aaaaaand the bad mood is back.

[mamajoan]

I knew it was trouble when I got back from lunch and had a message from the nurse at my midwives' office saying to call her back. And of course, when I called back, they were closed for lunch. And when their lunch hour was over and I called again and got through, of course, they put me on hold.

But finally I did get to talk to the nurse, and not very much to my surprise, it turns out that I failed the glucose tolerance test for gestational diabetes. This means that I have to go back next week and take another version of the test: a longer test in which you have to fast for like twelve hours ahead of time and then spend three hours in the office, not eating, during which time they draw blood several times. Hence it's called the 3-hour test. (The one that I took yesterday is called the 1-hour test because they draw your blood one hour after you drink the special glucose beverage.)

I am trying not to fret too much, because I know a LOT of women who failed the initial 1-hour test and then passed the 3-hour test. Right now I'm mostly more upset about the logistics of it, because they only schedule the 3-hour test for 7:30am, which is just when I'm usually hauling my weary ass out of bed. So I have to figure out what to do with Isaac. I'm hoping I can find someone to drive him to daycare, rather than to watch him while I'm doing the test, because by the time I finish the test and pick him up and drive to daycare, most likely he'll have missed lunchtime and it'll be naptime, and that'll be ugly. I'd rather have him in daycare the whole time if at all possible. SIGH. Just what I didn't need right now, another logistical hassle to figure out.

If I fail the 3-hour test, I will be declared to have gestational diabetes, which means they will put me on a restricted diet (no sweets -- AUGH!!!) for the rest of the pregnancy. If I'm really unlucky I'll also have to take insulin, although many women with GD can get by with just dietary modifications. But even just restricting sweets would be awfully hard on me, sigh. It's just not FAIR. I finally, FINALLY get past the sick stage and start to feel like eating again -- and I already have so damn many restrictions on what I can eat without feeling ill -- and now I might have to restrict my diet even more? WTF, Cosmo!!! Why does this baby hate me!!!!

sigh, but anyway, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, I guess. Right now I just have to concentrate on making the arrangements. Man, that fasting part is so going to suck.

In other rage-honing news, I just took two online surveys and they both had ridiculously awful errors. One contained the sentence: "Which of the following beers have you drank in the past month?" It causes me almost physical pain to even copy-paste that here.

The other contained the question: "Which of the following statements best describes you?" and the options were: "a) I am trying to gain weight b) I am not trying to lose weight, so I don't give much thought about what I eat c) I am actively trying to lose weight so I watch what I eat d) I am not trying to lose weight, but watch what I eat because I don't want to gain weight." OK, aside from the awful grammar in "b," where's the option for "I'm not trying to gain or lose weight, but I watch what I eat because I want to be HEALTHY"???? Yeesh.

OK, now I'm totally pissed off and grouchy. Today sucks.

Comments

[rainbow-goddess.livejournal.com]

Look at it this way. Gestational diabetes goes away after you have your baby, unlike other forms of diabetes.

[mamajoan.livejournal.com]

Yes, but it also means you are at extremely increased risk of developing diabetes later in life (and/or of having it again in the next pregnancy, albeit I don't expect to ever be pregnant again).

[rainbow-goddess.livejournal.com]

Very true. It does mean you're at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. But Type 2 diabetes is preventable. You already generally eat healthy food and exercise regularly -- and chasing after two small children will definitely be good exercise, no? -- which are the best ways to prevent Type 2 diabetes.

[psu-jedi.livejournal.com]

I had to go see the high-risk docs this morning b/c my fasting levels have been a bit high an my regular OB thought that perhaps we should try meds (instead of just the diet modification). The boy's measuring at 36 weeks and a few days when I'll be 35 weeks tomorrow, and they estimate him to be about 6 pounds. The doc said he's a bit above normal, but nothing to be too concerned about at this point. He also said my fasting levels were fine for him, and no need for meds at this point, which I was happy about. I've been eating sweets every now and then, but only with a meal (i.e., no chocolate by itself) and only when I have a lot of protein at the same time. My friend, a doula and someone who had GD with both kids and now is type II (there's a history in her family), told me not to freak about the no sweets part--just be smart about it, and use the protein to counteract the sugars. For instance, I had a frosty with my manderin chicken salad from Wendy's, and a diet coke. My levels were in the lower 1/2 of the range they gave me.

Of course, I'm sure there are folks out there that would say I'm putting my baby at risk by eating sweets every now and again, but even the doctor said (re: the diet-controlled-ness of it all) you can't be perfect, so do the absolute best you can. I do have to see him each week now until delivery, so they can monitor the baby's movements and my sugar levels. But that's cool with me. I count my carbs like I'm supposed to, and I have cut WAY back on the sweets. I know I won't eliminate them completely because, well, that's crazy talk! ;-)

Good luck with the 3-hour. I know my levels were so borderline, a friend suggested I retake the test, and I said no way in hell I'm going thru that again! I'd rather prick my figure 4x a day than fast for 12 hours and drink that solution again!

[mamajoan.livejournal.com]

Cool, thanks for the input. I know I *could* modify my diet, if I really had to, but I would so hate it. I am sure my midwives would be reasonable about it and not actually expect me to eat zero sweets. And yeah, from everything I've heard about the 3-hour test, I doubt I'll want to retake it if the results are borderline -- but we'll see. It'll depend on what the midwives say.

And I wouldn't worry too much about your baby's size either. From what I've heard, ultrasound measurements of baby's weight can be off by as much as 2 pounds! Good that you're being monitored though. At 35 weeks you'd probably be switched over to once-a-week checkups anyway, right? Wow, 35 weeks already?? you're getting so close! Good luck with it all!

[psu-jedi.livejournal.com]

I like the docs that realize we're not perfect! My OB said I could have a 1/2 glass of wine every now and again and it would be okay (of course, that was "off the record"!), while the genetic counselor (when we got the amnio) about reamed me out when I told her I had had a few drinks since finding out I was pregnant. She gave me a lecture about her alcoholic friend whose definition of "a little" is way different than hers, and why do it if it's no benefit to you? Um...because we're human? And it tastes good? Jeesh! ;-)

[mofic.livejournal.com]

I failed the quick test and took the three-hour test. My doctor said I passed the three-hour test even though my numbers were higher than the cutoff. The way he explained it was this - if you have GD your body can't process the sugar properly, so over the three hour period your sugar levels rise in a continuing upward trend. If you don't have GD, they rise (since you got that ridiculously disgusting amount of sugar) then fall as the insulin does it's stuff. So it's the pattern you're looking for - up up up is bad, up then down is good. But most people just go by the absolute number.

I have no idea if it's true, but it made sense. What he told me my test indicated is that I shouldn't fast (it's a fasting test) - I could keep my blood sugar levels within reason by eating regularly. Anyway, just another data point.

[psu-jedi.livejournal.com]

I also heard that different labs have different cut off points! How ridiculous is that? I mean, my fasting level was 101 (cutoff = 95), my 1st and 3rd hours were fine; my 2nd hour was 157 (cutoff = 155). But, according to them, I failed 2 of the 4, which means I'm GD. I like your doctor's thought process better. :-) (My doc I saw today said as long as my fasting levels are below 100, he's cool with that, while the figure I was going by was 95, and HE even said different folks have different cutoff points! ARRGH!!)

[wyldreamer.livejournal.com]

Good luck with the 3 hour test...I failed my 1 hour test (after the passing out thing I mentioned previously) and didn't take the 3 hour test because they were going to admit me to the hospital for it (because of the passing out with the 1 hour test) and wouldn't let me drink water or food or take my medicine (i have a kidney disorder and and take meds to stay alive essentially and need to drink a lot of water too)...so I just ended up doing the diet thing and pricking my finger. blah. So, I don't really know if I ever had it even, even though it is in my records that I did.
Lexie was only 6.5 pounds though and full term.