GD/Glucose Test advice

makeoutside7 · July 2015

Hi Ladies,

I was informed today at my 23 week appointment that in 3 weeks, I will be screened for round one for gestational diabetes. I have been told different things by different people and just wanted to see if anyone of you are in the same boat. Someone told me that if you have it already, you can't change that fact prior to your appointment even if you try. Today, I told my doctor I had concerns that I probably already have it since I have been eating terribly this entire pregnancy. She said that I had the next 3 weeks to prep for the test and told me it will make a difference. My question is how does one prepare themselves and is there still hope that I will pass? All advice and suggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Abonsut · July 2015

GD is more related to how your body manages blood sugar than eating unhealthfully for a time. While a healthy weight/ diet can help keep your sugar steady in general, you can't really "prepare" so to speak. You can eat terribly and not have an issue or be perfectly healthy with your choices and still have insulin resistance. If for whatever reason you do have GD, it's better to know and treat it then to not

Mine is coming up too but my only worry is chugging that gross solution (I hate orange flavoring).

Elyse1384 · July 2015

Yeah I second the above. You can't really prepare for it. With DS I didn't eat very healthy (I was very nauseous and eating lots of carbs), but I never had GD.

makeoutside7 · July 2015

@Abonsut, thanks so much for that info! Maybe I will luck out but I have decided to cut out sweets for the next few weeks in hopes that it will still help my chances. Too bad my doctor mentioned that mine will be orange flavored too, my sister said her cherry one was not that bad. Boo. Hopefully it goes quick!

JLW0504 · July 2015

I just had my GD test at my anatomy scan. I asked to take it early b/c I had GD last time and fully anticipate it again this time. I was told to "prepare" as well, but it's one of the many 50/50 things. You wither have it or don't.

If you really want to "prepare" try cutting out the bad sugars and limiting the good. Whole wheat pasta for white pasta. Brown rice for white. OJ or Apple juice vs soda. If you're wanting to carb count 15gm of carbohydrates equals 1 carb serving. SO, a slice of bread or 8 oz of milk = 1 carb serving. My last pregnancy, I was allowed 2 carbs for breakfast, 3 for lunch and 4 for dinner. I was allowed 1 carb for each of my 3 snacks (do not go by this as each woman is different).

For breakfast, I usually ate:1 slice of toast with jam(2 carbs incl the jam), 2 eggs eggs scrambled or omelet with cheese and water to drink.

For lunch, I ate: cheese burger for lunch(1 bun = 2 carbs), a salad and 8 oz of milk

For dinner, I would eat grilled chicken, salad, garden veggies and 2 glasses of milk(milk was a HUGE craving for me)

For snacks, usually whatever and some mixed, unsalted nuts and as always, water to drink.

Before your appointment you can buy a cheap glucose monitor OTC and a box of strips and check your blood sugar. That'll give you an idea of whether you have it or not. You can keep record of it and what you eat and take that to your next appointment. I had to test 4 - 5 times a day:

1: fasting glucose in the morning

2-4: 1 hour after each meal

5: right before bed( not required by the OB but I did it anyway)

A great website for you to check out is the American Diabetes Association. They have ample amounts of info to gear you with.

I hope this helps.

ETA: refrigerate the drink, it doesn't taste any better, but it's easier to gulp down.

LSRoo · July 2015

@JLW0504 I just failed my early test. I am hating this diet!!!

(

JLW0504 · July 2015

@LSRoo I haven't gotten my results back yet (my OB's office lost power yesterday and today due to storms, so they haven't call) but I am anticipating having to take the 3 hour test which will suck major donkey balls.

NancyG1661 · July 2015

People always assume because I'm a little heavy that I had it with my first and I will with my second. I didn't have it with my first and hope to not with my second. I have my test next week.

urby87 · July 2015

I was tested early and passed (my blood sugar was usually on the low side of normal pre-pregnancy). I have another one coming up at my next appt., and I'm dreading it because I can't seem to stay away from carbs now that my appetite is back... :-S ETA: No advice, just letting you know you're not alone.

makeoutside7 · July 2015

Thanks so much for your help, ladies. I wish all of you the best and hope that you pass your tests as well!

@JLW0504, Thanks so much for taking the time to describe the diet for me. It's actually not as bad as I thought it would be! At least now I have a heads up on what to expect if I do test positive. THANK YOU!

JLW0504 · July 2015

No problem @makeoutside7. A GD diet isn't bad at all. It's an adjustment for sure in the beginning when you're used to eating whatever you want, but I ended up losing 10lbs in 4 weeks. The key is portion control. Once you've got that down, it's a breeze.

LSRoo · July 2015

JLW0504 said:
No problem @makeoutside7. A GD diet isn't bad at all. It's an adjustment for sure in the beginning when you're used to eating whatever you want, but I ended up losing 10lbs in 4 weeks. The key is portion control. Once you've got that down, it's a breeze.

That was my next question. Is it possible to lose weight on GD diet? My dr isn't thrilled with my weight gain (almost 19 lbs already). I would love to be able to take some off before I really pack on the weight in the end

makeoutside7 · July 2015

@LSRoo, I'm right behind ya at 16lbs gained! My doctor hasn't mentioned anything to me though...maybe I will go on the GD anyways. $:\$

LSRoo · July 2015

makeoutside7 said:
@LSRoo, I'm right behind ya at 16lbs gained! My doctor hasn't mentioned anything to me though...maybe I will go on the GD anyways. $:\$

I had to get tested early because DS was 10# at birth! My dr said that even if I passed the test he would still want me on the GD diet because I gained so much weight last pregnancy.

Elyse1384 · July 2015

LSRoo said:

makeoutside7 said:
@LSRoo, I'm right behind ya at 16lbs gained! My doctor hasn't mentioned anything to me though...maybe I will go on the GD anyways. $:\$
I had to get tested early because DS was 10# at birth! My dr said that even if I passed the test he would still want me on the GD diet because I gained so much weight last pregnancy.

Wait, what!? GD diet potential even without GD - ouch! If you don't mind my asking, how much did you gain with your first? DS was 9lb and I gained 37lb total. This pregnancy my OB expects another biggie and at 22 weeks I'm up 18lb. Considering in lost 5lb in the first trimester... That's more like a 23lb gain in a mere 9 or so weeks! I'm kind of freaked out about it. I see my OB tomorrow and he had never once mentioned weight gain to me (last pregnancy or this one to date), but maybe I'm in for an earful tomorrow!

TallyKyle · July 2015

I was tested at 9 weeks and failed. They didn't even have me do the 3 hour test. GD is not the end of the world. Seriously. This is my first pregnancy and I am dieting, taking insulin every day, and testing my sugar 4 times a day. It's annoying, but totally manageable. Please don't freak out!

wedding crazed · July 2015

I agree with others posters that there is no way to try and pass the test. You either have it or don't. And you wouldn't want to try and cheat the test and pass even if you could as it's super bad for the baby if you have it. I didn't have it with baby 1 and 2, but did with 3 and this baby. I eat healthy and exercise and still have it. It's more to do with the placenta with gestational diabetes. If you are at higher risk for diabetes you are more likely to have it in pregnancy (i.e. family history of diabetes, overweight, etc.). Good luck! It's not the end of the world. And the good news is that if you have to eat healthy and exercise you gain much less weight. I was Dx very early this time and have hardly gained any weight at all at 21 weeks.

rachswi · August 2015

Hey ladies - resurrecting this thread because I have a question. I had my GD test yesterday and honestly felt like I had low blood sugar by the end instead of high (I had a headache, was hangry, a little tired, wanted to eat, etc.)... can that happen? What would the next step be?

I will hopefully get my results this next week but I'm antsy and couldn't sleep last night because of it... something about being pregnant

ashleywuli · August 2015

I don't have any real advice, but this is my third pregnancy. With every pregnancy I eat tons of carbs and sugars and have passed all GD tests with flying colors. I believe it has a lot more to do with how your body processes sugars than exactly what you eat. Try not to stress too much!

SJFTCA · August 2015

I agree with @ashleywuli. I mean, they make you drink something super sugary and test your blood sugar an hour later to determine HOW your body processes the sugar. After I drank my drink, I felt a bit nauseated and then later had a headache, but I passed my test with a 131 (cutoff was 140). I also eat tons of carbs and sugar, very little protein, and always have, and I was fine. Also, I found out my results right away with a finger prick...why do you have to wait on the results?

RNmommy13 · August 2015

Yes if you have it there is nothing you can do. Eating bad doesn't cause you to have it either, it's how your body regulates those sugars/carbs. You can eat well and exercise and have so you have good numbers at your test, but then you are just fooling yourself if you have it and go back to eating whatever you want. You could just be harming yourself and baby if you don't find out if you really have it or not

maura+c · August 2015

I had my with my first and not looking forward to this one. I didn't have any problems with my results; I just felt VERY strange! I described it to my husband as being high. It made me jittery and sick. I think this is by far the worst test in pregnancy!

poupoule · August 2015

Well I contacted them twlling them I am not drinking this glucose solution, dont know if you looked at the ingredients but it is pretty nasty.
We will do an alternative test, will see what they are ok for me to do.
Seems crazy to make us drink something that contains ingrendients we are warned against for baby.

From what I found online there is plenty of other ways to test for it

Pontot31 · August 2015

poupoule said:
Well I contacted them twlling them I am not drinking this glucose solution, dont know if you looked at the ingredients but it is pretty nasty.
We will do an alternative test, will see what they are ok for me to do.
Seems crazy to make us drink something that contains ingrendients we are warned against for baby.

From what I found online there is plenty of other ways to test for it

My hospital allows you to eat a certain amount of jelly beans for the test.
But seriously, it's one small drink. 1 time. You're not going to hurt the baby.

rachswi · August 2015

@SJFTCA I'm not sure why my dr didn't just do a finger prick. My doctor actually takes 2 vials of blood to test (one I believe being for iron levels and such, the other for my sugar levels)... Either way, I have to wait to get the results and since I got the test on a Friday, it will likely be Tuesday at the very earliest that I will find out.

@maura+c I think a word is missing from your post. Did you pass your test even though you felt kinda weird all over? That's kinda how I felt.

And also, I'm with @Pontot31 - small amounts won't hurt you or baby. It's habits that cause the problems. Lol our parents and grandparents didn't have any of the restrictions they put on pregnant women today and I say we've survived just fine.

mrsericalsmith · August 2015

I took my 1 hour last Friday & failed

SJFTCA · August 2015

@rachswi They got my hemoglobin (11.5) and my sugar level (131) from the finger prick! I was actually shocked but elated bc I hate getting blood drawn. I couldn't believe they could do it that way, but they did. Good luck!

dramaphile · August 2015

poupoule said:
Well I contacted them twlling them I am not drinking this glucose solution, dont know if you looked at the ingredients but it is pretty nasty.
We will do an alternative test, will see what they are ok for me to do.
Seems crazy to make us drink something that contains ingrendients we are warned against for baby.

From what I found online there is plenty of other ways to test for it

My midwife gave me the option to drink 16 oz of orange juice instead of the 5oz of glucola. It would probably taste better, but I'm worried about getting bad heartburn from the acidic juice since I can't eat or drink anything for an hour after it. I might try a smaller amount of juice before my appt just to see how I handle it. I'll probably end up opting for the glucola since it's a lot less and it won't kill my stomach.

poupoule · August 2015

dramaphile said:

Well I contacted them twlling them I am not drinking this glucose solution, dont know if you looked at the ingredients but it is pretty nasty. We will do an alternative test, will see what they are ok for me to do. Seems crazy to make us drink something that contains ingrendients we are warned against for baby. From what I found online there is plenty of other ways to test for it
My midwife gave me the option to drink 16 oz of orange juice instead of the 5oz of glucola. It would probably taste better, but I'm worried about getting bad heartburn from the acidic juice since I can't eat or drink anything for an hour after it. I might try a smaller amount of juice before my appt just to see how I handle it. I'll probably end up opting for the glucola since it's a lot less and it won't kill my stomach.

That looks good to me... I think I need to call them to find a solution.

to reply to another PP from Pontot31, it is more a statement, I can be stubborn...but in France they would not even test me as I am not at risk. I think if everyone is pushing against it, they would do a healthier test.

kwaldy · August 2015

Resurrecting this thread... again.
I'm scheduled for my GD test next week, but it's scheduled for the afternoon. I've been told by most everyone that it's better to do it in the morning but I wasn't given that option. Has anyone ever has theirs in the afternoon and still passed? How did you go about eating lunch? I'm worried that eating lunch is going to skew my results and make me fail. Sounds crazy, I know. I just don't want to be screwed just because of the timing of the test. My OB didn't really give me any instructions except I have to stay in the office for an hour.

Pontot31 · August 2015

kwaldy said:
Resurrecting this thread... again.
I'm scheduled for my GD test next week, but it's scheduled for the afternoon. I've been told by most everyone that it's better to do it in the morning but I wasn't given that option. Has anyone ever has theirs in the afternoon and still passed? How did you go about eating lunch? I'm worried that eating lunch is going to skew my results and make me fail. Sounds crazy, I know. I just don't want to be screwed just because of the timing of the test. My OB didn't really give me any instructions except I have to stay in the office for an hour.

Mine with my daughter was in the afternoon.i passed just fine. Eat normal, maybe higher protein during the day. My test was at like 2pm.
What you eat during the day will not affect your test. Don't go for ice cream. But eat normal meals.

rachswi · August 2015

I had mine in the afternoon. Had panera for lunch (soup, salad, and a roll). Still passed! Have more protein than carbs for lunch but don't stress out too much.

makeoutside7 · August 2015

Hi, I just took mine last Tuesday at 3pm. I was instructed to eat no fruit or sugar on the day of the screening. I ate a hot pocket for breakfast at 10am. I ate a salad and two slices of pizza for lunch around noon. I scored a 114. The nurse that read me my results told me anything under a 130 is a pass. I didn't do anything different other than no sugar intake the day of. Like other PPs mentioned you really can't "prevent" it or have control over how your body processes sugar. It's better to have an honest diagnosis and treat it. Eat normally minus the sugar. Wish you the best of luck, I was feeling the same way last week. Hang in there.

Ceridwen77 · August 2015

My test was at 1:30pm last Wednesday. I just had cereal for breakfast and a salad and nuts for lunch. I didn't receive a call on Friday so I assume I passed, but I'll call Monday to confirm.

GD/Glucose Test advice

Re: GD/Glucose Test advice

Choose Another Board

Search Boards