Glucose Tolerance Test

My glucose tolerance test is in the morning. I just want to take back what I said earlier this week about knowing that I'll pass the test this time. It's sorta like when you say that your kids sleep through the night ... or when you say that you or your kids never get sick. As soon as you say that, you know whatever you said WILL happen. So I take back what I said about the glucose tolerance test. Just because I don't want to press my luck.

So tonight as I prepare for the test, I'll be eating nothing after midnight. And I'll dutifully show up at the doctor's office early in the morning to start my test. Oh, and someone told me that it's not three blood draws. It's actually four. OUCH! I was thinking I might take pictures of all my "wounds" and post them on the blog, but I think Heather might not like that. Sorta like the alien baby pictures.

I told Mike that I might need some TLC tomorrow when I get done with my test. Mike went to the doctor's office with me when I had to do the three-hour test when I was pregnant with Emily, but he's not going to be able to go this time.

There seems to be a lot of confusion about the difference between the one-hour glucose screening test and the three-hour glucose tolerance test. I keep getting asked about this A LOT. The point of glucose testing in pregnancy is to look for gestational diabetes (aka diabetes during pregnancy.)

Like any screening test, the one-hour glucose screening will not give you a diagnosis. It's purpose is to identify which women need a closer look at their glucose levels. I think about 80% of women will pass the one-hour glucose screening.

The women who do NOT pass the one-hour glucose screening will have to take the three-hour glucose tolerance test and this will tell her doctor if she has gestational diabetes. Of the people who have to take the three-hour test, only about 30% of them will end up actually having gestational diabetes. So statistics (and history) are on my side.

I'll have to take a good book with me or something because three hours is a long time to sit in a waiting room. Especially when you're hungry. And especially when you're hungry and pregnant. And especially when you're hungry and pregnant and had to drink a bunch of nasty orange liquid (which gives me wicked heartburn) and have to get your arm jabbed repeatedly.

Okay all this talk about the test tomorrow is making me grumpy so I better go to bed.

Goodnight all!