Anyone diabetic before pregnacy

[080509]

Whit. Welcome to the thread, i've not had the heart check yet but i've read alot of ladies with diabetes have it done just to be on the safe side, maybe since i'm early on i haven't been offered it but they might mention it further along. Don't worry about going on insulin, its actually the safest med for diabetes in pregnancy, just be wary of having hypos and always keep a sugary drink on you at all times, i wasn't aware of hypos when i was diagnosed and it hit me hard and fast lol. You will be fine don't worry x

kcmichelle how far along are you? how did your insulin requirements chance since becoming pregnant? I went from 2units per meal to 4 units per meal, i'm dreading insulin resistance kicking in i was on 20 units last time round and was always hypo, my first baby was 8lb 6oz and my second baby was 7lb 1oz (well controlled in second pregnancy) neither had sugar issues at birth so i consider us lucky for that. xx

 

[kcmichelle]

Hi there, I am at the end of my 14th week. My insulin requirements have just started going up this last week. Prior I was still okay with old regimen. My prior pregnancies they went way up by the end. Approx triple the dose for every meal and my night time injection. My first pregnancy I didn't go low at the end and during labour. But boy oh boy did I ever have a hard time the last pregnancy. My sugars were very tight and I started getting many hypos the last few weeks. I had a planned c-section and was told not to give my evening dose the night before. But I still went low continuously. Even after check in at the hospital I continued to need glucose. Unfortunately because of this I reacted badly to the anesthesia a few hours after my son was born. I blacked out and kept vomiting on and off for about 5 hours. But then I was fine. Thank goodness. My son had low blood at birth but didn't have seizures and just needed formula on top of breast feeding for the first 24 hours. The same was with my first son. I'm really hoping I don't have the hypo problems with this one. But due to my kidney disease I have little choice and have to keep my sugars as low as possible.

 

[080509]

Sorry to hear about the kidney disease, that with pregnancy must be very difficult. You did really well for your LO not to have sugar issues at birth, diabetes and pregnancy is so hard at times. Today i've had a few hypos, has anyone had hypos around 9 weeks?

I had my scan tuesday, was 8+4 so currently 8+6, it was lovely seeing its little heart beat, my sugars are okay at the moment, no double figures for a few days, hope i can keep this up as my second baby was only 7lb 1 and my levels were practically non diabetic! x

 

[080509]

I've had to reduce my insulin now buy quite alot, is this normal. My basal is 5 units keeping me around 5mmol fasting, and my mealtime insulin is now 2-3 units for 30-40g carb! I'm worried something is wrong.. my morning sickness has gone for 2 days also :S
I was currently on 12 units of basal, and 4u with meals

 

[080509]

Just hypo'd off my basal! (pretty sure its my basal as i haven't injected novorapid since 10am and i hypo'd at 5pm?! So i have to reduce that even further?? am i entering a second honeymoon phase.. i've no idea. Worried something is up with bub

 

[pickle76]

Just hypo'd off my basal! (pretty sure its my basal as i haven't injected novorapid since 10am and i hypo'd at 5pm?! So i have to reduce that even further?? am i entering a second honeymoon phase.. i've no idea. Worried something is up with bub

Hi. I know a lot of women have quite serious hypos in the first trimester and need to reduce their insulin quite dramatically. I had to reduce mine but not by too much. I'm now 30 wks and am on huge amounts! Well huge for me anyway. I'm sure you're ok but speak to your DSN or doc if you're worried xx

 

[kcmichelle]

That's why type 1 diabetes and pregnanacy is so hard. Just when you've made the proper adjustment, another needs to be made. The last two days I've had severe lows before lunch. Today was so bad I almost passed out and I was very confused for about half an hour. Luckily I was able to shove a bunch of sugar down before I got too groggy. This never happened my first pregnancy and mostly towards the end with my second. But I'm also still breastfeeding my 18 month old and he's a huge eater. I'm wondering if that could be draining me and making me low at times.

 

[080509]

Thanks so much xx
Just found a link after googling! This makes sense, the "pregnancy, type 1 diabetes and insulin section"
https://www.diabeticmommy.com/sp-pregnancy-diabetes-bd-faq-answers.html

 

[pickle76]

Yeah pregnancy is hard enough but diabetes makes it such hard work. I'm type one and have been for nearly 20 years. Have been on a pump for the last year and it really has changed my life. I hit insulin resistance at about 24 weeks and am on lots more insulin now but stable. I hope everyone's coping. I'm glad this thread has come alive again!

 

[080509]

I thought it would be a good idea to bump it, i was reading through it and thought it was great inspiration to keep my bloods as normal as possible, knowing other ladies have similar problems makes me feel less alone. there is alot of info on GD but not alot on type 1 or type 2, when i read through the gd thread and people worry about a 7.8mmol i think i wish i only had 7.8's, i really hope that doesn't sound bitter, just the constant insulin changes and wacky readings is so annoying when we are trying so hard.
Injected 3 units of basal at bedtime, woke up at 2:30am with a 3.4, so had a few sweets and some crisps (mmm healthy) woke up at 5.1mmol! on only 3 units? LOL long may it continue! Only on 2 units of bolus/novorapid aswell. I can get used to these small amounts, its as though i'm a recovering type 1 haha, though of course its hormones x

 

[pickle76]

Wow they are tiny amounts! And yes I know what you mean about type1/2/GD. They're all quite different to manage although we're all striving for the same thing I guess. I'm just hoping the nice stability I've had particularly in the last month lasts a while longer! Are you on Levemir or Lantus as your basal? Or something different?

 

[080509]

I really hope it continues for you, its great at the moment i'm having no double figures either! I'm on Levemir, and novorapid with the meals. Which insulin are you on? x

 

[pickle76]

I really hope it continues for you, its great at the moment i'm having no double figures either! I'm on Levemir, and novorapid with the meals. Which insulin are you on? x

Oh well done! That's brilliant! I should have kept my mouth shut - I've had a crap couple of days lol. Well not entirely bad but a number of readings of 10 and 11. Have been quite emotional and stressed so may be that, or poss due to the whooping cough jab I had. I'll give it one more day of being extra careful with my carbs, and then make some adjustments again if I have to. Urgh, it never stops does it?!

I'm just on Novorapid as I'm on a pump so don't have any long acting. But was on Levemir too before the pump. Found it much better than Lantus.

Are you hoping for a boy or girl? I'm having another boy x

 

[Rosie2806]

Hi

Pickle76, in what way did you find Levemir better than Lantus? I have always been on Lantus and have not really been aware of any problems, except throughout pregnancy they have reduced mine alot. I used to take 24 units of Lantus and now at the end of pregnancy take 14 units!!! I was getting alot of hypos and rather than blame the novorapid (which has trebled and admittidly is keeping my levels down for the 1 - 2 hour readings) they have said because I'm going low 3-5 hours after meals it must be the Lantus. Just seems so weird to me to be on so much less especially at the end of pregnancy, and I'm still getting the lows!!!

I'm just curious about Levemir as I've never been told anything about it before, so maybe I could look into changing after I've had her in 3 weeks x

 

[pickle76]

Hi Rosie,

I had been on Lantus for years and really struggled with my HbA1c. I tried everything along the way and even the DAFNE course only helped me so much. When I said I wanted to TTC we all realised I had a long way to go, but my consultant wanted me to go onto Levemir at that point as it was licensed for pregnancy whereas Lantus was not at the time (around 2008 I think). Changing onto it helped me with my nightime readings no end and subsequently I lowered my HbA1c too. Just seemed to work for me but everyone's different. By the way I've always split my basal and had it morning and night. If you've always got on ok with Lantus I'd stick with it. Maybe you've had to lower it so much because of the increased amount of Novorapid you've needed. I've needed much more at mealtimes too so I guess to keep your post-meal readings good you have to cut down on the basal.

Ooh only 3 weeks to go! Hope all goes well for you! xx

 

[Rosie2806]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

I've been diabetic 19 years and not always been a good one, never really bothered going to consultant appointments, just my yearly doctors ones where they have checked my HBA1C and my feet etc and thats it, my HB before pregnancy was 7.5 then down to 6.8 and and has been 5.8 each time they have checked at the hospital so I have been really happy. I have a very bad sweet tooth and have struggled so much to cut down on nice foods, so I have adapted my insulin to suit (I don't carb count) so it has been very up and down but still surprisingly keeping my HB's low and my sugars quite good and baby doesn't seem to have grown excessively because of diabetes and no extra fluid so all good so far it hasn't had any affect on her, that's all that matters to me.

The team at the hospital have told me that Novorapid only works for 4 hours, but with me it seems so much longer than that, especially if I am reducing my basal significantly, as I say I've never been to my consultant appointments before so I've not had much info but pregnancy has really opened my eyes to my diabetes again and I will be attending a hospital to keep it on track after baby is born too, its good to know I have good HB's and will be healthy for longer.

Sorry this is long, but I too am glad this thread has been reopened, when I very first found out I was pregnant I sat and read through 105 pages, with some tears because of the awful hypos some people experienced, I thought I'd never get through it and was worried about going unconcious, but looking back it honestly hasn't been that bad, a bit of a struggle but overall I've coped : ) just would rather have done pregnancy without it but hey xx

 

[pickle76]

Well it sounds like you're doing brilliantly! And glad you've not had any really serious hypos x

 

[080509]

I should of kept mine shut too Lol! Well i've had a 12.6 tonight highest in around a week (which actually sounds bad) it was 4 hours after my evening meal too, i had a spag bol so it could of been the late effect of the pasta (with the high fat/protein meat i'm wondering)
I don't mind what i have, would like a girl for a change i guess but as long as he/she is okay thats the main thing, my OH wants another boy, they want to out number me i think! I'm so sorry to hear about your little boy hun, you are so strong for what you have been through and so brave too. xxx

Rosie, the hypos can be so hard can't they? I lost my awareness a while ago and i didn't realise when i was around 1.9! Though i'm having less hypos lately, i'm aware in the 3's now which is a godsend as i can drink something before i have a bad one! I found with my last pregnancy novorapid would stay in me for around 7 hours, my DSN didn't agree with me but everyone is different and pregnancy can really mess things up, i wasn;t on background insulin as i was slow onset type 1 (but fully progressed last july) sorry confusing lol.

 

[CelticNiamh]

hello good to find this thread, I have GD on all my pregnancies which I seem to become insulin resistant as soon as the placenta kicks in last pregnancy they wanted to put me on insulin at 16 weeks but let me get to 18 weeks
I was on 7 injections a day on till I delivered it took a while for my sugars to stabilise after he was born. but he was fine and a nice 8 pounds

I have been having a lot of hypos but I understand why now,my dibetic nurse says my chances of not being a diabetic after delivery this time is slim. I guess I will have to wait and see now

 

[080509]

I really hope it does go away for you hun, but if it doesn't just stay positive and look after yourself the best you can, we all have our good and bad days, just try not let it get you down when your numbers go abit iffy. 8lbs is a good weight! my first was 8lb6 and my second was 7lb1, second baby my readings were really good. I just think to myself some ladies have 10lb babies who don't even have diabetes, so even if we do have slightly larger babies it isn't always down to diabetes, x