Glucose Test

eaewers · July 2022

Hello hello!

I’m a FTM, due 11/4, and am 37 years old, and have been approaching every new symptom and road bump in this pregnancy with curiosity, rather than animosity, which has helped me stay positive.

That said, the glucose tests! I failed my 1 hour test, and have my 3 hour test tomorrow. I’m so confused! I eat fairly healthy, exercise regularly (Though took a 2 week hiatus due to COVID), and have stayed within weight gain guidelines. Why oh why would I have gestational diabetes?! I know I can likely manage this with diet and exercise, and it’s best to know upfront so it can be treated, but am struggling with staying positive throughout this latest trial.

mflowers929 · July 2022

Failing the one hour test doesn't mean that you have GD, it just means that your body didn't produce enough insulin in time to bring your sugars down, which is why they do the 3 hour test (as long as your sugars come down in that time you're still fine). That being said, pregnancy hormones do funny things to every part of you, and can mess with how your organs react to things they'd normally have no problem with. Every single thing you might be susceptible to at all is at an increased chance of suffering from when pregnant.

ashnicell · July 2022

The threshold for the 1hr is incredibly sensitive. It's designed to ensure no one with GD passes. To ensure that, many people without it will naturally fail the 1hr. The 3hr is a much better indicator. With that said, gestational diabetes is an anomaly of a health condition. You can be a healthy person pre-pregnancy and continue a very healthy lifestyle during pregnancy and still develop it. It just means the pancreas isn't keeping up with insulin production. I hope your 3hr goes smoothly and you blood sugar drops normally. But if it doesn't, just remember it's not because you did anything wrong or unhealthy.

novtiger · July 2022

I am anxiously waiting for my results. I had my test done today

coldlife2 · July 2022

Why? Because anyone can have it. Yes, it’s more common in people who aren’t active or are overweight, but it’s not unheard of outside of that. I hope you pass this one.

novtiger · July 2022

I was over by 30 points and my next step is the three hour test.

fernji · July 2022

My cousin was the same, good healthy eater and active, but had GD 3 out of 4 pregnancies. Just happens.

autumn87654321 · August 2022

I know someone who is very small, eats healthy etc (well I think she had very bad morning sickness most of pregnancy). And she had GD. By reading the comments it looks like the 3 hour test is more accurate so there’s a good possibility you don’t have it. but if you do remember it’s not your fault, just a random not so fun pregnancy symptom.

I hope your 3 hour test goes well!

sburgh23 · August 2022

Responding to wonder if anyone is in my situation? My doctors had me take a glucose test at 10 or 11 weeks as a pre-test. I passed at that time. I have to do it again at 26 weeks now as the actual indicator. Ugh. Anyone else have to take it twice like me?

fantasyflyte · August 2022

@sburgh23 the only reason I didn't have to take it twice during pregnancy is because I'd already done a 2-hr glucose test last summer when we did infertility bloodwork. Had I not done that so recently, my OB would have had me do an early one, and then another now because I have increased risk factors. I have my 3-hr test in 2 weeks.

mflowers929 · August 2022

@sburgh23 I had to take the 1 hour and 3 hour at 13 weeks and have to take at least the one hour again the end of the month. If I fail the one hour I'll have to again take the 3 hour.
For my daughter I only took the 1 hour at 13 weeks and then the 1 and 3 hour at 28 weeks.
It's annoying and only because my parents have type 2 basically.

kdw04072020 · August 2022

I don’t know if this is helpful but I live in Switzerland and we only have the 3-hour test as an option; no 1-hour test is offered here. Maybe that speaks to the sensitivity / accuracy of the 1-hour test? I have mine in 2 weeks and am also a little nervous, but just sharing that it’s more than ok to need to take the 3 hour one (albeit unpleasant)…

ravenhairedgirl83 · August 2022

@ashnicell that's what I hear. At my hospital, the range for 1 hour is 65 - 134 mg/dL and my value was 121 mg/dL, so I passed on 7/20. Very tight threshold. My SILs failed so I was naturally worked up a bit. Mind you, the days leading up to my test I ate mostly oatmeal, blueberries, peaches, non-sugary cereals, salads, and carbonated water... I know GD isn't the end of the world for most prenatal women, but it still felt like a relief to have it behind me.

ashnicell · August 2022

@sburgh23 I had to take the 1 hr and 3 hr between 12-14 weeks because I'm high risk (BMI over 30 and my mom is diabetic). I passed the 3 hr. I'll be taking the 1 hr again next week at 27 weeks.

pnala · August 2022

I had my test today and it was higher than the range. Waiting to hear what my doctor will say about the results but I do feel worried now! Anyone else get diagnosed with GD have any tips?! I know they say it's about dirt and exercise. What did you have to do to keep blood sugar levels down? Do you have to pick yourself everyday? FTM 26 and half weeks.

himynameisusername · August 2022

Hi! Pregnant with my second and passed my 2 hour in the first trimester, failed the 1 hour earlier this week, and have my 3 hour tomorrow. I had GDM with my first pregnancy. I ended up having a maternal fetal medicine OB in addition to my regular OB. The MFM OB helped me monitor my GDM. I was initially able to manage my blood sugar by adjusting my diet, but eventually had to start taking insulin shots. If you don’t like needles, it’ll be a bad time. You have to check your blood sugar regularly throughout the day. But I had weekly ultrasounds up until I gave birth which was nice! After delivery, my blood sugar returned to normal. Doctors will check your blood sugar regularly after delivery and I’m pretty sure they also checked my baby’s blood sugar after she was born.

ashnicell · August 2022

It's not looking good for me. Just got done with my 3hr test. She did a quick check on my final draw to make sure I was in a good range to go home without needing to eat something in the office before leaving. Definitely good to go home. It was 173. She said it can be off by up to 20 from when they test it at the lab, but the final draw should be under 140. With baby measuring as big as he is, I don't have high hopes.

jayc21 · August 2022

I finally did mine this morning and even though I've never failed before, I certainly did fail this morning. My reading ended up being 216. My doctor won't even have me back for the 3 hour test. Just that quick I was referred to maternal fetal medicine. She won't retest if your reading is over 185. Guess we'll see how this goes!

ravenhairedgirl83 · August 2022

@jayc21 give yourself some grace and welcome to maternal fetal medicine. The good part is you get monthly scans. That's where I am being seen because I'm old (39 and a FTM - so I guess I'm ready for the grave in the maternity world) and my family has a history of hypertension. I have never heard of not going to the 3-hour test as the next step but I suppose every facility is different. For what it's worth, I've have a great pregnancy so far. Feeling really well. Good luck to you. :-)

ashnicell · August 2022

@jayc21 I've heard of them not making you go through the 3 hr if your 1 hr was over 180-185 because above a certain threshold it's considered definitive. My 1hr last week was 179. I had to do the 3 hr and my numbers were 238, 192, and 186. I honestly wish I could have just gotten the diagnosis and skipped the 3 hr. The 100g glucola drink made me feel sick all day Friday. I don't consume a lot of sugar ever, so my body just doesn't handle it well.
With the said, welcome to the MFM club. I just had my first MFM appointment yesterday and have been tracking my blood sugar since Saturday. The MFM doctor gave me lots of great pointers. On the bright side, growth scans will be needed throughout so we get to see our babies that much more often!

jayc21 · August 2022

@ashnicell and @ravenhairedgirl83, thanks ladies.
Glad that they did it then because there's no way I'd make it with that 100g of glucola. I'd be sick, sick. I don't tolerate sugar well at all! @ravenhairedgirl83, you're not old. I'm almost 43. You're fine honey🤣

mcva79 · August 2022

I just got my results and the doctor said it was normal but my value was 46, which seems really low compared to the normal range of 65-139. Has anyone experienced this?

littlemarshmallow · August 2022

My value was low too and my doctor wasn’t worried!

ashnicell · August 2022

@mcva79 Sometimes when you consume a lot of sugar at one time, your body will go into overdrive producing insulin to make up for it. So after a spike in sugar, it drops really fast and can go quite low. That's probably why they're not worried. Hopefully they had you eat a snack before leaving the office though!

sburgh23 · August 2022

Update: Taking my second glucose test today. I did ask my midwife why they do two glucose tests and she said their practice likes to measure in early pregnancy to see how your body is processing sugars and late in pregnancy to see how it’s changed and to check for gestational diabetes both times. Both of these tests are just a one hour test unless you fail one of them. I have my second 1 hour test this morning so hoping I pass! Crossing my fingers.

sburgh23 · August 2022

Passed my test! No more glucose tests for this lady!

baby-h2022 · August 2022

I failed my one hour. But I have PCOS so who knows if I really have GD or it’s just my body. So three hour test tomorrow.

sunshine2417 · August 2022

@baby-h2022 mostly random aside from the glucose test, but have any of your doctors discussed metformin with you, or are you currently on it? (You don’t need to actually answer that if you don’t want to…) Anyways! I have PCOS as well and my doctor prescribed metformin probably 3 months before we conceived this bebe and honestly it’s been life-changing for me! Definitely something to research/have a convo about I’d you’re interested in it!

baby-h2022 · August 2022

@sunshine2417 yes I have been on metformin for years as well as a shot daily of trulicity. My doctor took me off both of them in 2020 due to a miscarriage and I haven’t been back on them since and I feel so much better. We had talked about me going back on both but had made the decision to have a hysterectomy and a mommy makeover and found out we were expecting a week later.

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