Glucose Challenge Test / Gestational Diabetes

jena333-2 · June 2017

So far handling the GD has been ok. I've only had one reading that was outside the range they want and that time was understandable - I let myself get pretty dehydrated, and didn't eat properly or at the right times. For me it seems like staying hydrated and making sure I eat something every 3ish hours (except overnight) has helped. I made some minor dietary changes (fewer carbs and sugar, and making sure I get more protein) and it seems to be fine. I have also been experimenting (because SCIENCE!!) and have figured out I can do a full sized piece of pizza, or even icecream and be ok. As long as I keep the serving size appropriate.

BecauseLove · June 2017

jena333-2 Glad you have been doing ok with testing and readings. How are you feeling overall? yeah about the pizza and ice cream! I have fallen in love with some frozen yogurt bars and they haven't really skyrocketed my numbers...also have even had a mini dq blizzard when paired with protein dinner. Anything so far that you have found to be really yummy that your making more of a point to eat?

SquattingGryphon · June 2017

Just curious... How long after you guys took the 1 hour test did you find out your results? I had mine done last week and no word yet so im assuming no news is good news. Or maybe they will tell me when i go for my next ob appt (i go every 2 weeks now so not a long wait)... Just wondering what others' experiences were.

heatherlynn321 · June 2017

@SquattingGryphon In my experience, they told me the next day that I failed the 1 hour because they wanted to get me scheduled quickly for the 3 hour.

jena333-2 · June 2017

BecauseLove said:

jena333-2 Glad you have been doing ok with testing and readings. How are you feeling overall? yeah about the pizza and ice cream! I have fallen in love with some frozen yogurt bars and they haven't really skyrocketed my numbers...also have even had a mini dq blizzard when paired with protein dinner. Anything so far that you have found to be really yummy that your making more of a point to eat?

I've been baking eggs (like hardboiling, but I do it in the oven) to try and make sure I'm getting some protein in the middle of the afternoon. I figured out that I can do lunch at work at 11:30(waffle fries, and a salad with some sort of protein on it), then half a PBN&J (Nutella) at 2 with a hard baked egg, then the other half and some fruit around 4.

I've been doing greek yogurt, with a ton of strawberries and 2 carb-servings of granola as breakfast while at work, and it's really working for me! It's not my bagel and oj like I did for MONTHS before the diagnosis, but it's still satisfying.

What about you, anything you're really loving?

heatherlynn321 · June 2017

Just finished the drink for my 3 hour. I get to spend the next 3 hours watching HGTV now, lol.

cchenal07 · June 2017

@jena333-2, I found a love for HaloTop icecream. Higher in protein with a lot less carbs than most. It hasn't effected my sugar. I have also had a piece of pizza with salad and have been fine. Woot! Skinny pop popcorn is good too! I like the white cheddar. Portion control and lots of water have been key for me.

mercury94 · June 2017

@heatherlynn321 Good luck!

ColoradoHiker · June 2017

@cchenal07 HaloTop is something *everyone* on Weight Watchers talks about because of the high protein/ low carbs and sugars aspect (which makes it low points). I'm told it tastes great, although I'm assuming this goes with the assumption that you don't compare it too closely to the regular stuff!

Sugargirl1019 · June 2017

ColoradoHiker said:

@cchenal07 HaloTop is something *everyone* on Weight Watchers talks about because of the high protein/ low carbs and sugars aspect (which makes it low points). I'm told it tastes great, although I'm assuming this goes with the assumption that you don't compare it too closely to the regular stuff!

Mm nope. It's DELICIOUS! Haha I love it. So so much.

cchenal07 · June 2017

@ColoradoHiker. After not eating anything sweet besides fruit for two weeks.. It was amazing! I bought three flavors.

BecauseLove · June 2017

jena333-2 Ohh I haven't tried fries since starting testing...but also only eat them when I go for a burger so it hasn't been a big loss so far. It has been nice to see that with out much changes (if any really other than eating more protein or protein in combo with other foods) my numbers seem to be a ok. Still working on my fasting number as that is the only one that has been above the suggested range since testing. No super awesome suggestions for food yet but if I get a list together I will share it.

Edit: They don't seem to have halo top ice cream in my neck of the woods (though not shocking as its a tiny town).

baileylove22 · June 2017

I take my 3 hour test tomorrow morning. Any suggestions on a good last meal to have tonight? My Dr. did not seem too optimistic about me passing.

mercury94 · June 2017

@baileylove22 If I thought I was going to fail the 3 hour, I would probably eat my favorite meal, the thing I was going to miss most once I got on the diet.

baileylove22 · June 2017

@bridge-and-wall Haha! Good point. I was trying for a last meal that would maybe help me pass. I did that before the 1 hour and it didn't work out. Pasta and Phish Food for dinner!

CSL522 · June 2017

Add me to the failed 1 hour and awaiting the 3 hour test. I failed my first pregnancy 1 hr GTT with a 172, this time I had a 149 (cut off 140!) Fingers crossed I pass the 3 hour as I did last pregnancy.

jena333-2 · June 2017

baileylove22 said:

@bridge-and-wall Haha! Good point. I was trying for a last meal that would maybe help me pass. I did that before the 1 hour and it didn't work out. Pasta and Phish Food for dinner!

I wouldn't try to "trick" the test. Better to eat normally and know if you have GD or not, than to trick it, pass, and NOT know if you have GD. The risks of undiagnosed GD aren't worth the "thrill" of passing the test.

hmclaren · June 2017

Failed my 1hr with a 165 (cut off 140) so I'll be taking my 3hr on Monday. The nurse sounded concerned when she asked about my family history of diabetes so that wasn't exactly reassuring. Trying to stay optimistic though!

tfrangul · June 2017

I seriously ate terrible the whole day before my 3 hr. I figured I wanted to enjoy my favorites one last time if I did fail. But infact I passed with numbers way below the range. I obviously am not a medical professional but I think that if you have GD it would be hard to trick the test with just one meal. Good luck to all of you ladies who are taking the 3 hour this next week!

ColoradoHiker · June 2017

@hmclaren Both my parents have type 2 diabetes, as do a good number of their siblings and parents. I haven't had GD with either of my pregnancies, and I'm overweight enough to have a risk for it. My tiny bff, with almost no family history of diabetes, had GD with her first kiddo, but not her second. Moral of my story is that family history doesn't guarantee you'll have GD, just like being overweight doesn't. Try not to worry too much about it, but honestly it's better to know about it- there was a woman who gave birth this week to a 16lb baby, because she had GD. Nobody really wants to have a 16lb baby!!

divinemsm620 · June 2017

I failed my 1-hour today with a 161. Their cutoff is 134. Not taking the 3-hour until 7/12 so going to try to make some diet modifications in the meantime, just in case.

coffee-2 · July 2017

Has anyone here failed the fasting number for the three hour but passed the post-glucose numbers? They are still considering it a fail (fasting number was 95 instead of below 90) but I thought it was strange that the other numbers weren't also elevated. I will still be following the dietary recommendations and have an appointment next week to be going over everything, just a bit confused. Since my last baby was over 9 lbs I have no wish to experience that again.

jena333-2 · July 2017

coffee-2 said:

Has anyone here failed the fasting number for the three hour but passed the post-glucose numbers? They are still considering it a fail (fasting number was 95 instead of below 90) but I thought it was strange that the other numbers weren't also elevated. I will still be following the dietary recommendations and have an appointment next week to be going over everything, just a bit confused. Since my last baby was over 9 lbs I have no wish to experience that again.

I am only just getting started with my own GD diagnosis, so take what I say with a grain of salt. But from what I understand, our livers dump a round of sugar into our blood stream after so many hours with no food, to help us get started in the day. People without diabetes (gestational or otherwise) have the "appropriate" insulin response, so their sugar doesn't spike. It could also be blood sugar that's "left over" from the night before, if you're eating too many carbs before bed. (a way to figure this out would be to test before bed, once in the middle of the night, and then when you get up, to see when your numbers are spiking)

My doctor's office only calls it a fail if you are over two of the four numbers.

Sugargirl1019 · July 2017

@jena333-2 Has it correct. The liver will dump stored glucose if it perceives your body to be in a starving mode. As a Type 1, I am not supposed to go too long between meals to prevent that exact thing from happening.

coffee-2 · July 2017

Thank you for the answers! Just trying to wrap my head around this.

BostonBaby1 · July 2017

@coffee-2 Yes. This is my issue. I was diagnosed with GD about a week and a half ago. All of my post meal numbers are either well within range or low (even after eating a carb laden meal including cake for DS's first birthday.) Unfortunately, diet and timing of meals has not gotten my fasting numbers below 95 so I am starting a long acting insulin on Monday.

iheartichi · July 2017

So I'm sitting here waiting for blood draw after the one hour, but did any of you get a blood draw before you drank the drink for the one hour? She drew my blood then I had to drink the drink. I don't remember that with my first pregnancy. I feel like I came in, drank the drink, waited an hour then had one blood draw. I'm going to be a tad upset if she gives me 2 blood draws unnecessarily!!

jena333-2 · July 2017

iheartichi said:

So I'm sitting here waiting for blood draw after the one hour, but did any of you get a blood draw before you drank the drink for the one hour? She drew my blood then I had to drink the drink. I don't remember that with my first pregnancy. I feel like I came in, drank the drink, waited an hour then had one blood draw. I'm going to be a tad upset if she gives me 2 blood draws unnecessarily!!

Could be totally normal. They might need your fasting blood sugar number AND the 1 hour number. With mine they let me bring the drink home and I just had to have the one draw afterwards.

If you have to go back for the 3 hr, you get 4 draws.

mrsvp614 · July 2017

@iheartchi I did a finger prick, a blood draw, then drank the drink, because they wanted fasting numbers. Followed by a 1 hr, 2 hr, and 3 hr draw.
Good luck!

BecauseLove · July 2017

@Bostonbaby1 have you tried like a full fat yogurt or one with extra protein at like midnight? It seems like that is the only thing that helps me get my fasting numbers lower. When I don't sleep well they go above the recommended range even with the yogurt but otherwise seem to be ok. Your lucky that you can have a yummy carb meal and not have your numbers skyrocket. I did cereal with milk for lunch the other day with a scoop of peanut butter on the side and a thing of yogurt and my number was the highest I have seen it while doing readings. I can't imagine what it would be like if I had pasta and cake. Though the other day after eating a very protein heavy meal I had a few bites of a variety of bars that were at a pot luck I was at...and that seemed to still leave me with an ok number (but I was cautious about not eating too much other carbs).

I hope the insulin helps.

Hopefulmommy1980 · July 2017

One hour left of my three hour test. I am so ready to be done. I can't wait to eat.

hmclaren · July 2017

@Hopefulmommy1980 me too, i'm about halfway through and i'm so hungry

iheartichi · July 2017

@jena333-2 @MrsVP614 thanks for the info!

My dr never told me to fast before the one hour. The paper they gave me for it actually said to eat normally, but I just had a very small breakfast. My number before the drink was 85. So I did ask the lady the second draw why they took blood before and she said it was a new policy that she hated. She said that if my before number was really high they would have had to make all these calls to my Dr, etc and not been able to give me the drink. Ugh.
Last time I failed the one hour but passed the 3 hour so we shall see!

jena333-2 · July 2017

iheartichi said:

@jena333-2 @MrsVP614 thanks for the info!

My dr never told me to fast before the one hour. The paper they gave me for it actually said to eat normally, but I just had a very small breakfast. My number before the drink was 85. So I did ask the lady the second draw why they took blood before and she said it was a new policy that she hated. She said that if my before number was really high they would have had to make all these calls to my Dr, etc and not been able to give me the drink. Ugh.
Last time I failed the one hour but passed the 3 hour so we shall see!

I did mine first thing in the morning, so "fasting" was just normal overnight for me.

I guess that makes sense. If you went into the test with a high number (eg you had waffles drowned in syrup for breakfast with a huge glass of oj or something), then I would think that would also raise your reading an hour later. Annoying though

baileylove22 · July 2017

I passed my 3 hour test but my numbers were kinda weird. Just wanted to share for reference. Very low fasting and 3rd draw, but a high first draw. I failed the 1 hour with a 173.

Fasting number 68
1st draw 180
2nd draw 120
3rd draw 68

jena333-2 · July 2017

baileylove22 said:

I passed my 3 hour test but my numbers were kinda weird. Just wanted to share for reference. Very low fasting and 3rd draw, but a high first draw. I failed the 1 hour with a 173.

Fasting number 68
1st draw 180
2nd draw 120
3rd draw 68

Peculiar! Have you talked to the doctor yet? I wonder if s/he will have any recommendations/thoughts.

ETA: But yay for passing! Watching your sugar intake is a freaking drag $:\$

jena333-2 · July 2017

Last night, calling me from the ice cream aisle at the grocery store:

DH: Sea salt caramel or oatmeal cookie?
me: Ooooh.... that's a tough call.
DH: I'll just get them both.

Tried one tonight and I can say the Halo Top sea salt caramel is delicious!!

ETA: my 2 hour read after dinner was 92, so I had 1/2 cup of the Halo Top, and my 1 hour read after that was 91

Sugargirl1019 · July 2017

@BecauseLove Cereal is literally the worst. It spikes my blood sugar faster than my insulin can start working, and I have to take a lot more insulin than normal to cover the carbs. Pasta/pizza may not be nearly as bad for you, because it rises really slowly.

divinemsm620 · July 2017

@Sugargirl1019 is that true for others also? I had no idea. My typical breakfast is a bowl of cereal and some OJ. I had less of everything for the 1-hour glucose test but I did essentially opt to "eat normally," as directed. Maybe that's why I failed the 1-hour???

jena333-2 · July 2017

divinemsm620 said:

@Sugargirl1019 is that true for others also? I had no idea. My typical breakfast is a bowl of cereal and some OJ. I had less of everything for the 1-hour glucose test but I did essentially opt to "eat normally," as directed. Maybe that's why I failed the 1-hour???

How long before you had you blood draw did you have the cereal and oj? As I understand it, if you don't have GD then your body will have an "appropriate" response and your blood sugar won't spike. But if you ate immediately before the test, then maybe?

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