GD support thread

[daisy72]

they called this morning and i gave them my numbers I already had an appointment scheduled for Thurs... Im worried that if i eat the recommended amount of carbs my numbers will get too high... which is the better evil eating the right amount of carbs and having high readings or eating less carbs but having good readings?

Hi, I asked exactly the same question when pregnant with my daughter (also a GD pregnancy), and the specialist told me that I need to watch my ketones. If they are negative or traces, it is OK, but if they are moderate to high I probably need to eat more carbs. BTW in that pregnancy my daily goal was only 8 servings of carbs, not 175 g (almost 12) like in this one.My daugher was born a healthy 7 pounder. Every doctor is different
So I would probably buy Ketostix, luckily they are much cheaper than the glucose strips and test myself from time to time.

 

[HuskyMomWI]

they called this morning and i gave them my numbers I already had an appointment scheduled for Thurs... Im worried that if i eat the recommended amount of carbs my numbers will get too high... which is the better evil eating the right amount of carbs and having high readings or eating less carbs but having good readings?

I'm not sure which is better. I went the first week with almost no carbs though and they didn't make a huge deal about it. I ate a lot if protein that week.

 

[ameeann]

Hi Ladies, I haven't commented on here in a while, been super busy with the wee one!

I just wanted to emphasize how important it is that you make sure your midwife/ped checks babies levels no longer than half an hour after the wee one is born!

My LO's levels weren't checked for 2 hours after he was born, even then I had to tell them to do it and they went in to panic!

His levels were only 1.9 - brain damage/ coma level, so it's a very good job I had the knowledge to tell them to do it!
Luckily my LO is completely fine . . . but please please please make sure it is done, if he was left any longer he could have had brain damage!


good luck with the gd and labour and being parents ladies!


lots o love

 

[lch28]

thanks for the advice hun, ill def remember to tell them, im so glad LO is okay!

 

[TTC36]

Hopeful,
You definitely shouldn't cut out carbs altogether, that is not healthy either (can lead to ketoacidosis, which happens when you fast. This can cause harm to your baby). If it is the case that you cannot consume some carbs and control your numbers, you may end up on Metformin or insulin. Something to keep in mind is that eating carbs alongside protein and fat can help lessen the sugar 'spike' after a meal, and can keep your levels lower. So a common thing I would eat would be an apple (carb) with peanut butter (fat and protein). Eating whole grain toast with cheese and an egg is similarly balanced.

Fasting numbers are really hard to control (that was my issue). To control morning fasting numbers, I was advised to always have a snack before bed (I usually ate the apple/peanut butter then, or else a nutrigrain bar and a glass of milk), and exercise after dinner helps a great deal (30 min - hour of brisk walking). I also kept some almonds by the bed and would nibble on a few when I got up to pee (not sure how much that helped). After meal exercise is quite helpful in terms of bringing your numbers back down throughout the day (or emptying the dishwasher, doing laundry, etc).

For some people, getting the morning numbers down is not possible (as was the case with me). THere is something called the dawn effect, where your body (liver) reacts to lowish blood sugar (since you are 'fasting' throughout the night as you sleep) by releasing blood sugar - thus resulting in a high morning fasting reading. Again, if the strategies above don't help (bedtime snack, exercise) then medication may be the best strategy.

Good luck!

Hello I'm new on this thread as I was just diagnosed with GD last Thurs. They told me that I dont need to test my sugars until I take my classes but as I already knew how to work my meter, I thought it would be a good idea to start testing and find out what i can and cannot eat... I'm getting worried though and dont know quite what to do at this point my readings are in my opinion out of control...

my fastings are between between 6.2 (113 )and 8.0 (145) and my 2 hours after meals are anywhere between 6.2 (113) and 9.8 (177) i did have one reading of 12.3 (221) but i had eaten something sweet... My dr calls every Mon and thurs to get my readings for my Dr to sign off on but i dont even take my class until friday and i'm really trying to keep my numbers down on diet alone and the only time my post meal numbers are below 6.7 (120) is when i eat 0 carbs... if i even eat 20g my sugar is above 7.8 (140) and i know i need carbs so I really dont know what to do....

I really dont know what to do about my fastings... this morning it was a little better as it was 6.2 (113) but i ate no carbs with dinner last night and its still high and im worried about keytones...

Like I just took my sugars and after eating 30g of carbs it came out as a 11.0 (199) what do i do? do i just wait the week and hope baby Noelle is ok? Call the dr and ask if i should be put on meds even without the class? I just dont know but im so stressed out I worry about everything i put in my mouth and am so upset that i cant seem to control this...

Sorry for the novel im just so stressed and worried...

 

[amjon]

- GD doesn't come on until the third trimester when the demands of the baby put more pressure on our pancreas. Every women - even those without GD - has this same pressure put on them. Some women's bodies can cope and some can't. This is not something that you can control. It also means that your baby has been growing just fine for many months, and will continue to be fine because you are getting treated (and please keep in mind that there are women who don't discover they have GD - I know one personally - who are not treated, who have had mild complications but ultimately healthy babies).
important to your baby, so please try not to be so hard on yourself!

Not entirely true. I was diagnosed with GD at 8 weeks with my twins! It can come at any point, but is more common later on.

The MFM told me insulin is the only medication she is 100% comfortable using for diabetes. She doesn't like Metformin as she says it's not proven to be completely safe for the babies. She said insulin is natural to your body and does not cross the placenta, so doesn't hurt the babies at all. Uncontrolled BS will hurt the babies though, so you shouldn't feel bad about using insulin to help out.

 

[amjon]

Hello I'm new on this thread as I was just diagnosed with GD last Thurs. They told me that I dont need to test my sugars until I take my classes but as I already knew how to work my meter, I thought it would be a good idea to start testing and find out what i can and cannot eat... I'm getting worried though and dont know quite what to do at this point my readings are in my opinion out of control...

my fastings are between between 6.2 (113 )and 8.0 (145) and my 2 hours after meals are anywhere between 6.2 (113) and 9.8 (177) i did have one reading of 12.3 (221) but i had eaten something sweet... My dr calls every Mon and thurs to get my readings for my Dr to sign off on but i dont even take my class until friday and i'm really trying to keep my numbers down on diet alone and the only time my post meal numbers are below 6.7 (120) is when i eat 0 carbs... if i even eat 20g my sugar is above 7.8 (140) and i know i need carbs so I really dont know what to do....

I really dont know what to do about my fastings... this morning it was a little better as it was 6.2 (113) but i ate no carbs with dinner last night and its still high and im worried about keytones...

Like I just took my sugars and after eating 30g of carbs it came out as a 11.0 (199) what do i do? do i just wait the week and hope baby Noelle is ok? Call the dr and ask if i should be put on meds even without the class? I just dont know but im so stressed out I worry about everything i put in my mouth and am so upset that i cant seem to control this...

Sorry for the novel im just so stressed and worried...

I would call them. The MFM put me on insulin straight away (3 high readings) when I couldn't tolerate any carbs. I had to do just meat and non-starchy veggies all weekend until they opened. You NEED carbs or it could harm the baby. You will probably need a low dose of insulin (I'm on 5 units morning and night, so very low).

 

[NatalieW]

GD does typically show in third Tri, more often than not. It did on my first pregnancy but it has shown in me again at 18wks. So it can show at any point.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

I am another one on a 2nd pregnancy where GD began at 16 weeks and was definitely in full swing by 20 weeks.

27 weeks + has been a whole different level though in terms of controlling it.

Does anyone have any experience as to whether it might calm down at all between now and my induction at 38 weeks???

I wasnt diagnosed with my older daughter until 36 weeks so I dont have much experience as to how the final few weeks might go.

 

[daisy72]

Amelie, I was told that even if it calms down, it will happen after 38 weeks due to the placenta getting older. So not too helpful
I understand there are different opinions about GD diagnosed earlier than 20+ weeks. A lot of doctors just consider it pre-pregnancy diabetes (type 2 or 1). Some believe that it is an early onset of diabetes that coincided and was triggered by the start of pregnancy and all the hormonal changes that come with it. Some docs consider any diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy as gestational, until the opposite is proven. Anyway, our future will show. The risk of developing diabetes shortly after pregnancy (like within 5 years) is very real, unfortunately .

 

[NatalieW]

I am another one on a 2nd pregnancy where GD began at 16 weeks and was definitely in full swing by 20 weeks.

27 weeks + has been a whole different level though in terms of controlling it.

Does anyone have any experience as to whether it might calm down at all between now and my induction at 38 weeks???

I wasnt diagnosed with my older daughter until 36 weeks so I dont have much experience as to how the final few weeks might go.

Last pregnancy mine calmed down at 36wks. I'm not looking forward to hitting 28wks.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

Amelie, I was told that even if it calms down, it will happen after 38 weeks due to the placenta getting older. So not too helpful

Booooooooooo That makes sense I guess.

At the moment I just don't know what they are going to do with me from a medication point of view.

When I saw the diabetic consultant on Monday they were not that happy that I wasn't gaining weight, really having to restrict carbs and have had a couple of instances of ketones (but that appears to have been a one off)

I was told to eat more carbs - which I am doing and they relaxed my post meal target.

2 hours post meals today my readings have been 3.9 (that was after a big bowl of reddybrek with honey and cinnamon) and then 6.5 which was after a subway meatball salad and then half a slice of soya and linseed.

My pre meal reading are quite often in the 3s

If is so erratic though, in the spirit of trying to eat more carbs I ate a granary roll with turkey in it and salad at the weekend and that sent me up to 9 two hours post meal but an hour and a half after that I had dropped to 3.8 (this massive jump made me feel awful )

The plan was to put me on a very small dose of insulin but will they be able to do that with my numbers as they are???

 

[NatalieW]

Wow Amelie they are some serious jumps going on. No wonder your not feeling well.

I've only gained about 9lb couple weeks ago when nasty consultant weighed me!

 

[AmeliePoulain]

Wow Amelie they are some serious jumps going on. No wonder your not feeling well.

I've only gained about 9lb couple weeks ago when nasty consultant weighed me!

It isn't pleasant

My consultant is great - he is Australian and called Dave - I call him Diabetic Dave

He thinks because I have been so good on diet control, and I did really change my diet from BFP onwards and then very seriously at 16 weeks that my body is going into a type of shock when I have even small amounts of carbs.

I get raging thirst, dizziness, fluid retention etc when I go much over 6.5 at the moment

I have been told to try and wean myself back on to carbs, so this week to have half a slice of bread and then next week maybe try a whole slice of bread. They are going to review me at 34 weeks and decide on insulin or not.

My body seems very good at getting my blood sugar down though (a bit dramatically) it just lets it get way to high.

It is so rubbish, this has been a wonderful, happy, easy pregnancy and now I am longing for 38 weeks because I feel like my body has gone crazy

 

[daisy72]

How much are you ladies supposed to gain, according to your doctors? Mine said 20 lbs, I've gained 15 so far (will hardly gain much more I guess, no way with this torture of a diet), and she didn't say a word... My pre-pregnancy BMI was 23.

 

[NatalieW]

I would be very wary of insulin injections then at a risk of hypos. You are almost having them at the moment let a lot when you add in insulin.

I'm not enjoying pregnancy at all. Two like this and it sucks. Sorry bummer mood!!

Daisy I'm not sure what we should/shouldn't gain. But I was quite pleased with mine. Shows I've controlled the GD well.

I really want chocolate today and run out if diabetic version.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

I will report back when I see Diabetic Dave - I wander if they will just adjust my post meal target to 7ish and keep me going on diet alone

I started out at 125lbs (8st 9) and am 134lbs now (9st 5) No one seems overly concerned about it. My baby weighs 4lb 6oz approx at the moment and I have top end of normal fluid levels.

I imagine I won't have much weight to lose at the end.

I was never given a weight target though, I get weighed every time I go to the hospital which is weekly at the moment!

 

[hopeful4bfp]

Hello Ladies,

So just got home from the dr and they put me on oral meds not metformin but another one that starts with a G.. we are going to re-evaluate in 3 days or so...

I actually feel a little better now cause i know that my numbers will be lower and i dont have to stress as much...

the Dr also says that i will be induced at 38 weeks and that i have a 50% chance of a C-section due to large baby though right now my fundal height is spot on for my gestation...

I do have to go in every week for sonograms so at least ill get to see her every week until she is here...

now that i am having her 2 weeks early i feel like im running out of time... i planned on going overdue 2 weeks like my mom did with all of hers so its like a month has been cut off

 

[TTC36]

Not entirely true. I was diagnosed with GD at 8 weeks with my twins! It can come at any point, but is more common later on.

The MFM told me insulin is the only medication she is 100% comfortable using for diabetes. She doesn't like Metformin as she says it's not proven to be completely safe for the babies. She said insulin is natural to your body and does not cross the placenta, so doesn't hurt the babies at all. Uncontrolled BS will hurt the babies though, so you shouldn't feel bad about using insulin to help out.

True, GD can come on earlier, but this is not common at all (especially in a first pregnancy). For the vast majority of women, it gradually comes on at the end of the second/start of the third trimester - the point being that during the critical first trimester when the placenta and brain are doing all their important development that GD is not having an impact (for most women). GD is of course a higher/earlier risk in subsequent pregnancies (as is Type 2 diabetes).

Hopeful you are probably on Glyburide. My doctor was also not comfortable prescribing Metformin (it isn't used in preganancy in Canada yet), however, there have been some very large research studies that have looked at its use during pregnancy that point to it being safe (the Mig study from New Zealand, where a follow up studies of the babies of GD moms treated with Metformin were assessed). My own endocrinologist (who ran a diabetes in pregnancy clinic) had just signed up to a large pilot project where they were trialing Metformin for pregnant women with Type 2 diabetes. Metformin has also been used in places like Africa to treat GD and Type 2 diabetes for over 40 years....so the research may not have caught up to the usage. Metformin does cross the placental barrier, but there is a lot of data out there already that points to it being safe (and insulin has it's own risks).

Gluck on the rest of your pregnancy being healthy and stress free!!

 

[hopeful4bfp]

Hopeful you are probably on Glyburide. My doctor was also not comfortable prescribing Metformin (it isn't used in preganancy in Canada yet), however, there have been some very large research studies that have looked at its use during pregnancy that point to it being safe (the Mig study from New Zealand, where a follow up studies of the babies of GD moms treated with Metformin were assessed). My own endocrinologist (who ran a diabetes in pregnancy clinic) had just signed up to a large pilot project where they were trialing Metformin for pregnant women with Type 2 diabetes. Metformin has also been used in places like Africa to treat GD and Type 2 diabetes for over 40 years....so the research may not have caught up to the usage. Metformin does cross the placental barrier, but there is a lot of data out there already that points to it being safe (and insulin has it's own risks).

Gluck on the rest of your pregnancy being healthy and stress free!!

Thanks for that i didnt know any of that... right now im worried about a c section it was the one thing that i didnt want and i know even with an average sized baby forcing your body into labor before its ready can very easily cause distress and lead to c section