Glucose Tolerance Test - what does it show?

[cjohnson]

Hi folks
Hope you can help. The next in my battey of tests that I have had since diagnosis in August is a glucose tolerance test next Monday. I sort of understand what happens - take blood, drink glucose, take blood etc. but what is the purpose of the test. If they have diagnosed my diabetes with fasting blood tests what will this show that is any different?

Thanks in advance for your help :?

Chris

 

[LittleSue]

Sorry can't help but I wanna know the answer. My practice nurse asked why I hadn't had one "recently" (ever) and tried to perusade me to have one. She keeps wanting to do unnecessary tests so I suspect its more about earning a fee than my health. I think it'll just confirm that my bs goes high after carbs without short-acting insulin, which is old rather old news!

 

[Katharine]

If your fasting test is over 6.9 twice in a row you have diabetes and an oral glucose tolerance test won't change the diagnosis.

If your fasting level was below this you may not be able to say you are NOT diabetic without an oral glucose tolerance test. Response to meal carbs dwindles much earlier in type two diabetes than the fasting blood sugar levels.

Does this help?

I don't understand why you would need an ogtt if the original diagnosis was sound either.

 

[sofaraway]

and I don't understand why littlesue would need a test after being type 1 for so long.

for me the OGTT was what got me diagnosed my fasting readings were good and the doctor didn't believe my mum when she said that i had high blood sugars at times. the peads team at the hospital did the test on me and i finished with a blood sugar of 17, which was pretty conclusive.

 

[cjohnson]

Hi thanks for responses. I don't know why I need to go really as my first fasting test was 10.7 and second 11.4 so that seems pretty conclusive to me. I will go and have it done anyway and see what happens after that :|
Chris

 

[Katharine]

Seems even more inexplicable !

 

[Trinkwasser]

Seems even more inexplicable !

Sassenach doctors probably have different Targets from you lot. Maybe they get a payment for administering the test even though the results are pretty much a done deal. I understand they get payments for meeting targets like testing BP and lipids in all over-40s. But they don't get extra payments for dealing with the results of the tests. (They probably get a bonus for not prescribing test strips)

 

[cjohnson]

(They probably get a bonus for not prescribing test strips)

I seem to be fairly luck in that I get strips and lancets etc. on prescription Well so far anyway!

Chris

 

[Jem]

Now - if only they gave you a cadburys creme egg or two instead of that gloopy ooook ... then I'd offer to have on once a month!

 

[cjohnson]

Oooo don't here I am trying to be good and you are talking about chocs, naughty naughty :evil:

Chris

 

[Jem]

I'm really sorry about that - it took me back to my first GTT and how I was pregnant at the time and told I would not be allowed a Creme Egg until I'd popped the baby out - and I REALLY craved one! haha ... seems this time the "sentence" is for life though so I'll have to stop obsessing about them too

group hug?

xxx

 

[cjohnson]

Unfortunately even a group hug doesn't compensate for no chocci eggs. Hey have you seen the new version 'twisted creme egg'. Looks a lot less messy to eat - not that I will get the chance anyway :cry:

Just been out for a meal and been a bit naughty as had lasagne and chips - did have a bit of token salad to go with it - guess I will be logging on about 3am after a trip to the loo and to drink a pint of water - sometimes it is worth it though :twisted: :twisted:

Chris

 

[Jem]

Actually I have to tell you that the twisted creme eggs - they are awful and taste horrid - I had one several months ago (prior to diagnosis) and it was CR^P!

oh double whammy pasta AND chips!!

sometimes you will ahve these moments, and I guess if you control your BGs extremely well for 95% of the time then the other 5% will just have to sort itself out

xxx

 

[Trinkwasser]

Now - if only they gave you a cadburys creme egg or two instead of that gloopy ooook ... then I'd offer to have on once a month!

We have to buy our own Lucozade here.

The nurse tried to give me the remains of the bottle back, I refused and said she could keep it.

"Funny, everyone says that!"

 

[cjohnson]

Ah now I haven't been told to take anything with me tomorrow - only a book to read as I will be there for 2 hours! Looking forward to it even less now you all say the stuff to drink is yuk :cry: It's funny I used to be able to drink sweet stuff like hot chocolate a couple of months ago but tasted hubbys the other night and it was horrible - must be because I have not had much sweet stuff over the last few weeks - my taste buds have changed

Chris

 

[sugarless sue]

I quite like those twisted creme egg bars ,not that I've eaten one for a good while!!
When I was a child my mother would not buy lucozade,she made up glucose and made us drink it if we were ill.doing the GTT took me straight back then!! I had great difficulty drinking it all and keeping it down.

 

[Jem]

The gtt always reminds me of when I had a problem keeping anything down (I was relly sick!) and I managed it for just under two hours they took the blood ultra quick and then I went and barfed HAHA!

I would much prefer to have taken a measured amount of lucozade ...

As to tastebuds changing - defo!! I nibbled a bit of toast crust with (what I had previously thought of as lovely) strawberry jam and it was all sugary and disgusting!!

Sue - we used to get a glass of warm water with sugar and walt dissolved in it if we were sick - blargh ... disgusting BUT still not as bad as the gtt!!!

Best xxx

 

[sugarless sue]

I know what you mean about the taste buds!!Just can't enjoy anything sweet any more.Probably not a bad thing mind you!

 

[Jem]

ohhhhh I still "manage" to enjoy my daily thorntons! without a problem - but I think it's because I have very tiny nibbles (ooo-er) and relish every single one of those 8 or 9 carbs involved!!!

xxx

 

[sugarless sue]

I like those mini éclairs,but they are not too sweet.