I failed my test.....

[Ttulipss]

Had my monthly baby check appt this morning and got that bad news that I failed my one-hour blood glucose test and have to go back for the three-hour test. This means I have to fast then go to the lab and have 2 tubes of blood drawn. Then I have to drink some really syrupy orange carbonated drink and sit there for an hour. Then they'll draw more blood. Then wait another hour and draw more blood and then yet one more hour and another needle stick.

I was gestational diabetic with my first pregnancy, but only diet controlled. It was really no big deal, but I did almost pass out during the 3 hour test between them taking all that blood and having fasted. I'm soooo hungry when I'm pregnant! Being gestational diabetic, I had to go see a nutrition counselor (just once) for the diet info and it forced me to eat better during my pregnancy, which is a plus, and I also had more appointments for non-stress tests and ultrasounds to check on the baby. That was fine by me and it was incorporated with my regular appointments. I loved seeing my baby on the monitor and never had much of a wait at those appointments. Also, I did fine monitoring myself at home that each week they told me I could test fewer times each week and after 3-4 weeks they said I could stop testing myself but continue to eat how I was. Even then I still tested myself at least once a week.

My second pregnancy I was lucky - I actually passed the test! and was hoping to this time as well.

But now it's all a different story. I have 2 little ones already which means dh will have to take a day off just so I can go back for the 3 hour test. If I fail that one also, their whole policy on gestational diabetes has changed. Not only will I have to go back to the nutrition counselor and be put on a special diet, but they require you to go weekly back to the counselor to go over a food diary and have your blood sugar level checked. The last time I was able to do this at home with a kit provided to me and they just checked my recorded levels when I went in for my appointments. Now they aren't even allowed to do the non-stress tests at the office. Now I'd have to go to the office for all my regular appointments and over to the hospital for the non-stress tests. This means longer waits and putting my two little ones through it all. Basically, since I'm now in my 3rd trimester, I would have 2 appoints every week - every other week it would be 3 appointments! Now how are my poor kids going to handle that?!

I just hope I pass this one! I tried to talk them into letting me just do the overhaul on my diet and monitor it with my kit at home like last time, but they said they're hands are tied, but they couldn't blame me for asking. Wish me luck! I'm going to do the test again on 7/5 and will go back to my first gest. diabetes diet and monitoring until then (I still have everything) and will be praying I pass!

[DaizyMae]

I'm so sorry to hear this....I sure hope the next test gives you much better results!!! I'll be thinking of you...

[bdinalbq]

(((((Ttulips))))))). This is the time to call on friends, aquaintances, church groups and local day care centers for help. The end goal here is the delivery of a healthy baby to a healthy mama, and it's time to pull out all the stops to make sure that happens. I hated asking for help (I have three kids, all 2 and 1/2 years apart,) and I know how hard it is to be pregnant with other little ones. You need to do whatever you can to reduce your stress level, even if that means biting the bullet and asking for help.

And keep chanting this....


"This too shall pass."

[telos2000]

Hugs, prayers, and good vibes coming your way!

{{{{{{{{Ttulips}}}}}}}}

[mama2calli]

My ob gave me some tips on passing the test (I have PCOS which makes me more prone to GD since I am carb intolerant) - he told me to have a 2 day carb fest, then on the day of the GTT to just eat something low carb for breakfast (eggs, meat, tuna or egg salad) and it worked!

Although it's not the solution for the prevention of GD, using this method to pass the test might give you the option to monitor your diet as you wish without medical intervention...

I have successfully avoided GD thru all three full term pregnancies... I consider myself blessed since so many of my PCOS friends have had GD...

...anyhow feel free to email me (LOL in the next few days!) if you want to chat further...will keep my fingers crossed for you & keep you in my prayers!

Kath (due 7/3/02!!)

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[wifey1227]

((((((((TTULIPSS)))))))))

Good Luck Honey.....Sending good vibes your way

[Margaritaville]

Originally posted by mama2calli
My ob gave me some tips on passing the test (I have PCOS which makes me more prone to GD since I am carb intolerant) - he told me to have a 2 day carb fest, then on the day of the GTT to just eat something low carb for breakfast (eggs, meat, tuna or egg salad) and it worked!

Although it's not the solution for the prevention of GD, using this method to pass the test might give you the option to monitor your diet as you wish without medical intervention...

I have successfully avoided GD thru all three full term pregnancies... I consider myself blessed since so many of my PCOS friends have had GD...

...anyhow feel free to email me (LOL in the next few days!) if you want to chat further...will keep my fingers crossed for you & keep you in my prayers!

Kath (due 7/3/02!!)

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I would be very careful trying to past the test...just to NOT have dr. supervision...I was GD with both my kids, and it's a very important thing to be monitored...your children can have very severe problems as a result of not being monitored by your Doc. I know Ttulipps that you have been thru this, I would just hope that you will please consider this, I was so dissappointed when I found out I was GD with the second pregnancy, I even cried, because I knew what I had to do. I was insulin dependant on the first one, and just diet on the second one, and I like you was STARVED!!!!!! I couldn't get enough to eat after the test was over...please take care of yourself and your little baby.

[Ttulipss]

Thank you all for the support. I have to fast for the 3 hour test, so Kath's tip won't work for me. I will do the 3 hour test, I understand the necessity for it, was just hoping there was some way around it. Depending on the results - if they tell me it can be diet controlled - dh and I have already discussed that I will do the initial nutrition consultation, but will not go weekly. I've been there, done that quite successfully with my first and know what it entails and what I have to do for my baby. I can do it without weekly nutrition appointments. I can't put my kids through all those appointments. It just won't work. But obviously my diet will drastically change and of course I wouldn't miss a single OB appointment or non-stress test. I still am practicing postive thinking for the test anyway!

The doctor's office gave me a sample diet listing exchanges and a food list to go by. They said if I wait a week to go do the test and follow this in the meantime, I could pass the 3 hour test - she said they've done it with other patients and had at least a 75% success rate in passing. Obviously, the diet would need to continue the rest of the pregnancy just to be safe. I was going over the diet and there is no way I could eat as much food as they show for each meal. The portions are smaller, but I still don't think I could eat as much as they show. I will still follow it as close as possible, but couldn't to a "t". The problem in our house is there is always ice cream in the freezer and cookies in the cupboard. That will change and dh wants to diet anyway, so no argument there. I can't drink sodas during this pregnancy - they just don't agree with me, so I drink a lot of tea, which is "free" on the diet anyway. So omitting the sweets, limiting the starches and decreasing portions plus adding some veggies should do the trick. So here's to passing the 3 hour test and not having a 10 lb. baby! (My babies are small anyway......first (with GD) was 7 lbs. 3 oz. and 2 weeks "early" and second was 6 lbs. 12 oz. and one week "early.")

[kat]

Suzanne,

Don't stress too much over the test - if you do have GD again, it's far better to be under doctor's care, especially for the baby. I know it's disappointing to have to deal with this now, but it will be over soon!

I've been a diabetic my entire life, so with each pregnancy I had to go through stress tests & extra visits. With my last son, they had me going to the hospital for weekly stress tests during the last 4 months of my pregnancy & my older son loved it! The nurses were wonderful - they had little juices & cookies that they gave him each visit & he had his choice of either watching tv in the smaller waiting room or else he could listen to the baby's heartbeat & watch the test (he usually started off with the nurses, watched about 5 minutes of tv & then made his way down the hall to whichever room I was in).

{{{hugs & good thoughts for a low sugar reading}}}

[NaomiMarie]

(((((( Ttulipss ))))))

Holding good thoughts! Please let us know how the next test goes.....
Naomi

[hrdlife1]

i am certainly glad you are going back for the test!!! i would much rather have your hubby take off work and you sit there for 3 hours than you be sick or the baby sick!! i am sending all my good thoughts and prayers your way hoping that you do pass this next one!!!! fortunately i didn't have any problems with my pregnancies so i can't empathize but i can sympathize and hope the best for you and that precious angel!!!! let us know how it goes, i'm sure things will be fine as you've already started to take steps to control it, but i do hope the diet is all you have to do and you and baby will be a-ok!!!

((((((suzanne and little one))))))

[ShainaT]

Sorry to hear this Suzanne. Is it possible that the first test was wrong and when they do the second longer test that they will see that they were wrong and you don't have GD? Good luck.


~Shaina (having the one hour test on 7/10 and am now really scared about it.)

[mama2calli]

Good luck Shaina & Suzanne - I'll be thinking of you both! Please keep us posted!

Kath

(ps hope nobody misconstrued my orig. email - was not fully intended as advice, just what my OB told me as he knows I watch my carbs anyhow due to PCOS - but of course, GD should be carefully monitored!)

[Ttulipss]

Thanks again everyone. I'm obviously not going to do anything to jeopardize mine or the baby's health, it just couldn't be more of an inconvenience in terms of all the appointments with my other kids if I don't pass.

Don't be scared about it, Shaina. I was GD with my first and I really enjoyed all the extra appointments to hear the baby's heartbeat and for all the extra ultrasounds. Luckily, my job was very flexible and everything was done in my OB's office where they booked all of my appointments ahead of time so I'd get a time that worked great.

[kakaktus]

I failed my one-hour blood glucose test too ( 149 instead of less then 135 ) and had a three-hour test a few days ago and I passed it! So I don't have a GD.
I hope you'll pass it too! Just do whatever the doctor said to do before the test( fasting 12 or more hours!)

Good luck to you!