Gestational Diabetes...SO CONFUSED!! HELP

[AnakeRose]

I just started my GD meal plan last night and after this morning I'm not happy about it. My nutritionist was zero help and basically gave me a link to go read. There's so much contradictory information on there that my mind is spinning.

After breakfast I'm SO HUNGRY and feel like passing out. Why are we supposed to eat such a small breakfast after basically fasting for the whole night? 1 egg, a cup of cereal and milk just is NOT enough for me

Getting started on this has been pretty overwhelming and totally confusing for me and with all the pregnancy hormones I'm an emotional wreck.

My husband is trying to be supportive, but there's only so much he can do.

 

[TTDuck]

that's an off-limits breakfast according to my nutritionist! On the meal plan I was given, I have 3 servings of protein, 1 carb, and 1 fat for breakfast (if I'm remembering right). So I'll have a couple eggs, toast/butter, and sausage. Milk is completely off-limits in the morning because of the combination of the lactose sugar and naturally higher blood sugar in the morning. So sorry you aren't getting help from your nutritionist! I was overwhelmed and an emotional wreck and the education I got is what saved me!

 

[TTDuck]

I found this online that is pretty consistent with what I learned in my class (though it doesn't tell you when to eat what like I got for my target caloric intake): https://intermountainhealthcare.org/ext/Dcmnt?ncid=520921801

 

[Pinkflower83]

Yeah cereal and milk is definitely a no, no. I usually eat two scrambled eggs and half of a mini whole wheat bagel with a little cream cheese or some sausage links and half of a whole wheat bagel. And those work fine for me. Yes it's hard, overwhelming and very frustrating because you have to be so careful of carbs and I admit this week I haven't been doing great Ive been cheating but I'll be back on the bandwagon tomorrow.

I just keep telling myself I only have a few more weeks left. Hang in there!

 

[bellablue]

I just falied my 3 hour by one point my fasting was 96 was suppose to be 95 or under passed other three test I see the diet lady Tuesday and gonna prick finger after each meal I have no clue on it I eat healthy already and to over weight o history but I thought on the three hour you had to fail 2 test not 1 what are you eating for lunch and dinner

 

[Pinkflower83]

A lot of chicken for me at dinner and veggies or a pork chop. The dietrictian told me if I'm still hungry at dinner is to always go back for the meat not the potatoes or pasta. Plus it's more filling anyways. I haven't touched pasta since being diagnosed with GB. I do eat two small potatoes though and that seems to be working just fine so far for me.

It's so hard though! Especially cause the first week is trial and error figuring out what foods your body can process and which ones can't. I think I've FINALLY got a handle on mine and I pray I can control this with just diet till the end so I don't have to take pills or be put on insulin. 😩

 

[TTDuck]

my dietician told me that the fasting number has the biggest impact on how much the baby grows - that's why you don't pass the 3-hr if your fasting number is too high. Being on the diet is frustrating (especially when you are healthy and a good weight to start), but getting GD isn't something that you can control and it's better to be safe than sorry! I'm considered borderline gd, but I'm glad I went on the diet because I can tell my body does have insulin control issues through my daily blood sugar monitoring! just remember - it's temporary! good luck!

 

[Pinkflower83]

With my test I actually passed the fastening number it was the two numbers in between that I failed BIG time. So basically with me it started out well and ended well but didn't go well in between. Lol

My fastening numbers since being diagnosed have been pretty good, sometimes their a little over but in general their pleased so far with me.

They did tell me the further you get in your pregnancy the harder it can be to control with just diet. :/

Plus it also increases your risk later on in life which I am gonna try hard to prevent even after I have the baby. I do not want this 10 years later in my life. I have a whole new appreciation for people who have to deal with this their whole life. My grandma had it for much of hers and now I understand why she complained a lot. It sucks!

For lunch though I eat a turkey sandwich on whole wheat with some mustard and a small bag of chips. I know chips are not good but it works fine for me and satisfies my salt craving for the day.

 

[AnakeRose]

After 4 days things seem to make more sense (although I've had to figure most of it out myself!). My 2 hour after breakfast number is still spiking in the 7's, but today I tweeked it and it was 6.2. My husband had a theory that I was taking too long to drink my coffee (using reduced sugar International Delight), so I basically downed it. Also only had 1 slice of toast this morning instead of 2. Will have to test the coffee theory with 2 slices of toast. All the rest of my numbers have been pretty good. Got my follow up appointment on Thursday so hopefully I won't need to test 7 times a day anymore!!

 

[TTDuck]

I've splurged a couple times on low-sugar ice cream or frozen yogurt, but I'm trying to be very strict for the rest of my pregnancy. I try to take a short walk after lunch and dinner, but I'm usually ok even without the walk. The walk helps with other pregnancy aches and pains at least!

 

[AnakeRose]

Ugh, now my after lunch reading is wacky...7.6 after. Ham & cheese sandwich with spinach, veggies, bottle of milk (it was a 500ml bottle so that's probably what did it)

 

[Pinkflower83]

Yeah milk is a big no no. Even fat free milk has a lot of carbs in it. So that's probably what did it.

I'm trying to be as strict as I can but its hard. Today I had a good breakfast and lunch but dinner not so much. :/

But I'm planning to cook the rest of the week so...

 

[TTDuck]

I'm allowed to have milk with lunch and dinner and I seem to do ok with that. Some people can handle the lactose sugar and some can't it seems. I tried unsweetened almond milk - I don't like it though. tastes like funky water. I still cheat and add a tiny bit of carnation instant breakfast to my milk (I hate the taste of milk).

you have to test 7 times a day?? wow! I tested 4 times a day to start and am down to 2 times a day (morning fasting and 1 hr after a meal) since I have it under control but sometimes have a little high fasting number. hope you get to reduce your testing frequency!!

 

[Pinkflower83]

Yeah same here I'm only testing 4 times a day. Wow can't imagine 7!

And my numbers have been good too! Only occasionally do I seem to get a high one. I feel like I do have a handle on this and hopefully it will continue this way!

 

[AnakeRose]

7 times a day for a week and then they'll re-evaluate me. I feel like I'm chained to that meter. Here's my test times. Before Breakfast, 2 hours later, before lunch, 2 hours later, before supper, 2 hours later, before bed. I have to do the ketones pee stick twice a day too.

Tried a theory my husband came up with yesterday. We had a spinach, tomato & feta omelette with 2 slices of toast, splenda sweetened yogurt and coffee this morning. Yesterday I had the same thing, but with one piece of toast, but I took awhile to drink my coffee. Blood sugars were good. Today I basically downed the coffee to see if that's what was causing my spike. Tomorrow we'll do the same breakfast, but only with 1 slice a toast to try and narrow it down. I'm thinking it's the toast that's causing it.

 

[TTDuck]

I think different brands of bread make a difference for me - I'm not sure if it's the fiber level or what!

 

[Pinkflower83]

Wow so your testing before meals too? I feel like I'm chained to mine too and I'm only testing 4 times a day.

Hang in there ladies! We don't have much longer! Or so that's what I tell myself everyday. :S

 

[AnakeRose]

ugh I can't win

My before lunch is 6.9 now...guess it was the Ryvita crackers I had with my snack. Why does this have to be so difficult!! I'd go mental if I had to do this all the time for the rest of my life!

 

[TTDuck]

a friend who is a labor and delivery nurse and is diabetic told me to not try and apply logic to a pregnant woman's body. I've had the exact same meal give me 2 drastically different numbers on different days. There are just too many factors to always get it "right" - and if you have everything under control, the pregnancy hormones will butt in and mess things up! it's such a trial and error process and that has wound up with me in tears multiple times... keep working at it!

 

[mommy2lilmen]

I have the same issues with numbers for my GD and I have given up pretty much on what I eat and drink per the day and just focus on how much, it seems to be working out a bit better. Lets say I want 500ml of milk I will have half of it for breakfast and the other half for snack BUT the milk will BE my snack, kwim? I am on week 2 of it and I am at a loss.. confusing. I see your in Kelowna, Im in Delta, just outside of Vancouver!