you only get the GTT if there is sugar in your urine at your 28 week appointment. Some offer the test as a matter of course. The test itself is fine - the drink is not what you would order in a bar but it's fine. There is quite a lot of variance between areas as to how the test is performed. I went to my GP and was sent home between blood tests whereas other ladies have to stay in hospital for a three hour appointment. You fast from 9pm the night before (very important!) have a blood test in the morning, drink the sugary drink, do nothing for two hours (no eating and you can only have water) and then have another blood test. There's nothing to it!

Mine came back positive and I had no symptoms at all. I wasn't even tired - I had a massive burst of energy in the second trimester. There's a load of us on the support thread and I think only one had symptoms - thirst, tiredness and floaty things in her eyes. I don't think she felt ill as such. I don't mean to worry you!

One thing I would say is that having GD is not bad at all. Sure you have to careful with your diet and you need to check your blood four or so times a day but you get into the way of it. A GD diet is also much more limited in calories so you are likely to put less weight on. You will see a consultant and have extra scans and monitoring but that's all fine too. It's nice to see the baby on the scans too.

I'm on metformin to control it and my sugar levels have been pretty good.

GD does tend to go away once the baby is born too - it's a pregnancy related condition but some think that there is an increased risk of type II diabetes in later life.

If the test is positive it's really not the worst thing and the support thread is full of lovely ladies imparting lots of wisdom. That and a few have had their babies now so it's getting a little quieter!

I hope it all goes well and in the nicest possible way that I don't see you on the GD thread!

Good luck.

Just to add- I had one of these- it was negative, but I nearly passed out in the waiting as I had gone so long without food. Apparently it is normal but it was awful. I had to lie on the floor of the waiting room! So be prepared for maybe feeling rather crap.

I've got my glucose test on Thursday, will be 29+6. Am having one because I'm overweight and DS was 4.1kg when he was born (9lbs) and they've decided I may have had undiagnosed diabetes with him.

It says on the letter that came that I'm not to eat, or drink anything but water, from midnight.

It starts with a fingerprick test, the the sugary drink, and then sitting in the waiting room for 2 hours, then another finger prick test. That's fine. What's worrying me is that it says you're not allowed to eat, drink, sleep, smoke or be physically active during the 2 hours. The one I'm worried about it not being able to drink- not even water? Has anyone else been told that?

Good luck with yours Chelle

I had one and was very nervous about not eating, as I had lived on wine gums and lemonade in early pregnancy. Hmmm, wonder why I needed a GTT?

I wasn't allowed to drink water either and was a bit / As it turned out it was just fine and I didn't feel too bad during the morning. I think I'd built it up to be something worse than it was.

I had mine at 24 weeks and was allowed to drink as much water as I wanted!

Its routine for anyone with a BMI of 30 and above in my area anyway, when I asked I was told its because if you are overweight you are considered to be overstimulating your glucose receptors on a regular basis which is what causes type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes is similar.

I had to fast from 9pm, had first blood test at 9am, drank sugary drink (very sweet but same consistancy as water) then second blood test at 11am. Then I could eat and drink anything freely, could have water all the time. I was allowed to go away but they wanted me to stay in waiting room for 20mins as it can make some people feel lightheaded. It's true you can't smoke as I guess all the chemicals can interfere but otherwise I could have slept if I had wanted to and did go for a walk. I felt quite sick for 30 mins after I drank the drink but otherwise fine, I have had quite bad morning sickness though.

Mine came back negative and while chatting to the phleobotomist she said in her opinion they should raise the BMI limit as most women who come in for being overweight and having large babies are actually fine.

Don't know about symptoms but my midwife told me that sugar in the urine is a very late sign and you could already have a baby with very large shoulders (the reason why they are worried about GD in the first place) if it goes undiagnosed for that long.

Was told if it's negative it makes no difference if it's positive they will try to control it by diet and then medication if that doesn't work. And as far as I know it does go away once baby is born and it's the baby that causes it.

Good luck and congratulations!!