Gestational Diabetes Group - Us vs. the Carbs

[babifever]

This morning 171. Has been 180-183 last few days.

 

[oneway]

babifever, I think they might start you on insulin and that will surely help. I know this is easier said than done, but please try not to worry so much because worry will make your numbers skyrocket. I wish you the best of luck!

Amelie, why do they induce in week 38 if you have been on insulin? That seems strange since insulin will help ensure that the baby does not get too big. I am going to have a C-section at 39+1, but that was because I had a 4th degree tear with the first child and cannot risk injury caused by a natural birth. I could risk life long anal incontinence if I tried to give birth vaginally.

 

[northern_me]

They're inducing/c-sectioning me at 38 weeks too since I'll be on insulin. I guess it is because if it is bad enough that you can't diet control, then it has a great effect on the baby? I know there can be placental problems and issues with low amniotic fluid.

 

[babifever]

They're inducing/c-sectioning me at 38 weeks too since I'll be on insulin. I guess it is because if it is bad enough that you can't diet control, then it has a great effect on the baby? I know there can be placental problems and issues with low amniotic fluid.

I had gestational diabetes with my son, delivered at 37 weeks. I had a fall that day and found out I wa contracting and dilated, so I was induced. He was 5.14. I hope this time around I will go into labor naturally and my water breaks. Big dreams for a diabetic lol

 

[oneway]

Yeah I have considered the possibility that my contractions might start earlier than normal because of GD. I hope that does not happen. The hospital staff has assured me that if the contractions start early they will still give me a C-section. I am terrified of natural birth now after what happened last time.

 

[babifever]

Yeah I have considered the possibility that my contractions might start earlier than normal because of GD. I hope that does not happen. The hospital staff has assured me that if the contractions start early they will still give me a C-section. I am terrified of natural birth now after what happened last time.

see I'm terrified of a c-section

 

[oneway]

Regarding GD and placental function I found this post. If you scroll down you can read the rest of the post made by the poster called aliah79

"I actually read a medical paper last week that explained the whole placental function and the effect of GD/Diabetes on it.

Uncontrolled diabetes (diabetic insult) early in pregnancy caused long term structural damage to the placenta.

Uncontrolled diabetes (diabetic insult) late in pregnancy caused short term functional damage to the placenta.

Diabetes controlled with diet was less likely to cause any damage.

Diabetes controlled with medication kept placenta function normal.

At the beginning of the pregnancy, maternal high blood glucose affects the placenta.

At the end of the pregnancy, fetal high blood glucose affects the placenta.

care.diabetesjournals.org/content/3...

"Although the placental glucose transporter GLUT1 is subject to changes by the ambient level of glycemia, i.e., it can be downregulated and translocated into the cell interior by hyperglycemia in vitro (7–9), maternal-fetal glucose transport is lower than normal in diet-treated GDM subjects and near normal in insulin-treated GDM subjects. This will only have an effect if maternal glucose concentrations are high above postprandial glucose levels (10,11), because of the high capacity of the transplacental glucose transport system (12).:

Citation 10: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1159666...

"

https://community.babycenter.com/post/a26487169/does_gd_mean_early_delivery

 

[oneway]

see I'm terrified of a c-section

I would be too if I had an ok birth last time. After I gave birth I had to have a blood transfusion and was in surgery for a hour and half while they stitched up the 4th degree tear, an internal tear in my vagina and the episiotomy cut. So I had C-section of the vagina in a way and it took me months to recover. I could not sit for a whole month afterwards. So a straightforward planned c-section sounds less scary. At least I can keep the c-section scar dry.

 

[babifever]

see I'm terrified of a c-section

I would be too if I had an ok birth last time. After I gave birth I had to have a blood transfusion and was in surgery for a hour and half while they stitched up the 4th degree tear, an internal tear in my vagina and the episiotomy cut. So I had C-section of the vagina in a way and it took me months to recover. I could not sit for a whole month afterwards. So a straightforward planned c-section sounds less scary. At least I can keep the c-section scar dry.

awwwwww WOW

 

[northern_me]

Well that's horrifying.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

I have read quite a bit about placenta function and GD as I have always been soley diet controlled and not shockingly bad numbers by a lot of standards - my inductions haven't been good so I would love above everything else to go into natural labour.

The big study I read found that the better the control the less damage but fundamentally the fact you have GD appears to affect the developement of the placenta, even in women who never had high numbers but did have GD. The placentas looked normal but when examined under a microscope they find lots of lesions and damage.

I know with DD1 (who was 6lb 7oz) the placenta weighed 4lb which is abnormal. My GD with her wasn't diagnosed until late though - 36 weeks.

With DD2 the placenta was a normal size but it did have a strange extra bit growing from it which I was lucky came out. Urgh.

I think in the UK the feeling is when you are medication controlled the risk to the placenta is greater and a greater risk of stillbirth.

Me and my DH are loosely talking about if baby is a good size, good fluid levels and I am well and able to get to the hospital easily, we may decline induction until 40+5 or so.

There are a lot of hurdles to get past before then though.

Northern - are you drinking much milk in the evenings? I was drinking loads and my readings when I wasn't sleeping well were approaching 6. Now I am on lactose free milk I am back down to 4s even with bad sleep.

 

[northern_me]

I actually don't drink milk at all. The only time I ever have any is if I put it in smoothies, and that is unsweetened almond milk. Cows milk grosses me out. Can't get past the idea of it.

 

[Amythyst]

Since I went on to lacto free milk my morning number seems to have settled around the 80/4.6 mark which is nice to see.

Amythyst what is the plan for the delivery of your baby? Will they let you go to 40 weeks?

Umm... I guess? I haven't heard anything in the way of how long I will go. I'm being hooked up to monitors for 20 minutes at a time each week to check baby's movement and heart rate and stuff. But, other than that they haven't told me anything about inducing me early. I have a growth scan again around Feb 8th, so that might be telling how long they let me go.

 

[oneway]

I know with DD1 (who was 6lb 7oz) the placenta weighed 4lb which is abnormal. My GD with her wasn't diagnosed until late though - 36 weeks.

That's interesting because the placenta weighed 1 kilo and I was told that this was what allowed my baby to get big. He was 10 lbs 2 oz at birth. I was last checked for GD at week 33. I think I might have developed it later like you did with your first, except it went undetected. I remember sitting home in late pregnancy eating lots of ice-cream and brownies .If I had any clue that I would have such a large baby I would have done everything differently. But my son did not have any blood sugar problems and was nursing well. But he did get stuck and needed to get pulled out causing all sorts of problems for me.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

I think I was lucky I just got the giant placenta and not a huge baby! DD1 did still need pulling out though via forceps.

In the UK they don't seem to worry too much about size unless the baby is predicted to be 4.5kg + I think. Though they weren't keen on the idea of me potentially having an 8lb + baby because if my build I think.

Fluid always seems to be my problem. I had polyhydramnios with DD1 and borderline with DD2.

 

[babifever]

I 'am pissed, hurt and shocked right now! So I went to the high risk doctor. I was referred there for medication management because I'm type 2 diabetic and my sugars have been high. I haven't been able to take my medication because its giving nausea. First they gave me a ultrasound. The Tec said all she seen was the gestational sac. But it was normal with how far along I am - around 5 weeks, she says based on my LMP. She said no sign of pregnancy in tubes and the sac is in the right spot. Okay, so the doctor then comes in and he's like " there's nothing I can do for you at this point because I'm not even sure if your pregnant, all we see is a sac, and if you are pregnant I'm not sure it will be successful". I'm like " Well if I'm around 5 weeks is there anything else you should see on the ultrasound, should I be worried". He says "sometimes yes, sometimes not, its really early and I can't really say if you should be worried, I can't say everything is fine at this point". So I'm like "okay so in the mean time what am I suppose to do about my high blood sugars, I've changes my diet, I'm walking twice daily, only drinking water, I can't take the meds anymore its making me sick". He's repeatedly says " I dont know what to tell you, I'm not medicating you when I don't even know if your pregnant, you need to speak with your primary and have them get your sugars under control, they should have already been under control before you even got pregnant, I'll see you in two weeks". He kept saying " I dont even know of your pregnant", straight faced, no compassion, kept cutting me off too. I walked out without even scheduling a follow up. I cried and then when I got home I have beige-like spotting in my under ware. I haven't had any spotting before this. When I whipped, nothing though. I'm so upset right now and confused. I drive to my obgyn and told them what happened and that I never want to see him again. My doc is in surgery today so there going to follow-up tomorrow. The nurse said this shouldn't have happened the way it did. She said pregnancy IS determined by actually seeing the fetus, etc, but in regardless he shouldn't have insinuated I wasn't pregnant, or if it wouldn't be successful. She also said my sugars need to be controlled. He even said so too, but he leaves me with nothing! I can't believe this. I set an appointment with a primary I seen back in June who said to immediately stop taking the diabetes medication (metformin) and call him if I ever got pregnant. Apparently taking metformin while pregnant is used by some doctors and not by others.....Also Im wondering now that he may redirect me back to my obgyn. next ultrasound is next Tuesday. Hcg"615" as of this pass Tuesday. Last period 12/13/14. I hate that I'm going through all this at the beginning and starting to get really afraid

 

[Amythyst]

So sorry Babi, big hugs. That was a horrible doctor! 5 weeks is early yes but still to turn you away without treating your blood sugar is just wrong...and then to say "see you in 2 weeks" - like he was acknowledging you as a patient but refusing to treat you? I don't see how he can live with himself turning you away with the way your sugars are even if he wasn't "sure if you were pregnant". There's a sac... so something is going on.

I hope you get it sorted out... you never answered my question about the Metformin though, did they give you the regular kind or does it say Extended Release? The extended release pills are long and huge and the regular ones are just small and round. Sometimes the extended release ones can cause more side effects than the other. There is different medication they can give you but as I said before, your body has to adjust to Metformin so I had to suffer through all those side effects in the beginning.

But yea like we said before there is a big debate among doctors about taking Metformin while pregnant... but, personally, I've been taking my 2000mg a day dosage since day 1 of being pregnant and my baby is just peachy keen.

Were your sugars under control before you found out or have they always been high? I dunno if you have already tried or not but have you tried eating just a protein only meal or a low-no carb meal for maybe a day? Perhaps you already have and I should just shut up... but just trying to throw out some ideas cause I know it is frustrating! Did your primary doctor refer you to an endocrinologist? I'm guessing insulin would probably help you way more than Metformin though at this point.

 

[babifever]

So sorry Babi, big hugs. That was a horrible doctor! 5 weeks is early yes but still to turn you away without treating your blood sugar is just wrong...and then to say "see you in 2 weeks" - like he was acknowledging you as a patient but refusing to treat you? I don't see how he can live with himself turning you away with the way your sugars are even if he wasn't "sure if you were pregnant". There's a sac... so something is going on.

I hope you get it sorted out... you never answered my question about the Metformin though, did they give you the regular kind or does it say Extended Release? The extended release pills are long and huge and the regular ones are just small and round. Sometimes the extended release ones can cause more side effects than the other. There is different medication they can give you but as I said before, your body has to adjust to Metformin so I had to suffer through all those side effects in the beginning.

But yea like we said before there is a big debate among doctors about taking Metformin while pregnant... but, personally, I've been taking my 2000mg a day dosage since day 1 of being pregnant and my baby is just peachy keen.

Were your sugars under control before you found out or have they always been high? I dunno if you have already tried or not but have you tried eating just a protein only meal or a low-no carb meal for maybe a day? Perhaps you already have and I should just shut up... but just trying to throw out some ideas cause I know it is frustrating! Did your primary doctor refer you to an endocrinologist? I'm guessing insulin would probably help you way more than Metformin though at this point.

thanks so much for responding. When I was initially diagnosed I was given ER 500mg twice daily. Funny both ER and regular look exactly the same from my pharmacy..... In November a totally different doctor gave me 1000mg regular 2x and glimepiride 2mg every morning. I didn't take the glimpiride but once. And hesitated to take the metformin. I just don't like pills, I like natural things. But I was convinced by my mom to take. So I started taking it Dec 1 thru Jan 17. Throughout that time I was mostly taking it and probably ate under control the entire time but 3 weeks, the last 3 weeks, since this past Friday. The holidays thru me off. Mind you when I went in November my blood sugars had risen from 7.4 to 9.0 my sugars were in the high 400 every day. I was also super stressed out. When I was diagnosed at first I didn't take the 500mg until about 3 months after he prescribed and I took it for about 2 weeks. My eating habits were horrible but granted from the first diagnosis to November my eating habits were the same, BUT I was super stressed out about losing my job and not being able to find another. So November I was 9.0, Dec 1 I was 9.2, today I'm 8.5. (got my results back). I dont eat super clean but I have went from about 6000 calories a day, no exercise -to- about 1200-1800 and exercising twice a day, water only. I have been taking prenatals since August. I dont have much of a appetite at all lately. Today I ate: 1 bagel with 1 tsp of reduced fat/calories cream cheese, 1/2 tsp of strawberry jelly, 3 inch sub on wheat, 160 calorie bag of lays chips, 1 small gala apple, 1 small tortilla, 1 cup of lettuce, less then half a cup of taco ground beef, maybe 1/3 of reduced fat mild cheddar cheese, .075 of a tablespoon of mild sauce, 1 petite pickle, plenty of water. I may eat a serving of sunflower seeds later. I know this is not the best, but I'm trying my best. Oh yeah my sugars are pretty much the same since Prego. Fasting are always high even when I'm able to get it down to 140 during the day, and that's with 2000mg of Metformin. 110, 90, I've never seen that!!! That prik doc said I should be between 60-120 daily

tonight, 3 hours after last meal and 20 min treadmill 3.0 I'm at 199

 

[Amythyst]

Wow, you seem to be working so hard! Oddly enough most of what you eat, I can't eat on my diet. White flour for me is a total no no ... so no bagels at all ... no regular bread. I buy special carb bread that is 4g per slice. Even wheat bread doesn't agree with my GD. If I eat jelly, it has to be sugar free. No chips ... no tortillas...hell I don't even really eat fruit. I do on occasion eat mixed berries.

My typical meals are:

Breakfast:
Egg, Cheese and Bacon on my special bread
Maybe a special yogurt (its called Siggi, has tons of protein and like 11g of carbs)
Cup of coffee with 1 packet of splenda and half and half (only 1g per serving!)

Lunch:
Atkins frozen food or a sandwich (usually meat and cheese or peanut butter and sugar free jelly)
Or maybe some leftovers - meat/veggies

Snacks:
Cheese sticks, cheese and 6 special crackers that are low carb, peanuts/cashews
sugar free snacks
Flaxseed chips (found these online)
Special milk (Calorie Countdown - has 4g of carbs per serving instead of regular milk which has 12)
Ice Cream! - Bryers makes one called Carb Smart (love it!) doesn't mess with my sugar
Sugar free pudding

Dinner:
Meat meat meat lol - shrimp, beef, chicken, pork, fish (whatever we got)
broccoli/asparagus
some potatoes or mashed potatoes (very little)
Or pasta (I found some special pasta that is low carb and doesn't mess with my sugar)
Brown rice (I can have a serving of that)

Very boring but ... it keeps me diet controlled. Not sure if that helps or gives you some ideas...

That is so weird that the ER and the regular look the same! Cause they are totally different! I imagine its also hard cause you're stressed. I read that type 2 people can really have a hard time with their sugar if they are stressed or frustrated.

It definitely sounds like you're on the right track and have the best intentions! I say keep it up and then hopefully find a doctor that actually treats you the way you should!! I hope you get good results when your OB calls you tomorrow.

Keep us posted.

 

[babifever]

Wow, you seem to be working so hard! Oddly enough most of what you eat, I can't eat on my diet. White flour for me is a total no no ... so no bagels at all ... no regular bread. I buy special carb bread that is 4g per slice. Even wheat bread doesn't agree with my GD. If I eat jelly, it has to be sugar free. No chips ... no tortillas...hell I don't even really eat fruit. I do on occasion eat mixed berries.

My typical meals are:

Breakfast:
Egg, Cheese and Bacon on my special bread
Maybe a special yogurt (its called Siggi, has tons of protein and like 11g of carbs)
Cup of coffee with 1 packet of splenda and half and half (only 1g per serving!)

Lunch:
Atkins frozen food or a sandwich (usually meat and cheese or peanut butter and sugar free jelly)
Or maybe some leftovers - meat/veggies

Snacks:
Cheese sticks, cheese and 6 special crackers that are low carb, peanuts/cashews
sugar free snacks
Flaxseed chips (found these online)
Special milk (Calorie Countdown - has 4g of carbs per serving instead of regular milk which has 12)
Ice Cream! - Bryers makes one called Carb Smart (love it!) doesn't mess with my sugar
Sugar free pudding

Dinner:
Meat meat meat lol - shrimp, beef, chicken, pork, fish (whatever we got)
broccoli/asparagus
some potatoes or mashed potatoes (very little)
Or pasta (I found some special pasta that is low carb and doesn't mess with my sugar)
Brown rice (I can have a serving of that)

Very boring but ... it keeps me diet controlled. Not sure if that helps or gives you some ideas...

That is so weird that the ER and the regular look the same! Cause they are totally different! I imagine its also hard cause you're stressed. I read that type 2 people can really have a hard time with their sugar if they are stressed or frustrated.

It definitely sounds like you're on the right track and have the best intentions! I say keep it up and then hopefully find a doctor that actually treats you the way you should!! I hope you get good results when your OB calls you tomorrow.

Keep us posted.

I probably should be eating more like you! Thanks so much, I'm going to try to eliminate more carbs. I ate some sunflower seeds and I'm still hungry. I want some fried cheese sticks so bad, but I probably should eat left over cabbage instead. I'm Hungary! First time I've craved all week