GD support thread

[sarahgx4]

He claimed to know a lot about GD. I felt at ease when he personally called me to give me the diagnosis. When I went for my appointment, he was not as caring or concerned as I thought. My sugars are all over the place, and I am really trying hard I guess there is no way every OB/GYN has dealt with GD since Gd only affects such a small amount of women

 

[jenny25]

My levels so far have been as high as 8.6 after meals regardless off what I eat but today after breakfast was only 4.2 , with metformin I was on 1500mg I did have headaches and sudden burts of the runs sorry lol but it was like living with irritable bowl syndrome that's the only way I could describe it certain foods would make my tummy funny and j had stomache cramps I'm concerned of I go back on it that it could put me into early labour but I will need too discuss this with the midwife and consultant if I need medication I already suffer from antiphospholipid syndrome as well xxx

 

[izzy29]

oh dear! I think I have to take 500mg before breakfast for a week and then add in another 500mg before dinner on the second week. I am dreading it. If I am vomiting and having the runs there is no way i could stay in work! What makes you think it woudl send you into early labour? the severe stomach cramps?

 

[sarahgx4]

I'm not taking any meds and I'm right there with you ladies. I get an upset stomach regardless of what I eat!

 

[tracy143]

Jenny I think we are due the same date!! I am starting Metformin tomorrow. Did you hae any side effects? The doc told me it might make me feel a bit sick but to perservere with it but I googles it and the symptoms seem a bit more severe for people with vomiting and diarrohea. I am a bit scared to take it. My number are fine during the day, its just the fasting numbers that are creeping up to the high side of normal and I suppose there is nothing I can do about those. I also have pcos but have never been treated for it.

Izzy,

I have been taking Metformin now for a couple of weeks and I don't have any vomiting or diarrhea. I do, however, have nausea and my belly rumbles alot. My fasting numbers are just getting to be where they should be, though it has taken almost two weeks for that to happen. I take 1000mg with breakfast and 500mg with dinner.

For those who have been on Met for a while, will my numbers most likely stay good now? I know that as my pregnancy progresses my placenta hormones will put more strain on my pancreas and my numbers could go up. But what if they don't? Does that mean my placenta is failing? Will my numbers invariably go up to prove that my placenta is working?

 

[izzy29]

Jenny I think we are due the same date!! I am starting Metformin tomorrow. Did you hae any side effects? The doc told me it might make me feel a bit sick but to perservere with it but I googles it and the symptoms seem a bit more severe for people with vomiting and diarrohea. I am a bit scared to take it. My number are fine during the day, its just the fasting numbers that are creeping up to the high side of normal and I suppose there is nothing I can do about those. I also have pcos but have never been treated for it.

Izzy,

I have been taking Metformin now for a couple of weeks and I don't have any vomiting or diarrhea. I do, however, have nausea and my belly rumbles alot. My fasting numbers are just getting to be where they should be, though it has taken almost two weeks for that to happen. I take 1000mg with breakfast and 500mg with dinner.

For those who have been on Met for a while, will my numbers most likely stay good now? I know that as my pregnancy progresses my placenta hormones will put more strain on my pancreas and my numbers could go up. But what if they don't? Does that mean my placenta is failing? Will my numbers invariably go up to prove that my placenta is working?

Tracey,
My doc seems convinced I will be on Insulin by the end. Not sure why she thinks that. My numbers are all within range still, fasting is creeping up just but she said I am still very early. I am 25 weeks, i thought that was pretty far on. Maybe things can change very quickly though. I am tempted to not take the medication until my fastings are above the range but maybe thats just putting off the inevitable or maybe it wont work aswell if I take it later. eek, i dont know what to do. Wish I had a maternity apt v soon to speak to them, its not for another 3 weeks. All i know is the doc was determined to get me on this tablet from the start!

 

[jenny25]

Yeah the cramps were like really bad period pain that took my breathe away I know there is an alternative for metformin can't remember what the name is though xxx

 

[Doodar]

I've been taking met since diagnosed, haven't had any problems. It depends if your taking the normal ones or the slow release ones. I've heard with the normal that you can get upset stomach and vomiting. I'm on the modified release ones and haven't had any problems. Maybe worth asking your doctor to change to the MR ones if your having problems.

Taking met didnt make any difference to my numbers, I still ended up on insulin. I take both now, met and insulin.

 

[marley79]

Doodar - thank you so much for your lovely post. It's lovely to get a post like that and know that you know exactly how I'm feeling re - birth etc. I'll Pm you re fb if you fancy adding me. So close for you now - exciting times.

Sarahgx4 - you really should push for growth scan etc. and seek out someone who is expereinced with gd and willing to put you on meds.

izzy and Jenny - I have been on metfromin since 12 weeks. I was a little worried about sickness but more worried about the damage of high numbers - even if its just fasting ones. I only felt a bit quesy at times and nothing that couldn't be handled. taking it earlier doesn't mean its less likely to work later on - so my advice get on it asap and get your numbers down. High numbers are worse for you than metfromin. If you did have side effect of poorly tummy to the point it was more than a little niggle they would swtich you to a different med or put you straight on insulin - so you wouldn't be stuck on it and left feeling ill. I think madame was put on insulin due to this.

tracy - I reckon your numbers will stay manageable now - you are at a good stage but everyone is different and maybe they could go suddenly crazy but I think unliklely. A few people have said they get easier to manage later on as the hormones go down a bit ready for the birth.

can't remember who asked - but I'm 36 weeks. Stretch and sweeps and hopeful breaking waters booked for 38 weeks and then 38+5 then if no joy c-section at 39 weeks. x

 

[marley79]

USEFUL INFO FOR ALL ... HYPOGLYCEMIC PROTOCOL FOR NEWBORNS & FEEDING OWN MILK......

So I rang my local hospital today and asked to speak to the infant feeding co-ordinator and told her I wanted to start expresisng colostrum now for my baby. She was amazingly supportive - I have a meeting with her for wed, when she will give me all the syringes, stoppers, bags and labels. This is what she told me on phone:

I can start expressing my colostrum from 36 weeks (now) though she checked no history of preterm birth. Said would be v unlikely it would put you into labour but could cause mild uterine contractions which could help get baby's head further down.

To express by hand 3 times a day into a syringe with stopper and put in fridge. Take out fridge for next collection then when all three expressions done for that day - date and label and put in freezer. When I go into hospital I take all syringes in a tupperware box with name, hosp number etc and it will be stored in fridge if in labour and freezer if not.

When baby is born blood sugars should be tested by heel prick asap even if they appear well. AI should breastfeed asap but defo within one hour. As soon as I finsih first feed, the clock is set and in 3hours baby should have their first 'pre-feed' blood check. Their bloods should be above 2mmol. If it is below baby should be immediately fed again from breast if well enough. If baby sleepy and no energy then this when the stored colostrum syringes come out. If bloods don't come back up then this is when supplemetnal forumla would be given and this should be 7-10mls/kilo of body weight.
So to summarise baby should be fed every three hours and bloods done just before each feed and should be above 2. This should be done for 24hours including temperature and respiratory checks. If all bloods ok then the next 24hours bloods don't need to be checked but temp and respiration should be checked every three hours. If all good then free to go :0)
If sugars drop below 2 and no supplement seems to bring up then off to neo-natal and that is when a glucose drip would be used until sugars stabilised.

So this is policy at my hospital. i would urge everyone to ring and ask what their hospital hypoglcemic policy is and make sure they do it. I had my little girl last feb (GD baby). She was born at 10am and they didn't start the protocol until 11pm that night!! I have been told this was an error - luckily she was fine but I know now to demand that it is being done. I have the feeding co-ordinator's name and she has told me to write my wishes in birthing plan and demand protocol started straight away.

If anyone wants to print off or copy and paste this - it could be useful for when your time comes. Obviously if you are planning to forumla it may be a little different so would double check.

 

[madmae]

izzy and Jenny - I have been on metfromin since 12 weeks. I was a little worried about sickness but more worried about the damage of high numbers - even if its just fasting ones. I only felt a bit quesy at times and nothing that couldn't be handled. taking it earlier doesn't mean its less likely to work later on - so my advice get on it asap and get your numbers down. High numbers are worse for you than metfromin. If you did have side effect of poorly tummy to the point it was more than a little niggle they would swtich you to a different med or put you straight on insulin - so you wouldn't be stuck on it and left feeling ill. I think madame was put on insulin due to this.

Marleys right. I took met last pregnancy and after about 4 weeks I was taken off it as I just couldn't stomach it. This time it was straight onto insulin. No point being miserable on a medication when there is an alternative.

 

[Doodar]

Marley that is some brilliant info, thank you so much for taking the time to post that. Nobody has explained anything to me about what happens when baby is born. I'm going to print it off and take it with me. Thanks again

 

[marley79]

Marley that is some brilliant info, thank you so much for taking the time to post that. Nobody has explained anything to me about what happens when baby is born. I'm going to print it off and take it with me. Thanks again

No probs at all - wish I'd known this first time - can't believe they don't go through this at consultant appointments.
No one told me about this with my daughter and when she was born I asked if they had checked her bloods in theatre and the consultant just said she had good agapr and had fed so not to worry. I now know that shouldn't make any difference to them getting their bloods checked. But when I finally got out of recovery and onto the ward the midwives were good at about getting protocol started - though by then it had been 12 hours. The feeding co-ordinator who told me about the whole protocol thing said sadly when they get busy they do forget to do bloods (not acceptable in her eyes) but encourages mums to be reminding them. So maybe good for everyone to get birth partners and other halfs to know this and be able to check bloods have been done at the right times. I'm taking an alarn clock into hosp to make sure I'm feeding every three hours - obviosuly once baby is couple days old feeding patterns don't have to be this regimented if sugars have all been ok - though last time i caried on for a bit until she settled into her own rythym.

 

[Doodar]

I'm hoping that the hospital will be well up on this protocol. I know they are admitting me the day before section for a sliding scale, so at least thats a step in the right direction, that they are recognising that I have GD and how to manage it during delivery. We went for our ward tour last night and they mentioned about the transitional care unit where mum's and babies go if they have diabetes so I'm hoping they will follow that protocol and monitor baby as they should. I'll still take it along though just in case

 

[marley79]

...sounds better than mine already. I had no tour, went in on the morning of section and no-one even checked my bloods and I'd fasted from 10pm. So sounds like they will be very much up to speed x

 

[izzy29]

My fasting this morn was 4.8! Lowest yet!!! I was planning on taking the metformin at the end of the weekend but if my fasting stays like that it seems good. Did u girls notice much weight loss on metformin?

 

[jenny25]

I lost around 1stone 3lb on metformin I was out on it when they found out I had pcos and I was putting weight on an couldn't shift it at first they thought it was my thyroid but metformin is a great aid if you have had problems x

 

[izzy29]

I find it really difficult to shift, even with lots of exercise and healthy eating. My body just seems to like to hold onto it!

 

[jenny25]

I know it sucks doesn't it I ha the same problem was very frustrated Hun xx

 

[marley79]

I lost no weight on metfromin - and been on max dose long time - put a HUGE 3and half stone on in this pregnancy - so sadly hasn't worked for me in that sense.