Glucose Tolerance Test Alternatives?

fluffyflea

Hi Everyone,

I am supposed to take the GTT tomorrow and it is kind of freaking me out, mainly because it is 50g of sugar all at once - the equivalent to about 1/2 cup, which is way more sugar then I have over the course of several days, much less all in one sitting. I consume fruit in the morning, but that is really my only source of sugars, as I don't drink sodas, juices etc... and don't eat many sweets.

Did anyone do an alternative to the GTT. Of course I want to be safe and make sure my baby is healthy, but I am just wondering if this is the only way to go about it.

I am supposed to take the test before my midwife appt tomorrow so I don't have time to talk to her about it (I know I should have learned more about it before now, but.....)

NoeliaV

It has to be the 50g of glucose because that's what the test is designed to measure. It's a specific test for a specific measurement of a specific type of sugar. Anything off from that will not generate accurate results.

BrittanyDoesDerby

Do you mean alternatives to the glucola drink? I've heard of midwives having their mamas-to-be eating a crap ton of jellybeans instead of drinking the drink. It's still a lot of sugar, and I don't think there is any way to do the glucose test without ingesting a certain amount of sugar. 

MrsT1108

There is a reason they have that much glucose in the test.  No there is no other way to do it.  Just suck it up and do it.

SummerOH

I don't understand the fear and dread of the GTT.  No, it's not the best thing, but it's not that big of a deal.  You have to drink it relatively quickly (within a few minutes) but it's not like you're bonging 5 cans of soda in 2 minutes or something.  You drink it, hang out for an hour, and get your blood drawn.  That's it.  It can make some women sick but most women are fine.

+Jasha+

SummerOH:

I don't understand the fear and dread of the GTT.  No, it's not the best thing, but it's not that big of a deal.  You have to drink it relatively quickly (within a few minutes) but it's not like you're bonging 5 cans of soda in 2 minutes or something.  You drink it, hang out for an hour, and get your blood drawn.  That's it.  It can make some women sick but most women are fine.

 It's not near as bad as I've seen some make it out to be.  Make sure you eat something (not sugary) beforehand so you don't have a ton of sugar sitting in an empty stomach, and you will be fine.  You may be slightly nauseous from it, but it passes and you move on with life.  

jelly0822

I've only ever read about jelly beans being used instead of the Glucola.

But I'd bet that you're mistaken about the amount of sugar(s) you consume over the course of a week. (Because fruit and sugary drinks and candy aren't the only way your body takes in sugar(s); vegetables, especially starchy ones, grains, and even meats can contain sugar(s).)

If you know nothing about the alternatives to the test, then I say just go with it. Like you said, it's too late now to discuss them in depth with your MW, and the test has to be done within a certain timeframe if you're going to have it done.

And to answer your question more fully, yes, ingesting a lot of sugar and having your blood tested is the only way to have  a glucose tolerance test done. Hence, tolerance. 

Eas421

My mom was telling me this past weekend about her glucose test when she was pregnant with me. She said her Dr. Had her eat Hershey chocolate bars instead of the drink! That sounds like my kind of test!

I definitely wouldn't do it as an alternative unless my Dr. had told me that was an option.

peacelove&mama

SummerOH:

I don't understand the fear and dread of the GTT.nbsp; No, it's not the best thing, but it's not that big of a deal.nbsp; You have to drink it relatively quickly within a few minutes but it's not like you're bonging 5 cans of soda in 2 minutes or something.nbsp; You drink it, hang out for an hour, and get your blood drawn.nbsp; That's it.nbsp; It can make some women sick but most women are fine.

This. I really don't see why it's a big deal. It's not horribly gross, it's not painful. I can think of far worse aspects of pregnancy.

starlee_99

I'm sitting in my doc's office as I type this doing my glucose test. The drink was not that bad. It was fruit punch flavor and they were nice enough to have it chilled. It nothing that is going to harm your baby or you so as PP said just suck it up and do it. You and your baby will be fine.

SillyStraw

+Jasha+:

SummerOH:

I don't understand the fear and dread of the GTT.  No, it's not the best thing, but it's not that big of a deal.  You have to drink it relatively quickly (within a few minutes) but it's not like you're bonging 5 cans of soda in 2 minutes or something.  You drink it, hang out for an hour, and get your blood drawn.  That's it.  It can make some women sick but most women are fine.

 It's not near as bad as I've seen some make it out to be.  Make sure you eat something (not sugary) beforehand so you don't have a ton of sugar sitting in an empty stomach, and you will be fine.  You may be slightly nauseous from it, but it passes and you move on with life.  

Aren't you supposed to fast until after the test?

JenniatONU

SillyStraw:

+Jasha+:

SummerOH:

I don't understand the fear and dread of the GTT.  No, it's not the best thing, but it's not that big of a deal.  You have to drink it relatively quickly (within a few minutes) but it's not like you're bonging 5 cans of soda in 2 minutes or something.  You drink it, hang out for an hour, and get your blood drawn.  That's it.  It can make some women sick but most women are fine.

 It's not near as bad as I've seen some make it out to be.  Make sure you eat something (not sugary) beforehand so you don't have a ton of sugar sitting in an empty stomach, and you will be fine.  You may be slightly nauseous from it, but it passes and you move on with life.  

Aren't you supposed to fast until after the test?

Different locations have different rules.

Mine, I had to eat a specific diet 3 days leading up to the test, which was basically a *** ton of carbs. (2-3 servings at dinner, PLUS a soda or fruit punch. Breakfast was 1 grain/carb, PLUS fruit. etc. Yet, I was only allowed like 1 vegetable serving. It sucked balls. But then, I had to fast for like 12 hours until the fast. And, I had to do the 3 hour test. Pure torture, I'm telling you.

dee12807

I don't know about alternatives, but I too am not a huge sugar eater right now. I'm sure I eat a decent amount just in the normal foods I eat though. I fasted from the night before (as per my doc's instructions) so the drink gave me a little headache. Other than that, it's really not bad, and I think you'll feel the same way once you're done. GL!

futuremrscanet

I am having the worst gag reflexes right now.  I told my doctor about my concern of drinking the drink because I don't drink any drink with sweet flavors.  Plain coffee, unsweet tea and water are my drinks.  Anyway she said "oh that's fine...you can eat 150 gummy bears"  Umm I will just drink the drink and be done with it.  No way I would be able to eat that many gummy bears nor keep them down!

mama2many

I've always done the alternative GTT - until I had a positive 1hr last time, then had to do the regular nasty drink for the 3hr. They made me take the drink for my early screen this time too. It all has the same amount of glucose, but I guess they figure with the drink they KNOW it's standardized.

LittleFish1

Did it last week; received no special instructions from the office ahead of time; no fasting required but I tried to limit the amount of sugars/carbs the day of. Ate a piece of bread about 45mins prior. Thought drinking more wafer ahead of time would be helpful but I think it ended up making me feel more icky/indigestion because of too much fluid in the stomach.

My drink tasted very much like orange soda had to drink the entire container in 5 mins or less. The taste was ok but once I hit the half way marker of the drink, it started being less pleasant. They did not want me to drink or eat anything else until after they drw the blood at 1 hour. Had some nausea about 20 mins into the test but I blame the indigestion that has been plaiging me after consuming anything lately; also my little girl had quite the sugar high enjoyed kicking me in the stomach with a lot of force. Everything turned out fine results were normal.

NeverKnew

futuremrscanet:

I am having the worst gag reflexes right now.  I told my doctor about my concern of drinking the drink because I don't drink any drink with sweet flavors.  Plain coffee, unsweet tea and water are my drinks.  Anyway she said "oh that's fine...you can eat 150 gummy bears"  Umm I will just drink the drink and be done with it.  No way I would be able to eat that many gummy bears nor keep them down!

I've never really understood the whole repulsion to the drink but relief at eating a 200 gummy bears or eating 2 Hershey's bars. It seems psychosomatic to me. Girlfriends and family members of mine who don't read The Bump don't think twice about the test and do fine. ::shrug::

whitney_ZTA

The drink really isn't that bad.  It tasted like flat orange soda to me.  It was sweet, but it takes two seconds to chug down.  My doctor told me eat a good breakfast (eggs, bacon, toast) before and not just sugary cereal or a doughnut, but she didn't seem too concerned about what I did or didn't eat before.