For starters, I did have some anxiety about this. The 1-hour screening test was ok. My obgyn was kind of enough to refrigerate the 50 mg drink - so it wasn't so bad. However, this time around I went to a Quest lab location for my 3 hour. They didn't refrigerate it :( so it wasn't so cool. Before I go too far down the road, here's how it went :
This is a fasting test, so I had to stop eating around 7 pm. I was convinced that I was going to be ravenous but it wasn't so bad actually. I ate my dinner at 7 and I was able to drink water afterwards. My friend picked me up around 7:15 am and we made our way out to the lab. We ended up getting there early but no biggie. After checking in once they opened, the lab tech took me in the back and drew my blood. I don't have anxiety over needles, but I was hoping she'd use a butterfly needle. That needle is always better to me. As I looked over, I saw her reaching for a butterfly needle - woohoo! She drew the blood from my right arm (injection #1). She gave me a 100 mg solution that was lukewarm to the touch. Inside, I thought .. ugh - this is going to be nasty. If you haven't tried the solution, it's like drinking a flat Fanta that's overly concentrated. It tastes like soda syrup. I was given 5 minutes to gulp it down and was told not to drink any water during the test. The tech told me that she'd be drawing my blood every hour after that.
I went back into the lobby and sat down. Now I had company so the time went pretty quickly. I also brought my laptop and was able to find a wifi connection. I even managed to post on my forums during the test. Before I knew it - the tech was calling my name to get my blood drawn again. This time she drew blood from my left arm. For a split second, my mind drifted to thinking butterfly needle ... butterfly needle....butterfly needle.... but no such luck. She pulled out some big gauge needle and proceeded to stick my left arm :( (injection #2) It didn't hurt so bad, but it wasn't the painless almost unnoticeable prick of the butterfly needs. She told me to go back in the waiting room and so began hour #2.
While we were sitting there, an old couple came in. They looked like they were well into their 70's. As soon as her husband stood up to get his lab work done, she started to ask us questions about cooking. It was one of those conversations where you could tell she had something to say and that we were going to listen no matter what. She proceeded to tell us how her husband had been married before, and his old wife was still trying to get him back. She also mentioned that she had been married to her husband for 30 years... So of course I start doing the math.... He'd been married to the other woman forever a decade. He'd been married to her for over 30 years. That's 40 whole years of marriage! Wow.... you'd think after that many years, people would have settled down into accepting the fate of their relationships. I nearly giggled when the woman said, "I know why she's jealous. I don't see nice purses on her arm, but when I want a purse, my husband goes out and gets me a purse!" I honestly thought that after 30 years... jealousies get umm... more dignified. I guess not!
Not more than 10 minutes after her husband returned and they left, the tech came out and called my name. I went in and she pulled the bandage off of my right arm. Again I thought... butterfly needle... butterfly needle... butterfly needle.... YES! She picked the butterfly needle. We made some random chatter, she told me how she lost gained only 7 pounds with her pregnancy overall. I half thought about how I was 28+ weeks and had only gained 9 pounds. Maybe I wasn't so abnormal after all. Anyway - she drew my blood (injection #3) and sent me back into the lobby. So began hour #3.
Hour 3 literally flew quickly. There was a woman who came in with her baby. Someone who looked like her mom came in and went to get something from the lab techs. There were a few other people who came in and out. Before I knew it - the tech poked her head out of the door and called my name. I walked in, and she went to take my blood (injection #4). Again - she pulled out that big needle. In my mind I'm thinking.. what the hell?? Needless to say, she drew my blood and I was all done. I walked out, headed to the lobby, grabbed my stuff, and we headed out.
Honestly this was not a negative experience. The injections weren't painful and the time flew pretty quickly.There were a few times where I felt a bit drowsy for a few minutes, but otherwise no real discomfort. Now all I have is the anxiety of waiting for the results to see if I have gestational diabetes.
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