Gestational Diabetes--And Details About the 1-Hour and 3-Hour Glucose Tolerance Tests
Gestational diabetes--yep, I have it.
Feeling pretty sad about it because everything's been going so well with this pregnancy. But I guess in the whole scheme of things this is a pretty easy complication to manage. However, I've already been eating pretty well (although I could do a little better) and exercising (although I could do a little more). Also, so ridiculously scared of fingersticks, but maybe I won't have to do them. I'm the girl who did 4 IVFs and an FET WITHOUT ONCE giving herself an injection...that's how scared of needles I am. No way that's going to hold up if I'm checking my blood sugar multiple times a day.
I have a consult with the diabetes specialist Thursday AM...will report back.
In the meantime, here's a rundown of the glucose tolerance tests for anyone who's interested:
1-Hour Glucose Tolerance Test
No big deal at all. Didn't eat breakfast and went in, drank a lemon/lime soda flavored drink with 50 grams glucose that wasn't that terrible, sat in the waiting room and got some work done on my laptop, then had a blood draw an hour later.
3-Hour Glucose Tolerance Test
A different story. Had to fast 12 hours, get a baseline blood draw, and then drink this fruit punch concoction with 100 grams glucose. The first couple sips weren't bad but after that it was NASTY. Really, really hard to finish.
Hour 1: In the waiting room, trying to work and then surfing the internet but as time wore on began to feel shaky and sweaty and like I was about to puke. And by the end of the first hour zero ability to concentrate on anything. Made it to the 1-hour blood draw and asked if there was somewhere I could lay down, I was feeling that bad.
Hour 2: They installed me in one of the lounge chairs in the blood donation center, covered me with a blanket, gave me a bag to puke into if I needed and were generally so kind to me (blood donation was slow that morning, there were half a dozen nurses who asked over and over if I needed anything.) I started crying I don't know why, was just feeling so terrible and wishing there was someone there with me. Closed my eyes and rested and tried to relax, started feeling better towards the end of the second hour.
Hour 3: Felt better but still not great. Stayed in the recliner chair and just rested...that helped.
After: At the end, had a snack and went home, ate lunch and felt fine for a few hours, then felt kind of sluggish/exhausted for the rest of the day.
My advice to anyone doing the 3-hour test is not to expect too much of yourself the day of...I thought I could work during the test but couldn't, and didn't really get much done the rest of the day, either.
As far as the diabetes, I keep telling myself all this is only temporary...this will go away once I can eat and work out the way I want and normally do (and don't have a zillion pregnancy hormones and 2 babies inside my body).
It could be worse. It could be worse. It could be worse. Still, I could use some words of encouragement...
XOXO