Good News and Not-So-Good News

Last week at my OB appointment it was time for some of those regular pregnancy tests. I had the joy of having blood drawn again, as well as the lovely urine test. Most OB's make you do the urine thing every visit, but my doctor only makes you do it on rare occasion. So they did the AFP test (where they screen you for Down's Syndrome and cystic fibrosis), a screen for sickle-cell anemia, and the sugar-in-the-urine screen.

My results came back yesterday, and the AFP test was normal (whoo-hoo!) and the sickle-cell test was negative (I really wasn't worried about that one, though.) However, there is sugar in my urine, which really made me want to curse my luck.

Normally, they screen you for gestational diabetes around 28 weeks. You get to drink a nasty sugared-up version of a soda and get your blood drawn, all while you are fasting (not my favorite test.) When I was pregnant with B, I failed this particular screen and had to do the more elaborate one where they draw your blood once every hour for three hours. At the end of all that, they informed me that I passed the test by a mere two points, but that officially meant that I did not have gestational diabetes, so I could eat whatever I darn well pleased.

Yet I knew, deep down, that I had had a narrow escape. So this pregnancy I had been keeping my fingers crossed. Please, let me not get gestational diabetes!!!! Well, I've failed the first checkpoint, so at my next doctor's visit I get to do the first fasting test, even though it's a month early.

All the pregnancy books emphasize how little of a threat gest. diabetes is, provided it is well-controlled, so why am I throwing a fit about this? Simple. I have a love affair with sugar. I know it's not good for me, but when I am deprived of sugar for long periods of time, I turn into a raving lunatic. I do try to keep it in check, but the thought of having to go on a strict diet plan for the rest of my pregnancy just makes me want to howl.

Still, maybe sugar in my urine is just a fluke. Or maybe I'll just skim by on the blood test again, and they'll let me eat whatever I want (within reason.)

Comments

Abby said…
I was on that diet with the last one. You don't give up sugar altogether, you just have to cut it back. If your numbers are fine, you can start adding things back in. Oh, and you'll have to test your blood at least five times a day. You know, if you fail. Start cutting back on the carbs now, and especially any snacks after 10pm if you want to pass that test.
Brooke said…
My mom had gest diabetes with my brothers. It was a bummer, but at least you know there's an end in sight. She has REAL diabetes now though, since she didn't continure to cut back on the sugar after the pregnancies, so you may want to be aware of that. (It showed up 18 years later.) Good luck!

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