GD support thread

[CelticNiamh]

So I spoke to the gp......

Who told me to stop testing my sugar????? And that if my sugar was hugh then they will pick it up in my urine at my midwife app......

So now im even more confused. So glad theres only another 7 weeks of this.

I am not surprised to be honest I would tend to listen to some one trained in gestational diabetites not my GP who would have to go and read up before advising you,i Have got mad advice from GP's when are you to be seen by the diabetites team again?

to be honest I would not be happy with my sugars being that high I would be getting in touch with my diabetic midwife to let her know, do you have any contact information for them how do your appointment work!!! do they have you monitoring your blood sugars ?

 

[CelticNiamh]

So I spoke to the gp......

Who told me to stop testing my sugar????? And that if my sugar was hugh then they will pick it up in my urine at my midwife app......

So now im even more confused. So glad theres only another 7 weeks of this.

I am not surprised to be honest I would tend to listen to some one trained in gestational diabetites not my GP who would have to go and read up before advising you,i Have got mad advice from GP's when are you to be seen by the diabetites team again?

to be honest I would not be happy with my sugars being that high I would be getting in touch with my diabetic midwife to let her know, do you have any contact information for them how do your appointment work!!! do they have you monitoring your blood sugars ?

PS sorry for all the questions and your midwife may not pick it up in your urine you doing the diet and when my sugars went high enough for insulin I had no signs in my urine at all just thought I would let you know!

 

[Sephie]

CelticNiamh, thank you for your reply and that gives me some less worry as to how many children we'd love to plan to have in the future! Your advice is really valuable to me! x

LittleSienna, I don't know how things are done in the UK, but I feel that it seems that the GP doesn't seem that worried about your sugars and I honestly would get advice from the diabetic nurse (we also have a diabetic nurse in the Netherlands but I haven't yet been referred).

I hope that you will get some help with it!

 

[LittleSienna]

Yes I was advised to test my sugars and alter my diet but haven't been given a date or number for the diabetic team?

Or told what my sugar was supposed to be either....

I feel like because my test was borderline they dont really care, but I do and I feel really uncared for and so confused......its not good for my stress levels.

 

[CelticNiamh]

Yes I was advised to test my sugars and alter my diet but haven't been given a date or number for the diabetic team?

Or told what my sugar was supposed to be either....

I feel like because my test was borderline they dont really care, but I do and I feel really uncared for and so confused......its not good for my stress levels.

I would bust a gasket
Try and contact whom ever gave you the blood sugar monitor as why would they give you that if they had no intentions of following that up very poor care and completely not on!!! Someone has made a mistake some were. You need to get in touch with the clinic that looks after GD women and chat to them; as soon as you tell them your numbers they will want to see you I am sure of it. or failing that ring your midwife and explain to her how your numbers are high and whom do you tell as your very worried about it now!!
Do not worry too much on numbers yes they are higher than what is liked but it’s when you are in double digits 15 upwards is when it can really effect you both or so I was told!!

 

[Tiffylove]

I'm about 31 weeks. I was diagnosed with GD at 7 weeks.
Due June 24th with a baby boy.

I am having a harder and harder time controlling my GD. It makes it even harder that a lot of things we can eat, I can't get down or make me puke. I'm currently taking Glyburide twice a day and still have issues. I walk for 45 minutes a day 6 times a week.

They are scaring me with all the talk of GD moms having high risk of stillborns. At 34 weeks I start some stress and perinatal testing twice a week. At 27 weeks my stomach measured 25cms and at 29 weeks it measured 30 cms, so now they are even more concerned and I have an US scheduled for next week to check on the baby.

 

[CelticNiamh]

I'm about 31 weeks. I was diagnosed with GD at 7 weeks.
Due June 24th with a baby boy.

I am having a harder and harder time controlling my GD. It makes it even harder that a lot of things we can eat, I can't get down or make me puke. I'm currently taking Glyburide twice a day and still have issues. I walk for 45 minutes a day 6 times a week.

They are scaring me with all the talk of GD moms having high risk of stillborns. At 34 weeks I start some stress and perinatal testing twice a week. At 27 weeks my stomach measured 25cms and at 29 weeks it measured 30 cms, so now they are even more concerned and I have an US scheduled for next week to check on the baby.

I have always measured bigger it can be down to more fluid than problems with the baby, fundal height is not a good indication of baby size it is ok to be one to two cm less or more! The scan will show more; normally GD babies will have a bigger tummy and head than normal but if your GD is controlled then there is generally no problems. All my babies have been born healthy and I have had GD on all except my 2nd it was missed on him and he was a healthy but big at 10 pounds 2 he was my VBAC as well

The baby health would be affected if your numbers were 15 upwards with no insulin to help bring them down again.

May be you need more insulin at each meal to help keep numbers in better control and eat food you can tolerate!

I am on novorapid at each meal and insulatard at lunch and bedtime, even with insulin and eating well my blood sugars go up and I am getting my insulin adjusted twice a week, just remember it’s all down to hormones and not your fault

 

[nickynora]

So I spoke to the gp......

Who told me to stop testing my sugar????? And that if my sugar was hugh then they will pick it up in my urine at my midwife app......

So now im even more confused. So glad theres only another 7 weeks of this.

I wouldn't stop testing if you've been asked to hun. Sugar will not necessarily show up in your urine - I've had none so far in mine and was diagnosed with GD at 29 weeks following a routine GLT when I was 27+4!!

I had a routine GLT due to high BMI and previous large baby (10lb 6oz!) - they are now considering the possiblity that I had GD last time but as I have no family history and was lighter then I wasn't routinely tested and none showed in my urine.

My GLT result was borderline at 7.8, the cut off point in my area! And I have been monitoring my blood sugars since 29 weeks, and I am already having to take 500mg of Metformin (which I'm told is nothing in the grand scheme of things) at breakfast to control my post breakfast readings, so things can change very quickly even in a 'borderline' case.

I have to keep my numbers between 3.5 and 5.9 before meals, and 4 and 7.8 an hour after meals. (I know some area vary slightly)

If I were you I would ring your local hospital switchboard and ask to be put through to the Diabetic Centre there (if they have opne, mine does and thats who deals with me), they should be able to give you some advice and get you seen. If not then contact the Ante-natal Clinic there and explain to them, they should know who you need to speak to.

You should at least be seeing a Diabetic Nurse, if not a Consultant and you should have been to see a Dietician too. I now have all 3, and have even got 2 extra scans and various different appointments now and I was only 'borderline', and it's all because of the Metformin.



Sorry for the really long post but I wanted to let you know how things have been for me, and I think it's important that you carry on testing and hopefully someone will get you sorted soon xx

 

[nickynora]

Yes I was advised to test my sugars and alter my diet but haven't been given a date or number for the diabetic team?

Or told what my sugar was supposed to be either....

I feel like because my test was borderline they dont really care, but I do and I feel really uncared for and so confused......its not good for my stress levels.

See my other post hun!

I would also make a complaint about your lack of care, its not just you at risk but baby too!

The girls on here are fab with advice but are no subsitute for the care you should be receiving from your local hospital/midwife etc xx

 

[USAF_WIFE]

Ok so I am eating dinner now about the finish actually then test in an hour. I got a little daring added a tsp of BBQ sauce to my chicken and had two tenderloins versus one as I am feeling abit more hungry today praying that did not kill my numbers. I feel very frustrated and tired of plain food because I am not well educated on meals and what not.

Numbers thus far today.

5.1,6.8,6.3

ETA- 6.1 after my dinner ladies.

 

[Sephie]

LittleSienna, I too was diagnosed as borderline case, and wasn't even told to get a blood sugar monitor at all! I bought one anyway just for my own peace of mind, and honestly I don't feel like the gynae/dietist really are too worried about me but I know now for myself with my blood sugar monitor what food spikes my sugar level and not. I do hope that I you can get more support from your nurses and GPs soon! I know I will insist on more support as well in my next appointment!

My post snack reading last night was 6.6 after 1 hr and that was a sneaky mini magnum ice cream! So I do just have to be really really careful about what I eat in the mornings as nickynora said that with her borderline diabetes, I find it harder it control in the mornings. As I too was also diagnosed borderline with a 7.7 after my 2 hour GTT test!

Oh one more silly question, am I allowed to drink flavoured teas like for eg. Lipton's blueberry muffin tea (which I don't add any sugar or milk to) so I drink it black. It's basically black flavoured tea, the one where you add hot water (not already blended or pre-made in a carton). I know it sounds a silly question but I just want to make sure...

https://www.deliciousmagazine.nl/files/2013/03/LipBlueberryMuffinPA_drukwerk_RGB_KL.jpg

 

[CelticNiamh]

LittleSienna, I too was diagnosed as borderline case, and wasn't even told to get a blood sugar monitor at all! I bought one anyway just for my own peace of mind, and honestly I don't feel like the gynae/dietist really are too worried about me but I know now for myself with my blood sugar monitor what food spikes my sugar level and not. I do hope that I you can get more support from your nurses and GPs soon! I know I will insist on more support as well in my next appointment!

My post snack reading last night was 6.6 after 1 hr and that was a sneaky mini magnum ice cream! So I do just have to be really really careful about what I eat in the mornings as nickynora said that with her borderline diabetes, I find it harder it control in the mornings. As I too was also diagnosed borderline with a 7.7 after my 2 hour GTT test!

Oh one more silly question, am I allowed to drink flavoured teas like for eg. Lipton's blueberry muffin tea (which I don't add any sugar or milk to) so I drink it black. It's basically black flavoured tea, the one where you add hot water (not already blended or pre-made in a carton). I know it sounds a silly question but I just want to make sure...

https://www.deliciousmagazine.nl/files/2013/03/LipBlueberryMuffinPA_drukwerk_RGB_KL.jpg

Yea as far as I know, if there is no sugar in the tea then it is ok to drink

 

[Sephie]

Thanks CelticNiamh! I happily drank that tea and had a slice of brown bread with a hardboiled egg and tomato this morning for breakfast and was 6.9 after an hour, so all's on track!

 

[CelticNiamh]

Thanks CelticNiamh! I happily drank that tea and had a slice of brown bread with a hardboiled egg and tomato this morning for breakfast and was 6.9 after an hour, so all's on track!

I had egg as well and had a great reading forgot my snack though so went low naughty me I am ok now though

 

[LittleSienna]

So ive had a really bad day today......

I had some grilled bacon, a boiled egg and one slice of wholemeal toast. My fasting reading was 2.7 this morning. And one hour after it was 9.5 then retested at two hours to check it had come down, 9.2.

Before lunch was 6.8 and I had tuna salad with two breadsticks. One hour after it was 8.5.

Not had dinner yet....... but im phoning the midwife first thing tomorrow.......

 

[midori1999]

So yet again.....its 3.8 on fasting. I thought diabetes was supposed to give you high sugar in the morning????


edited to add*

and now 1 hour after breakfast its 8.8......

Ive rang my GP surgery as its open on a saturday morning and requested a call back, for advice...

So I spoke to the gp......

Who told me to stop testing my sugar????? And that if my sugar was hugh then they will pick it up in my urine at my midwife app......

So now im even more confused. So glad theres only another 7 weeks of this.

So ive had a really bad day today......

I had some grilled bacon, a boiled egg and one slice of wholemeal toast. My fasting reading was 2.7 this morning. And one hour after it was 9.5 then retested at two hours to check it had come down, 9.2.

Before lunch was 6.8 and I had tuna salad with two breadsticks. One hour after it was 8.5.

Not had dinner yet....... but im phoning the midwife first thing tomorrow.......

First of all, I wouldn't worry too much about those readings, they are high, but not stupidly high. In my last pregnancy I rarely got a post breakfast reading of less than 10 and that was on insulin, I just couldn't increase my insulin fast enough to keep up without and didn't want hypos as I was alone with my children.

It's also beyond stupid to suggest that if you are getting high readings you'd have sugar in your urine, as plenty of people with GD and high readings don't have sugar in their urine, I never have.

Lastly, have you seen a dietician? If you can't diet control with a sensible amount of carbs then you may well need mess. I was severely told off for eating just one slice of toast with breakfast (my readings were still too high like that too) and lectured about the important of carbs for the growing baby and also the dangers of not enough carbs in my diet. It was made abundantly clear to me that I needed to eat a good portion of carbs with each meal, at least 40g.

 

[Tiffylove]

The baby health would be affected if your numbers were 15 upwards with no insulin to help bring them down again.

I think we are using different measurements. My blood sugar tester is usually in the hundreds unless its my fasting range. Are you talking about the A1c? If so I don't know those measurements. I know the highest mine has been is 204. Which they want it under 130. I don't know how the 15 you speak of converts to the numbers I am using but I would love to know at what numbers in my measurements the baby is affected.

I don't know how to measure what you are measuring.

 

[USAF_WIFE]

The baby health would be affected if your numbers were 15 upwards with no insulin to help bring them down again.

I think we are using different measurements. My blood sugar tester is usually in the hundreds unless its my fasting range. Are you talking about the A1c? If so I don't know those measurements. I know the highest mine has been is 204. Which they want it under 130. I don't know how the 15 you speak of converts to the numbers I am using but I would love to know at what numbers in my measurements the baby is affected.

I don't know how to measure what you are measuring.

There is a converter two or three pages back posted for me you and I use the same numbers but most these ladies do not. I just convert and post so they can help me with questions!

 

[midori1999]

The baby health would be affected if your numbers were 15 upwards with no insulin to help bring them down again.

I think we are using different measurements. My blood sugar tester is usually in the hundreds unless its my fasting range. Are you talking about the A1c? If so I don't know those measurements. I know the highest mine has been is 204. Which they want it under 130. I don't know how the 15 you speak of converts to the numbers I am using but I would love to know at what numbers in my measurements the baby is affected.

I don't know how to measure what you are measuring.

130 is about 7.2mmol, 204 is 11.2mmol. You divide your numbers by 18 to get the mmol, or times by 18 to get your readings, so 15 is 270.


Having said that, my diabetic teams have both told me that they don't know what numbers affect the pregnancy is that way because every pregnancy Is different. It's unlikely a few occasional high numbers will affect your baby or placenta though. I have a couple of friends who are type 1's and they regularly got readings of 25 plus during pregnancy and their babies were fine, so there are no definites and that's one of the reasons they are so strict during pregnancy.

 

[CelticNiamh]

The baby health would be affected if your numbers were 15 upwards with no insulin to help bring them down again.

I think we are using different measurements. My blood sugar tester is usually in the hundreds unless its my fasting range. Are you talking about the A1c? If so I don't know those measurements. I know the highest mine has been is 204. Which they want it under 130. I don't know how the 15 you speak of converts to the numbers I am using but I would love to know at what numbers in my measurements the baby is affected.

I don't know how to measure what you are measuring.

130 is about 7.2mmol, 204 is 11.2mmol. You divide your numbers by 18 to get the mmol, or times by 18 to get your readings, so 15 is 270.


Having said that, my diabetic teams have both told me that they don't know what numbers affect the pregnancy is that way because every pregnancy Is different. It's unlikely a few occasional high numbers will affect your baby or placenta though. I have a couple of friends who are type 1's and they regularly got readings of 25 plus during pregnancy and their babies were fine, so there are no definites and that's one of the reasons they are so strict during pregnancy.

Thanks that is good to know, I was trying to remember I know I was very worried about what numbers would effect baby on my last pregnancy as mine were high at the time

LittleSienna Good luck tomorrow with the midwife let us know how you get on, how did you feel with a 2.7 that is quite low good luck