Failed 1 Hour Glucose Test, Onto the 3 Hour!

My number was 156 (whatever that means). I think normal was 140 so I don't
see WHY I have to take another test.

For those who've had it, what does it entail? Will I be able to drink the
stuff and then just come back 3 hours later?

If I do have it (what is it?) what does that mean?

~Carol Ann

Carol Ann wrote:

My number was 156 (whatever that means). I think normal was 140 so I don't
see WHY I have to take another test.

Normal 140???? Ouch. I think the upper limit of normal is 140.

My 1hr was 103.

The midwife told me not to eat cereal and drink oj for breakfast, but to
eat eggs and drink milk. So avoid carbs and sugars, but protein will
help you metabolize the glucose better. The lab tech were a little
worked up that I had eaten, but I said I was told to eat, and to eat
specific foods and avoid others.Also getting a bit of exercise while all
that glop is in your body I think can help a lot. With my first pg, dh
and I went out and walked for the hour. Now with pg #2, I just did the
glucose test yesterday. The midwife gave me the bottle of glop in the
office, to drink before I go. The lab is near ds preschool, so I rode
him to school on my bike like I usually do, then rode the bike to the
test. Haven't had the results yet, but I'm anticipating a good outcome,
will be very surprised if the number is out of range.

Maybe you can incorporate some of these ideas for the 3 hour test?
Although that blood draw every 30 minutes sounds like a pain, it might
be hard for you to get out and walk around a bit.

-Karen, mom to Henry 3 1/2 and someone due 4/24/04-

: If you're not processing sugar very well then you are at higher risk of
: developing gestational diabetes, where you have an elevated blood sugar
: level. It's usually a temporary thing that cures itself after pregnancy
but
: the net effect while pregnant can be to cause the baby to grow larger and
: faster than it should (due to excess nutrients being available). There are
: various complications shortly after birth, one of which is that if you've
: got a high insulin level (due to your metabolism producing it but not
using
: it to handle the glucose), your baby can be born with a similar elevated
: insulin level and effectively have a crash similar to a diabetic who lets
: his blood suger level drop too low because a baby only has a limited food
: supply on its own. One purpose of the test is to be aware that this might
: happen so it can be checked at birth.
:
: FWIW my wife failed the 1 hour but passed the 3 hour test so chances are
: you'll have no problems.

I wonder if it's possible to call my OB and discuss canceling the 3 Hour
Test. At 156, I just don't see what the risk is. Couldn't they watch my
weight somehow? Aren't there alternatives?

~Carol Ann

Carol Ann wrote:
I wonder if it's possible to call my OB and discuss canceling the 3 Hour
Test. At 156, I just don't see what the risk is. Couldn't they watch my
weight somehow? Aren't there alternatives?

I just don't know where you got the idea that 156 was OK!

: I wonder if it's possible to call my OB and discuss canceling the 3 Hour
: Test. At 156, I just don't see what the risk is. Couldn't they watch
my
: weight somehow? Aren't there alternatives?
:
: I just don't know where you got the idea that 156 was OK!

I just figured it wasn't so much higher than 140. LOL! I guess I SHOULD
listen to the doctors.

~Carol Ann

"Carol Ann" wrote in message
news:lqdOb.86008$I06.374241@attbi_s01...
My number was 156 (whatever that means). I think normal was 140 so I
don't
see WHY I have to take another test.

My doctor's office says it should be below 135, every office has its own
cutoff. 156 is high, but it could be a lot higher. You should definitely
go for the 3 hour test. Gestational diabetes is nothing to mess around with
or take lightly, although if you have it, it's usually very manageable with
diet. And no, watching your weight has nothing at all to do with it. It's
the way your body is processing sugar, nothing to do with how much weight
you are gaining.


For those who've had it, what does it entail? Will I be able to drink the
stuff and then just come back 3 hours later?

The 3 hour test is the same as the 1 hour test, only they will test your
blood before you drink the stuff (fasting), then each hour afterwards for 3
hours. You need to stay at the lab/doctor's office while this test is done
for several reasons: you need to be tested at pretty precise hourly
intervals, you need to not be expending too much energy because that could
throw off your readings and you may feel lightheaded or nauseated after a
while. Bring a sandwich with you to eat after the last blood draw.


If I do have it (what is it?) what does that mean?

If you have "it", it's gestational diabetes, which is similar to type 2
diabetes (and if you have it, you're at higher risk for developing type 2
diabetes in the next 20 years). The hormones in pregnancy effect your
insulin production and sensitivity and can lead to this pregnancy related
diabetes. It almost always goes away right after delivery. I had it with
my son and I do not have it this pregnancy. My 1 hour reading was 148 and I
went for the 3 hour test and it was normal. Most often that's what happens,
so don't worry too much, but also, don't take it lightly if you ARE
diabetic. You need to keep your sugars under control or you are putting
yourself and your baby at some risk. Babies born to diabetic mothers who
are not watching themselves tend to be larger, putting them at risk for
C-section deliveries and problems with their shoulders from having large
abdomens coming through the birth canal. Also, the baby's sugar might be
low when he/she is born and the baby might have to be supplemented with
glucose solution (intravenously).

Not trying to scare you, but you should know that this isn't a test to mess
around with.

Good luck,

Jen

The 3 hour test is a FASTING test, usually done early in the morning after
8-10 hours of fasting.


"Karen" wrote in message
link.net...
The midwife told me not to eat cereal and drink oj for breakfast, but to
eat eggs and drink milk. So avoid carbs and sugars, but protein will
help you metabolize the glucose better. The lab tech were a little
worked up that I had eaten, but I said I was told to eat, and to eat
specific foods and avoid others.Also getting a bit of exercise while all
that glop is in your body I think can help a lot. With my first pg, dh
and I went out and walked for the hour. Now with pg #2, I just did the
glucose test yesterday. The midwife gave me the bottle of glop in the
office, to drink before I go. The lab is near ds preschool, so I rode
him to school on my bike like I usually do, then rode the bike to the
test. Haven't had the results yet, but I'm anticipating a good outcome,
will be very surprised if the number is out of range.

Maybe you can incorporate some of these ideas for the 3 hour test?
Although that blood draw every 30 minutes sounds like a pain, it might
be hard for you to get out and walk around a bit.

-Karen, mom to Henry 3 1/2 and someone due 4/24/04-

It means you have a condition called "gestational
diabetes" which the medical community has little agreement
on, even regarding whether it's a real problem or needs
treatment. About the only thing everyone agrees on is
that if you are diagnosed with it, your risk for developing
type 2 diabetes later in life is significantly elevated.
Beyond that, while it's common to screen for and treat
in the US, virtually all of the analyses by organizations
looking at evidence based medicine find that there are only
weak correlations with "bad outcomes" (generally macrosomia
or neonatal hypoglycemia) and treatment (with diet or
insulin) doesn't improve outcomes significantly (treatment
with insulin makes for somewhat smaller babies, on average,
but doesn't improve outcomes--e.g., doesn't lower c-section
rate or the rate of shoulder dystocia, which one might
associate with macrosomia).
So, for myself, I don't really even see the sense
in testing unless there's a possibility that your glucose
metabolism is suspect normally (because if you're truly diabetic
or near diabetic there are a whole other set of issues
involved and that's a more risky situation that you don't
want to take lightly). Others see it differently. I chose
not to be tested with any of my pregnancies, despite having
one macrosomic baby (the second of three).
The one thing I would strongly advise is that *if*
the three hour test comes back positive and *if* diet
doesn't control it adequately (however your caregivers
define "control"--some are waaaaaaaay more liberal than
others, which should lead to some suspicion on your part),
I would think long and hard and do a lot of research
before going on insulin. There is very little research
to suggest that it's helpful. In fact, in Enkins et al.'s
_A Guide to Effective Care in Pregnancy and Childbirth_,
insulin treatment for GD based on the currently available
medical evidence is a practice that would be considered
*unethical* in many other areas of medicine.
Let me say again, though, that while I agree with
those who are very sceptical of GD and its treatment,
pregnancy in a true diabetic is a very different matter.
Insulin may well be necessary in those cases and a Very
Good Thing.

Best wishes,
Ericka


Actually, unmonitored sugar levels in pregnancy are proven to lead to larger
babies (macrosomia) which can cause many problems for both baby and mom
alike. In addition, the baby's sugar can be low if mom's not taking care of
her glucose levels and the baby would need to be supplemented to avoid
"crashing" soon after birth...

Carol Ann wrote:

My number was 156 (whatever that means). I think normal was 140 so I don't
see WHY I have to take another test.


Normal is 140 or *below*, so your glucose levels are
higher than expected. Nevertheless, I wouldn't get all bent
out of shape. The one hour test is a screening test and
many (most?) of those who "fail" it pass the three hour test
(which is much more reliable). Of course, if you ask me,
unless you're diabetic or near-diabetic normally, *neither*
of the tests are worth taking ;-) Your levels aren't *that*
high, so there's a decent shot at passing the three hour
test.


For those who've had it, what does it entail? Will I be able to drink the
stuff and then just come back 3 hours later?


Nope. They're going to draw your blood every hour.
You're techincally supposed to sit relatively still in the
interim, as "too much" exercise will drop your glucose levels
further.


If I do have it (what is it?) what does that mean?


It means you have a condition called "gestational
diabetes" which the medical community has little agreement
on, even regarding whether it's a real problem or needs
treatment. About the only thing everyone agrees on is
that if you are diagnosed with it, your risk for developing
type 2 diabetes later in life is significantly elevated.
Beyond that, while it's common to screen for and treat
in the US, virtually all of the analyses by organizations
looking at evidence based medicine find that there are only
weak correlations with "bad outcomes" (generally macrosomia
or neonatal hypoglycemia) and treatment (with diet or
insulin) doesn't improve outcomes significantly (treatment
with insulin makes for somewhat smaller babies, on average,
but doesn't improve outcomes--e.g., doesn't lower c-section
rate or the rate of shoulder dystocia, which one might
associate with macrosomia).
So, for myself, I don't really even see the sense
in testing unless there's a possibility that your glucose
metabolism is suspect normally (because if you're truly diabetic
or near diabetic there are a whole other set of issues
involved and that's a more risky situation that you don't
want to take lightly). Others see it differently. I chose
not to be tested with any of my pregnancies, despite having
one macrosomic baby (the second of three).
The one thing I would strongly advise is that *if*
the three hour test comes back positive and *if* diet
doesn't control it adequately (however your caregivers
define "control"--some are waaaaaaaay more liberal than
others, which should lead to some suspicion on your part),
I would think long and hard and do a lot of research
before going on insulin. There is very little research
to suggest that it's helpful. In fact, in Enkins et al.'s
_A Guide to Effective Care in Pregnancy and Childbirth_,
insulin treatment for GD based on the currently available
medical evidence is a practice that would be considered
*unethical* in many other areas of medicine.
Let me say again, though, that while I agree with
those who are very sceptical of GD and its treatment,
pregnancy in a true diabetic is a very different matter.
Insulin may well be necessary in those cases and a Very
Good Thing.

Best wishes,
Ericka