What is a Glucose Tolerance Test like?
Posted on Jan 29, 2010 under insulin resistance test | 4 CommentsI’m haveing one tomorrow and i’m nervous. I want to know the truth, whatever it may be. I’m having a two hour glucose tolerance test to check for insulin resistance, my doctor thinks i have it. Also, does Insulin resistance mean i have to give myself insulin injections?
GTT is pretty simple. The drink they give you is sweet – to me it tasted like full strength cordial (wikipedia tells me its called squash in the US). You have to stick around without moving for the 2hours so take a book or a newspaper. And if you have only have one good vein like I have, make sure you put lots of pressure on the site so it doesnt bruise.
Insulin resistance means the problem isn’t with your pancreas but with your cells. Insulin injection would not help (unless your pancreas has ‘brunt’ out and stop producing insulin, but that would be evident from a fasting test). If you are insulin resistant, most likely you will be put on medication such as metformin which increases insulin sensitivity and given a referral to a dietitian or diabetes educator.
So its all pretty simple and nothing to worry about. If you catch diabetes early you will avoid complications in the future.
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January 30th, 2010 at 4:41 am
The glucose tolerance test is a laboratory method to check how effective your body breaks down (metabolizes) blood sugar.
Glucose tolerance test is really simple. The most common glucose tolerance test is the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). You cannot eat or drink anything after midnight before the test. For the test, you will be asked to drink a liquid containing a certain amount of glucose. Your blood will be taken before you do this, and again every 30 to 60 minutes after you drink the solution. The test takes up to 3 hours.
Blood sugar level of <140 means that you are normal
Blood sugar level of 140-199 means that you have impaired glucose tolerance (pre-diabetes)
Blood sugar level of >200 means that you have diabetes.
Chances are, you are not going to be started on insulin right away since there are other oral medications available if you wish to do so. If you have pre-diabetes, your doctor may just tell you to change your diet, exercise and lose weight. You may even be started on a drug called metformin to help with your glucose tolerance. If you have diabetes, you may be started on metformin right away.
If your A1c level (another lab test to see your average blood glucose for the past 3 months) is high, then you may be started on multiple diabetes medications.
References :
Currently interning in an endocrinology clinic
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003466.htm
January 30th, 2010 at 5:10 am
orly, my a1c at time id Dx was 6.8 and GTT was 294.
NONE of the three doctors I saw even tested my insulin level to see what medications I need.
I am good up to 15g to 20g of carbs without going above 140.
What do you think I will need?
Also, if you are really insulin resistant, almost no amount of insulin will help you. But drugs like metformin can. It works be helping you reduce your insulin resistance and if I remember correctly, slows or stops the liver from making glucose.
References :
January 30th, 2010 at 5:26 am
GTT is pretty simple. The drink they give you is sweet – to me it tasted like full strength cordial (wikipedia tells me its called squash in the US). You have to stick around without moving for the 2hours so take a book or a newspaper. And if you have only have one good vein like I have, make sure you put lots of pressure on the site so it doesnt bruise.
Insulin resistance means the problem isn’t with your pancreas but with your cells. Insulin injection would not help (unless your pancreas has ‘brunt’ out and stop producing insulin, but that would be evident from a fasting test). If you are insulin resistant, most likely you will be put on medication such as metformin which increases insulin sensitivity and given a referral to a dietitian or diabetes educator.
So its all pretty simple and nothing to worry about. If you catch diabetes early you will avoid complications in the future.
References :
January 30th, 2010 at 5:55 am
piece of cake. just lose the sugar.
References :