In The End

Today I called the Dr to get my results. I am relieved to say the the least, I was told my results are "fine" and that I do not have gestational diabetes. Which is great!

I can tell you two things.

1) It was worth the sticks to find out whether or not I was diabetic.
2) I am never doing that stupid test again.

Why it was worth it:

This is the one thing I was freaking out about. I have been worried I might have been diabetic for a while now and while it seems completely selfish (it is), I was not worried about the baby's development, was not worried about labor, or anything else. I was freaked out about being diabetic. Sorry I am not sorry. Some people freak out if their baby is developing properly, some people freak out about breast feeding, some people freak out about paint, cribs, and baby gear.

I admit my fear was completely selfish. Moving on.

Why I am never doing this test again:

If I have subsequent pregnancies (and I will, I'm sure!) I am not going to take this test. I will opt out. It was a headache and a nightmare, both times. My doctor did not require me to fast for the 1 hour test, so it caused me to take the 3 hour test. It took days for results both times. I spent so much time worrying about this (pretending I wasn't, by the way) that this is just not happening ever again. Also, if I am not diabetic at my heaviest, then I am sure once I get back on the weight loss/fitness journey that I will not be diabetic then.

Remember, I was concerned pre-preggers that I might have been diabetic. I actually ordered the lab work from my regular doctor and was waiting until we got decent insurance to go take it. Well now that that I have taken it (twice), no need for a repeat. Ever again.

Badge of Honor:

The bruise. Sorry for the super white flash, it kind of washed me out.

The Fast(ing) and the Furious

8:00 am. The alarm blares. I wake up Brian and tell him he needs to get up and make his own breakfast and coffee and to wake me up after.

8:35 am. We leave for the hospital. It's pouring down rain. I haven't had anything to eat or drink since last night at 9 pm. I didn't even brush my teeth, since I love to drink a glass of water after. I was miserable.

8:50 am. We arrive at the hospital to find out that the outpatient lab is uhm... closed. So we ask hospital staff and they tell us to go to the 2nd floor, first door on the right outside the elevator. We tell them that is the one that is closed. They look puzzled and confused.

9:00 am. Finally in another outpatient lab in the main hospital. We tell them I'm here for my GTT and my name, id and ins card.... no order for me.

9:15 am. They locate my paperwork. Apparently it is waiting for me in the closed lab. Sigh. New paper work is being faxed. I'm given a fancy bracelet even though this is outpatient lab work. I feel fancy.

9:25 am. Finally the new paperwork arrives and I can get my first blood draw of the day- the fasting one. This takes all of 30 seconds. Lab tech is surprised I am such a good bleeder. She uses butterfly needles (really thin, easy needles)

9:45 am. I finally get the glucose drink. 100g of sugar, so it's twice as concentrated as the last. My stomach is rumbling and I'm so thirsty. I chug it.

10:45 am. First of three draws. I'm having them use the same arm for all of them. My right arm is pretty much useless anyway and I don't want to be bruised on both arms.

11:45 am. Second to last draw. I'm so tired, I'm having trouble staying awake. Brian brought the laptop and was watching videos on YouTube. I brought my crochet stuff, but couldn't concentrate on it.

It's somewhere between 11:45 and 12:45 that I am becoming delirious with hunger. I am trying to think of what I want to eat- I've been fasting for 15 hours. It's a tie between a bacon double cheeseburger and a big greasy burrito. I definitely want cheese fries.

12:45 The last draw! Woohoo! Except the tech I was with all morning left and now some old man is doing it. He doesn't talk. He used a bigger needle- it hurt really really bad. And I bled. A lot. Like, a lot a lot. Again, he was surprised that I am such a good bleeder. This one hurt the worst.

We leave and decide to hit up Steak n' Shake. All I could think about at that point was sleeping. I was tired and very sore, and not even hungry any more. I fall asleep on the car ride over.

I order chicken fingers with honey mustard sauce, cheese fries, and a small chocolate shake. I didn't finish the shake. I gulped down a huge glass of ice water. Brian had a Frisco Melt (cheeseburger with Swiss and cheddar on sour dough toast, with Thousand Island dressing), a chili cheese hot dog and 2 orders of fries.

I came home and fell asleep in bed almost immediately. My arm was killing me! I couldn't bend it, I couldn't hold my purse, and I felt like crying. I wake up and already got a lovely bruise blossoming.

I'm told tomorrow I will know the results. I'm anxious to know the results but at this point I also don't care. I'm so over being stabbed with tiny needles.

I could never be anorexic, that is for sure. I could hardly stand fasting for 12 hours and by the time 16 hours rolled around I was ready to kill someone. I woke up hungry. I ate. I'm still hungry. I become ravenous and insatiable.

In exciting news, Drake is head down! I get hiccups in my pelvis region now and forceful kicks near my ribs. Tiny punches somewhere in the middle. So things are moving right along. I'm 30 weeks today.

Gray Area

Reading a little more about this GTT (glucose tolerance test). I was so afraid and angry. I decided to get educated, because knowledge is power. I didn't understand why I had to take this test again. I thought it meant I had gestational diabetes. It turns out that it is actually just a gray area.

Straight from Baby Center's article on the GTT (read the full article)

What is an abnormal blood glucose level?

     Different practitioners use different standards for determining whether your level is too high. Some will say that if your one-hour blood sugar level is 140 milligrams of glucose per deciliter of blood plasma (mg/dL) or more, you need to have the glucose tolerance test. Others put the cut-off at 130 mg/dL to catch more women who may have gestational diabetes, even though there are likely to be more false positives this way.

     If your blood glucose level for this test is higher than 200 mg/dL, most practitioners will consider you diabetic and you won't be required to take the glucose tolerance test. But any score between 140 and 200 means that you'll have to take the three-hour glucose tolerance test for a definite diagnosis.

So I have fallen in this 140-200 range and its enough concern for the GTT to be taken. I am angry because I was not told to fast for the first test. I am sure if I was, then I would not have fallen in this gray area. But I can't be mad any more. 

The 3-hr test will suck. Fasting for 12 hours (which starts here in an hour and a half for me). When I arrive, they will stick me and draw a sample. Then I get samples drawn again at the 1, 2, and 3 hour marks. I will either have to drink a more concentrated version of the glucose medicine or a larger dose. Either way, I welcome it. I'm not allowed to even drink water, so I will be ready for anything at that point. 

Further information found in the article:

If one of the readings is abnormal, you may have to take another test later in your pregnancy. Or your practitioner may ask you to make some changes in your diet and exercise routine. If two or more of your readings are abnormal, you'll be diagnosed with gestational diabetes and you'll need to talk to your practitioner about a treatment plan. This chart shows the levels that the American Diabetes Association considers abnormal at each interval of the test:
Interval Abnormal reading

• Fasting 95 mg/dl or higher
• One hour 180 mg/dl or higher
• Two hours 155 mg/dl or higher
• Three hours 140 mg/dl or higher

As if that's not annoying enough, if I am diagnosed with gestational diabetes, I will have to take another GTT 6 weeks after giving birth. 

In any case, I will know Thursday whether or not I have it. And if I do, then I get treatment. And if I don't, then I have nothing to worry about. 

Now that I am informed, I can go back to being annoyed. Annoyed because my arm is already bruised from the first test. Annoyed because I have to be there for 3 hours. I'm also a little on edge because I've had heartburn all day, which never puts me in a good mood hehe. Oh well. 

I just want this all to be over with. It will be. In 16 and a half hours, it will be over. And I will know what the results are on Thursday. I'm not scared or afraid any more. I can handle whatever comes my way. I just hope that tonight and tomorrow go quickly :)

The Results

This morning I got the results of my glucose screen. I have to take the 3-4 hour glucose tolerance test (GTT) because my sugar was high. This could have been partly because of what I had eaten the day of, so now I have to fast for 12 freakin' hours. If I don't eat every four hours or so, I start getting shaky. This is going to suck.

She asked me if I wanted to come in tomorrow morning- pffffttttttt no. I want to eat today. I'm going in Wednesday morning at 9 am (the lab opens at 8:30). No food or drink after 9 pm tomorrow night- this includes water. I'm not allowed to have any water either! Unless I am "dying of thirst" then I get "one or two sips" uggggh. Fine.

I have to stay there for the 3ish hours (the nurse said three, the lab techs can't seem to agree if it's 3.5 or 4) so I need to bring something entertaining I guess. I'm thinking of hitting up Joann's today for some yarn and I'll take along my crochet stuff.

I will know Thursday afternoon what my results are.

I've decided not to stress out about this because I need to know if I am diabetic. I need to know what is going on. If I am, well, then it's time for treatment. If I'm not, hallelujah!

Either way, I'm sleeping from Tuesday 9 pm to Wednesday 8 am and I better not dream about food.

That glucose stuff they give me makes me all jumpy and hyper. I can't imagine how this is going to work after I've not had any food for 12 hours and then have to drink that stuff.

Anyone ever done this before? What about those of you who are diabetic- not just gestational diabetes- did you have to do the same thing?

I am going to savor my food today and tomorrow for sure. I feel like I am being sent to the electric chair, I'm already trying to think of things for my "last meal"... what should I do for it? Any suggestions? I want something filling! Immediately I think "pot pie" lol