Have you ever heard that the GD Glucose Tolerance Test is bad for you and baby?

KnoxBride06

I've been reading about the test and some sites say it is not good for mom or baby to go without food for hours, then dump such huge amounts of sugar in their systems. One in paticular said that it can start the unhealthy patterns that were not previously there. I know there is alot of garbage on the internet, but I am just curious if anyone has heard that before. It doesn't make me happy that they put artifical colors and flavors as well as sodium benzonate in the drink (at least at my Dr.), but I'm curious to see if you have ever heard of it being dangerous.

To clarify again, I know you can read anything on the internet and alot of it is BS, so I am in no way saying I believe this or claim anyone else should. Just wondering if anyone has heard that.

PitaBread

Yea, the ingredients are not exactly natural!  I asked and my midwife said there are alternatives and they do offer them.  This site talks about some of them:

The glucose solution is full of artificial flavors and colors, which is one reason not to drink it.  Some doctors will allow you to drink an equal amount of grape or orange juice instead (having 50 mL of glucose is the important part).  Others will recommend a meal that contains 50g of carbs instead.  These are ways to take the "usual" test without drinking the glucose solution itself.

Others, often midwives, will recommend checking your blood sugar at home after meals for about a week.  If it is consistently normal, you don't have gestational diabetes.  This is a "real world" test and even more accurate.  However, this requires a lot on your part -- remembering to check and being willing to buy the supplies and prick your finger multiple times a day -- so it is not preferred.

 https://www.modernalternativemama.com/blog/2011/3/16/healthy-pregnancy-series-gestational-diabetes-test.html 

rainlily

It made me feel very sick to take the 3 hour test at 12 or so weeks.  I still had pretty bad nausea and I struggled to keep the drink down.  I also felt like I might faint at one point.  I have GD again, so I guess for me the risk of having so much sugar pumped into my body (and LO's) is outweighed by the risk of having untreated GD.  A friend of mine sees an OB that lets them go and eat a specific pancake breakfast at a local restaurant with a certain amount of maple syrup as their glucose challenge.  (This is for the 1 hour test).  If you fail, you have to take the regular 3 hour test.

HappyAardvark

I have not heard that it is bad for the baby or anything else.

I do know that the risks of developing GD far outweigh a few ounces of a sugary drink with artificial colors and flavors in it. God knows they're in everything else and it would make me foolish to take a stand against drinking *that* drink unless I planned on going all natural & organic for everything else in my diet.  As far as "starving" the mom and baby, that's why you take the test first thing in the morning. 

shihtzu51

The one hour test isn't meant to be fasting.  So you're only "fasting" from the time you drink the drink until they draw your blood an hour later.  I go an hour or three or four without eating all the time during the day so I don't think that could possibly have a bad effect on the baby. 

 I have heard of people doing the test with jelly beans or a chocolate bar - but that is artificial colors/flavors too.

itsmegin

shihtzu51:

The one hour test isn't meant to be fasting.  So you're only "fasting" from the time you drink the drink until they draw your blood an hour later.  I go an hour or three or four without eating all the time during the day so I don't think that could possibly have a bad effect on the baby. 

 I have heard of people doing the test with jelly beans or a chocolate bar - but that is artificial colors/flavors too.

My OB said no food from midnight on the night before...

blu-eyedwife

luffy26:

I took the test this morning and my doc said to eat normally and NOT fast.

It provides more accurate results.  

This isn't true.  The American Diabetes Association says the exact opposite.

MereB

KnoxBride06:

One in paticular said that it can start the unhealthy patterns that were not previously there.

This test has NEVER made me want to fast and then drink the disgusting drink. . . EVER.   I'm one of the few that don't enjoy sodas or sugery drinks to begin with, so I think this drink is absolutely horrible.  I'm not sure what "unhealthy patterns" this is referring to, but I'm assuming its the fasting periods followed by high amounts of sugar.  It sounds pretty ridiculous.  

Fianschneid

I took the one hour test yesterday and was also told not to fast before hand. I had lunch at about 1:00 and had the drink at 4:30. I felt fine inbetween - not hungry at all. The sugar in the drink did make me crash about two hours later, though.

KrisM86

I haven't heard that, but I get your concerns.

Fortunately, I'm seeing  a great MW who told me to eat normally until a few hours before the test, and I can drink some OJ and eat half a banana instead of the gross crap most people have to drink. 

brownrubino

I took the 1hr test last Thursday. Nobody told me not to eat, so I ate breakfast at 6:30-6:45ish and drank the syrup (that's what it tasted like) at 8:45ish. I passed with flying colors. I could feel the effects of all the sugar, and baby did too. We had to do a quick check on my placenta, becasue the doctor didn't like the way it looked on the 19week a/s - baby boy was just kicking and moving all around. And my placenta looked good too.

KnoxBride06

MereB:

KnoxBride06:

One in paticular said that it can start the unhealthy patterns that were not previously there.

This test has NEVER made me want to fast and then drink the disgusting drink. . . EVER.   I'm one of the few that don't enjoy sodas or sugery drinks to begin with, so I think this drink is absolutely horrible.  I'm not sure what "unhealthy patterns" this is referring to, but I'm assuming its the fasting periods followed by high amounts of sugar.  It sounds pretty ridiculous.  

 

I think the unhealthy habits they are referring to is your body having all the sugar dumped into your system that quickly and the rise in insulin. I would think it would be kinda a work-out for your pancreas, etc. That's what I got out of it anyway. I didn't think it was talking about you actually wanting to eat/drink that much sugar.

wolverinemom

It's not referring to your eating habits - rather the way in which your body breaks down food. Ie - if you're 'pre-diabetic' the highly sugary syrup can push your system over the edge of what it can tolerate and cause full blown diabetes.

[Deleted User]

What - what the hell?

I thought I discovered time travel, and then I didn't.  Disappoint.