2 hour glucose tolerance test prep

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2008
2 hour glucose tolerance test prep
2
Sat, 07-19-2008 - 9:19pm
My husband has his first 2 hour glucose tolerance test scheduled for Thursday. I have googled for information on what preparation to take to ensure accurate results and prevent a false positive result. Some sites say low carb, others say eat a regular diet. Some say avoid coffee, smoking, etc. He is not on medication but has had two hemoglobin A1c which were 6.3 and 6.1 and several fasting blood sugars over 100-105 so I guess this would be the definitive test. Any advice on how to avoid a false positive result.
Thanks
Barbara
Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Sat, 07-19-2008 - 10:23pm

Hi Barbara,


Welcome to the board.


Let me first say that in my opinion a glucose tolerance test for a diabetic is cruel and unusual punishment. I have been diabetic for 17 years and I have had several of these done. I need a big comfy chair nearby because I become so sleepy.


There really isn't anything that you can do to prevent a false positive. He has probably been told to not eat or drink anything from midnight on. If the test is scheduled later in the day then he could have a light breakfast.l He will be given a measured amount of glucose, usually 100 grams and his blood sugar will be checked in 2 hours. Usually they run a blood glucose test before giving the oral glucose. Sometimes they run blood sugar tests at 30 minutes and one hour and then the final one at 2 hours. Sometimes they just do the initial test and then one in 2 hours.


If he isn't diabetic his blood sugar at two hours should have returned to normal.


Please understand that I am a nurse and not a doctor. But looking at his lab results that you have posted it looks to me like he is pre-diabetic. His A1C is a little elevated but his fasting numbers are in the pre-diabetes range. I would wonder if at this

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-03-2003
Mon, 07-21-2008 - 12:22pm

That's exactly the situation my dad was in Dec 2007: his A1C was in the mid-6 range (high) but his fasting glucose readings were all good (85-105). His doctor was a little concerned but not greatly. Just handed him a meter and a sample of test strips, no other info. So, when we went to visit over Christmas 2007, he asked about it. I showed him how to use the meter, what numbers are "good", when to test, what types of foods to watch, etc. He watched his foods and portions and got back into exercising which he had let lag for a bit. By March 2009, his A1C was back in the mid-5 range (like 5.4-5.6), his fasting glucose was still good, he had lost some weight, and was feeling good. So good in fact that his dr told him not to micromanage it but to just keep doing what he was doing. Now he just tests on occasion (a couple times per week) if he suspects it's going a little high or if he's having some different foods than usual. And he's doing a good hour or so on the exercise bike almost daily while he watches TV. For the record, he's 77 years old.

--Deb