I need advice on the Glucola test for GD....please.

[babymakes4]

So my midwife had me take a glucola test this pregnancy at 16 weeks, just to be sure I wasn't diabetic before I got pregnant. the result was within normal range, but she called it borderline. it was 135. I did eat a couple pieces of toast before I took the test.

Now she wants me to take a second 1 hour test at 26 weeks to determine if she wants a 3 hour test. I find this kinda weird, why not just do the 3 hour?

Is 135 that borderline? Should I be worried?

[jessiehannan]

mine was borderline and they made me do a 3 hour test.

[babymakes4]

mine was borderline and they made me do a 3 hour test.


yeah, that is what I would expect, but she wants to do another 1 hour test. Maybe it's because it was so early the first time? She said she wanted the second one hour test and then based on that we would decide on a 3 hour test.

[jessiehannan]

That would make sense, since they usually do it at 28 weeks.

[Sashahomeschoolmama]

The Glucola is such garbage. I accepted it and once I read the ingredients almost cancelled. If you don't eat crap constantly I don't know how that drink wouldn't make your system whack.

FWIW there are no set numbers for the GD test. Mine was 105 and my backup OB wanted me to take insulin. :rolleyes: It depends on your practitioner and their comfort levels.

Rather than taking the 3 hour I would ask for the A1C (I believe that's what it's called). It is a more reliable indicator of your bs levels.

[babymakes4]

I guess I really just want to complain. That stuff is so nasty and makes me feel nauseous the rest of the day. I don't wanna do it again, but I know I have to.

[babymakes4]

The Glucola is such garbage. I accepted it and once I read the ingredients almost cancelled. If you don't eat crap constantly I don't know how that drink wouldn't make your system whack.

FWIW there are no set numbers for the GD test. Mine was 105 and my backup OB wanted me to take insulin. :rolleyes: It depends on your practitioner and their comfort levels.

Rather than taking the 3 hour I would ask for the A1C (I believe that's what it's called). It is a more reliable indicator of your bs levels.


could I just buy one of those blood sugar monitors and keep track of it that way between now and the glucola test? Why put all that sugar into my body at once, when I NEVER consume that much sugar at once? Hell I probably don't consume that much sugar in a day.

[jessiehannan]

Insulin @ 105 Sasha!!!!! that is crazy!
they made me sick too. After I had to drink that awful stuff the first time,I have never been able to drink orange soda again.

[babymakes4]

Now that Im thinking about it, my Glucola when I was pregnant with Owen was 114, and my OB then called that just fine. hhhmmmmm

ETA: everytime I tell a midwife or OB that my first son was 9 pounds 3 ounces at birth they all ask me if I was diabetic. All my test levels were fine with him during the pregnancy.

[Sashahomeschoolmama]

could I just buy one of those blood sugar monitors and keep track of it that way between now and the glucola test? Why put all that sugar into my body at once, when I NEVER consume that much sugar at once? Hell I probably don't consume that much sugar in a day.

That's what I did. I just tested my blood sugar regularly and shared the averages with my midwife. However, in my state my midwife isn't accountable to the doctor so ymmv.

[jessiehannan]

I checked my blood sugar daily before my 1 hour test, and my numbers where all over the place, and when it jumped up to over 160 before eating, I called my Dr, and she said that it was normal in pregnancy to have wacky numbers, and not to be concerned unless it went over 200 or below 50.
The whole point of the glucola test is to 'shock' your system w/sugar to see how it reacts. (as explained to me by my diabetic FIL)

[babymakes4]

are there risks to my baby if I allow them to "shock" my system with sugar?

[jessiehannan]

Not that I know of. If they think that you are at high risk of GD, I think they have you drink it in office so that they can observe you though.

[jessiehannan]

If you don't have GD your body is able to handle the extra sugar on it's own, no big deal, you just might have a very active baby for an hour or two. If you do have GD, then it raises your blood sugar, and at that point you and your DR will have a discussion about testing your blood sugar daily, recording the numbers and diet, and then having a discussion about diet and insulin if needed.

[Sashahomeschoolmama]

While I'm sure there are no tests on the matter, I doubt it's ever a good idea to shock one's system--especially an immature system--unless you *want* an extreme reaction (say, when your heart stops and they want to shock it into restarting).

[jessiehannan]

that is the way that my FIL explained it to me, though a better way to explain it mightbe that they give you the stuff to see if it causes you to react.

[Funmommy]

could I just buy one of those blood sugar monitors and keep track of it that way between now and the glucola test? Why put all that sugar into my body at once, when I NEVER consume that much sugar at once? Hell I probably don't consume that much sugar in a day.

But food is converted to sugars so it's not just raw sugar and sugary treats that cause an insulin reaction it can also be starches.
The glucose test is to find out how resistant to the insulin you are. It's a controlled test to see how you're body is reacting to sugars. Watching your sugars with a glucose tester while it's a good thing isn't accurate because it's not a controlled result. Yes it can give you an idea on how you react to the sugar but what and how much you eat are too flexable to be able to rely on this kind of testing.

In other words ... Take the test ... Yeah the drink is totally gross and can make you feel kinda sick but it's the best way to find out if you are GD or not.

The drink won't harm the baby it's only when your sugars are high for a long period of time that it can harm the baby.

If you have any more questions about GD PM me and I'll answer any of your questions. I've had 4 GD pregnancies and my last one I was on Insulin.
Good luck with your test :hug:

Funmommy

[Amy_G_]

the glucose is a LOT less expensive of a test than the A1C.
the shock of a glucola is a little bit more sugar than the shock of a pregnant lady drinking a coke and a candy bar and then feeling guilty and eating an apple. It's not such a huge amount of sugar that you are doing any long term damage to your system.

IF your system is working right, your body will adjust your blood sugar very fast and baby won't get the impact of the sugar, so saying it's shocking the immature baby's system is false.

If your system is struggling to deal with sugar, then you are leaking extra glucose to baby all the time, which could be potentially damaging to baby's immature system.

[HammBugga]

I've always had to fast before the test. They didn't tell you to fast?

[babymakes4]

I've always had to fast before the test. They didn't tell you to fast?


No she told me to eat a light breakfast and then come to the office for the test. I think I will fast this time though and see if that makes a difference.

[jessiehannan]

I have been told to fast, and not to fast. The last time I was told that it was up to me if I did or not.

[KerryS]

. I find this kinda weird, why not just do the 3 hour?

Because the 3-hour test is often very hard on the woman, can make her feel really sick, and requires a lot more blood draws (and is more expensive). It's better, easier and saves money to screen all women first with the 1-hour, and then just do the 3-hour test on those women who indicate they might have BS issues.

[babymakes4]

Because the 3-hour test is often very hard on the woman, can make her feel really sick, and requires a lot more blood draws (and is more expensive). It's better, easier and saves money to screen all women first with the 1-hour, and then just do the 3-hour test on those women who indicate they might have BS issues.


so it doesn't matter if I already did a one hour test?
i still need another 1 hour?

[KerryS]

The 1-hour test was not administered during the normal time period when it's recommended that a pregnant woman be tested, therefore the results cannot be considered valid.

[kohlby]

Eating two pieces of toast could have easily made it over. My dr uses 140 as the cut-off, but some use 130. When I was pg with DS, I had a 135. Since he was measuring large and my gain was high, I took the 3 hour as a just in case. Honestly, I don't trust the one hour's accuracy so I felt better taking the 3 hour so I'd more likely know.

*Other than one hour screens, I've passed every glucose test I've taken, both 2 hour not pg and 3 hour pg. However, I have something called insulin resistance which can be a pre-diabetes disorder. Both my kids were huge - though DS was a healthy huge. DD had the chest pudge and dangerously low blood sugar at birth at only 38. I may have not had GD, but there was definately something wrong going on with my insulin. I've had my insulin tested before and during a 2 hour glucose test too - and my glucose test was perfectly fine though the insulin was super high. I don't think a glucose test tells the whole story in some cases, like mine.

[kohlby]

The 1-hour test was not administered during the normal time period when it's recommended that a pregnant woman be tested, therefore the results cannot be considered valid.

For my OB, the normal times are around 14 weeks in a woman with suspected problems and 26 weeks in all pg women, even those who took the test at 14 weeks. The chances of having GD increase as your pregnancy goes along. I will have the one hour both times though I'm tempted to skip the one hour and go right to the three hour for the 26 week one due to my history. (I'll just do the one hour for the 14 week one).

If I were in your position, I'd ask to retake the one hour instead of going to the 3 hour and not eat anything before it - or at least not carbs! The glucola test is 50g carbs for the one hour. Your test would be a higher number of carbs since you ate toast beforehand.