how do you fail a GD test?

katykat17 · March 2010

I took my blood sugar in the morning before breakfast a week before my GD test and it was 81 (which I'm told is good...my mom was in town and had her blood checker with her)

I failed my 1 hr test by 15 pts. They said they wanted to see under 130 and I was 145

Checked again after test 2 hours after eating and I tested at 115.

How did I fail this??? lol

(p.s. I am adopted so mom having diabetes won't have an effect on my GD)

ABColeslaw · March 2010

Maybe you'll do better on the three hour. I wish 145 was my high sugar!

nursemegan23 · March 2010

Your given 50g of sugar water...which is like overloading your body and pancreas. It tests to see if your pancreas can handle an overload of sugar, by producing enough insulin to level out the sugar in your blood. If it's higher than 130 your body didn't produce enough insulin to level it out, therefore, causing you to fail the test.

katykat17 · March 2010

nursemegan23:
Your given 50g of sugar water...which is like overloading your body and pancreas. It tests to see if your pancreas can handle an overload of sugar, by producing enough insulin to level out the sugar in your blood. If it's higher than 130 your body didn't produce enough insulin to level it out, therefore, causing you to fail the test.

But under normal everyday situations I seem to be doing fine on with producing enough. If I am not drinking sugar syrup lol. I am hoping to do better on the 3 hour I just have no idea how GD works and thought my numbers seemed good considering

*dreads 3 hour test*

ABColeslaw · March 2010

katykat17:

nursemegan23:
Your given 50g of sugar water...which is like overloading your body and pancreas. It tests to see if your pancreas can handle an overload of sugar, by producing enough insulin to level out the sugar in your blood. If it's higher than 130 your body didn't produce enough insulin to level it out, therefore, causing you to fail the test.

But under normal everyday situations I seem to be doing fine on with producing enough. If I am not drinking sugar syrup lol. I am hoping to do better on the 3 hour I just have no idea how GD works and thought my numbers seemed good considering

*dreads 3 hour test*

GD is different for everyone...I hope you don't have it, but its really not as bad as one would fear as long as you get educated.

Raylenea · March 2010

I won't take the test because it is terribly innacurate. If I was forced to, I would carb load to get my insulin levels in my body up.

katykat17 · March 2010

I didn't know opting out of this test was an option. I passed no problem with DD #1

soko987 · March 2010

Raylenea:
I won't take the test because it is terribly innacurate. If I was forced to, I would carb load to get my insulin levels in my body up.

Please tell me you're joking.

The one hour screening does have a high false positive rate. The three hour, however, does not.

I hope for your sake and your baby's sake that you do not have GD.

Raylenea · March 2010

I am not trying to stir up crap, but you can decline anything you want. I am not suggesting that diabetes shouldn't be taken seriously, I am just saying that if I were showing other signs of GD I would opt straight for something more accurate. They do that one first because it is cheap and easy. Imagine two people who are not diabetic. One eats well with low carbs. The body will also have low insulin because it is not needed. If you all of a sudden drink 50 grams of sugar you are not as likely to handle it as well as the person who eats like that all the time and already has a correspondingly high insulin level. ( Which, of course, is way more likely to leave you diabetic in the future). This is why I suggested you eat high carbs for a few days before the test ( Spaghetti, etc). Anyway, I don't mean to give medical advice. It is best you discuss this with your caregiver.

soko987 · March 2010

Raylenea:
I am not trying to stir up crap, but you can decline anything you want. I am not suggesting that diabetes shouldn't be taken seriously, I am just saying that if I were showing other signs of GD I would opt straight for something more accurate. They do that one first because it is cheap and easy. Imagine two people who are not diabetic. One eats well with low carbs. The body will also have low insulin because it is not needed. If you all of a sudden drink 50 grams of sugar you are not as likely to handle it as well as the person who eats like that all the time and already has a correspondingly high insulin level. ( Which, of course, is way more likely to leave you diabetic in the future). This is why I suggested you eat high carbs for a few days before the test ( Spaghetti, etc). Anyway, I don't mean to give medical advice. It is best you discuss this with your caregiver.

I'm sorry, but that is inaccurate.

If you are a healthy person without diabetes, then your body has no problem making and using the appropriate amounts of insulin, no matter what you eat. Your pancreas is not a "use it or lose it" organ.

Eating high carbs before the test isn't going to do squat if you have GD. GD is unlike regular diabetes. It's all about the hormones and the placenta. As a matter of fact, my endocrinologist said that most GD mothers have higher than average insulin levels, but their bodies can't use the insulin properly due to the interfering hormones from the placenta.

I had absolutely no risk factors for GD going in, and I still got it. That's why I feel that screening is so important. If someone had told me that I would be giving myself 22 units of Insulin before every meal three months ago, I would have laughed in their face.

soko987 · March 2010

I also want to add that I had absolutely no signs and symptoms of GD prior to my diagnosis.

Raylenea · March 2010

Sorry Katykat. I think we have gotten away from your question...Now, I am just educationally interested...Anyway, Soko, I think we agree on more than you realize. I am interested in what you said about the insulin resistance causing the carb loading not to work. My textbooks (Holistic Midwifery, Anne Frye and Maternal Newborn Nursing, Olds, London and Ladewig) state that the most accurate way of testing for GD is the simple finger test with no glucose loading, followed, as needed by the 2 hour post prandial test which goes like this : 3 days of carbo loading with complex carbs to equal a total of 150 g daily followed by an 8 to 12 hour fast, followed by another finger prick, then eating a large breakfast of foods normally ingested and then a 45 minute walk followed by another finger prick. The other textbook also favourably spoke of carbo loading, but didn't give me the name of the test. It starts with 2 days of carbo load, then she fasts overnight and gets a plasma level done, followed by drinking 100 g sugar water and then blood tests at 1, 2 and 3 hours. Would it be rude of me to ask you to ask your endocrinologist to clarify that point, if you were inclined. I don't have one at my disposal:)

hprev1014 · March 2010

my sugars are just like your..... I failed the 3 hour test to.... My mom thinks it is because I jus got off a 12 hour night shift when I took it..... But anyway, I still eat the same as before and have it controlled by diet..... If your sugar is under 120 2 hours after eating you should be fine...

babyinhbg · March 2010

soko987:
I also want to add that I had absolutely no signs and symptoms of GD prior to my diagnosis.

DITTO! Screening is best and each doctor takes the results differently. I technically didnt fail my three hour but they still have me testing because my first hour of the three hour was a lot higher then then liked so my insulin was delaying rather then not being produced. GD has different levels but its better to be screened then to run into complications later on. I mean who purposly would hurt their baby by not knowing.

Bride2b2004 · March 2010

Raylenea:
I won't take the test because it is terribly innacurate. If I was forced to, I would carb load to get my insulin levels in my body up.

Personally, I feel the same way. Also, I found the test extremely difficult to arrange with a little one at home and the 3 hour (which ended up taking me 5 hours) was a nightmare, not to mention I had hypermesis until 28w and the horrible drink triggered it again. My OB was pretty insistent that I take it, but if I am pg again, I intend to refuse to take the test. After I failed the 1 hour (barely failed, like you) I tried to just tell them that I would follow the GD diet for the remaining 8w of pg, but the nurse was not receptive and I didn't insist. Next time I will. I would take the finger prick or other such tests, but I will not do the glucose load. I am glad to know I passed the 3h, but the ordeal was way more stress than I need to add to this pg and my life and I really feel like it was all unnecessary. I posted something link this after the test and someone responded that I have to take these tests because otherwise I could die... ummm, yeah, I don't think so (why do I hear about all of these things that can supposedly kill me when I am pg?) and if anyone quotes me here I am not responding, I am entitled to my opinion as they are. I would just follow the GD diet for the few weeks of pg that remain and/or if they want me to do the finger test, I will.

Anyway, I also have raised eyebrows over the GD test, doubt it should really be used as widely as it is and I hated being forced to introduce that crap into my body. I bet you will pass the 3 hour with no problem as many women do. Good luck!

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