How To Pass The Glucose Test

Random Blood Sugar Test

A physician takes a blood sample at any time, and not necessarily when fasting. People who have serious diabetes symptoms may have this test. If blood glucose levels are 200 mg/dL at any time, this indicates that diabetes is present.

People with diabetes should monitor their blood glucose levels regularly, using a home testing kit or continuous glucose monitor.

Ideal Diet For Gestational Diabetes

If your glucose test shows you have gestational diabetes, you may be prescribed insulin. Otherwise, your doctor will recommend you follow a diet designed to help you maintain a normal blood glucose level for the rest of your pregnancy. Most doctors will also recommend light exercises like walking for 30 minutes a day to help control blood sugar levels.

Your doctor will probably refer you to a specialist dietitian if your test results show you have gestational diabetes. They’ll be able to build a meal plan that works for you, taking into account dietary advice for pregnancy, the need to stabilize your blood glucose, any food allergies, intolerances, or dietary restrictions, and of course, your tastes. The ideal diet for gestational diabetes is similar to the recommended diet for Type 2 diabetes. However, there are some important modifications to allow for the different nutritional needs a pregnant woman has. To make sure your gestational diabetes diet suits your needs and your baby’s, it’s always best to follow your doctor or dietitian’s advice.

Here are our top tips for the ideal diet to manage blood glucose during pregnancy.

Eat Healthy Fats: Foods that are high in healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, and eggs can help you feel full for longer after you eat. Eating the correct amount of these foods will help you resist the temptation to overeat or snack on sugary foods.

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We recommend that you still follow this list even after the glucose test, as this can manage your blood sugar levels to avoid such conditions. Besides what to eat, you can also follow these extra tips when taking your glucose test:

• Schedule the test appointment in the morning to help make fasting easier
• If youre thirsty, youre allowed to take small sips of water
• Create a meal plan after the test or pack snacks in your bag to avoid feeling ravenous and lightheaded

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I Failed My Prenatal Glucose Test Now What

When your doctors office calls with the news that youve failed your first prenatal glucose test, a flurry of thoughts can start to run through your head.

Did I do something wrong? Does failing a glucose test mean I have diabetes? What do I do after I failed my glucose test?

You might feel disappointed, frustrated and scared. And thats normal! But a failed glucose test doesnt always mean you have gestational diabetes, and even if you do, you and your baby can live perfectly healthy lives.

So, while you wait in suspense for your three-hour test, heres a little advice from our experts about what to expect.

Important Considerations & Reminders For Glucose Tolerance Test

• On the third day of your diet, eat nothing and drink nothing, except sips of water after 10:00 p.m. and until your test is complete.
• First a fasting blood sample will be drawn, then you will be given a sugary liquid to drink.
• Each hour after the drink, blood will be drawn. This will be done three times. It is important that the blood be drawn at exactly one-hour intervals, so please be available at the indicated times.
• Please bring something to read or do while quietly sitting until the test is over.
• Do not eat, smoke or drink anything except water during the test. Sips of water should be taken only if you are very thirsty.
• After the last blood draw, you may leave the laboratory. At that time, you may have your lunch, and resume your normal diet.
• If you are unable to eat your usual diet, please inform your health care provider.
• Maintain your usual activity level on the days preceding the test.

Download the Diet Preparation for the Glucose Tolerance Test from the Patients Welcome Page.

Sourced from www.gentlebirth.org/archives, and adapted with permission from the University of California, San Francisco, OB Clinic.

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What Happens If You Decline The Gestational Diabetes Test

After talking to my doctor, testing my blood sugar like this is what I would have to do if I were to skip test for gestational diabetes all together. They would treat me as if I had diabetes to be on the safe side, and Id have to test my blood sugar 4 times a day until I gave birth.

The only issue Ive had with this method is that during this pregnancy, I tend to graze all day long. So, I have to consciously NOT eat so that I have 2 hours for my body to process the food Ive consumed and can get an accurate blood sugar reading. To accommodate the test, I drink my morning smoothie and eat my mid-morning snack of raw nuts all at the same time, so that my body wont get too hungry while I wait the 2 hours before testing.

What Are The Risks Of A Glucose Tolerance Test

I hear that there are no risks associated with a glucose tolerance test.

However, I have personally be affected by a VERY low blood sugar following the 3-hour test. Honestly, so low that I probably should have been in a coma.

SO, I always recommend that on both the 1-hour and the 3-hour test that you bring something that has a nice balance of carbs and protein to eat right after the test is over. I usually take a peanut butter and honey sandwich since its easy to keep in my bag or my car. And can easily be eaten quickly.

NOTE: This snack is for AFTER the test is over. Make sure you follow the instructions for the test during the procedure. It is really important.

If you have any questions or concerns about the test, talk to your doctor or midwife. Theyll be happy to answer any questions you have.

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Get 7 To 9 Hours Of Sleep Each Night

We all know sleep is good for us, but can the right amount of sleep help prevent gestational diabetes?

A few studies have found a correlation between poor quality sleep and gestational diabetes. Surprisingly, this study also found that women with poor sleep and longer duration of sleep had the highest risk of GDM .

Another study associated poor sleep quality AND getting less than six hours of sleep per night with an increased risk of GDM.

Getting too little sleep and getting too much sleep both possibly lead to an increased risk of gestational diabetes so aiming for about 7 to 9 hours each night might help prevent GDM.

What Does It Mean When You Fail The One

In the United States, the standard way to diagnose gestational diabetes takes two steps.

The first step involves giving all pregnant women a glucose test around 24 weeks. Also called the one-hour oral glucose challenge, this is a screening test to identify women at increased risk of having gestational diabetes.

During the one-hour test, youll be asked to drink 50 grams of concentrated glucose . Youll then get blood drawn an hour later to check your blood sugar levels.

Different OB/GYN practices may use different criteria for what is considered passing the one-hour glucose test.

Generally, the normal blood sugar range in pregnancy after the glucose challenge test is less than 130 mg/dL.

If your blood glucose level is greater than 130 mg/dL, you will probably need to do the three-hour glucose tolerance test. However, some providers will only recommend the three-hour test if your blood glucose is greater than 135 or greater than 140 after one hour.

In general, if your blood sugar is less than 130mg/dL one hour after drinking 50 grams of concentrated sugar, youll pass the test.

If your blood sugar measures between 130-140mg/dL depending on which criteria your doctor uses, you might have to take the 3-hour test. If your blood sugar is over 140, you will most likely have to take the longer glucose test.

Find out more about taking the glucose tolerance test during pregnancy and how gestational diabetes is diagnosed.

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How Can Gestational Diabetes Affect My Baby And Me

Gestational diabetes poses risks to both you and your baby, but with proper treatment during pregnancy, you can both live healthy lives.

• Risks for baby: Low blood sugar at birth, early birth, large birth weight, jaundice and childhood obesity.
• Risks for mom: Urinary tract infections, high blood pressure, cesarean section and preeclampsia, a potentially life-threatening condition related to high blood pressure.
• Risks for both: Difficult or dangerous birth of a larger than average baby and Type 2 diabetes later in life.

Bixler says the risk for Type 2 diabetes increases along with age. Its more likely to occur in the mother within 10 years after pregnancy, and in her child anytime in adolescence or adulthood. Diabetes is also associated with other metabolic disorders and related conditions like weight gain and heart disease. Being active as a family and focusing on weight management lowers your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, she says.

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How Often The Test Is Done During Your Pregnancy

Women get glucose testing at 26 to 28 weeks. Some women also get testing for glucose in early pregnancy if they have additional risk factors. If it turns out that you have diabetes, youll get regular testing for the rest of your pregnancy. Your doctor may do an A1C blood test at your first prenatal check-up.

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Can You Do Anything To Pass The Test

This question is hard to answer because what you want out of a test such as this is an accurate result. However, some may argue that you can get positive results because of the kinds of food you ate hours before the test. So here are a few tips worth trying before taking the OGTT.

• Avoid high-sugar food hours or days before your scheduled test. Cut back on simple, refined carbohydrates such as pasta, pizza, sweet pastries, white rice, and cereals.
• Opt for complex, healthy carbohydrates. These include whole grains, whole wheat bread, and fresh fruits. Make sure that your meals have a good balance of protein, carbohydrates, and good fats in them.
• Do not drink anything other than water prior to the test. Dont drink coffee, fruit juices, tea, and any sugary drink before the test.

It would be better to heed these tips all throughout your pregnancy to make sure that youre in tiptop shape until you give birth. After all, you can never go wrong having a balanced diet every day and avoiding sugary drinks as much as possible.

The best way to tackle this test is to follow your doctors instructions. There are doctors that instruct their patients to load up on carbohydrates days before taking the test, while most of them want you to fast from midnight until the time of testing.

In case you have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, your doctor may ask you to:

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What Can I Do To Avoid Gestational Diabetes

There are some factors that increase a womans risk for developing gestational diabetes, including an age > 30 years, body mass index > 25, having a first-degree relative with diabetes, and being a woman of Hispanic, African American, Native American, South or East Asian, or Pacific Island descent and, clearly, not many of these factors can be adjusted!

However, no matter a womans size or presence of other risk factors, eating well and exercising often prior to and during pregnancy can help a woman achieve better health during pregnancy.

Between the 1-hour glucose test and my upcoming 3-hour test, I had to remind myself that even though I was doing the best that I could with eating and exercise, perhaps pregnancy could change my body in ways that I and others may not yet understand. Maybe my blood sugar regulating hormones just couldnt keep up, maybe my body was an overachiever at pumping out other hormones that impaired insulins action, or maybe there was a metabolic framework or genetic code that I couldnt control even with a healthy, balanced eating pattern! As challenging as it was, I had to give myself grace that I and some of my former choices like the ice cream I had on my birthday and the candy I ate on a family vacation while pregnant were not to blame or acknowledge in shame. So, I breathed. And I researched more

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How To Pass Your Three

The best way to pass a three-hour glucose test is to consume plenty of carbohydrates before the test. Eating too little carbohydrate will result in failure of the test. You will probably be asked to fast overnight . After an overnight fast, your blood sugar level will probably be low. You will then be given a glucola beverage to drink within five minutes. The glucola tastes sweet and contains 75 grams of carbohydrate. If you do not absorb the glucose properly, then you may get hypoglycemic during the test and will fail it because you will not be able to concentrate well enough.

The three-hour glucose test works by having the patient drink a very sweet solution of glucose and then testing their blood sugar level every hour after that. If the patients blood sugar is above 200 mg/dL after two hours then the patient has failed the test. If the blood sugar is between 70 to 140 mg/dL at any time during the test then it is an indication that you are becoming diabetic and will also fail. If the blood sugar falls below 70 mg/dL then this is an indication that your body is not properly absorbing the glucose and that you will also fail the test.

This means that it is absolutely vital that you consume ample carbohydrates before the test. You should eat a normal breakfast early in the morning . Then you can have snacks containing more carbs up to an hour before the test.

Glucose Tolerance Testing Diet

You will eat three meals per day and have a bedtime snack, and your meals should consist of at least 50% carbohydrates. 10 servings of carbohydrates equal approximately 150 grams of carbohydrates. You may check the package nutrition labels on most foods, as most labels will indicate the number of grams of carbohydrates the food contains. You must have at least 150 grams of carbohydrates each day for three days prior to your test.

The following are examples of one serving of carbohydrates :

• 1 slice of bread
• 1/2 cup of starchy vegetables

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What Should I Eat Before The Glucose Screening Test

You should eat your normal typical breakfast. This is so that we can get a very accurate representation of how your body handles sugar at this point in your pregnancy, even after your normal breakfast.

With that said, its probably a good idea to not consume high glycemic foods right before, especially sugary drinks like juices, smoothies, and sodas.

Follow Directions As Precisely As Possible:

• Follow this diet for 3 full days before the test. This is important so test results will be reliable.
• You will not gain a significant amount of weight after only three days of the diet.
• Any additional food you desire may be eaten, but please do not delete any portions.
• For the final 12 hours before the test, no food, no liquids, no tea, no coffee, no smoking and no gum. Water is allowed. Do not fast for more than 16 hours.

You should take any medications on the same schedule prescribed by you physician, such as blood pressure or heart medication. Do not take any over-the-counter medications for 12 hours before the test, such as cough or cold preparations, vitamins, aspirin, etc. All testing begins the morning after a nights sleep .

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About The Sample Diet

Be sure to eat 150-200 grams of carbohydrate for 3 full days before the test. The approximate grams of carbohydrate are in parentheses following each menu item. You may feelfree to substitute from the table below.

Breakfast

• 8 oz. orange juice 1 slice toast 1 tbsp. jam or jelly One cup dry cereal 8 oz. milk

Will The Glucose Tests Make Me Feel Sick

Some moms-to-be feel nauseated after drinking the glucose solution, and a few even throw up. It may help to eat something a few hours before the screening test. If you vomit soon after you’ve gotten the drink down, you’ll have to come back on another day and repeat the test.

It’s actually more common for women to feel sick during the three-hour glucose tolerance test, because the solution for that test is twice as sweet or contains twice as much liquid as the one for the screening test, and you have to drink it after fasting.

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What Happens If I Fail A Glucose Test

If your blood sugar falls outside the healthy or ideal target range, your doctor may be able to tell you if you have prediabetes, diabetes, or gestational diabetes.

Depending on the glucose test youâve taken, you may need additional testing to confirm these results. For example, if your glucose screening test during pregnancy is elevated, you will go back for an oral glucose tolerance test to confirm or rule out gestational diabetes.¹â¶

Keep in mind, gestational diabetes usually goes away after pregnancy. However, having it may increase your future risk of developing type 2 diabetes,¹ⷠso adopting healthy dietary and lifestyle practices to keep blood glucose levels in check is extra important.

Your doctor will advise you on how to manage your blood glucose levels, potentially through medication, dietary interventions, lifestyle changes, or a combination of all three. It can be motivating to know that it may be possible to reverse prediabetes or diabetes.