Arrival – Fasting
So, I’m here at my doctor’s office for the 3-hour Glucose
Tolerance Test. 8:30 am. I need to stop scheduling appointments at
this time because, while it gets me in and out good and early, I have to battle
down town rush hour to get here. When I
go to work this late, I always take the perimeter and bypass most of the
traffic. Well, I should say I sometimes bypass traffic. It seems like I get stuck in it about as
often as not.
Anyway, I arrived at 8:15 for my 8:30 appointment. They drew my blood first thing after fasting
for at least 12 hours. I can’t remember
when I ate last, but I’m sure it wasn’t past 8:30 so I should be fine. Then I had to drink a sugar drink. Blech.
I don’t think the one for the initial screen is too bad (kind of tastes
like Tang or that “orange drink” they used to give at soccer games or birthday
parties sponsored by McDonald’s). This
one, however, is awful. Just awful. I choked a bit getting it down and then I
thought I was going to throw up. I
already had a bit of a funny tummy because anymore, I really need to eat
breakfast otherwise I’m nauseous and adding that stuff on top of a funny tummy
did not do me well. But I didn’t throw
up and now I actually feel a little better.
I assume I get the funny tummy from not eating because of low blood
sugar. And I certainly no longer have that!
My goodness. People complain so
much about that first screen; if they didn’t like that juice, how on earth
could they handle the second level one?
Anyway, I’m here and just waiting now. I’ll go back at 9:40 to get my blood drawn
again and then twice more after that.
They told me I’d be here for four hours.
I wonder what the fourth hour is?
As far as I can see, I only need to be here for three hours. Maybe they just meant that I’d get my blood
drawn four time and got confused.
Regardless, it’s fine. I’m
prepared so it’ll be fine. Just wish I
didn’t have to take this stupid test.
Really hope I don’t have it. I
feel weird and stupid for failing that first screen. Defective.
There are three other women here getting tested for the same thing and
they’re all HUGE. Not obese huge but
HUGELY pregnant. I can’t believe we’re
at the same point. The original screen
happens between 24 and 28 weeks so everyone here for the follow up should be
about at the same point I am. I just
can’t believe how big they are. And THAT
makes sense to me that they’d be in danger of GD. I know you don’t necessarily have to be
overweight to have type ii or GD, but that’s what the stereotype is and it’s
hard for me to get that out of my head.
Overall, I eat pretty well (though I do eat a lot of fruit and sweetened
yogurt), my weight isn’t outside the healthy range, and I get exercise. I could certainly get more but… it just makes
me sad. Oh well, we’ll know before too
long.
Hour 1 – Highest level
Once I’m back in a place that has internet, I’ll grab the
table that shows what your sugar levels should be in order to not have GD. As a reminder, I passed with Henry, but I
guess my numbers were still abnormal so my doctor wanted me to follow a special
diet anyway. I never asked what my
numbers were, though. I know this time,
with the initial screen, it was at 182 or something like that and it’s supposed
to be below 139. So that was a bit
disappointing. And it was after I’d
fasted. Which they didn’t tell me I
needed to do. I wonder what it would
have been if I hadn’t fasted. Blerg.
Anyway, I just got my blood drawn again and the phlebotomist
asked how I was feeling. I told her I
was a little nauseous but I thought that was kind of to be expected. She shook her head yes and then said, “along
with dizziness, vomiting, heart palpitations…” I was stunned. That’s EXACTLY how I felt last time but
NOBODY, at any point, warned me or told me that I might feel that way. Why the heck not? It’s not like this test is some sort of big
secret. Why didn’t my docs at the last
place or my docs this time tell me that might happen and to maybe have a
ride? Why didn’t I see it on any of the
sites when I looked up GD and the various screens for it? So bizarre.
Maybe it’s a really uncommon side-effect, but based on how I’m feeling
now, I think maybe it will be much like last time. Hopefully, once I get something on my tummy,
things will be a lot better but I’m beginning to get worried that I’m going to
be as sick as I was before. Ugh.
UPDATE: I did end up getting really sick and shaky after the test, but it wasn't until I was back in Newnan and having lunch with Matt. I got a weird hot flash, started feeling dizzy and sweaty, my pulse started racing, and I got crazy nauseous. Matt got me some sweet tea and I continued eating (we were at a Mexican place, so I ate tortillia chips until I felt like I'd burst) and after about 15 minutes, I started feeling better. When I got home, I looked up side effects from that test and here's what I found:
You will be monitored throughout the test to make sure that your blood glucose level does not drop too low. You may experience weakness, sweating, anxiety, hunger, or other symptoms if this happens.
So there it is. According to one of the sites I visited, it's pretty unusual for that to happen which may explain why they don't tell you about it before hand. But I'm apparently one of the "some women" it happens to, so I guess it's just one of those things. Anyway, at least this time I knew about it and knew what to do. It wasn't nearly as bad as last time and I was already eating and was able to get my sugar back up to normal before I got too sick. So there you have it. Supposed to get results sometime mid-this week. Really nervous. Really hope I don't have GD. :(
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