Fasting before GD test?

Jenn30 · March 2009

Did you have to fast before your gestational diabetes test (the one-hour, initial test)? I thought it wasn't necessary but was just told I need to, and was surprised--curious if others had to do the same thing or if my doctor's office is unusual, or maybe misunderstood which test I was asking about.

TIA!

music247 · March 2009

My doctor didn't say I needed to fast, but she said I definitely shouldn't eat anything heavy before I go in there. I'm just not going to eat anything...I set my appointment for the morning. I'll eat after the test.

JCM083009 · March 2009

Are you sure they didn't just say you have to fast for that 1 hour? I was told to drink my drink (I did one at 14 weeks) and then nothing, absolutely nothing, could pass my lips in the hour between finishing the drink and them drawing my blood. I think normally the basic 1 hour isn't a fasting or change your diet type of test, so I'd double check w/ your office!

annibes · March 2009

I worked in a lab once and we would get patients for the 1h, 2h, and 3h gluc tests. All of them were fasting tests, at least in our system.

Evelynsmom · March 2009

My doc had me fast. You may want to double check with yours.

Jenn30 · March 2009

I was told I had to fast for four hours before the test--I can't have anything, not even water.

Edited to add--I wondered if they were confusing this with the 3-hour test, where fasting I think is required. My doc's office never sent me instructions or anything--I just called to confirm my appointment and then asked about the test, and this is what they told me, which seemed a bit weird.

It's not a huge deal, I just don't want to fast if I don't have to!

LillyBug923 · March 2009

I was told to not eat 3 hours before, and since my test was at 10, I didn't eat at all before I went. But if my test would have been in the afternoon, I would have eaten up to the 3 hour mark.

mburkhe · March 2009

My test is tomorrow and I called the lab to double check. They said I just needed to watch my sugar intake since that is what they are testing. She said eating "normal" food is fine.

annibes · March 2009

Honestly, I don't understand why it's not a fasting test for some doctors. Do those offices draw your blood before the drink and then again in an hour? The test is trying to see how well your body handles sugar, to see if you are having problems with metabolizing it and turning it into energy. So if you have a meal before and bring your blood sugar up, the test won't be as accurate (unless they get a baseline before they give you the glucola).

tanya8 · March 2009

I had to fast before mine. Couldnt eat after midnight until after the test.

annibes · March 2009

mburkhe:
My test is tomorrow and I called the lab to double check. They said I just needed to watch my sugar intake since that is what they are testing. She said eating "normal" food is fine.

See, that's what I don't get about it- "normal" food still spikes your blood sugar. Low blood sugar is what makes us hungry.

MidwestTexan · March 2009

No fasting for me...I passed with an 86!

staycee · March 2009

I was told eat normal before (but not heavy on the carbs)

for the 3 hour, I had to fast for 12 hours prior.

clpeters7836 · March 2009

i was told (by my doc) that i need to fast for the 1 hour test.....so i made the appt for as early in the morning as possible!

SummerAshley · March 2009

YES, you HAVE to fast for TWO hours previous to the test! VERY important, or else you'll probably have to take the 3 hr test!

JCM083009 · March 2009

SummerAshley:
YES, you HAVE to fast for TWO hours previous to the test! VERY important, or else you'll probably have to take the 3 hr test!

? lol what about all of us who didn't and passed the 1 hour just fine?

cabana1 · March 2009

I was only told to fast for the 3 hour. However, I had to take the 1 hour test twice. The first time I ate an egg sandwich with a glass of OJ like a hour and a halft prior to going to the lab- failed badly. Took the 3 hour and passed. Took the 1 hour again (for various reasons) and decided to fast prior (had my theory that I failed the 1 hour bc I ate before) but I failed it even worse that time around! Fasted again for the 3 hour and passed again. I don't know what was up but neither worked for me for the 1 hour

If your doc tells you to fast, then fast. If they say eat normally, just don't drink a can of pop on the way to the lab lol.

Manalyzer · March 2009

I asked about this and was told that I did not need to fast, just not eat any carbs. She told me that I could have an egg or something in my belly. I'm going to have to have something in my stomach, otherwise the drink, I know, will make me sick.

I go tomorrow.

annibes · March 2009

JCM083009:

SummerAshley:
YES, you HAVE to fast for TWO hours previous to the test! VERY important, or else you'll probably have to take the 3 hr test!

? lol what about all of us who didn't and passed the 1 hour just fine?

I'm sure the reference ranges are pretty high. I'm guessing that a good number of those who were not instructed to fast for the 1 hour and failed would have passed if they had fasted for it.

annibes · March 2009

cabana1:
I was only told to fast for the 3 hour. However, I had to take the 1 hour test twice. The first time I ate an egg sandwich with a glass of OJ like a hour and a halft prior to going to the lab- failed badly. Took the 3 hour and passed. Took the 1 hour again (for various reasons) and decided to fast prior (had my theory that I failed the 1 hour bc I ate before) but I failed it even worse that time around! Fasted again for the 3 hour and passed again. I don't know what was up but neither worked for me for the 1 hour If your doc tells you to fast, then fast. If they say eat normally, just don't drink a can of pop on the way to the lab lol.

How long did you fast for the 2nd 1 hour? If you were super hungry and your sugar was really low, maybe the glucola spiked your sugar in a response to having a low level beforehand. Metabolism is a tricky game.

devilingucci · March 2009

I just got back from my test and I did not have to fast. But I did make my appointment for first thing in the morning so I didn't eat before I went there... I just had some water.

MrsAO · March 2009

My instruction sheet says that I must have had meal (breakfast) 2 hours before my scheduled appt, and then absolutely nothing afterwards other than water.

JCM083009 · March 2009

annibes:
JCM083009:

SummerAshley:
YES, you HAVE to fast for TWO hours previous to the test! VERY important, or else you'll probably have to take the 3 hr test!

? lol what about all of us who didn't and passed the 1 hour just fine?

I'm sure the reference ranges are pretty high. I'm guessing that a good number of those who were not instructed to fast for the 1 hour and failed would have passed if they had fasted for it.

True, but I thought the whole point of the test was to see how your levels would be at any given average time. Obviously if you fast, your blood sugar isn't going to be high - that just seems like cheating the test to me. I want to know that I pass or fail based on my normal eating habits. It doesn't do me any good to know that I pass b/c my blood sugar was so low b/c I hadn't eaten in hours. I think a lot of people would pass then. But if I eat the way I normally do and pass, then great! If not and I fail, then I know something may be wrong.

Not sure that makes sense, but that's how I always viewed the test and assumed why my Dr. didn't make me fast - she wanted to see what my blood sugar levels were at any normal point in time, you know?

GypsyEsq · March 2009

Seems like every OB does this differently. I was told to eat as normal before the test however, to avoid picking that day to eat a dozen donuts for breakfast. I had some milk and a small bowl of cereal before my test at 9 a.m. yesterday. I'm glad I did. Even with that food in my belly I was jumpy and dizzy and did not feel good at all after drinking the glucola.

But like JCM, I figure if I fail after eating normally I probably need to address something in my diet. I've done fasting glucose tests before in my workups for PCOS so my OB is well aware of what my fasting levels are.

Pesky · March 2009

It usually isn't but I'm going to because I failed it last time and am confident it's because I'd eaten breakfast beforehand. I'd follow their advice.

TessaTru · March 2009

I was told not to eat anything sugary the night before or the morning of, but not to fast.

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