At home glucose tolerance test

[Beating-My-Betes]

This is the ‘official’ OGTT solution - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rapilose...-/142953417050?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

Thanks! Unfortunately, the only product they ship to Spain are the gel tubes. A packet of three tubes is 75g of product, but only 30g of glucose. At 25euros (incl. delivery) per pack, it would cost me 75 euros to cover one test. Expected delivery time is also useless for me (Not to the end of the month). The only other company that I could get would supply one 300ml packet, for 15euros, but that could take until the first week of Feb to arrive. A shame

 

[Goonergal]

Thanks! Unfortunately, the only product they ship to Spain are the gel tubes. A packet of three tubes is 75g of product, but only 30g of glucose. At 25euros (incl. delivery) per pack, it would cost me 75 euros to cover one test. Expected delivery time is also useless for me (Not to the end of the month). The only other company that I could get would supply one 300ml packet, for 15euros, but that could take until the first week of Feb to arrive. A shame

There must be a Spanish equivalent.

 

[Beating-My-Betes]

Table sugar is 50:50 glucose and fructose.. so you'd need 150g of table sugar.
Then again that would give your liver a nasty infusion of 75g of fructose...

Thanks! Not about to drink 150g of sugar, though. Besides, it would be good to get a reading that is not derived from fructose.

I did find this video from another, after resurrecting this thread:

Not the worst option, and it certainly speaks to the efficacy of using a much lower dosage to ascertain a baseline. My biggest issue is that no two apples are ever going to be the same. One big apple could have 25grams of carbs, while another of the same size might have considerably less. At least with a packaged product, I'm hoping for more consistency across packets. Also, again, it would be good to eliminate fructose from the tests.

Think I'm going to go tot he pharmacy in the morning and pick up some glucose gels or tablets.

Cheers!

 

[Beating-My-Betes]

There must be a Spanish equivalent.

Thanks!

I'm sure they have an equivalent, or even use the same product (albeit in different packaging). Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be available over-the-counter, nor on Spanish ebay or Amazon.

Think i will just buy some gel packs.

 

[Andydragon]

Fast-acting glucose would be preferable to be able to get a result that you can compare against OGTT standard charts. For example, Lucozade is what I was given for mine at the hospital, and I recommend it in terms of a pleasant drink, although sugar dissolved in water would do the trick.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/oral-glucose-tolerance-test.html

Lucozade has had its levels decreased a lot due to sugar tax hasn’t it? Does it have the same impact now?

 

[ert]

Lucozade has had its levels decreased a lot due to sugar tax hasn’t it? Does it have the same impact now?

You're right - they've reduced the carbohydrate content of Lucozade. You would have to drink two bottles to get over 60g of carbohydrates.
https://www.nairnhealthcaregroup.co.uk/website/S55041/files/lucozade poster[1] (1).pdf

 

[Beating-My-Betes]

I got a packet of glucose powder from a place called "bulk Powders" online for about £6. I think it was 500g but maybe a kilo. There is also one called Rapido that you can buy online but I think that gives you only the one test and costs about £11.

@Tannith

Hi again. I have been considering buying a few bags of Rapilosa, but have also come across some very cheap glucose powder. I'm guessing it's similar to what you use?

https://www.myprotein.es/nutricion-...700000048416605&product_id=10530119&gclsrc=ds

In which case, how do you use it (Quantities etc.)? Are you self-testing, using it in a home-made solution?

Thanks!

 

[Tannith]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BULK-POWDERS-Dextrose-digesting-Carboyhdrate/dp/B00SP2ZNXY
This is the one I got
https://www.amazon.co.uk/BULK-POWDERS-Dextrose-digesting-Carbohydrate/dp/B00SP2ZNXY
£4.49 from Amazon. If they do not ship to Spain(surely they must do) then try a sports nutrition store. Sporty people consume this sort of thing. Or a health food store maybe. You weigh out 75 g of it and dissolve it in 250 to 300 ml of water. Do it in the morning while fasting. Take your BG reading before you start. (Don't know why but they always tell you to). Then test at one hour and then at two hours. You can do more frequent tests if you want to, but the standard is 2 hrs. 2hrs 70 to 139 (3.8 to 7.7) is normal; 140 to 199 (7.75 to 11.02) is pre diabetic; 200 plus (11.08 plus) is diabetic. Figures from Jenny Ruhr's book "Blood sugar 101" I'm doing it at home.

 

[Ronancastled]

I tried all sorts of OGTTs using 75g carbs from Shreddies, Jelly Babies and Jelly Beans believing they were representative. They are not. The Rapilose produced a much higher and faster spike. Actually looking forward to doing one again once I loose another couple of stone.

 

[Beating-My-Betes]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BULK-POWDERS-Dextrose-digesting-Carboyhdrate/dp/B00SP2ZNXY
This is the one I got
https://www.amazon.co.uk/BULK-POWDERS-Dextrose-digesting-Carbohydrate/dp/B00SP2ZNXY
£4.49 from Amazon. If they do not ship to Spain(surely they must do) then try a sports nutrition store. Sporty people consume this sort of thing. Or a health food store maybe. You weigh out 75 g of it and dissolve it in 250 to 300 ml of water. Do it in the morning while fasting. Take your BG reading before you start. (Don't know why but they always tell you to). Then test at one hour and then at two hours. You can do more frequent tests if you want to, but the standard is 2 hrs. 2hrs 70 to 139 (3.8 to 7.7) is normal; 140 to 199 (7.75 to 11.02) is pre diabetic; 200 plus (11.08 plus) is diabetic. Figures from Jenny Ruhr's book "Blood sugar 101" I'm doing it at home.

Thanks a lot. That's perfect. Dextrose is the same as glucose, it seems, so this is definitely the cheapest and easiest option.

As far as testing goes, i will probably keep testing upon the hour until i see the levels start to drop. That should provide a good set of values (Time-to-rise, peak-level and time before starting to fall) with which to judge the efficacy of lifestyle changes.

Many thanks, once again

 

[Resurgam]

For me, and I suspect many of my family, carbohydrate has always been the enemy, with bad advice its close ally.
Living life with a perpetually low carb diet is not so bad - and most of my family have lived to be well over 80 so considering beating up your metabolism at regular intervals should, I think, be thought about carefully.

 

[Beating-My-Betes]

Living life with a perpetually low carb diet is not so bad

It's not for me, but I'm glad it's working for you.

 

[Tannith]

Thanks a lot. That's perfect. Dextrose is the same as glucose, it seems, so this is definitely the cheapest and easiest option.

As far as testing goes, i will probably keep testing upon the hour until i see the levels start to drop. That should provide a good set of values (Time-to-rise, peak-level and time before starting to fall) with which to judge the efficacy of lifestyle changes.

Many thanks, once again

I would warn you that, for me at least, the various tests are not very compatible. My HBA1C is pre diabetic (actually just into diabetic on one scale), my FBGs are reasonable ( just below pre diabetic, so top of normal,) but my OGT is just awful - diabetic.

 

[Beating-My-Betes]

I would warn you that, for me at least, the various tests are not very compatible. My HBA1C is pre diabetic (actually just into diabetic on one scale), my FBGs are reasonable ( just below pre diabetic, so top of normal,) but my OGT is just awful - diabetic.

Thanks!

There are just too many variables that can influence a reading, at a particular moment in time. The HBA1C test, given the time period, will likely average out all of those kinks. However, home-testing is always going to be a bit random.
For the most part, FBG will be my main guide. From there, I'll probably do a weekly meal-test (@30 mins, @60 mins and @120 mins). I'll reserve the glucose for once a month, for the first couple of months, and perhaps every six months after that.

 

[Beating-My-Betes]

In the end I ordered a tub of pure dextrose from Amazon. The other company offered more product for less money, the savings were lost when shipping was added. Moreover, it would've taken till next week to arrive. This alternative will arrive on Thursday.

Thanks everyone, for the advice