3 hour GTT

QueenLouie

I just found out that i failed my 1hr glucose tolerance test and have to go back for the three hour- what is the difference between the two tests (i mean besides the obvious difference that the one is two hours longer) ? Does the three hour involve drinking more of that stuff cause if so i will die, i felt so awful after drinking it the first time around i kept feeling like i was going to pass out

pettycrocker

No, I'm pretty sure you drink the same amount- but they take your blood a few more times to see how your sugar does over time. 

Good luck  

35baby

The big difference is that you only drink that liquid once thank goodness but you have to be punctured four times in three hours.  For me being afraid of needles it was a terrifying experience that took longer than it would have for others because my veins collapsed and they had to poke and poke me until I needed to be held down and stuck in the hand.  Try to avoid that as it hurts like heck.  Also, ask for an A1C Hemaglobin test.  They just take an extra vile while in your vein.  It breaks down your three month average so they can know if you do have GD for how long and the overall average. Since I asked for that, they found out I am not a GD after all even having failed the one other test.  Good Luck to you.

chloe071603

You drink the same AMOUNT of liquid (one small bottle) but it is a higher concentration of glucose.  For the 1 hour, mine was 50g glucose.  For the 3 hour, it was 100g.  Some people are given 75g instead (I don't know if there is a reason for the difference, or just whatever the lab uses).

Mine were different flavors (the first one was orange, and the second was lemon-lime).  I personally had no major issues drinking either one, although I thought the lemon-lime was actually a litle easier to get down.  I was mostly just bored waiting around the lab.  Mine had a little bed I could lay down on if I wasn't feeling well. 

Good luck!  I failed the 3 hr as well, and GD certainly isn't terrible, just more annoying.  I sometimes feel like I would actually punch someone for some Dairy Queen   

JenniferL923

They took my blood to get a baseline, then I drank the same amount/bottle as I did for the 1 hour.  Then they took my blood every hour on the hour after I had finished the drink, for three hours.

CurbsideProphet

Typically you will fast prior to the 3 hour test. The length of time seems to vary. You may be ask to eat a specific diet/carb load for three days prior to the test. This also seems to vary depending on your provider.

On test day they will start with a blood draw to get your fasting level. Then you most likely will have to drink the same volume of liquid but it will be twice the amount of glucose. I know my 1 hour was 50 g and my 3 hour was 100 g. Then they take blood at one hour, two hours and three hours.

Typically you can only fail one of the four test or you will be diagnosed with GD. I have also heard they if you fail the fasting level most providers will consider that a fail and diagnose you with GD. 

Good luck

T&HLove

I just took the 3 hour.... the difference is that you fast for 12 hours prior to taking the test. They draw your blood once before drinking the stuff. Then you drink it. (I think it was maybe a little more, or could have just been a different bottle, and I thought it tasted worse, but I also had a different flavor) Then they draw your blood every hour for 3 hours. I felt much worse (nauseated, a little dizzy) with the 3 hr, not sure if its because I had been fasting or what.