I've decided to decline the GD test...tell me I'm not crazy?!

[PumpkinZulu]

This GD test has been looming over my head for months now, it's caused me so much stress and worry. Te thought of being labeled with GD, and a 'high risk' tag is both laughable and terrifying to me I was finally going to pluck up my courage and go and have it today...and then I though, 'why?'. I found a thread started by Mel (Arimeh's Eden) which made me feel like maybe declining the GD test wasn't the worst thing I could do. And now, I already feel better, lighter. I have none of the risk factors aside from being overweight. I'm so young, my diet is pretty okay (not amazing by any standards, but acceptable), and I'm ramping up my exercise from lots of walking to incorporate swimming and hydrotherapy classes with my physio. So I feel pretty okay with my decision. I'm not crazy, right? I don't really know what the point of this post is really To ramble, to clear my thoughts. Ofcorse I'm still worried all of this may come back and bite me on the bum...but the stress and worry over the test, and the stress and worry I'd have IF I did have GD, made this decision what it is. Has anyone else declined the GD testing?

ETA, by overweight, I mean technically overweight; 165cm tall and weighed 74kg pre preg...so really I'd say I'm chubby but BMI calls be overweight lol.

Another ETA...I'm also too late to have it I think, time just got away from me!

[Miss.B]

I didn't decline hun, but that's because I was 40 and a high risk for GD. Luckily I didn't have it, but a close friend my age did. GL hun, it's just one of those things that they want to check I guess.

[[M]umma[M]ia]

I would be more worried about the risks to bub when its born if you did have undiagnosed GD? IYKWIM. I too am overweight and was more overweight last pregnancy and I didnt have GD, not even close.

[MrsBexie]

I thought about it a lot when I was up for it, and I decided to have it because it would have been worse if I did have it and it was undiagnosed.
BUT it is your personal choice, if you don't want it then you don't have to have it...

Something to remember though is that it is completely random so even if your diet is great, you exercise etc you can still get it (I am not trying to scare you into it! LOL it;s just not like normal diabetes)

[Jewel]

I would be more worried about the risks to bub when its born if you did have undiagnosed GD? IYKWIM. I too am overweight and was more overweight last pregnancy and I didnt have GD, not even close.

Yeah, that.

I was the same with my pregnancies. #1 - quite overweight and stacked on a chunk more weight - no GD, pretty much perfect results. #2 - Still overweight but smaller and more active - excercise & sport. - Bad results. GD. Luckily I had mine controlled with diet and excercise.
Even though some people aren't that lucky and with diet and exercise their levels just rise no matter what they do.

It's hard to tell sometimes.

Everything is so stressful. I can totally imagine how you felt lighter after your decision though.
I'm a stresshead and all that too.

[PumpkinZulu]

Thanks for your input guys

MrsB, yeah I know GD is a random thing...just look at Cathy Freeman, who would have thought an atheist would get it huh? But GD is often treated with diet and exercise anyway, so I guess for me, maintaining those two things is a good thing to do.

[*Ash*]

Thanks for your input guys

MrsB, yeah I know GD is a random thing...just look at Cathy Freeman, who would have thought an atheist would get it huh? But GD is often treated with diet and exercise anyway, so I guess for me, maintaining those two things is a good thing to do.

An athiest? Ha ha, gotta love auto-correct!
I had the test with my first preg, mostly because I wasn't familiar with 'the system'. I chose not have to have it with my second preg. as I did not fit any of the 'at risk' criteria.

ETA you're not crazy hun.

[nothing2lose]

Cathy Freeman an atheist!! Who knew!! : p

[Arimeh]

I don't think you are crazy

I think a good midwife would be able to tell from your symptoms if you have it or not, and if you are concerned you can take your own blood sugar levels for a few days. My midwife had a finger pr!ck machine, although we never felt the need to check mine. I was and am, happy with my decision not to have it

[nothing2lose]

I think testing your own blood sugar is a good idea.

I guess at the end of the day you need to be comfortable with your decision and live with whatever the consequences.

[Beatrix]

i didnt have the test at all for all 3 pg.

My midwife said she didn't think it was needed for me and was simple as that. Also I had the same midwife for all 3 pregnancies and through out the whole pg so she was able to watch over me and look for signs if they were occuring. I was a tiny bit over weight for all pg (like 1-5kg) for my height

[~me~]

just look at Cathy Freeman, who would have thought an atheist would get it huh? But GD is often treated with diet and exercise anyway, so I guess for me, maintaining those two things is a good thing to do.

Diabetes is very high in the aboriginal community, it didn't surprise me that she would get it, her Mum probably had it as did her Elders all most likely not diagnosed.

You are very right, a good diet and excersise is one of the tricks. My GF had it in her 3rd pregnancy, she was the same build as you (definitely not overweight!) and hers was treated with diet and excerise.

If your comfortable with your decision, that is all that matters

[Little Chicken]

Ok I found them! I warn that is going to sound clinical so no offence or distress is intended (I am copying as is written with some minor editing).

The Effects of Diabetes On The Neonate

Increased risk of malformations - More type 1 and type 2 related due to unstable metabolic function during bone development.
Increased antepartum and intrapartum death - exact cause unknown.
Increased perinatal mortality - not high though 1% increased risk in GDM mothers and 4% increase in type 1 and 2
Increased weight of baby, placenta and amniotic fluid.
Increased incidence of pre-eclampsia
Increased risk of pre-term delivery.
Increased risk of caeserean section, obstructed labour, and impacted shoulders.

The increased availability of glucose increases the size of the baby, placenta and the amount of amniotic fluid. This process may then increase the likelihood of placental insufficiency, polyhydramnios (increased fluid), pre-eclampsia, pre-term delivery and related complications.

Post birth, the infant of a diabetic mother is at an increased risk of;

Respiratory Distress Syndrome - increased amounts of insulin interferes with the biochemical production of surfactant
Transient Tachypnoea of the Newborn - usually post cesearean section.
Hypoglyceamia - due to decreased glucose and fat metabolism.
Polycythaemia - increased amount of circulating red blood cells, which can then lead to;
Hyperbilirubinemia - increased circulating bilirubin which causes jaundice which may mean bub needs phototherapy
Renal Vein Thrombosis - Query if this is caused by the polycythaemia or dehydration
Cardiomyopathy - reversible septal hypertrophy related to increased glycogen storage and increased muscle

[PumpkinZulu]

DAMN YOU, AUTOCORRECT!!!

[JennaJayen]

Glad you're not stressing about it darl, FWIW with DS I was classed as obese and put on heaps of weight , ate a really bad diet and didn't have it, this pregnancy I weighed even more, ate really healthy, did a lot more exercise and lost over 10kg in the first 16wks and still got diagnosed with GD, its really luck of the draw. The main things they're concerned about with having GD anyway is placental & cord flow, the babies size & blood glucose level's after birth anyway, so as long as you can stick to a low GI diet and not eat too many bad things everything should be ok (BTW, chocolate is classed as low GI too lol so it's ok to have daily in small amounts lol)

[fionas]

I'm not on top of all your reasons PZ but I imagine it's because a positive result would impact on your birthing choices because you'd be labelled high risk. I think labelling someone high risk just because they have GD is sheer lunacy so I can understand that you'd be deterred from taking the test I don't see how someone who manages their GD and keeps their blood sugars down is any higher risk than anyone else.

I had it in my second pregnancy and yes, it's totally random who gets it and who doesn't. I think that you will physically have a bit of an idea that you have it as I felt like I'd been hit by a truck until I got on the insulin (I could only manage mine with diet, not with exercise because I was basically in a wheelchair because of SPD).

So ... carry on doing what you're doing and if you feel dodgy then it's never too late to take the test (as far as I know).

[Bloom]

My 2 cents worth - nope not crazy. If I were in your situation, I would have declined too. You are the best person to judge your unique risk factors and symtpoms. (Interesting, my hospital won't give me the option of declining....)

[mummydreamer]

i agree with the others, i understand your decision, but i would worry if you did have it and it was undiagnosed, the risks you had put yourself and bub under? Kwim? Not to stress you out, obviously the weight of having the test has put you under a lot of stress.

just to put it in perspective as well, my SIL is 2 days older than me (27) and with all of her bubs (she's now pregnant with #3) she has had GD, and she is the healthiest, tiniest person i know. no history of diabetes in her family, she's always been a size 6-8, and she's always been incredibly fit and healthy, always eating well and doing exercise. she's an anomaly....she was considered very low risk and ended up with it....so there you go. just depends.