Failed My Glucose Test!

Well, I got a call from my doctors office today saying that I failed my one-hour glucose test last week. :( So I am heading back to the office on Monday for a follow up three-hour test.

Apparently, different practitioners use different standards for determining whether your glucose level is too high or not, but basically if your blood glucose level for the one-hour test is between 140 and 200, you'll have to take the three-hour glucose tolerance test for a definite diagnosis of whether or not you have gestational diabetes. The person I was supposed to talk to was with a patient so I didn't find out what my level actually was (if I just failed a little, or by a lot...not that it matters, but for some reason in my head, it will make me feel better if I just failed a little).

So off I go on Monday to the lab at 8:30AM. When I arrive for the test, the technician will take a blood sample to measure my "fasting blood glucose level" (because you can't eat or drink anything after midnight) and then I will either drink a more concentrated dose or a larger volume of the glucose solution. Then comes the best part...I get three more arm pricks, as my blood is tested every hour for the next three hours, all while not being able to eat or drink anything. That aught to make me nice and light-headed. :(

If one of the readings is abnormal, I may have to take another test later in the pregnancy and if two or more of my readings are abnormal, I'll be diagnosed with gestational diabetes and will need to talk to the doctor about a treatment plan.