GD... What ranges have you been told?

[BellaBoo0512]

I was finally diagnosed as being gestational diabetic at 35 weeks due to 6 episodes of glucose in my urine, elevated blood sugar levels and polyhydramnios (too much fluid) my baby is also measuring a bit bigger than average according to growth scans. I had my glucose tolerance test at 31 weeks and it came back borderline.

I have been given a blood sugar monitor and been told to test before meals one day and then 2 hours after meals the next day. I'm also on 1500mg metformin a day...

I've been told my blood sugar levels need to be less than 6 before meals and less than 7.5 2 hours after meals.

I've not been given any dietary information, only to completely cut out food and drink that contain sugar. I've also discovered that potatoes make my levels shoot up.

I was just wandering if anyone else has been told these ranges or do they vary based on person to person? The only reason I'm asking is that there seemed to be different ranges on a different thread the other day and now I'm really confused as I don't seem to have been told much x

 

[Kayla26]

I think everyone's ranges are different, I was told between 3.5 and 5.5 before meals and under 7 2hours after eating. It's so confusing!

 

[Sephie]

I was told under 6 for fasting and not higher than 7.5 one hour after meals.

 

[BellaBoo0512]

I don't understand why different people get told different ranges :/

 

[midori1999]

Different health trusts just have different ranges, some ae stricter than others. In my last pregnancy with GD I was told below 5.9 fasting and before meals and under 7.8 1 hour post meals, which is in line with NICE guidelines.

This time I have been told not to test after meals, but I need to be under 5.5 fasting and under 6 pre meals. They say the reason for this is that if it shots up after a meal then if you're on insulin you can tend to overcompensate and end up having a hypo (although I didn't find this last time!) and that it doesn't matter too much if it goes up as long as it's down again by the next meal. It'll be interesting to see if my control was as good this time.

Food wise, can you ask to see a dietician? Generally you should eat low Gi foods, so carbs wise wholemeal and whole-wheat versions and potatoes in their skins, or sweet potatoes. You need to eat sensible portions of carbs, not too little, not too much and plenty of fresh vegwith some fruit, although some fruits are lower GI than others. to a good idea to eat protein and 'good' fats at each meal too.

 

[BellaBoo0512]

Different health trusts just have different ranges, some ae stricter than others. In my last pregnancy with GD I was told below 5.9 fasting and before meals and under 7.8 1 hour post meals, which is in line with NICE guidelines.

This time I have been told not to test after meals, but I need to be under 5.5 fasting and under 6 pre meals. They say the reason for this is that if it shots up after a meal then if you're on insulin you can tend to overcompensate and end up having a hypo (although I didn't find this last time!) and that it doesn't matter too much if it goes up as long as it's down again by the next meal. It'll be interesting to see if my control was as good this time.

Food wise, can you ask to see a dietician? Generally you should eat low Gi foods, so carbs wise wholemeal and whole-wheat versions and potatoes in their skins, or sweet potatoes. You need to eat sensible portions of carbs, not too little, not too much and plenty of fresh vegwith some fruit, although some fruits are lower GI than others. to a good idea to eat protein and 'good' fats at each meal too.

That makes sense about different trusts having different guidelines but in my opinion they should all be the same! With regards to the dietician, I'm having a growth scan this Wednesday and then seeing a consultant straight afterwards to find out which day I will be going into hospital to be induced, a couple of weeks ago I was told ill be induced at 38 weeks and I am 37 weeks today so I don't think I'd have a dietician appointment in time.

Every time my readings go out of range I ring the diabetic nurse and she just keeps telling me to up my metformin, doing this has made me feel really sickly

 

[midori1999]

Sorry, just noticed you're 37 weeks already....

If you can speak to a dietician you can probably diet control more for the next week, the diabetic nurse should give you the phone number if you ask her. Just refuse to take no for an answer.

I'm on metformin too. I started at 9 weeks on 1 tablet morning and evening, then at 10 weeks had it upped to 2 tablets morning and evening and then at 12 weeks started on insulin too. The metformin made me really sick at first, but I think y body has got used to it now, although I do still randomly vomit. It's awful, isn't it? Sadly, they probably won't do that much for you now as its so close to term for you.

 

[BellaBoo0512]

Sorry, just noticed you're 37 weeks already....

If you can speak to a dietician you can probably diet control more for the next week, the diabetic nurse should give you the phone number if you ask her. Just refuse to take no for an answer.

I'm on metformin too. I started at 9 weeks on 1 tablet morning and evening, then at 10 weeks had it upped to 2 tablets morning and evening and then at 12 weeks started on insulin too. The metformin made me really sick at first, but I think y body has got used to it now, although I do still randomly vomit. It's awful, isn't it? Sadly, they probably won't do that much for you now as its so close to term for you.

Ill give the diabetic nurse a call tomorrow and ask her re. Dietician. I'm seeing her again on Wednesday so she may tell me to wait till then. Technically I'm not gestational diabetic but because my blood sugars keep escalating they are treating me as though I am. We're you diabetic before you were pregnant?

 

[midori1999]

I wasn't diabetic before pregnancy, but because of the early onset they are treating me as though as was, as the risks are the same as if I were diabetic pre pregnancy.

 

[BellaBoo0512]

It is all so confusing. I haven't been given much information at all and I just feel like I'm being fobbed off all the time or I have to find out information for myself. I'm just glad that I haven't got much longer to go before being induced

 

[yazoo]

Mine are under 5 before meals and under 7 one hour after meals. Potatoes make my levels shoot up too. I had one and a half potatoes yesterday and it was 7.8 and hour later. I find the baby potatoes do not make my levels spike as much though.

 

[Nela]

I was told to keep my fasting at 5.3 and below and keep my 2hr post-meal at 6.7 and below.

 

[Kellya009]

I was told to keep my fasting at 5.3 and below and keep my 2hr post-meal at 6.7 and below.

I've been told the same as Nela.

As far as a diet plan I have been told:

15 grams (1 serving) of carbs at breakfast and for snacks 2x a day
45-60 grams (3-4 servings) of carbs for lunch and dinner each.

And your carbs should come from multigrain bread options, sweet potatoes, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, fruits, and low fat milk. Pair that with a portion of lower fat protein and some healthy fats at each meal. And lots of non starchy veggies (not potatoes or corn type things). They have carbs but fibre as well so it ends up not really being considered a serving of carbs.

Page 16 of this PDF has a good chart on what is considered a serving of carbs, like how much you should have on your plate to equal one serving. https://www.lillydiabetes.com/documents/pdf/My Carb Guide.pdf

 

[BellaBoo0512]

I was told to keep my fasting at 5.3 and below and keep my 2hr post-meal at 6.7 and below.

I've been told the same as Nela.

As far as a diet plan I have been told:

15 grams (1 serving) of carbs at breakfast and for snacks 2x a day
45-60 grams (3-4 servings) of carbs for lunch and dinner each.

And your carbs should come from multigrain bread options, sweet potatoes, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, fruits, and low fat milk. Pair that with a portion of lower fat protein and some healthy fats at each meal. And lots of non starchy veggies (not potatoes or corn type things). They have carbs but fibre as well so it ends up not really being considered a serving of carbs.

Page 16 of this PDF has a good chart on what is considered a serving of carbs, like how much you should have on your plate to equal one serving. https://www.lillydiabetes.com/documents/pdf/My Carb Guide.pdf

Thank you for that. I had high post-meal readings yesterday and I'm being put on insulin on Wednesday. The thought of having to inject myself terrifies me

 

[Kellya009]

I guess the automatic insulin is because you're so close to the end? They don't want to bother educating you or something?

That sucks to not even really have a chance to control it yourself. How are you supposed to, if you don't know what kind of diet to be eating? I hope they don't treat all GD like this and that it's simply because you we're diagnosed so late.

I'm terrified of insulin as well; last week out of my 21 readings 4 were high; so far this week I've managed only 1 high reading. I'm hoping that a few bad readings here or there won't mean insulin!

But You've only got a short amount of time left, you can do it! And at least the insulin means baby will be healthy!

 

[BellaBoo0512]

I guess the automatic insulin is because you're so close to the end? They don't want to bother educating you or something?

That sucks to not even really have a chance to control it yourself. How are you supposed to, if you don't know what kind of diet to be eating? I hope they don't treat all GD like this and that it's simply because you we're diagnosed so late.

I'm terrified of insulin as well; last week out of my 21 readings 4 were high; so far this week I've managed only 1 high reading. I'm hoping that a few bad readings here or there won't mean insulin!

But You've only got a short amount of time left, you can do it! And at least the insulin means baby will be healthy!

I don't know why they are putting me on insulin, I asked if there was much point as I'm being induced next week and she said yes because I can put a lot of weight on in a weeks time. The thing that annoys me the most is that I've had all the signs and symptoms of GD since at least week 30, yet I was 35 weeks pregnant by the time they diagnosed me! This could of been under control weeks ago grr!

 

[Sephie]

At least they will put in your notes that you were diagnosed with GD in this pregnancy so that they will be aware of earlier testing in your next pregnancy! Have a safe and smooth last week before induction!

 

[Nela]

I was told to keep my fasting at 5.3 and below and keep my 2hr post-meal at 6.7 and below.

I've been told the same as Nela.

As far as a diet plan I have been told:

15 grams (1 serving) of carbs at breakfast and for snacks 2x a day
45-60 grams (3-4 servings) of carbs for lunch and dinner each.

And your carbs should come from multigrain bread options, sweet potatoes, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, fruits, and low fat milk. Pair that with a portion of lower fat protein and some healthy fats at each meal. And lots of non starchy veggies (not potatoes or corn type things). They have carbs but fibre as well so it ends up not really being considered a serving of carbs.

Page 16 of this PDF has a good chart on what is considered a serving of carbs, like how much you should have on your plate to equal one serving. https://www.lillydiabetes.com/documents/pdf/My Carb Guide.pdf

Thank you for that! That will help me a lot

 

[midori1999]

I was told to keep my fasting at 5.3 and below and keep my 2hr post-meal at 6.7 and below.

I've been told the same as Nela.

As far as a diet plan I have been told:

15 grams (1 serving) of carbs at breakfast and for snacks 2x a day
45-60 grams (3-4 servings) of carbs for lunch and dinner each.

And your carbs should come from multigrain bread options, sweet potatoes, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, fruits, and low fat milk. Pair that with a portion of lower fat protein and some healthy fats at each meal. And lots of non starchy veggies (not potatoes or corn type things). They have carbs but fibre as well so it ends up not really being considered a serving of carbs.

Page 16 of this PDF has a good chart on what is considered a serving of carbs, like how much you should have on your plate to equal one serving. https://www.lillydiabetes.com/documents/pdf/My Carb Guide.pdf

Thank you for that. I had high post-meal readings yesterday and I'm being put on insulin on Wednesday. The thought of having to inject myself terrifies me

Really, don't worry about the insulin needles, they are absolutely tiny. Only 4mm long and very, very fine, you can't even feel them going in. I think finger pricking hurts more in all honesty.

 

[Kellya009]

Really, don't worry about the insulin needles, they are absolutely tiny. Only 4mm long and very, very fine, you can't even feel them going in. I think finger pricking hurts more in all honesty.

Wow really? I didn't know that. Thanks, that makes me way less nervous if I have to go on it.