Glucose Test (3/29/12)

A little background on what the Glucose Test is...from www.babycenter.com...

When you arrive for the test, you'll be given a sugar solution that contains 50 grams of glucose. The stuff tastes like a very sweet soda pop (it comes in cola, orange, or lime flavor), and you have to get all of it down in five minutes. Some centers keep it chilled or let you pour it over ice and drink it cold.

An hour later, your practitioner or a technician will take a blood sample from your arm to check your blood sugar level. The idea is to see how efficiently your body processes sugar. The results should be available in a few days.

If the reading is too high, which happens 15 to 23 percent of the time, your practitioner will have you come back for a three-hour glucose tolerance test to see whether you really do have gestational diabetes. The good news is that most women whose screening test shows elevated blood sugar don't turn out to have gestational diabetes.

So Thursday morning I drank the orange liquid and an hour later got my blood drawn. Then had an appointment with the nurse practitioner and called it a day! Little did I know what would happen the next day...

I got call from doc friday just as I was getting home. They let me know that I did not pass my glucose test ( you had to get <130...I got a 131... >. >) and had to come back in for the three-hour GTT or Glucose Tolerance Test. Luckily I had Spring break coming up so I told them I'd be in on Monday (4/2).

I guess I was really bummed after I got that call because I have been staying away from candy and processed stuff (like pastries and shit that's not good for me) and have been sticking to fruits to get my sugar kick...I guess either way you're screwed...at least this is how I was feeling...

A little background on what the Glucose Tolerance Test is...from www.babycenter.com...

When you arrive for the test, the technician will take a blood sample to measure your fasting blood glucose level and then ask you to drink either a more concentrated dose or a larger volume of the glucose solution. Then brace yourself for three more arm pricks, as your blood is tested every hour for the next three hours. The technician should alternate arms each time your blood is drawn. You'll definitely need something to distract you this time, because you'll have to stay seated in the waiting room when you're not getting your blood drawn. And bring something to eat right after your final blood sample is taken because you'll probably be starving. If one of the readings is abnormal, you may have to take another test later in your pregnancy. Or your practitioner may ask you to make some changes in your diet and exercise routine. If two or more of your readings are abnormal, you'll be diagnosed with gestational diabetes and you'll need to talk to your practitioner about a treatment plan. This chart shows the levels that the American Diabetes Association considers abnormal at each interval of the test:

IntervalAbnormal reading

Fasting95 mg/dl or higher

1 hour180 mg/dl or higher

2 hours155 mg/dl or higher

3 hours140 mg/dl or higher

So, now that you've read what I had to do, these were my results...

Component	Your result	Standard range	Units
GLUCOSE, FASTING, PRE 100 G GLUCOSE PO, SER/PLAS	93	<95	mg/dL
GLUCOSE 1H POST 100 G GLUCOSE PO	132	<180	MG/DL
GLUCOSE 2H POST 100 G GLUCOSE PO	117	<155	MG/DL
GLUCOSE 3H POST 100 G GLUCOSE PO	134	<140	MG/DL