Gestational Diabetes Group - Us vs. the Carbs

[northern_me]

See, I'm checking 1hrs! Maybe that's why they're so out of whack. If I was testing 2hrs they could be fine.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

1hr is the peak and 2hrs (I was told) to aim to be back down to a fasting or pre meal level.

My hospital has changed policy between my last pregnancy and this pregnancy.

I had immensely well controlled numbers in my last pregnancy but still had a bit of excess fluid around 32 weeks that had resolved by 36 weeks and all my scans with DD2 showed her abdominal circumference was her biggest measurement.

I find 1hr testing wayyyyyyyyyyy harder for me, I peak quite high and then crash so 2 hour testing suited me (but I was starving) but I hope having good numbers this time on 1hr means that baby isn't affected as much.

It is a month now since my last high reading. I'm really proud of that

 

[oneway]

Well done Amelie! I could not have done what you are doing given my food preferences. And you still have some weeks to go. I wish you the best for an insulin free pregnancy!

 

[AmeliePoulain]

I think I am coping better than I was with DD2 at this stage and the GD started earlier with her, so I am optimistic (today at least)

Scan time on Wednesday, which is always a little scary.

 

[Amythyst]

I do 1 hour testing. I don't think I could tolerate doing 2 hour. My doctor's office just says you have to pick one and stick with it. You can't do 1 hour sometimes and 2 hour others... 1 hour must be under 140 and 2 hour must be under 120.

 

[northern_me]

I totally snuck a chocolate cupcake at my baby shower today. God, that was good. I avoided all other carbs during it just to have one.

 

[Christina86]

Oh that sounds good, Northern! My husband just finished up cake we had- I made it last weekend before I found out. I was a bit jealous =[

Though I am able to eat cinnamon graham crackers. I never eat more than 1 1/2 sheets at once anyway and serving size is 2. I get the sweet flavor in. Makes me happy.

 

[Christina86]

Grr. My numbers have been high today. Over where it should have been waking up and 2hrs after breakfast (eating the same thing I did yesterday- minus the english muffin) I was really close to where the cut off is!

I feel hungry even after I just ate. I want food I can't have. I am seriously craving a bowl of pasta, and a gigantic piece of chocolate cake with ice cream. It's hard not to give into these cravings. Part of me wants to have a "whatever" day but I can't bring myself to even have one of those days if there is a potential harm to the baby.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

You are in the withdrawal stage of it, it'll get better x

 

[oneway]

I don't know about it getting better. The closer I am to actually delivering the harder this is getting for me. I feel really frustrated. Not that I cannot eat cake, but that I cannot have an extra cracker with my cheese or a tortilla instead of brown rice. I now have prescriptions for both slow release insulin as well as the fast acting kind and I was told that if I want to indulge I can have a couple of units of fast acting insulin. But then I go and read a scientific paper that tells me that those on insulin produce more abnormal looking placentae. Although the study focuses on only a couple of issues and is not holistic, I start to get all worried if I am harming my baby. Aaargh!

 

[Amythyst]

Grr. My numbers have been high today. Over where it should have been waking up and 2hrs after breakfast (eating the same thing I did yesterday- minus the english muffin) I was really close to where the cut off is!

I feel hungry even after I just ate. I want food I can't have. I am seriously craving a bowl of pasta, and a gigantic piece of chocolate cake with ice cream. It's hard not to give into these cravings. Part of me wants to have a "whatever" day but I can't bring myself to even have one of those days if there is a potential harm to the baby.

Have you tried using special pasta or getting the "no sugar added" ice cream or the one I use called "Carb Smart" ice cream? The website that I order food from has a pasta called "Carb-o-Nada" - it does not affect my blood sugar and I can have pasta when I want. I usually use an Alfredo based sauce but the website also sells a low carb tomato based sauce. The ice cream I eat is by Bryers and it also doesn't bother my sugars...

I also started buying some sugar free candies by Russell Stover...they have all sorts of things like sugar free peanut butter cups and other chocolate candies. I eat sugar free pudding...

If I couldn't eat this stuff I would also go nuts.

What are you eating on a daily basis? Roughly? You shouldn't have to go hungry. This is why I don't test 2 hours but 1 hour because I think it makes you have to wait too long between meals.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

I really think sugar is so addictive though - those first few days/weeks are horrible - it is like going cold turkey, especially if you have been eating a lot in the lead up to diagnosis.

It really sucks - I can't have the diabetic icecream, sweets or sugar free puddings - something in them doesn't agree with my sugars or my stomach and I get crippling stomach cramps.

 

[Christina86]

Grr. My numbers have been high today. Over where it should have been waking up and 2hrs after breakfast (eating the same thing I did yesterday- minus the english muffin) I was really close to where the cut off is!

I feel hungry even after I just ate. I want food I can't have. I am seriously craving a bowl of pasta, and a gigantic piece of chocolate cake with ice cream. It's hard not to give into these cravings. Part of me wants to have a "whatever" day but I can't bring myself to even have one of those days if there is a potential harm to the baby.

Have you tried using special pasta or getting the "no sugar added" ice cream or the one I use called "Carb Smart" ice cream? The website that I order food from has a pasta called "Carb-o-Nada" - it does not affect my blood sugar and I can have pasta when I want. I usually use an Alfredo based sauce but the website also sells a low carb tomato based sauce. The ice cream I eat is by Bryers and it also doesn't bother my sugars...

I also started buying some sugar free candies by Russell Stover...they have all sorts of things like sugar free peanut butter cups and other chocolate candies. I eat sugar free pudding...

If I couldn't eat this stuff I would also go nuts.

What are you eating on a daily basis? Roughly? You shouldn't have to go hungry. This is why I don't test 2 hours but 1 hour because I think it makes you have to wait too long between meals.

The thing is, for meals, I am not doing anything that is too different. Chicken, meatloaf, pork, I can still have mashed potatoes I just have to make sure it is the right portion size but it doesn't make my numbers go up, salads, pizza (we made a homemade flatbread last night that was awesome). For lunches I usually have sandwiches (on wraps) and it is either chicken salad or egg salad. Breakfast is usually oatmeal and a fresh fruit, or eggs with some toast and turkey bacon. I found Flat Out flatbread that is low carb and keeps my numbers lower- so that is what I use for the pizza as well as my sandwiches.

Until we find pasta that is okay I haven't had any. But I used to eat that A LOT!

I think my issue is snacks and timing. I went from eating a lot of candy, fruit (I could eat 3-4 oranges in 1 sitting!), cookies, etc. to eating a lot more veggies, cheese, etc. I have to test 2hrs after meals- my dr. didn't give me a choice. So I wake up, test my sugar, and usually immediately eat breakfast. So then I wait two hours and test. But depending on what I am doing I may not have a snack (this is usually if I am busy with my internship) and then I will just go straight and eat lunch which leads me to wait another 2hrs before I can eat.

As for ice cream and such- I haven't looked that much into it yet. I do eat pudding which is fine for me (even having sugar in it).

 

[AmeliePoulain]

When I did 2 hour testing I would drink hot sugar free squash in between meals to fill me up - or just lots of water.

Do you like eggs? Eggs for breakfast should help keep you going.

There isn't a rule you have to eat as soon as you test in the morning either, I get up, test. Have several cups of tea, take DD1 to school and then eat breakfast. I don't want to eat as soon as I get out of bed!

 

[northern_me]

If your morning numbers are getting high, they will probably continue to creep up. That's what they told me. Morning numbers are the dangerous ones because they can't be controlled. That's how come I'm on insulin, my mornings started to creep up after 5 weeks. They said it will progress and I'll need more units of insulin week by week.

I also had the Breyer icecream and it was good. Catelli Smart pasta does ok for me if I keep it to 2/3c cooked. I can't eat whole wheat OR white, but for some reason the smart stuff is ok.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

I've managed to hammer my morning numbers down from an average of 5.6 a few weeks ago back down to the 4s.

I had to shift my main meal about and have a small carb (oat cake) snack before bed.

The removal of lactose from my diet helped a lot too.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

My morning numbers definitely go weird with sleep deprivation and going too hungry overnight.

Lots of T2 diet controlled diabetics get up in the middle of the night and have a snack to help with that issue.

 

[Christina86]

Yep it's my morning numbers that keep going up. My lunch and dinner are fine!

I only eat so early because if I don't and I get to my internship I won't have time to eat. I'm just too busy to take time for both breakfast and lunch and I have to be there by 8am.

I'm going to see about sugar free candy. Or something to have with me at least. The other day I ate tic tacs!

 

[northern_me]

I don't know what your thoughts on green tea during pregnancy are, but if you've had a spike and start feeling sick(usually happens to me when I reach a 9), a cup of unsweetened green tea will help bring it down within a half hour or so. I only drink it in emergencies.

 

[Christina86]

I will keep that in mind! I actually enjoy green tea. Well any tea lol but haven't had too much during pregnancy.

The numbers haven't sky rocketed but they seem to get higher each day and I'm not doing anything too different for meals. I also have slept okay. Just my normal kick to the bladder, have to go pee, during the night.