Gestational Diabetes - Higher the 2nd time around?

[AvianasMommy]

Hey all! Just found my way back to this forum after not being on for a very long time. I am 7 weeks pregnant with my 2nd and already have gestational diabetes. I go back to the doctor on Monday and I'm sure I'll be on glyburide. I had GD when I was pregnant with my daughter but wasn't diagnosed until around 24 weeks. Anywho, my numbers have been soaring since I started testing last Friday. My fasting is usually around 135-140. My pp after breakfast is usually only under 120 if I skip carbs all together. Lunch and dinner I'm usually fine as well, although, I've had a few 124's. Sooo... I definitely know I need to be on medication.

I was just wondering if anyone who had GD with pregnancy 1 and then again with pregnancy 2 or even 3 found that their numbers were much higher? I found my log from my last pregnancy, pre-meds, my fasting was 85-113 and even my pp's were lower, 95-115. I am so much higher this time around, it's shocking. I am about 40 lbs less than I was with my last pregnancy, but still pretty overweight.

Thanks in advance. Hoping I'm not the only one .

 

[amjon]

I lost my daughter at 27 weeks, but think I had GD. I'm now already on insulin as I had 1 hour readings as high at 190 (even with Glumetza). My sugars remained raised, though still in the "normal" range after I delivered her though.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

My numbers have been higher this time in my 2nd GD pregnancy

They are also generally creeping up, I was getting lots of 3's as fasting readings pre 26 weeks but now that is very unusual for me.

Still managing with diet control luckily

 

[AvianasMommy]

My numbers have been higher this time in my 2nd GD pregnancy

They are also generally creeping up, I was getting lots of 3's as fasting readings pre 26 weeks but now that is very unusual for me.

Still managing with diet control luckily

That's really great that you've been managing with diet control. I wish I was that lucky! I tried just diet for a week and had to eat virtually 0 carbs to stay under 120 after meals. My fasting has been horrific and nothing worked to fix that. Sooo, I just started glyburide yesterday and it took my fasting down from 135-150 to 93! Even my after meal numbers have been about 10-15 lower. I'm sure I'll wind up increasing the dosage later on, since I am only 8 weeks right now. .

 

[AmeliePoulain]

It is really tough now I have no idea if I will make it to the end on diet control - baby is a really normal size though so it is motivating to keep going.

My aim was to make it to 28 weeks med free and everything beyond that a bonus.

Did your daughter have an GD side effects?

 

[AvianasMommy]

I was going to a perinatologist last pregnancy to check her size almost every week. They told me she was over 9 lbs at 38 weeks! I was induced (which didn't work) and wound up with a c-section. She was born a healthy 7 lbs. 2 oz. so they were WAY off and scared me half to death. She also was fine blood sugar wise, tested normal right after birth. I have to admit, towards the end I was not being so good. I gave in to a lot of cravings ... couldn't help myself lol.

That's sooo good that your baby is normal size! It seems you've done an amazing job keeping your sugars under control with diet alone this far and should be sooo proud of that! It takes a lot of will power! I sort of feel like now that I am on meds, it gives me license to eat a little more but I am so trying to be good!

 

[daisy72]

I have no problems managing my GD in terms of numbers this time, the numbers are great, and my last HbA1C is 5.2% (which means the glucose control was very good during the last 3 months), but somehow the baby is on the big side . Maybe I need tighter control (my current target is below 90 in fasting and below 130 one hr after meals) maybe the baby is just big, not due to GD. I am having another growth scan next week...
Btw with my daughter, they also told me at 28 weeks that she is in the 90 percentiles, and she was born 7 lbs at 39+5 . We will see this time

 

[AvianasMommy]

I have no problems managing my GD in terms of numbers this time, the numbers are great, and my last HbA1C is 5.2% (which means the glucose control was very good during the last 3 months), but somehow the baby is on the big side . Maybe I need tighter control (my current target is below 90 in fasting and below 130 one hr after meals) maybe the baby is just big, not due to GD. I am having another growth scan next week...
Btw with my daughter, they also told me at 28 weeks that she is in the 90 percentiles, and she was born 7 lbs at 39+5 . We will see this time

I was so hoping to be in control this time. I even weigh about 40 lbs less than I did last pregnancy. Are you just controlling with diet too? I would think that if you are controlling your numbers (and your fasting target is lower than mine, mine is 100, 2 hrs after is 120) then I would think maybe you are having a bigger baby definitely unrelated to GD or maybe they are wrong about the size again .

 

[amjon]

I have no problems managing my GD in terms of numbers this time, the numbers are great, and my last HbA1C is 5.2% (which means the glucose control was very good during the last 3 months), but somehow the baby is on the big side . Maybe I need tighter control (my current target is below 90 in fasting and below 130 one hr after meals) maybe the baby is just big, not due to GD. I am having another growth scan next week...
Btw with my daughter, they also told me at 28 weeks that she is in the 90 percentiles, and she was born 7 lbs at 39+5 . We will see this time

My A1C was also fine, but doing testing after meals showed that I was far from controlled. I had 1 hour readings as high as 190, even though A1C looked great, so they had to start me on a low dose of insulin.

 

[sara3337]

My numbers are getting higher since last week so I am on insulin now, specially after dinner, baby measures 3.085lbs at 28 W which is slightly big. I had GD with my first and she was born 4.4lbs at 35w gestation.

My level after 2 hour of drinking the sweet drink was 153. Is it too bad?

 

[daisy72]

My A1C was also fine, but doing testing after meals showed that I was far from controlled. I had 1 hour readings as high as 190, even though A1C looked great, so they had to start me on a low dose of insulin.

A1C shows the average BG levels during the last three months, so probably your result reflected also your levels before this pregnancy? Another thing my consultant told me is that if a woman is anemic (I am not) which is common in pregnancy, then A1C can be lower and therefore not accurate... Anyway, this test is just another tool, not a diagnostic one...

 

[daisy72]

I was so hoping to be in control this time. I even weigh about 40 lbs less than I did last pregnancy. Are you just controlling with diet too? I would think that if you are controlling your numbers (and your fasting target is lower than mine, mine is 100, 2 hrs after is 120) then I would think maybe you are having a bigger baby definitely unrelated to GD or maybe they are wrong about the size again .

Yes, I've been controlling with just diet and exercise since 11 weeks. My consultant told me that I am actually very lucky to be able to do it for so long in a second pregnancy in a row, and that usually some medication is inevitable. I am however ready to start metformin the moment my fasting numbers go higher, as it is the most difficult part to manage. If I don't go for an intensive walk after dinner for 40-45 minutes and then have a disgusting oat fiber tortilla before going to bed, my next morning numbers will go crazy .
Ladies, I wonder if you were told how much you are supposed to gain in your GD pregnancies? I was told 20 lbs max... not much room to grow

 

[daisy72]

My level after 2 hour of drinking the sweet drink was 153. Is it too bad?

I am in the US, and here they only do a 1hr screening and 3 hrs diagnostic tests for pregnant women, so I'm not sure. After my previous pregnancy I had a 2 hour glucose tolerance test with a 75 g glucose drink (to check if I no longer had GD) and I remember I had to be below 120 to pass..

 

[AvianasMommy]

I was so hoping to be in control this time. I even weigh about 40 lbs less than I did last pregnancy. Are you just controlling with diet too? I would think that if you are controlling your numbers (and your fasting target is lower than mine, mine is 100, 2 hrs after is 120) then I would think maybe you are having a bigger baby definitely unrelated to GD or maybe they are wrong about the size again .

Yes, I've been controlling with just diet and exercise since 11 weeks. My consultant told me that I am actually very lucky to be able to do it for so long in a second pregnancy in a row, and that usually some medication is inevitable. I am however ready to start metformin the moment my fasting numbers go higher, as it is the most difficult part to manage. If I don't go for an intensive walk after dinner for 40-45 minutes and then have a disgusting oat fiber tortilla before going to bed, my next morning numbers will go crazy .
Ladies, I wonder if you were told how much you are supposed to gain in your GD pregnancies? I was told 20 lbs max... not much room to grow

I am feeling so lazy and tired, I did 20 minutes on the treadmill and literally fell onto the bed and straight to sleep lol. I think I would just die at 40-45 minutes! It also had 0 effect on my fasting. Snacks didn't help either, when I ate one or didn't eat one, I was still very high in the morning.

My OB said 20 lbs as well... but I am overweight as it is. My last pregnancy I actually LOST 2 lbs. Hoping this time I can at least stay where I'm at.

 

[AvianasMommy]

My numbers are getting higher since last week so I am insulin now, specially after dinner, baby measures 3.085lbs at 28 W which is slightly big. I had GD with my first and she was born 4.4lbs at 35w gestation.

My level after 2 hour of drinking the sweet drink was 153. Is it too bad?

Sorry to hear your numbers are getting higher! I'm only 8 weeks and mine were already soaring at 6 so I'm now on Glyburide at night which has really helped.

Usually with the 3 hr. gtt, they test you every hour for 3 hours. After 1 hour under 180, 2 hours under 155, and 3 hours under 140. So 153 is not quite there at the official level however close enough probably for your doctor to be concerned; they like to err on the side of caution.

 

[sara3337]

Here we do a 2 hour test only not the 3 hr. I injected the insulin last night before diner and my level was still high after 2 hours so I have to increase the dose (

 

[amjon]

My numbers are getting higher since last week so I am on insulin now, specially after dinner, baby measures 3.085lbs at 28 W which is slightly big. I had GD with my first and she was born 4.4lbs at 35w gestation.

My level after 2 hour of drinking the sweet drink was 153. Is it too bad?

Yes, at 2 hours it should be under 120. It would even be high for 1 hour (140).

 

[amjon]

I was so hoping to be in control this time. I even weigh about 40 lbs less than I did last pregnancy. Are you just controlling with diet too? I would think that if you are controlling your numbers (and your fasting target is lower than mine, mine is 100, 2 hrs after is 120) then I would think maybe you are having a bigger baby definitely unrelated to GD or maybe they are wrong about the size again .

Yes, I've been controlling with just diet and exercise since 11 weeks. My consultant told me that I am actually very lucky to be able to do it for so long in a second pregnancy in a row, and that usually some medication is inevitable. I am however ready to start metformin the moment my fasting numbers go higher, as it is the most difficult part to manage. If I don't go for an intensive walk after dinner for 40-45 minutes and then have a disgusting oat fiber tortilla before going to bed, my next morning numbers will go crazy .
Ladies, I wonder if you were told how much you are supposed to gain in your GD pregnancies? I was told 20 lbs max... not much room to grow

I was told I would have to gain 30-40 pounds, but I'm expecting twins.

 

[amjon]

My numbers are getting higher since last week so I am insulin now, specially after dinner, baby measures 3.085lbs at 28 W which is slightly big. I had GD with my first and she was born 4.4lbs at 35w gestation.

My level after 2 hour of drinking the sweet drink was 153. Is it too bad?

Sorry to hear your numbers are getting higher! I'm only 8 weeks and mine were already soaring at 6 so I'm now on Glyburide at night which has really helped.

Usually with the 3 hr. gtt, they test you every hour for 3 hours. After 1 hour under 180, 2 hours under 155, and 3 hours under 140. So 153 is not quite there at the official level however close enough probably for your doctor to be concerned; they like to err on the side of caution.

Where did you get those numbers? They are WAY high from what I was told.

 

[daisy72]

Ladies, don't forget that these three tests are being done with different sugar load (I mean, amount of sugar in the sweet drink), and therefore the cut-off readings are different. 1hr test is done with 50 g of sugar, 2 hr with 75 g, 3hr with 100 g of sugar.