Early GTT After Previous GD?

[litigatrix]

Yes, I feel fairly confident that I will have GD again in this pregnancy, even though my previous case was very mild, but my understanding is that the placenta does not start affecting insulin until around the time the 1-hour test is typically administered, which is why it is administered then.

My midwife told me that the reason to test early is to detect undiagnosed Type II diabetes. I have been tested for Type II about a year ago and did not have it, not was I borderline. So that is my hesitation with testing again. I have already altered my diet, I have no reason to believe I have developed Type II in the past year, and the testing causes me serious stress, so that is my hesitation. I'm still not convinced that there is an upside to testing now based on the info I have. If it was really such a big benefit to test early and often, it would be recommended for everyone. If this was my third or fourth with GD in each previously, yes, I would be inclined also to assume that I had it. Unfortunately I threw out my meter after my GTT a year ago because it gave me wildly different (much higher) readings than I received from the blood draws, so I can't do a spot check.

[weesej]

I have had GD quite a number of times. it usually occurs earlier in subsequent pregnancies. Here is a summary

Baby #4...Felt crummy from 30 weeks on. I was using a midwife friend and in an apprenticeship myself, so had not official testing. At 34 weeks I realized how thirsty I was, so I tested my sugar and realized it was high. I delivered prematurely 4 days later.

Baby #5 - I realized it could be an issue and randomly tested myself. I began to have high sugars at 32 weeks, was on insulin by 34 weeks and had baby at 37 from PROM. She was 7 lbs 5 oz.

Baby #6 - I once again tested myself. I began to have high readings at 26 weeks, on insulin by 30 weeks. 38 week baby was 9 lbs 5 oz.

Baby #7 I got high readings at 24 weeks, on insulin by 27 weeks. Baby was 38 weeks and 8 lbs 6 oz.

Baby #8 High readings at 19-20 weeks, tried an oral med. which made me sick with poor control. on insulin at 24 weeks. 39 week baby was 9 lbs 3 oz.

Baby #9 Dr insisted on test at 7 weeks...came back normal. Tested myself regularly from 10 weeks on. Sugars shot up at 14 weeks, started insulin at 15 weeks. Baby came at 37 weeks, 8 lbs 11 oz. Diabetes still went away after the birth!

If I were you I would buy some more strips and test yourself. The sooner you catch it the better chance of needing minimal intervention and the better the outcome. If you wait to long it is like trying to stop a racing freight train.

[litigatrix]

I went ahead and did the test this morning at 20 weeks. We'll see. I think I mentioned before that I threw out my meter from last time, so unfortunately I can't spot check at home. I am still torn about the decision because it really ended up being such a non-issue for me last time, and I wonder if there is such a thing as a false positive on the 3-hour test. I logged into a food and sugar readings log that I kept last pregnancy after my diagnosis, and most of my numbers were in the 80s and 90s 2 hours post-meal, and I never had a fasting sugar even approaching the danger zone. Anyway, we'll see what happens.

[Dory]

I've never had GD, but when I switched to a midwife with my third, she was *sure* my previous OB missed something because my older two were 10lbs 7oz, even though I told her I missed the threshold for GD by a good bit, not even close. So she had me do it early, and it was fine, too.

[litigatrix]

Got my results -- passed (barely) with a 130. Round 2 of me vs the 1-hour challenge in 8 weeks!

[simplystacy]

I've been told GD develops between 20-26 weeks, so 19 weeks seems a hair too early.

[GEMQEMCABOOSE]

Originally Posted by simplystacy I've been told GD develops between 20-26 weeks, so 19 weeks seems a hair too early.

This is patently false. Gestational diabetes is created by the placenta's interference with normal insulin functionality. It can develop anytime after 8 weeks when the placenta begins to function. I have had elevated sugar readings in pregnancy as early as 12 weeks.