The 3 hour glucose test requires fasting the night before and a carbohydrate rich diet for the days before that.

The screening test and the 3 hour glucose test both begin the same way. You take a drink of a solution which is rich in glucose (so rich that in some cases you may feel dizzy or faint shortly after drinking it). In the screening test you have a blood sample taken after an hour to see if your body breaks down glucose at a normal speed.

If the glucose level in your body is higher than normal at the end of the screening test, you will be called back to take the 3 hour glucose test. The 3 hour glucose tolerance test is similar, except you give blood samples and urine samples every hour for three hours. From the 3 hour glucose tolerance test you can get a diagnosis and tell whether or not you have diabetes.

The 3 hour glucose test is important to take because diabetes can cause many health problems over time. When someone has diabetes the glucose level in their blood stays too high and can cause damage to the eyes, nerves and other organs. Pregnant mothers often take the screening test and the 3 hour glucose test if indicated to make sure they don’t have gestational diabetes.

Take the tests to make sure that if you have diabetes you get the health care that you need.