Hey all- I'm guessing that a lot of you who have PCOS/insulin resistance have been through the trip to the blood lab, where they take a sample, make you drink super sugary stuff, and then take another sample in an hour. I've been through it a couple of times.

So far, I've never shown any real sign of insulin resistance, but because of my PCOS, my doc keeps checking me every year or so.

I've been through it before, but never under these circumstances. The other times, I had been eating lots of refined sugar- ice cream, candy, etc- but now that I've been on a diet for over 2 months, I haven't really touched the stuff for quite some time. Any drinks/sweets I eat (which are few) are made with artificial sweetener and my overall sugar intake is very low, mostly what is found naturally in foods.

I remember this syrupy drink making me kind of sick before- very tired, a bit dizzy and nauseated. I've been putting the test off because I'm worried the effects will be like 10 times worse now that I don't eat much sugar.

Anyone have similar experiences? Please help. Thanks.

I remember during one of my pregnancies having to do the syrup, it made me so sick, because like you I didn't eat or drink anything with sugar. So the next time I had to take the test I told them I could not tolerate the syrup so they used something else, but for the life of me I can't remember what it was. I bet if you explain that you would like an alternative they probably have something else.

I never did have diabetes but being overweight my ob always had me tested, seemed like every visit.

I should add that years ago I had lost a large amount of weight and had gone months without eating sugar. I went out to breakfast and decided to have pancakes, what a HUGE mistake. I was sooooo sick. Hth's

Unless you are in real danger of being diabetic and you need to have the fasting blood glucose test, there is another test that is a simple blood test that can do an aproximate average of your blood sugar level over the last few months. Because I had gestational diabetes, I am supposed to be checked yearly for diabetes. I opt for the simple blood test so I don't have to drink that gahstly syrup! Perhaps your doctor could do the simple blood test?

7/8 s of a cup of welch's purple grape juice is the equivalent of 50g glucose. Sometimes 75g is used, other times 50g... and then again, other times... 100grams. maybe you can ask your lab or doctor.
labs tend to be sticklers. ie: you can't drink water after taking the glucose b/c that's not how the original studies with the glucose challenge test were done.
I felt awful after taking it the first time. but after the second, third and fourth... not too bad.

I know this isn't going to help you much but I just wanted to tell you about my experience with the blood glucose test....I had one about 3-4 years ago and I was participating in a medical study about PCOS, so I was hooked up too all sorts of machines. During the blood glucose test, the stuff made me feel sick and I told the NA that I needed to be unhooked to get to the bathroom (I was going to vomit)....

Well, she didn't get me unhooked or moved fast enough and I was trying to hold it in so my mouth was shut....

I ended up vomiting through my nose! Most disgusting experience of my life! At least it was all fluids because I hadn't eaten!

The test quixotica is referring to is the A1C. It is used in diabetics to see what their average blood glucose level is over the past 3 months. The downside of it is doesn't give you a fasting or post-meal number so it can't give you a clear picture of how your body is reacting to a glucose load.

I felt bad after it, too, although I'm insulin resistant. I had to wait for two hours, and they wouldn't let me go anywhere in case I passed out. I guess it's not unusual. Don't let it delay your attention to your health. It's like of like a PAP. I hate them, but I know they're good for me in the long run.

I see this test from both sides, have had a full test done recently, (officially diagnosed my hypoglycemia, and Im not diabetic or insulin resistant) and I order/perform the test on some of my clients, who are pregnant.
Lots of people get sick during the test. and of course vomiting negates the results. For people who have gotten sick, in either this or a previous pregnancy, we will do a 50 or 75 gram jelly bean test.
You have to clear it with your clinician, but it seems to help. They have to calculate the number of jelly beans for the glucose load you need, and this depends on the type of jelly beans.
I hadn't heard of the grape juice before, but makes sense.
The A1C test gives a picture of how well you are controlling your sugars over the long term, but can't diagnose insulin resistance, diabetes or hypoglycemia.

best wishes
fatmad

I was "diagnosed" as pre-diabetic a few years ago. I was suspicious of the reading (125 fasting) because my own readings at home were normal. I ignored it but now I'm getting older so I decided to start taking my fasting glucose levels in the morning. What's confusing is that it's high (137) in the morning but actually drops significantly 1 hour and 2 hours after I eat. Today it was 108 one hour after, and 78 two hours after. It was a very low carb meal, celery and peanut butter and fresh crabmeat. I do take BP meds and I take them in the morning when I wake up. I have read this can affect one's glucose level; however, I take an angiotensin, not a beta blocker, and hydrochlorithiazide. I eat sufficient potassium. All I can find on the internet refers to people who are taking diabetic meds and how insulin can affect morning readings, which of course is not me. Has anyone else had this experience? I seem to lose weight fine.