32 weeks....one thing after another

[Loubpop]

Sorry for the moaning that is about to come but I am so fed up......

I've had to inject Tinzaparin twice a day since 26 weeks and take daily aspirin. I know why and I know it's to keep us safe but I am someone who seriously considers the risks of taking a paracetamol when I have a headache!

I had a fall 2 and a half weeks ago on the ice and pulls my side really bad, so still in pain with that.

I have severe health anxiety and am really struggling with worry. I am getting CBT but I've declined meds so far.

Yesterday I had a scan and they said baby is measuring big, so they are repeating my glucose tolerance test. My hubby is type 1 so I've tested myself and it's high so I know I'm going to be diagnosed with GD.

I'm constipated and have a fissure which bleeds and is sore when I go 😢...I just feel so overwhelmed by it all 😢😢

 

[Mummy of Ange]

Im totally with you on this, im 32 weeks too and totally had enough. This is my 3rd so you would think I would be use to it by now, but im older (39) and struggling with the tiredness so much.

Im still working full time, got a 5 and 3 year old at home and got a partner who is pissing me right off (that's another story).

My feel are constantly throbbing and my ankles are all swollen. Im on the 97th centile at all my growth scans. Im badly constipated. I cant sleep without getting pains in my hips. I now have slight SPD which is horrendous in the mornings.

Im not sleeping well so by the time I get home from work im biting the kids heads off because im so tired.

I just keep trying to focus and know that the end is in sight.

Im not planning on finishing work until 38 weeks but they said at my next scan on 4th April, if she is still on the 97th centile, they will discuss inducing me at 37, so at the minute im playing it by here.

Just keep thinking to yourself, your on the home stretch now, and before you know it your baby will be in your arms and it will all be worth it.

Good luck xx

 

[Unexpected212]

I feel you I have SPD, Anaemia, baby measuring big (potentially need GD test bleugh) and can't sleep due to restless leg and ribs cramping up

I am more than grateful to be pregnant but also fed up as hell lol

I hope things get better for you soon and you don't have GD xx

 

[sevenofnine]

Oh I feel you so much

I have such terrible health anxiety that I spent the majority of my pregnancy in an anxiety attack. This pregnancy was honestly one of the hardest things I’ve ever done- I’d rather go through labor again 10X than feel the constant anxiety again.

I had GD, but it honestly wasn’t as bad as I expected to manage. I also had hypertension due to the anxiety (always normal at home, unless I was having a panic attack... and I’d get up as far as 160/100 from panic attacks). Only reason I’m telling you these things is because although I felt like I never would, I made it through, and you will too.

I seriously know how you feel.

If you have a smartphone or tablet (I have an iPhone), I found guided meditation apps (specifically “calm” and “expecting”) to be helpful. It wasn’t easy; in fact it took me practicing the whole pregnancy to be able to start feeling calmer during sessions. But the practicing DID help in retrospect.

 

[Reiko_ctu]

Lou I’m 33.5 wks and I totally understand where you’re coming from.

I feel like every other pregnant woman I know (in person) has had a super easy pregnancy. Most friends have mild MS and one has had spd but was able to be signed off work early for it and hasn’t had to be on her feet too much.

I have had HG, early diagnosed GD, nausea getting worse in 3rd tri again, super low iron, baby measuring big, and now I’ll be on insulin so 3 different appointments every week with OB/MW/scans/NSTs etc. I feel so utterly complicated and my life feels sooo very stressful because of it.

Hopefully your GD will stay diet controlled but honestly even that is difficult. You need to carefully plan your entire days meals, and when you can exercise, almost all the time. Yes you are still allowed to treat yourself every once in a while, but honestly I find it completely consuming of all my thoughts almost all day long. It will keep you from gaining weight in your last trimester at least so you won’t have a lot to lose when the baby is born, other than that it really sucks. Only 8 more weeks mama xx And if you do have GD and baby is big maybe only 6 more weeks!

All that to say I’m sorry and I commiserate with you and you can totally complain here.

I don’t think complaining about it being difficult negates the fact that we are all so grateful to be hopefully bringing home healthy babies soon after being able to carry them for 9 months xx

 

[SadakoS]

I'm another trouble maker! Pregnancy makes my heart funny, I skip beats and my pulse races so I've got to have an echo and 24hr ecg next week. My BP was also creeping up so I have twice weekly checks and just started on hypertensives which are making me feel headachey and exhausted.
I've been sick almost every day of the whole pregnancy, and it's ramping up again a bit now so that it's often multiple times.
Some people really have it easier than others don't they!!
I can't wait to get this little guy out, then I'm done with babies!
Hope everyone is doing OK, and not getting too down.

 

[Loubpop]

So sorry to hear everyone's problems �� the midwife has just called and told me I have GD. My fasting level was 5.6....should have been 5.5 or lower. After 2 hours it's was within normal range but because of the fasting one I have to see the diabetic team and change consultants. I'm so scared and fed up ��

 

[Reiko_ctu]

Sadako do they ever tell you why pregnancy makes your heart go wonky? I feel like I have a bit of that too.

Lou I’m so sorry. My fasting are high so I have to go on insulin but yours are so borderline I hope you get them down with the advice from the diabetes team. They will most likely tell you to try different things for your bedtime snack... the only thing that has worked to keep mine down (like a 5.4 opposed to 5.8) has been a few bites of almond butter and 1/3 cup of vanilla ice cream at 10pm and waking at 6am for my fasting test and breakfast. So weird but it works. But 5.4 is still too high so insulin it is. Maybe give that trick a try and see how you do in the morning. They will give you a blood sugar meter to test your glucose levels at your diabetic team meeting.

Try not to be scared — with your after meals being fine and your fasting so borderline you probably will be able to get it down with a bedtime snack. Pricking your finger is annoying and hurts a bit but not really anything to be scared about. Although I will say, when I had to do it for the first time in my first pregnancy, I almost fainted. Lol. Obviously the anxiety is there for the unknown but once you’re used to is it’ll just be old hat and not scary at all.

And I’m not sure how they do it where you are but if you can get good control over your sugars by diet and exercise and not need meds then it doesn’t change your birth plan at all (at least where I am). Because I will be on insulin that changes things tons but I doubt you’ll have to! They should give you 2 weeks to try to get your levels under control before recommending meds. I’m here to talk if you need!!

 

[SadakoS]

Nope, they did the same last time, investigated and the consultant just said it was "pregnancy related" and that was that. Don't know why they're bothering this time really, I'm sure it'll be the same.

 

[lilmisscaviar]

Lou I'm so sorry to hear about your GD results. It is frustrating when it is borderline like that and you're forced to be diagnosed with GD. I've always skipped the 1 hour test and went straight to the fasting test by my choice. My midwife allowed it thankfully. I've never been diagnosed with GD but I genetically have big babies so I can completely understand where you're coming from there. It is scary not knowing how big the baby will be when it's born. My first was so big that I spent 2.5 hours pushing her out. I was very close to a c-section. If I ever had a baby bigger than her I doubt I'd be able to have a vaginal birth and surgery scares the crap out of me. Thankfully my other babies came early but they were still large for gestational age. Had my sons (born at 35 and 37 weeks) went to full term they would have been about 10/11 lbs and now they're telling me that this one - also a boy - is going to be my biggest yet!

My last pregnancy was horrid. I went straight from HG for 20 weeks to SPD at about 21/22 weeks and was miserable by 26 weeks. While everyone else in my pregnancy group was enjoying zipping through their pregnancies, I couldn't wait for my baby to come. I was diagnosed with polyhydramnios at 30 weeks which explains why I was so miserable so early. I was retaining fluid in my body and blew up like a balloon. My feet were so swollen I could barely walk. My hands were so swollen I couldn't even wear my wedding ring. I kept getting UTIs from the pressure of my enlarged uterus against my bladder. Thankfully I ended up giving birth at 35 weeks (measuring 41 weeks due to polyhydramnios) because I honestly didn't know how much more I could take being that heavy and huge.

I'm hoping I won't have to go through that again. I did have HG again for 20 weeks this time but my scan so far showed normal fluid levels, however baby was measuring 2 weeks ahead. I'm getting a follow up ultrasound in 6 weeks to recheck my fluid levels and keep track of baby's weight gain.

 

[Loubpop]

Thanks for your responses �� I am still not doing great with dealing with this �� I had to do 4 x glucose monitoring yesterday. All readings were before food and at 5.3. Today I have had to do 1 hour after each meal and so far been 7.8 after breakfast and 7.9 after dinner. I had shreddies for breakfast and jacket potato nd beans for dinner. I am not hungry but I know this is not enough really. I'm scared to eat but I know this won't do me any good either. Seriously not coping. I want this to all be over ��

 

[BunnyN]

Sorry you are having a tough time hun. It will be worth it in the end but it's so frustrating when you can't just enjoy pregnancy like you feel you should be.

If it's any comfort. I didn't have GD but I did have big babies. I had natural home births with all three. Our second shocked us by being 11lbs but I didn't even tear. In fact the hardest labour and birth was the smallest of the three. People get scared by big babies but it's often not as bad as you'd think!

 

[Reiko_ctu]

Lou the first few weeks after diagnosis are really hard mentally, I know!! I’m not sure what numbers they want you at but for me it’s 7.7 or lower after 1 hr. It sounds like you’re super close to that number. You could probably keep eating similarly but add in a little walk after each meal. So when you’re done eating your shreddies go March up and down your stairs for 5 mins or March in place for 7-8 and that will probably bring you down to 7.7 or lower. It is annoying but it’s the only thing that keeps my sugars under control so I can eat enough without needing meds!!

If you like cheese, it’s usually Zero carbs so add that in to every meal to help up your calories and fill you up. Or nuts have very little carb in them. I feel hungry all the time honestly and I’m still gaining a pound a week lol.

 

[Loubpop]

I spoke with the diabetic nurse this morning who said I will likely be put on Metformin next week �� this is without me having seen the dietician. Seems so unfair. I'm worried about the side effects of the medication and then it not working and having to inject insulin ���� I'm in such a state.

 

[Allie84]

I've been on Metformin since before I got pregnant and it's honestly not bad. And it can help a lot of things in pregnancy.....it's actually considered a really good medication. And I'm totally medication phobic!!!

I had GD last time and was diet controlled; you've got some great advice on here. Walking after eating, adding cheese to every meal, and drinking a ton of water helped me. My son was 7lbs 6oz.

They say I didn't get GD this time because of the Metformn.

Reiku, the heart stuff is all the extra blood pumping. I get a racing heart at night some times.....and the hormone changes can cause palpitations.

Someone mentioned restless legs. It's honestly driving me batty!!!! Any tips? I've added calcium supplements and electrolyte drinks AND magnesium AND eating a banana before bed.....still keeping me up for hours before I am finally exhausted enough to fall asleep. :/

Let's hang in there ladies.

 

[Reiko_ctu]

Allie I use magnesium oil SPRAY for my restless legs. Apparently much better absorbed to apply directly on the skin of the legs than taking a supplement that doesn’t get absorbed much. It has helped me a lot.

Lou I’m sorry they’re jumping to meds so fast. You should really be able to see the dietician first but sometimes I find they don’t have the greatest advice anyways. I know it all seems scary, especially the insulin. I try to keep in mind a gazillion other pregnant women have all done this before and they all made it through, even the most needle phobic ones. My numbers have been borderline so they’re not putting me on insulin this week, but next week likely will at 35+5. I told the nurse the first time I have to do it I will likely almost pass out but after that I think I can handle it...

What have your morning readings been? Those can be the hardest to control.

Also seriously add in a quick 10 min march around your house right after you eat. It’s annoying and hard work to do that for every meal, but That will definitely help get your after meal testing under the limit. If you go a week with no highs or even one they should not put you on medication.

 

[BunnyN]

Magnesium supplements helped loads with restless legs for me, I never heard of the spray, that's interesting.

 

[Allie84]

Thanks ladies! I have spray too --- it's called pink stork mist. I put it on my ankles and feet. Maybe i need to cover my whole leg lol. I am so desparate!! Last night I took an entire Unisom I was so desperate to sleep and I was a zombie this morning!!

 

[Loubpop]

Well...I have been put on Metformin. One a day at the moment. I'm 35 weeks and been on it for 5 days. Really hoping it doesn't progress to insulin...

How is everyone else? Been told won't let me past 39 weeks...so max 4 weeks to go....

 

[Allie84]

I bet your sugars will do well on the Metformin. Don't be surprised if you have an upset tummy for a few days...it DOES go away, at least for me it did with a wee bit of time!

4 weeks is exciting!!