3 hour glucose tolerance test - QUESTION

[mefordis]

I have to take the 3 hour glucose tolerance test tomorrow morning at 9am (I am 30 weeks pregnant). Does anyone know if exercising before the test is okay? I usually do the treadmill for 30 mins when I wake up in the morning. If this isn't okay, does anyone know why?

Thank you!!!

 

[golfgal]

It's fine especially since it is part of your routine. I hated the glucose test, btw. I was so jittery for the rest of the day--more so with my oldest when you had to drink the 20 oz pop. With the twins it was only a dixie cup size drink.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

I had the test w/DS#2. I didn't exercise........was too hungry/grumpy/nervous to even think about it. I did drink lots of water though. Heard somewhere that it helped w/the needle sticking.

Good luck. I failed mine and did have gestational diabetes w/DS#2. Always thought it was odd as I didn't have ANY of the risk factors to get it. Most people pass though.

 

[mefordis]

For those who failed the 2nd test, what was your reading for the first test? I got a 139.

I am told to carb load for 3 days prior (at least 150 g of carbs per day). I am also not drinking coffee (except for one cup this morning), drinking LOTS of water today and throughout the test, and taking walks in between blood draws.

I really hope I don't have GD -- I can't stand to prick myself every day. The diet isn't a big deal esp since I have only 10 weeks left. Also, I am really scared about the stats of any one who has been diagnosed with GD will have a 90% chance of being diagnosed with Diabetes within 10 years!!! I just heard that!

 

[mefordis]

I'm sorry. I guess drinking lots of water iddn't help after all -- I was told it might help keep the numbers low. I'm beginning to think there is nothing you can do -- if your numbers are going to be high they are going to be high.

Do you remember what your number was for the first test with DS #2?

Thanks!

I had the test w/DS#2. I didn't exercise........was too hungry/grumpy/nervous to even think about it. I did drink lots of water though. Heard somewhere that it helped w/the needle sticking.

Good luck. I failed mine and did have gestational diabetes w/DS#2. Always thought it was odd as I didn't have ANY of the risk factors to get it. Most people pass though.

 

[golfgal]

I'm sorry. I guess drinking lots of water iddn't help after all -- I was told it might help keep the numbers low. I'm beginning to think there is nothing you can do -- if your numbers are going to be high they are going to be high.

Do you remember what your number was for the first test with DS #2?

Thanks!

Why would you want to keep your numbers low if they aren't. This can be VERY serious. You really don't want to do anything out of the ordinary to alter the results. Why risk your life and your baby's life???

I would have a hard time sticking myself every day too but if it came down to that or dieing, it is a pretty easy choice.

 

[freckles and boo]

Why would you want to keep your numbers low if they aren't. This can be VERY serious. You really don't want to do anything out of the ordinary to alter the results. Why risk your life and your baby's life???

I would have a hard time sticking myself every day too but if it came down to that or dieing, it is a pretty easy choice.

I agree. Don't alter your routine to manipulate the test. Take a book, though, because you will bored. I don't recall being allowed any water during the test, but it has been seven years since the last time I did this.

 

[mefordis]

I don't think you can do anything to manipulate the numbers - they are what they are. However, you can make them high by eating sugar that morning and also by cutting carbs in the days before the test. Meaning, I think you can give yourself a false positive but not a false negative.

Why would you want to keep your numbers low if they aren't. This can be VERY serious. You really don't want to do anything out of the ordinary to alter the results. Why risk your life and your baby's life???

I would have a hard time sticking myself every day too but if it came down to that or dieing, it is a pretty easy choice.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

I'm sorry. I guess drinking lots of water iddn't help after all -- I was told it might help keep the numbers low. I'm beginning to think there is nothing you can do -- if your numbers are going to be high they are going to be high.

Do you remember what your number was for the first test with DS #2?

Thanks!

I'm sorry, I don't remember my numbers (it was 4 years ago) but I remember I was very close to passing the first one and very very close to passing the second one----but didn't.
Like I said in my other post, it did suprise me so much. No family history, I wasn't overweight, no risk factors at all.

You're right. The food limiting isn't all that bad. The sticks---not fun. I'm about as squeemish as they come and it was a big adjustment for me. It gave me a total wake up call and huge amount of respect for people w/diabetes.

Good luck! One of my oldest friends just had the 3 hour test and passed w/flying colors. I'll be happy to answer any questions......

 

[mefordis]

Thank you! Do you know how long it takes to get the results back? I hate the anticipation. I'm even thinking of buying a glucose monitor to check my own at each step, even though I hate pricking myself I hate worse not knowing. Do you think those finger prick glucose monitors are reliable? If I pass, will they even bother calling me?

This is one of the worse things I"ve been through involving pregnancy. Makes me sooooo happy I am on my last child!

I'm sorry, I don't remember my numbers (it was 4 years ago) but I remember I was very close to passing the first one and very very close to passing the second one----but didn't.
Like I said in my other post, it did suprise me so much. No family history, I wasn't overweight, no risk factors at all.

You're right. The food limiting isn't all that bad. The sticks---not fun. I'm about as squeemish as they come and it was a big adjustment for me. It gave me a total wake up call and huge amount of respect for people w/diabetes.

Good luck! One of my oldest friends just had the 3 hour test and passed w/flying colors. I'll be happy to answer any questions......

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

Thank you! Do you know how long it takes to get the results back? I hate the anticipation. I'm even thinking of buying a glucose monitor to check my own at each step, even though I hate pricking myself I hate worse not knowing. Do you think those finger prick glucose monitors are reliable? If I pass, will they even bother calling me?

This is one of the worse things I"ve been through involving pregnancy. Makes me sooooo happy I am on my last child!

Let's see. I had my test on a Monday, they called me w/the results on a Wednesday. But I was out of town so I didn't get the message until I got back the following Monday.......so I didn't start w/my program until 8 days after the test.
IF you do have it, they'll schedule you an appt. w/a dietitian (sp) who'll teach you how much you can eat of the foods you love, and how to do the testing. There's also little strips you'll have to urinate on each morning, can't remember what it's called they are looking for, but it's a protein in the urine.

I had to see my dietitian at every appointment that I saw my OBGYN. She checked my book (where I had to log my sugars every time I checked myself), my weight, and if I had any questions.

IF you have it, I was assured the minute that baby came out I could eat whatever I wanted. And boy did I. After I delivered, DH left the hospital and came back w/a large pepperoni pizza and a chocolate milkshake.

My labor was ok. I was induced at 38 weeks due to his size. They did have me check my blood sugars during labor (which really got on my nerves!!), blood pressure dropped a few times and they had to stop and restart pitosen (sp!!), and DS#2 was delivered "sunny side up".......probably just a coincidence though. He wasn't very big, 8lbs 3 oz, but I think 2 more weeks of "cooking" he would have been too big for me to deliver.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Please don't do anything to alter your numbers. They are what they are. I had gestastional diabetes for DD. I was about 40 pounds over weight due to those darn fertility drugs.

Yes I had to stick myself everyday, but as others have said, its worth it considering the possible outcome if I hadn't.

One good thing that came out of it was that I learned to eat right/better and then toward the end, I controlled it more by food.

I actually lost weight while being pregnant (in a healthy way, all through finally eating right). And my first day home, with darling DD I ran to my closest and put on a pair of jeans that hadn't fit in 2 years.

It is a devasting blow with the Dr. calls you and tells you that you have GD, take a moment for yourself to cry and then think about your little baby. The choice is easy

 

[mefordis]

Thank you. This is a very nice post. I haven't heard of anyone flunking who got a 139, so I am hoping I got a false high number because they told me to fast. I hear mixed opinions to fast vs not fast for the 1 hour.

What scares me most about the GD diagnosis (possible) is that I stand a very good chance of getting full blown diabetes later in life if I have it.

So far I've gained only 20 lbs because I've been watching my carbs (except for these 3 days of prep for the 3 hour).

I am seriously thinking of monitoring my blood sugar today after meals with a monitor I will buy at CVS today -- just to calm my nerves.

Thank you all for your replies!!! I'd love to hear more!!!!

Please don't do anything to alter your numbers. They are what they are. I had gestastional diabetes for DD. I was about 40 pounds over weight due to those darn fertility drugs.

Yes I had to stick myself everyday, but as others have said, its worth it considering the possible outcome if I hadn't.

One good thing that came out of it was that I learned to eat right/better and then toward the end, I controlled it more by food.

I actually lost weight while being pregnant (in a healthy way, all through finally eating right). And my first day home, with darling DD I ran to my closest and put on a pair of jeans that hadn't fit in 2 years.

It is a devasting blow with the Dr. calls you and tells you that you have GD, take a moment for yourself to cry and then think about your little baby. The choice is easy

 

[mefordis]

They have to prick your finger constantly during labor? What would they do if your sugar is high, give you insulin at that moment? He only weight 8lb 3 oz? Do you get annual glucose checks now to see if you have diabetes?

Also, did your blood sugar ever register high while you were giving yourself home tests? What if you had declined the home tests and just stuck to the diet? What would they have said (just curious - I wouldn't do this!!!)

Thanks so much!

Let's see. I had my test on a Monday, they called me w/the results on a Wednesday. But I was out of town so I didn't get the message until I got back the following Monday.......so I didn't start w/my program until 8 days after the test.
IF you do have it, they'll schedule you an appt. w/a dietitian (sp) who'll teach you how much you can eat of the foods you love, and how to do the testing. There's also little strips you'll have to urinate on each morning, can't remember what it's called they are looking for, but it's a protein in the urine.

I had to see my dietitian at every appointment that I saw my OBGYN. She checked my book (where I had to log my sugars every time I checked myself), my weight, and if I had any questions.

IF you have it, I was assured the minute that baby came out I could eat whatever I wanted. And boy did I. After I delivered, DH left the hospital and came back w/a large pepperoni pizza and a chocolate milkshake.

My labor was ok. I was induced at 38 weeks due to his size. They did have me check my blood sugars during labor (which really got on my nerves!!), blood pressure dropped a few times and they had to stop and restart pitosen (sp!!), and DS#2 was delivered "sunny side up".......probably just a coincidence though. He wasn't very big, 8lbs 3 oz, but I think 2 more weeks of "cooking" he would have been too big for me to deliver.

 

[mefordis]

Oh, also, did they have to give your baby sugar water after the birth? I read that can mess up nursing for good because they get the bottle right away.

The more I learn about this condition the more freaked out I am. I just want to go into the woods somewhere and wait for 10 weeks, then have my baby out there.

Please don't do anything to alter your numbers. They are what they are. I had gestastional diabetes for DD. I was about 40 pounds over weight due to those darn fertility drugs.

Yes I had to stick myself everyday, but as others have said, its worth it considering the possible outcome if I hadn't.

One good thing that came out of it was that I learned to eat right/better and then toward the end, I controlled it more by food.

I actually lost weight while being pregnant (in a healthy way, all through finally eating right). And my first day home, with darling DD I ran to my closest and put on a pair of jeans that hadn't fit in 2 years.

It is a devasting blow with the Dr. calls you and tells you that you have GD, take a moment for yourself to cry and then think about your little baby. The choice is easy

 

[claudia]

I have to take the 3 hour glucose tolerance test tomorrow morning at 9am (I am 30 weeks pregnant). Does anyone know if exercising before the test is okay? I usually do the treadmill for 30 mins when I wake up in the morning. If this isn't okay, does anyone know why?

Thank you!!!

the reason is that excercising will drop your blood sugar. Personally, I would not exercise in the morning so that you can get an accurate sugar level...especially since you may not feel like the 30 minutes each morning as your pregnancy progresses. Better find out exactly what is going on now and treat it correctly rather than have it not discovered and have problems later on. Please do not do anything different diet wise to alter your test. Best of luck

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Oh, also, did they have to give your baby sugar water after the birth? I read that can mess up nursing for good because they get the bottle right away.

The more I learn about this condition the more freaked out I am. I just want to go into the woods somewhere and wait for 10 weeks, then have my baby out there.

As soon as DD came out and I mean AS SOON AS SHE CAME OUT....they pricked me and her. Both her and I were perfect. The nurses commented that it almost always happens that way. For some reason as soon as that baby is out of you, you yourself return to normal.

I truly don't remember anything about giving DD sugar water. They pricked her little baby heel.

Don't freak out Sometimes this "crazy internet" can freak us out, there is almost too much information out there

I have no horror stories of GD, it was just something I had to do. From the commericals I see now, the "pricking machine" that I had to use 8 years ago seems like a dinosaur compared to now.

I kinda made it my challenge every day what my number would be, I kept my journal of it religiously, DH and I would bet my number for the morning. Of course, I knew what time of morning would give me the reading that I was wagering, so I kinda always won. If DH was smart he'd demand that the test be given at the same exact hour each day (note, I was always within an hour or two of taking it and never risked a high number just to win, certainly don't want any flames on that )

 

[freckles and boo]

Oh, also, did they have to give your baby sugar water after the birth? I read that can mess up nursing for good because they get the bottle right away.

The more I learn about this condition the more freaked out I am. I just want to go into the woods somewhere and wait for 10 weeks, then have my baby out there.

Chances are you won't have GD. I had to take the three hour with both pregnancies and both times I was fine. None of the other women I know who have had to go through have been diagnosed with GD, either.

Don't fret about the bottle, either. Both my girls were nursed, but from the beginning they also had a single formula bottle each day (so I could rest and dad could bond). There is a lot of hype about babies rejecting BF, but most of the women I know who had trouble with it really didn't want to do it in the first place.

 

[HamTown]

I failed the 1 hour test with my first twp children, passed the 3 hour easily. With my 3rd child, the OB didn't even bother with the 1 hour test, I went straight for the extended version. His office has stopped the 1 hour test and does a modified 2 hour (my uneducated guess is that since they have a very large African American patient population, which is predisposed to diabetes in general, they were getting a large number of 1 hour test failures).

I think I remember being told not to have anything other than one cup of black coffee or plain hot tea the morning of the test. I wasn't even allowed water except as given by the phlebotomist, as large quantities of water could alter the results. Somewhere in the recesses of my memory I think I was also told to take it easy the morning of the test. All I did was read and walk over the delivery floor to look around.

GD is easily monitored and controlled these days so until your 3hour comes back out of whack, don't stress over it. Lots of women fail the 1 hour.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

As soon as DD came out and I mean AS SOON AS SHE CAME OUT....they pricked me and her. Both her and I were perfect. The nurses commented that it almost always happens that way. For some reason as soon as that baby is out of you, you yourself return to normal.

I truly don't remember anything about giving DD sugar water. They pricked her little baby heel.

Don't freak out Sometimes this "crazy internet" can freak us out, there is almost too much information out there

I have no horror stories of GD, it was just something I had to do. From the commericals I see now, the "pricking machine" that I had to use 8 years ago seems like a dinosaur compared to now.

I kinda made it my challenge every day what my number would be, I kept my journal of it religiously, DH and I would bet my number for the morning. Of course, I knew what time of morning would give me the reading that I was wagering, so I kinda always won. If DH was smart he'd demand that the test be given at the same exact hour each day (note, I was always within an hour or two of taking it and never risked a high number just to win, certainly don't want any flames on that )

I was a little different. They didn't check me after I had DS, and I don't THINK they did him either. He didn't need gluclose or sugar water, but I didn't breastfeed.....

I did have to check myself every hour during labor. Not sure what they would have done if my numbers were off, since I was only on an IV anyway. I loved my OB, told him the last time I pricked myself that this was the LAST TIME I was doing it, so someone better get this baby out of me soon.

No, I don't get gluclose tests now. I know I should.

On testing while I was pregnant.......there were some times that my numbers were through the roof. I remember one reading was close to 400!!! I freaked out and called one of my friends who's type I diabetic. She asked me what I ate that day and I found out (the hard way) BBQ sauce has a ton of carbs in it. I had eaten a big BBQ sandwich for lunch w/lots of sauce, only counting the carbs in the bread, not thinking about the sauce. Scared the crap about of me but we were fine.

That's the hardest part. Counting everything. Any time I had a high reading it was because I just didn't know what the heck I was doing.

I was very careful though. And to be perfectly honest, I'd say in the 8 weeks I kept my journal there were about 5 times that I "fudged" the numbers. I'd eat what I was supposed to, but forget my meter and couldn't test myself. Or get busy w/DS#1 (who was 2 at the time) and forget to test myself after lunch. So rather than leave it blank and risk the wrath of my nurse, I put a number in there. But I never intentionally ate bad and didn't test.

You'll probably be fine. Don't worry.