I had to go in for my gestational diabetes test first thing yesterday morning and it just blew. I think in the US everybody does the one hour glucose test and then if you fail you take the 3 hour test but here you only take a 2 hour glucose test if your BMI is over a certain point pre-pregnancy. Even with all my hard work before getting pregnant my BMI still put me in the “risk” range for GD so I had to take the test. They gave me a diet to follow for two days prior to the test which I thought was odd. It had me eating things like break butter and jam for breakfast with fruit juice. Then I was supposed to have a snack of cookies (2) and fruit juice or soda. Then lunch of bread, meat, cheese, fruit and MORE juice or soda. Then another cookie/juice/soda snack followed by a dinner of meat, veg, potatoes with dessert and a final snack of cookies juice or soda before bed. Two days of this diet sucked. I just don’t drink that much juice and/or soda on a daily basis nor do I eat 6 cookies a day. I had to have nothing else after 10 o’clock the night before the test.
I went in yesterday morning at 8 and once I finally got into the lab they pricked my finger to get a sugar reading. I was 3.6 which was good. They said if I was above 8 then they would have to call my midwife (and tell on me I guess?). They also took 4 vials of blood at this time. Then they gave me a bottle of the most disgusting drink ever created. It was like somebody melted sugar and served it to you at room temperature. It was so sickening sweet and I had to drink the whole thing. I started out just drinking regular mouthfuls but after three times of drinking, shuddering, getting goose bumps and making a distorted face I decided this just wasn’t happening. If I was going to do this I was going to have to chug it. So I did. It was sickening. They gave me an egg timer set for an hour and sent me back to the waiting room.
It was such a long hour. I felt like the entire drink was sitting in my throat just waiting to make a second appearance at any given time. Thank God Marco came with me and distracted me to make the time go by faster. My timer went off and the stuck me with another needle to draw some more blood, sent me back to the waiting room with another hour on the clock. The second hour was equally as sickening as the first with the drink still feeling like it could come up at any minute. I also felt a bit dizzy and lightheaded. Sadie was practicing her ninja moves which I guess any child would do after a breakfast of pure sugar water. Finally the hour was up and they drew my blood for the 3rd time (in the same arm) and sent me dizzily on my way.
Manipulating your blood sugar isn’t a good thing if you ask me. I felt sick all day long to be honest. I had a bagel with cream cheese afterwards to try and get that gross taste out of my mouth and to level myself out but no matter what I did the sick feeling didn’t go away…all day. It also gave me a headache. Yay! When I got to work around noon everybody took one look at me and there was an audible gasp. I was white as a Brit’s ass in the dead of winter and felt as great as I looked. They tried sending me home but I knew I just needed a few hours before I would level out again and feel better. Boy was I wrong but I stuck it out and finished my workday at 5:30. What a trooper… or what a sucker… I can’t decide.
I guess I get the results in 2 weeks time when I have my next appointment with my midwife. I fricking hope it turns out okay. Cross your fingers for me!
I didn’t weigh in yesterday but I did step up today. I gained another kilo and a bit. Helaas pindakaas (it’s a Dutch phrase which roughly means, “oh well, what are you going to do” but literally translates “unfortunate peanutbutter”. Well it rhymes in dutch. I am swollen like hell. My belly is really expanding and my belly button looks extremely alien. It’s almost flat. I try to imagine what I’m going to look like down the road but I just can’t get a clear picture. I think Goodyear may have a photo that I can compare to though. I can feel Sadie getting stronger every week and she is extremely active nowadays. What started out as a little tickle and then moved onto a little heartbeat is now feeling more like actual kicks to my innards that reverberate outwardly. It’s so unbelievable…in a very good way.
I hope you all are having very healthy and successful weeks!
3 comments:
I feel your pain. I had the 1 hour glucose test, and 15 minutes after chugging the nasty stuff, I had to lay down on the waiting room floor and elevate my feet while the frightened old lady waiting with me ran to get a nurse. I couldn't sit up without the room spinning and my vision starting to go dark for the whole hour of waiting. Bllleeeccchhh.
I failed my 1-hr, had to take the 3. It was nasty, but tolerable for me. I took my laptop and some rented DVDs to pass the time. Fortunately I passed.
Good luck. Look at it this way, if you have GD then better to find out so your baby can be protected!
Eww, I had to get that test done, too. I felt relatively fine during the test. Difference here is that you get the results straight away. My first value wasn't so great, so I am checking my blood sugar every three days now - it never again was as high as it was at the practice, though. Dunno what was up with that...only about 5 more weeks to go for me!
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