Alternative to Glucose test?

[Anonymous]

I can not keep the glucose drink down, so I am not able to take the glucose test for gestational diabetes. My OB referred me to an endocronologist, saying that they could test me a different way through blood work. I assumed it was the fasting diabetes tests or some other way other than drinking the glucose.

After several attempts to speak to the nurse or dr about how they would test me differently than my OB, the nurse said she talked to the dr and the only way to test for gestational diabetes was by drinking the glucose.

I can't be the ONLY one who kept throwing up the glucose. Has anyone else been tested in any other manner?

I'll call my OB back tomorrow and see what they recommend, but I was curious if anyone had any experience with this.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry that you can't keep down the drink. I don't know why they can't give you a hemogloblin A1C, which I believe looks at your recent blood sugar levels/fluctuations. Maybe you could research it and then call your doctor back and ask.

[Anonymous]

thanks for the response. I will ask about this test.

[Anonymous]

Why not just do the fasting blood test -- just to see if your fasting levels are okay and then treat yourself as if you have gestational diabetes by going on a low carb diet. That is the approach that my OB took when my glucose test results came back weird -- my doc said it would have been impossible to get the results that I had. So instead of going back and retaking the 3 hour test, we just agreed that I would go on a low carb diet. The good news is that I didn't gain much weight after that and the rest of my pregnacy was healthy and uneventful.

Also, I think they can test you A1C level which should give some indication of risk.

[Anonymous]

Most midwives in the area have other food that you can eat instead of the glucose drink. They will give you a list of options, like for example: 1/2 banana and 8oz of orange juice. Something like that. You could call one of the midwifery practices (like Birthcare) and have a conversation with them about what they use, and suggest it to your doctor -- or have your doctor call them to consult with them about the effectiveness of using this alternative method.

[Anonymous]

Please keep asking for a substitute -- My OB at Foxhall OB/GYN let me eat 40 jelly beans instead because I couldn't keep the drink down and I had a history of hyperemesis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please keep asking for a substitute -- My OB at Foxhall OB/GYN let me eat 40 jelly beans instead because I couldn't keep the drink down and I had a history of hyperemesis.

A good use for all that leftover Halloween candy!

[Anonymous]

I don't knw if this will help you, but the first time I tried it I threw up, the second time I made sure to drink a lot of water the night before and the morning of, and I was able to hold it down. Good luck to you! SOmeone told me, too that sometimes they will let you have a hard boiled egg before, since it has no carbs, and that would help, but I would ask around to verify that.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all of the responses. I think they are overreacting a little, but I saw an endoconologist today and she wants me to drink 2 glasses of OJ and then do the 1-hr blood draw. I thought if that result came back okay, then I would be cleared. She said even if the results come back okay, she wants me to come in the office in 2 weeks to do a finger stick. She also said if any of the results are any where near borderline she would automatically treat me as if I had GD. They did a finger prick today and my number was 87 - really low from what I understand.

My DD was large at just under 10lbs and they are considering that a risk factor. That doesn't make sense to me since my OB's chaulked it up to genetics considering my DH's family is large and has large babies. My DD was checked at birth for sugar issues and was fine. I eat fairly well and I am not particularly large - 5'5" at 130lbs prepg). I understand that GD can lead to a large baby, but how can having a previously large baby before lead to higher risk of GD this time?

Thanks for all of your suggestions. We'll see how the OJ test goes.