September 27, 2004
Gestational Diabetes
Question from El Paso, Texas, USA:
Recently, during the 28th week of my pregnancy, I had a one hour glucose tolerance test done (GTT). It was on a day that I was still sick with a bad cold. I had a level of 186 mg/dl [10.3 mmol/L] after one hour. I had little to no appetite for three days before the test. I don’t have high blood pressure and I am not overweight or have a family history of diabetes. I was placed on a low sugar, low fat and low carbohydrate diet. After I went on this diet, my levels range from 102 to 120 mg/dl [5.7 to 6.7 mmol/L] one hour after eating a meal. I get headaches at times and feel really wired. Do I really have gestational diabetes or was it a false reading because of my cold?
Answer:
A glucose value of 186 mg/dl [10.3 mmol/L] for the one hour test is almost high enough to make the diagnosis of gestational diabetes. If you want a more definitive answer, then you should do the three hour, 100 gram glucose test. Right now, it appears that your after-meal glucose values are normal since you adjusted your diet. I do not have an explanation for your symptoms, given the normal blood sugar levels. I doubt that the cold altered your test results.
OWJ
