Glucose Tolerance Test

[the-elmel]

I had the 1-hour glucose tolerance test last week and it gave me a terrible anaphylactic and intestinal gluten reaction. My doctor's office swears the drink is gluten-free and contacted the manufacturer beforehand. There is no way that drink was gluten-free. A few minutes after chugging the fruit punch drink my entire body was reacting. I could barely breathe, there was a rash all over my chest, and for days following I had the typical intestinal symptoms. This only happens when I have gluten.

Anyone else have problems with the glucola drink?

Also, I failed the test.

[cruelshoes]

I had the glucola with no gluten reaction when I was pregnant with my last a little over a year ago. We also verified that it was gluten-free beforehand. Maybe there are different manufacturers?

Bummer on failing the GTT. Are they considering you to have gestational diabetes, or do they have to do more tests first?

[tabdegner]

Do you normally have anaphylaxis when eating gluten? Did you have to have an EpiPen shot? That sounds really serious!!!

I've never had problems w/glucola -- and I've had the test many many times. Wow -- drinking that stuff is bad enough, let alone your reaction!! I hope you're feeling better.

[the-elmel]

I had the glucola with no gluten reaction when I was pregnant with my last a little over a year ago. We also verified that it was gluten-free beforehand. Maybe there are different manufacturers?

Bummer on failing the GTT. Are they considering you to have gestational diabetes, or do they have to do more tests first?

They cannot do the 3 hour test since I had such a bad reaction to the 1 hour. My doctor is having me monitor my blood glucose levels 3 to 4 times a day. I go back in a week to determine what the next step is.

Do you normally have anaphylaxis when eating gluten? Did you have to have an EpiPen shot? That sounds really serious!!!

I've never had problems w/glucola -- and I've had the test many many times. Wow -- drinking that stuff is bad enough, let alone your reaction!! I hope you're feeling better.

I didn't used to have such serious reactions when I had undiagnosed Celiac Disease. It wasn't until after and I avoided gluten for a couple years. My doctor said I developed an IgE reaction to gluten products and I have to carry around an epipen.

Thanks for your responses!!!

[2kids4me]

Glucola is a concentrated form of glucose - used in glucose tolerance tests and to treat hypoglycemia in an emergency.

It is gluten free.

Listed as an adverse reaction is : vomiting and diarrhea. This can happen in anyone (celiac or not). I am diabetic and when I am given concentrated glucose to treat a hypoglycemic event - I always get nauseous and feel awful. This may be due to the insulin reaction itself or to the the sudden rise in blood sugar.

It is not unusual to get a horrible GI feeling anytime concentrated glucose is ingested. Think of how kids get tummy aches when they overload on cotton candy or regular pop. The body can respond to food ingested with little bursts of insulin - but giving concentrated glucose is like putting the pancreas on "fast forward" and asking it to produce insulin pronto..... it affects a number of systems.

It can give you a headache, sleepy feeling, GI upset, among other things. Unfortuately , it is the only way to test for gestational diabetes or other forms - like type 2. It is never given to a suspect Type 1 patient because the fasting blood sugar is always elevated so there is no need to challenge with glucose.