Interesting info from my OB on alternatives to the GTT test

I had my OB appt. on Tuesday and while I was there, I had some questions for him. One of them was about the glucose tolerance test (for gestational diabetes) and how I was not going to be able to handle the Glucola. I asked him about the two alternatives that I knew about and this is what he had to say:

Regarding the HbA1C test he said that it was not accurate for diagnosing gestational diabetes.

Regarding the 2 hour postprandial test, he said that it only picks up gestational diabetes 80% of the time.

Pretty interesting info and he wouldn't consider either one as an option for me, which is fine cuz I just want the most accurate alternative. So he has another option for me, but said that we'd discuss it when I got to that point. I'm sure it's going to be the sending me home with a monitor and having me check my sugars......the option I DON'T want to do. I'd rather drink that nasty crap, but I'll do it.....just hate getting my finger *****ed! Although, I think I might suggest the eating of the 18 jelly beans (of some certain brand). I might could handle that!

Anyway, just thought I'd throw this info out there for you all looking for an (accurate) alternative to the glucose tolerance test. 

i have to agree and disagree... while the post-prandial test might not be most accurate.. its probley the best for US!.. that being said... i drank the glucola just to see what would happen... no i didnt dump... but when i left... my blood sugar was only 46.. .did i know? nope... and did i feel any different? nope... if i had left.. and crashed... it would have been my fault.. i didnt start feeling shakey until i pulled into my parking lot ( 30 mins later) which im sure by that point i was well into the 30;s

God, that's scary!!! That's probably what would happen to me. That or I'd dump the meanest dump known to man because it seems I can't handle hardly any amount of sugar now that I'm pregnant. I could handle some sugar before I got pregnant, but now.....not so much! lol That would figure wouldn't it??

There is one more option- the IV GTT. This is what I had. I wanted the most accurate test I could have. They took blood, gave me the glucose intravenous, and drew blood 2 more times.

I had gestational diabetes with both of my prior pregnancies, and I would have passed a 2 hour post prandial, or HbA1c both times.

I had the IVGTT at 18 and 28 weeks and passed both times, and I was able to feel confident that the results were accurate.

Good Luck.

That's the first I've heard about the IV GTT.  Since you got the glucose solution by IV, I'm assuming that you won't dump?

I'm looking for a solution to this right now, as I'm almost 28 weeks pregnant.  I told my OB that I couldn't do the standard GTT, and she wants me to go for 2 fasting blood tests every wee****il I deliver.  With my work schedule, it's impossible for me to do that.

I was tired after the test and needed a nap, but it doesn't make you dump.

Hmmmm.....I wonder if my doc would do that? Then I read you were tired after you did it and that's how I dump a lot of the times. That or I just get crazy sick diarrhea that makes you think you're dying or imploding....lol But now that I think about it, I got that really tired feeling after I did the GTT with my last one (I was pre-op then). Maybe it wouldn't be so bad?  As long as it didn't make me have wicked, crazy diarrhea! Thanks for the info!!

I don't know the medical/technical names for the different tests so please forgive me if what I'm about to share has already been discussed... but I just did my test a few days ago (I'm 29 weeks) and my experience was very nice. Not sure how accurate it is after reading the above posts, but nice non-the-less

I didn't want to take the orange drink so my OB had me come in and due a fasting blood sugar. He said the numbers had to be under 100 to past the first part of the test. Mine came in at 86 so I passed that part. He then did my regular exam and sent me on my way to have a good breakfast at Deny's with my hubby. Hubby really liked this part of the test! LoL I had my normal breakfast of a egg or two, a piece of toast, and a bowl of grits with butter. My OB told me to start timing as soon as I finished eating and be back in his office for another blood draw 1 hour after I had taken my last bite. So I did, and when they poked me I came up with 88 as my number. It needed to be below 140 to pass so I passed with flying colors!

What a great testing experience, and I got a yummy breakfast out of it with my husband too!!! Just thought I'd share

That sounds like the post prandial......or a version of it.....basically taking a fasting draw and then eating a regular breakfast and coming back for another draw, usually 2 hours after the first draw.

See, now THAT'S the test I wanted to do, but he won't do it.  I just know I'm gonna have to ***** my finger some God awful amount of times! LOL Or maybe I'll get lucky and get one of those 'test your sugar on your arm' monitors!!