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calvingirl's Pregnancy
My Due Date: I suffered a pregnancy lossAge: 48 years old
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26 wks - Surviving the 3 hour Glucose Tolerance Test (barely) UPDATE:
By calvingirl » Posted Sep. 25, 2018 10:04pm - 517 views - 9 comments
Well today was interesting. I had failed the 1hr screening test by 4pts and didn't have any side effects when I did it, so I thought the worst part of today's test was the fasting and the fact I couldn't have my one cup of coffee for three days before. I had a 2 day long caffeine withdrawal headache on Sunday and Monday, so I was eager to get this over with. I even brought my laptop to get some work done - I figured the worst part would be the blood draws and the long wait.
Boy, was I wrong.
I did the initial fasting blood draw and drank the 100mg glucose solution on an empty stomach as instructed. It was way grosser than the screening one was, but I choked it down in time. They put me back out in the lobby and I was fine - playing candy crush on my phone for about 10 minutes when suddenly I got really nauseous, broke out in a cold sweat and couldn't talk...I knew I was going to faint. The lobby was empty and I tried to cry out to the nurse behind the counter but she didn't see me waving her down and I literally couldn't make any sound. I croaked out...help!! Then I went down. I felt the tunnel vision coming on fast, so just lowered myself down to the ground as quickly as I could (I'm a fainter, so I know the fall is the most dangerous part) and put my feet up on the chair...then passed out.
I woke up with my head in some strange woman's lap (not a nurse - a fellow patient apparently who said she works emergency room and she saw me go down and got to me first) and three nurses around me asking me if I hit my head. I said no, I tried to flag you down because I knew I was going to faint, so just got down on the floor so I wouldn't hit my head. By then I had a crowd around me and it was humiliating. One nurse commented to another "All this and it's only 930am - its gonna be one of those days", like I ruined her day already because she had to work. I felt fine afterwards (I often do. It's like getting the best nap ever) and they slowly got me into a wheelchair and into a room with an exam bed so I could lay down for the rest of the 3 hrs.
My hubby had to leave work early and come get me because I couldn't drive. I felt dizzy and nauseous the rest of the time, but not like I was going to faint. I certainly didn't get any work done. Apparently all that sugar hitting my system at once was too much. My blood pressure is already low and as I said, I'm a veteran fainter even when I'm not pregnant.
I had the luxury of refusing this test with my last two pregnancies and choosing to have my A1C checked instead, but now I'm high risk...I say yes to everything. But I see why a lot of healthgivers object to this stress test because it IS hard on your body, there are a lot of false positives and there are different ways to assess gestational diabetes. Well, everything is an experience.
SO...I finished it. Wouldn't be surprised if I failed it. I'll update when I get the results.
UPDATE:
Yep, failed it. I have GD. My fasting number was fine - 80, but I failed all three draws at 200, 175 and 155. So about 15-20 pts over where the limit was on all three draws. Not too bad. They are having the MFM specialist contact me about diet and a monitor. I've been really uncharacteristically laying into the sweets this pregnancy, so I'll cut that out. Just last night, I had lobster ravioli and just felt awful afterwards! Nauseous, headache, sick - thought it was bad food. An hour later I was fine. I think that was the pasta and my sugars got too high. All the headaches I've been having are probably from too much carbs. If changing my diet makes me feel better, then this could be good news.
Bad news is that I have this "label" and my underweight baby needs to keep growing, so that's a tightrope I have to walk.
My Journal - Page 2
26 wks - Surviving the 3 hour Glucose Tolerance Test (barely) UPDATE:
By calvingirl » Posted Sep. 25, 2018 10:04pm - 517 views - 9 comments
Well today was interesting. I had failed the 1hr screening test by 4pts and didn't have any side effects when I did it, so I thought the worst part of today's test was the fasting and the fact I couldn't have my one cup of coffee for three days before. I had a 2 day long caffeine withdrawal headache on Sunday and Monday, so I was eager to get this over with. I even brought my laptop to get some work done - I figured the worst part would be the blood draws and the long wait.
Boy, was I wrong.
I did the initial fasting blood draw and drank the 100mg glucose solution on an empty stomach as instructed. It was way grosser than the screening one was, but I choked it down in time. They put me back out in the lobby and I was fine - playing candy crush on my phone for about 10 minutes when suddenly I got really nauseous, broke out in a cold sweat and couldn't talk...I knew I was going to faint. The lobby was empty and I tried to cry out to the nurse behind the counter but she didn't see me waving her down and I literally couldn't make any sound. I croaked out...help!! Then I went down. I felt the tunnel vision coming on fast, so just lowered myself down to the ground as quickly as I could (I'm a fainter, so I know the fall is the most dangerous part) and put my feet up on the chair...then passed out.
I woke up with my head in some strange woman's lap (not a nurse - a fellow patient apparently who said she works emergency room and she saw me go down and got to me first) and three nurses around me asking me if I hit my head. I said no, I tried to flag you down because I knew I was going to faint, so just got down on the floor so I wouldn't hit my head. By then I had a crowd around me and it was humiliating. One nurse commented to another "All this and it's only 930am - its gonna be one of those days", like I ruined her day already because she had to work. I felt fine afterwards (I often do. It's like getting the best nap ever) and they slowly got me into a wheelchair and into a room with an exam bed so I could lay down for the rest of the 3 hrs.
My hubby had to leave work early and come get me because I couldn't drive. I felt dizzy and nauseous the rest of the time, but not like I was going to faint. I certainly didn't get any work done. Apparently all that sugar hitting my system at once was too much. My blood pressure is already low and as I said, I'm a veteran fainter even when I'm not pregnant.
I had the luxury of refusing this test with my last two pregnancies and choosing to have my A1C checked instead, but now I'm high risk...I say yes to everything. But I see why a lot of healthgivers object to this stress test because it IS hard on your body, there are a lot of false positives and there are different ways to assess gestational diabetes. Well, everything is an experience.
SO...I finished it. Wouldn't be surprised if I failed it. I'll update when I get the results.
UPDATE:
Yep, failed it. I have GD. My fasting number was fine - 80, but I failed all three draws at 200, 175 and 155. So about 15-20 pts over where the limit was on all three draws. Not too bad. They are having the MFM specialist contact me about diet and a monitor. I've been really uncharacteristically laying into the sweets this pregnancy, so I'll cut that out. Just last night, I had lobster ravioli and just felt awful afterwards! Nauseous, headache, sick - thought it was bad food. An hour later I was fine. I think that was the pasta and my sugars got too high. All the headaches I've been having are probably from too much carbs. If changing my diet makes me feel better, then this could be good news.
Bad news is that I have this "label" and my underweight baby needs to keep growing, so that's a tightrope I have to walk.
Comments for this Journal Entry
 | Comment from WaitingwithHope » Posted Sep. 25, 2018 11:47pm Omg how awful! I hate those tests but I’m hoping the results come back awesome! Glad you and baby girl are ok! |
