Friday, June 3, 2011

Really, I Realize No One Wants to Hear Me Whine....

BUT.....
I have a lot of suspicions about this whole blood glucose test thing. This morning I went in for my 1hr test and midwife appointment. It went like this: Me and Mom went to the 2nd floor of the Women's Clinic for the clear liquid orange crap. I chugged it. It is bad, maybe not as bad as I thought it'd be, but bad and it did make my stomach uneasy. Then I went for my monthly visit to our midwife, which was great as always (blood pressure, urine all in check), but I kept thinking--where's my water? I need to be drinking water--I'm pregnant for God's sake. Oh right, to test for diabetes I'm not supposed to drink water?!?! After that, it was time for the blood draw; this usually involves me laying down and doing some heavy breathing exercises to keep me from crying/passing out. Then the nurse brings me snacks and juice, as usual. I sit up, feel nauseous, then lay back down. All and all though, the blood draw and everything wasn't that bad. But I'm genuinely pissed off. Yes, perhaps irrationally. But why oh why would I be given pure sugar syrup, wait an hour and be expected to have a "normal result;" how could my levels NOT be elevated?!
Policy is that when said levels are elevated, a woman has to take a 3hr test....no food, no water, nothing but sugar drink (with double the amount of sugar of today's test). How can that be healthy for a pregnant woman--and baby? Maybe I just want an honest answer: why wouldn't eating one's normal diet and being tested for elevated levels be more accurate? Why wouldn't they just do the 3hr test first (if they really have to do the tolerance test in the first place--arn't there other ways?)--there are alot of women I saw today who failed the first test and were in for their 3hr. I bitingly remarked to my mom, "it's a con, they just want my money." (The cost of 1 test versus 4, I think the hospital would choose 4) But, really? If gestational diabetes really only affects "3 to 8 percent of pregnant women" then why all these people failing the 1hr. Irrational Brooke says, "It's a set up."


I KNOW. I know it's a luxury to have the medical advancements and tests to better prepare ourselves for things, and I know I'm jumping to conclusions. And mostly, I'm aware that I'm fuming, and that it's probably over something so insignificant. I also know my anger probably is coming from my real unconscious fears. Diabetes. Finger Pricks. Insulin: things that tripped a neural pathway in my brain as a child (I saw something that scared me, I passed out--the response is carved in my brain, now) and has stayed into adulthood.

2 comments:

  1. i had my blood glucose level checked after i ate chocolate. they didn't even alcohol swab my chocolate-residue-covered finger. then everyone freaked out. those are dumb.

    chocolate is good, though.

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  2. ugh. This is why I'm terrified to be pregnant. I HATE needles just like you! Good luck :)

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