glucose test, fasting impossible with sickness

alisonmoose

I have my glucose test next month and I'm really scared. I'm still getting terrible sickness every day before I eat, and its made worse when I'm hungry, if I haven't eaten, or even if I have eaten but get hungry after, I get violently sick.

The last time this happened was on the way back from my mother in laws, i was nervous and hadn't eaten enough there, the hour car journey onthe wan back was horrendous, I threw up every where and I had terrible stomach cramps and diareah ( I have IBS which is also triggered by being hungry).

I'm seeing my midwife in a couple of weeks so I will discuss my fears with her, in the meantime can anyone put my mind at ease, is there any alternatives?' I read somewhere about a lady taking blood with a finger pricker at home which I'd happily do but not eating, even just for a couple of hours, is just making me too sick.

marathonmommy82

Do you have to fast for your glucose test? I didn't last time..

alisonmoose

I was told by a nurse at my first antenatal appointment that i would have to fast for about 9 hours.

mamaloaf

I was also told NOT to fast

Tinkerbell084

mana84 said:

I was also told NOT to fast

I was also told not to fast

dragonfly711

I just had my 1 hr glucose test today. It was not a fasting test you just could not eat anything sweet and hour or so before.

I was up at 6:30 had Cheerios drank the drink at 8:45 blood taken at 9:50 ish.

Drink was orange flavor. I had no problems. Just a bit tired now at 3:30 PM.

You should double check with your Dr.

Odebdo

One hour is no fasting, eat normal, the 3 hour is a fasting test, and you normally only take that if you fail the one hour.

alisonmoose

Thank you, this has reassured me. I haven't even seen my appointment letter, it was my husband who read it and then "put it in a safe place"... He cant remember where it is, or what it said!
I also thought the first one was not fasting, but the nurse told me months ago that it was.

mrsH1112

I actually just took mine today.  It depends on the type of test you take.  There is the 1 hr, which they reccomend fasting for, however its not required. 

Then there is the 2 hr test. I actually took the 2 hr test this morning.  I had to fast at least 10 hrs and then they gave me 75 g (I think) of the solution.  I had 5 minutes to drink it.  It wasnt that bad, mine was lemon lime flavor but I could see if your having pretty bad morning sickness how it would upset your stomach.  then they took my blood after 1 hr and again after 2 hrs...they then gave me juice and crackers.

Finally there is the 3 hr test, which is just like the 2 hr except you have to drink more of the liquid in the begining and there are 3 blood draws.

Slynn2287

I had mine about 4 weeks ago and was just told to not eat anything with sugar in it. I ate scrambled eggs and water. I have acid reflux so I had the same fear but was reassured that eating was okay. I also passed my test with no issues. 

Also prior to taking the test my doctor reviewed the way the it should be done by saying eat an hour before coming to the office. 

alisonmoose

I've just found my letter, it says I cannot eat anything from 11pm the night before, and my appointment is at 9am at the hospital, and could take up to 3 hours.
There's just no way I could get through that without being violently sick and having IBS.

monkeysip

Have you told them this?  It seems like they wouldn't want to make you do a test in a way that's going to make you very ill.  Just talk to them, and maybe they'll give you another option.

alisonmoose

I told the nurse who explained the glucose test to me, I said I was really worried as I get sick and being hungry sets my IBS off but she just said it was nothing to worry about and it will all be over within 3 hours!

I'll deffinately speak to my midwife about it at my appointment next week. Last time I saw her she was concerned about my sickness, I'm hoping she will tell me that I don't have to do it and find an alternative.

Greenmood

Also it's a month away.

PrimRoseMama

alisonmoose said:

I told the nurse who explained the glucose test to me, I said I was really worried as I get sick and being hungry sets my IBS off but she just said it was nothing to worry about and it will all be over within 3 hours!

I'll deffinately speak to my midwife about it at my appointment next week. Last time I saw her she was concerned about my sickness, I'm hoping she will tell me that I don't have to do it and find an alternative.

Honestly, I know you might have a miserable time, but you need to follow the lab instructions. It's not really fun for anyone but the screen is important. I only know of one alternative but if the type of test requires fasting then the difference in the drink won't matter.

I feel for you. However, this might be a time that you just have to suck it up.

alisonmoose

Just an little update, I have my test next Tuesday now and i'm still really scared.

I spoke to a midwife at the doctors surgery and explained my fears, she told me to ask at my next hospital appointment about a different anti sickness medication to the one i'm already on, which I did the next day.
I told the Oncologist (I think thats what she said she was) about how my sickness is getting worse (being sick around 8 or 9 times most mornings now, and then continuing to be sick if I don't eat after), she told me to try my current tablets for "2 more weeks". 
I told her i'd been on them since before Christmas and it's still not getting any better and asked again to please to put on something else, she said there are stronger sickness tablets but wanted me to stay on my current one for longer.

I'm just so scared, my sickness is also bad when i'm anxious which is making things worse.

My husband says I should just go to the appointment then  if i'm sick forget about it, but i've told him that they make you do it again if you are sick.

I won't even be able to make it to the hospital without being very sick, then to sit there for 3 hours with an empty stomach is just not possible.

So i'm at a loss, i'm concidering calling my midwife but I'm scared because i dont want her to be "mad" at me, or think i'm being irresponsible, i just dont know what to do

ASmallWonder

Here's the thing - you go and you try.  I managed to make it through with my first (but barely) and with my second I violently hurled allll over the exam room before they could get my blood drawn.  Seeing how sick it made me the doctor ordered a different test - an A1C.  This isn't the normal procedure, of course, but I'm just saying that if you give it your best and you aren't physically able to do what they need you to do, they may have other options but you do have to try it their way first.

alisonmoose

Thank you.

I called my midwife and explained the situation, she said it's ridiculous they are making me do it and to call the antenatal department and let them know how bad my sickness is, as there is nothing she could do personally.


I spoke to one of the nurses there and she took my details. She said she would get the doctor to call me back (probably will be tomorrow now), and see if my anti sickness medication could be changed to something stronger and she would see if there was anything that could be done reguarding the GTT.

merc5411

Wait, why are you seeing an oncologist? Did you mean Obstetrician?

alisonmoose

merc5411 said:

Wait, why are you seeing an oncologist? Did you mean Obstetrician?

That sounds more like it :-\"

it was when I went to the hospital to see the Thyroid Doctor, and he said he'll have to refer me to see this other doctor about my anti sickness meds, I knew it began with O

merc5411

alisonmoose said:

merc5411 said:

Wait, why are you seeing an oncologist? Did you mean Obstetrician?

That sounds more like it :-\"

it was when I went to the hospital to see the Thyroid Doctor, and he said he'll have to refer me to see this other doctor about my anti sickness meds, I knew it began with O

That definitely makes more sense.
I don't have any new advice, but I think you should at least try. The glucola will at least give you something, and if you can't do it, then you can't. Whatever you decide, good luck!

mrsH1112

I agree with the others.  Just try it and see how it goes, if you get sick then you know youll have to try it another time.  Are you getting sick everyday? Multiple times a day?  Hopefully one of your doctors can get you on something to manage it a little better.

Another question:  Have they done the 1 hr test?  I think most OB/GYN's start with a 1 hr test, if you dont have a family history or reason to believe you will fail the 1 hr test.  With that test, a lot of times you dont have to fast for long ( an hour or 2).  They give you the drink to drink, which is sorta gross but totally do able.  Then after an hour they test you.  So this would leave you without eating something for max 3 hrs?

Once you can finally get the test done and be done with it, youll feel so much more relieved.  Especially more relieved that you prob dont have gestational diabetes.  That comes with a total lifestyle change.(totally do able though)  I found out I had it at 14 weeks I had it, and have had to switch my diet around, test my sugar 4 times a day, and now Im considered high risk.

allardr

TrishieTerp said:

Do you have to fast for your glucose test? I didn't last time..

I just took mine and didn't have to fast. I was told just eat a lighter lunch. I honestly just ate normal, results came back fine Don't stress, eat as you normally would .

Aarg

I had to have a 9hr fasting glucose test. I decided when I was going to have it done and made an appointment for as soon as the office openned. That way I could sleep, wake, go, and eat right after as if I was eating breakfast

jarethinafrock

Mine is a 1 hr test but I have been instructed not to eat anything after midnight and to only drink water. It's going to be rough but I am going to do it first thing in the morning (7am).

alisonmoose

Hi there,

I didn't have a 1 hour test, which is what i was expecting, I just had a letter through the door in February saying that my GGT is booked for 9am, April 29th, that I mustn't eat anything from 11pm the previous night and that it will last upto 3 hours.

I've spoken to my midwife who said it's ridiculous that they are making me do it and to contact the hospital and explain my sickness situation, which I did on Wednesday, I was told someone would call me back but it's Sunday now and no one has.

I'm going to give them another ring tomorrow and see if I can skip it. I know it's such an important test, and I don't mind if I have to be monitered more closely, test my own blood 12 times a day, but fasting when i'm this sick is just impossible.

PrimRoseMama

allardr said:

TrishieTerp said:

Do you have to fast for your glucose test? I didn't last time..

I just took mine and didn't have to fast. I was told just eat a lighter lunch. I honestly just ate normal, results came back fine Don't stress, eat as you normally would .

No no no. She is to follow the instructions that her lab gave her. This is horrible advice @allardr‌ .

alisonmoose

I've just spoken to Antenatal, the lady said she would postpone tomorrows appointment for a week or 2 and see if my sickness resolves itself, then if i'm still sick I can cancel but it's not recommended that I do as my BMI is 34. 

EDIT I've just called antenatal again, in reguards to my Anti D injection, and the lady on the phone said i' have a hospital appointment that has been rescheduled for 7th May, which i can only assume is the GTT