Suggestion for Sticky: Jellybean Glucose Test?

[lizzywednesday]

OK, we are not currently TTC and I am not pregnant, but:

after reading the two threads about failing the 1-hour glucose screen, and remembering how godawful the glucola was due to my ability, weird as it may be, to taste food dyes, I want to know where I can find the abstract(s) and/or research about the "jelly bean test" vs. glucola for diabetes tests.

I remember seeing, I think, swissair posting a link, but if anyone's got anything that I can print out & take to a lab and/or my gyno to be put into my file for future reference, I would be appreciative.

Maybe it's just me, but I just do NOT understand why they feel that they "must" put freaking food dye into EVERYTHING. And is there any way I can plead an "allergy" to the food dye without having testing? Because it would make my life so much easier if I could.

[sarahsthreads]

If you can't do the jellybean alternative (I couldn't) ask for the lemon lime flavor of the glucola - it's clear, so there's definitely no food dye in it. It's like completely flat, sickly sweet Sprite. Don't jellybeans have food dyes?

And I think food dyes ought to be banned. Entirely.

Sarah :)

[AngB]

Agreed on the lemon lime flavor of glucola, and make sure it is chilled. It does taste like flat sprite, much better than the orange flavor.

I think a lot of doctors would not go for the jelly bean test, even if you show them the research. (I know mine wouldn't.)

[georgiegirl]

Trader Joes has dye-free jelly beans. Sadly, many doctors won't go for the jelly bean alternative. I didn't have lemon-lime as an option, only orange and fruit punch.

[swissair81]

I think it has to be jelly belly (or possibly Brach's jellybeans). That's what they did the study with. I used jelly bellies because they're kosher. I don't think they would let you use dye free ones unless those brands make them. Some midwives allow grape juice or a breakfast with x number of carbs, but you need to find someone who goes for that.

Studies are here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/8610782/?i=3&from=jelly%20beans%20for%20glucose%20tolerance%20t est

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/10561636/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/10561636/?i=2&from=jelly%20beans%20for%20glucose%20tolerance%20t est

I showed my OB the study. He definitely wouldn't have offered the option if I hadn't asked. But he had zero issue with letting me do it. It's definitely worth a shot.

[SnuggleBuggles]

My certified nurse midwives offered me the choice of glucola or a special diet (something with eggs...I can't locate the exact meal but I bet someone else has that information). The glucola was more accurate though and less likely to require a retest, according to them. I would research that as well.

[lizzywednesday]

Trader Joes has dye-free jelly beans. Sadly, many doctors won't go for the jelly bean alternative. I didn't have lemon-lime as an option, only orange and fruit punch.

Yeah, I get the TJ's dye-free jelly beans for DD's and my Easter baskets. They are equivalent to Jelly Belly.

I was stuck with the lab's option while pregnant with my DD and all they had was orange. I nearly vomited when I saw it; that stuff is NASTY.

[lizzywednesday]

I think it has to be jelly belly (or possibly Brach's jellybeans). That's what they did the study with. I used jelly bellies because they're kosher. I don't think they would let you use dye free ones unless those brands make them. Some midwives allow grape juice or a breakfast with x number of carbs, but you need to find someone who goes for that.

Studies are here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/8610782/?i=3&from=jelly%20beans%20for%20glucose%20tolerance%20t est

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/10561636/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/10561636/?i=2&from=jelly%20beans%20for%20glucose%20tolerance%20t est

I showed my OB the study. He definitely wouldn't have offered the option if I hadn't asked. But he had zero issue with letting me do it. It's definitely worth a shot.

Thank you! I want it on file because I canNOT take the dye taste of the glucola, especially if I have morning sickness, so I'd rather try the jelly beans first.

The practice which I currently work with for regular gyno seems to be very open-minded with a lot of things - they are a joint practice with a midwifery group, so they hit the mix of crunchy & clinical that makes me most comfy.

[swissair81]

Thank you! I want it on file because I canNOT take the dye taste of the glucola, especially if I have morning sickness, so I'd rather try the jelly beans first.

The practice which I currently work with for regular gyno seems to be very open-minded with a lot of things - they are a joint practice with a midwifery group, so they hit the mix of crunchy & clinical that makes me most comfy.

No prob. I took glucola with my first 3, and I always felt like I was going to toss my cookies. I changed doctors for number 4, and I decided to try and ask because there was a whole conversation about the jellybeans going on on one of my mommy boards a few weeks before it was my time. His only condition was that he wanted me to bring him a copy of the full text study. I had to pay for it, because the PubMed site only has the abstracts. It was more than worth it.

This same OB also lets me do things like breastfeed before the placenta is out (instead of pitocin- even with my 5th baby), walk around and shower during labor, and lots of other cool things. I'm not very cooperative with stuffy doctors who think they own me because I am their patient. There is a reason I left 3 previous OB offices. I'm picky.

[bisous]

I have always, always hated the glucola. Gross! I had to do this seven times now (Failed my first two tests in pregnancies 1 and 2 so needed to do the 3 hour test and last time around also had to do an extra because Kaiser screens early "to get a baseline"). Wouldn't you know, this time around (time number 7) the glucola tasted delicious to me. Pregnancy is so weird. I must have vitamin deficiencies!

[lizzywednesday]

Oh, as for pay sites for the studies, would they be open to the general public or would I have to ask my mom (who holds a BSN & I think still keeps her RN license current) for help accessing the documents?

I don't care either way, and I am sure my mom would help me, but I'd like to know what to expect.

[swissair81]

I also have a BSN. Unfortunately, you need to have a subscription to PubMed, which is costly, but not dependent on having a degree.

Actually, I might have a university subscription to PubMed now because I'm working on my MSN. If you don't mind reminding me tomorrow (my laptop just died and the baby is sleeping on me) I will look to see if I can get those full text studies for you.

[jbbhb]

If anyone needs a full text article PM me and I can email it to you.

ETA- I would just need the citation so I can look it up. :)

[tg_canada]

Are you comfortable refusing the test? I just said no thanks to it for all 3 of my kids.

[swissair81]

Are you comfortable refusing the test? I just said no thanks to it for all 3 of my kids.

It doesn't always matter if I feel comfortable. If a doctor doesn't feel comfortable with that he or she could easily say no (or find someone else). My OB said absolutely not when I suggested it, the jellybean thing was the compromise.

[lizzywednesday]

Are you comfortable refusing the test? I just said no thanks to it for all 3 of my kids.

No, I am not.

I have risk factors for Type 2 diabetes (which, I understand, does not necessarily have anything to do with GD, but you never can be too cautious) due to having family members with either Type 2 or mild insulin resistance, and I will be "advanced maternal age" whenever we decide to have another baby. (I "just" turned 35.)

I also figure, no matter how much weight I manage to lose before we TTC, I will "count" as either overweight or obese on BMI charts, so there will be a lot of concern about how my body will manage another pregnancy.


It doesn't always matter if I feel comfortable. If a doctor doesn't feel comfortable with that he or she could easily say no (or find someone else). My OB said absolutely not when I suggested it, the jellybean thing was the compromise.

It would be nice to "find someone else" but even with all the healthcare options I've got in my area, I'd rather work with my group.

If they'll go for the compromise of a jelly bean test, I'll totally do it.

[tg_canada]

It doesn't always matter if I feel comfortable. If a doctor doesn't feel comfortable with that he or she could easily say no (or find someone else). My OB said absolutely not when I suggested it, the jellybean thing was the compromise.

Where I live, it's the patient's choice for all testing. A doctor can recommend you take the test but it is up to you. And here, it's unlikely they would tell you to find a new doctor based on refusing one test; not even sure they are allowed to do that.

My suggestion was based on how things are handled here. I was unaware that not everyone was afforded the same freedom of choice. It's moot anyway since the OP wants to take the test.

[swissair81]

Where I live, it's the patient's choice for all testing. A doctor can recommend you take the test but it is up to you. And here, it's unlikely they would tell you to find a new doctor based on refusing one test; not even sure they are allowed to do that.

My suggestion was based on how things are handled here. I was unaware that not everyone was afforded the same freedom of choice. It's moot anyway since the OP wants to take the test.

Welcome to the US of A, where refusing a medical test during pregnancy is on par with child abuse.

Also, lately doctors like to 'fire' patients they don't feel 'comfortable' taking care of. Beware if you don't vax, refuse something they think you need, or use your brain to think with. As my ped told me when I was trying to get my baby out of the hospital, we wouldn't let you endanger your baby (whatever that means). I'm a mother of 5, and you know me personally, you can trust me. She said that in response to my saying that I wasn't trying to endanger her, but could they please discharge us because I had a sick husband at home. At least the infectious disease guy was nice.

[jjordan]

The midwife practice I used with my first two babies allowed you to drink orange juice instead of glucola.

[daisymommy]

Fwiw, with 2 of my babies my midwives let me use an 8 ounce container of Welchs white grape juice, because it has the same amount of sugar as the glucola nasty drink.


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[TxCat]

No, I am not.

I have risk factors for Type 2 diabetes (which, I understand, does not necessarily have anything to do with GD, but you never can be too cautious) due to having family members with either Type 2 or mild insulin resistance, and I will be "advanced maternal age" whenever we decide to have another baby. (I "just" turned 35.)

I also figure, no matter how much weight I manage to lose before we TTC, I will "count" as either overweight or obese on BMI charts, so there will be a lot of concern about how my body will manage another pregnancy.



It would be nice to "find someone else" but even with all the healthcare options I've got in my area, I'd rather work with my group.

If they'll go for the compromise of a jelly bean test, I'll totally do it.

I'd definitely not refuse testing for gestational diabetes - it's no joke and uncontrolled diabetes, even gestational, during pregnancy can result in intrauterine fetal demise. I've seen that happen more times than I ever imagined and it's completely heartbreaking for everyone.

Some practices might consider letting you test your blood sugar at home for a week. A friend (admittedly in Austin, which is a little more crunchy than some other places), refused glucola, jelly beans, etc., because she refuses refined sugar/processed carbs/etc. in her diet, period. Her doctor came up with the compromise that she could keep a meal diary for the week and take home a glucometer to test her blood sugar in the morning and after meals. It was quite the time commitment, but it made both sides happy.

[lizzywednesday]

I'd definitely not refuse testing for gestational diabetes - it's no joke and uncontrolled diabetes, even gestational, during pregnancy can result in intrauterine fetal demise. I've seen that happen more times than I ever imagined and it's completely heartbreaking for everyone.

Yeah, that's one of the big reasons why I don't just want to lose weight, I NEED to lose it. I would rather reduce my risk factors for the Typ2 2 before even considering adding a pregnancy; it was my goal last time, but I got pregnant before I could lose any weight. (Morning sickness weight loss doesn't count.)

People look at me and can't believe it, but the scale doesn't lie, nor does the way I feel when I'm trying to keep up with DD!


Some practices might consider letting you test your blood sugar at home for a week. A friend (admittedly in Austin, which is a little more crunchy than some other places), refused glucola, jelly beans, etc., because she refuses refined sugar/processed carbs/etc. in her diet, period. Her doctor came up with the compromise that she could keep a meal diary for the week and take home a glucometer to test her blood sugar in the morning and after meals. It was quite the time commitment, but it made both sides happy.

That's another interesting option - I actually have a friend here in NJ who did something similar, but I am still eating processed foods, as much as I've been trying to cut down. The group I currently work with for gyno appointments is pretty open to discussing all kinds of different things, so I think I have a shot at doing the jellybean test.