Gestational Diabetes

[KRobbo]

Hi Yoshy! Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, at least you are on the home straight and won't have to do this for long. Sounds like you have made a good start working out what you can have and what amounts. How are you feeling about it all emotionally? It can be very overwhelming at first.

I've been at the diabetics clinic this afternoon and have been put on metformin to try and control my fasting numbers, she seems to think I'll be on insulin at some point too and she's probably right. I'm feeling a little disheartened and very tired and I have my pregnancy hiit class tonight. I'm going to treat myself to my low carb ice cream afterwards to make myself feel better.

 

[misspriss]

Yoshy welcome!

I had a good appointment with the doctor today. We reviewed my readings first thing, he liked my myfitnesspal food logs. I asked him what would be different for me, if I should expect any extra testing or what. He said as long as I kept getting numbers like I was getting, I'd still be considered low risk and should expect nothing different. So that is good.

My BP was high, but the nurse had me practically hike across the whole building right before she took it and she walked SO FAST I was out of breath by the time I got to the chair. I noticed today that I've started waddling. My BP is always good at home and I'm assuming my urine was clean too because no one said anything.

They also straightened out the billing situation that has been a problem since 20 weeks...all I had to do was tell them I was using an FSA and they would have put it off to the end!

 

[yoshy]

Hi Yoshy! Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, at least you are on the home straight and won't have to do this for long. Sounds like you have made a good start working out what you can have and what amounts. How are you feeling about it all emotionally? It can be very overwhelming at first.

I'm actually okay emotionally. I'm finding that there are certain treats I can still have in moderation (such as small amounts of Ben and Jerry's ice cream as the carb part of a snack), which helps a huge amount.

The hardest thing is not being able to have unlimited amounts of fruit, or to have fruit whenever I want it rather than only in between meals.
Oh, and also having to be so careful about making sure to eat at least every two hours. That one is a huge pain in the ass. I'm used to eating when I'm hungry, which can be anywhere from every hour and a half to every 3-4 hours, and so it's ahrd to remember to make sure to not go more than 2 hours.

 

[KRobbo]

I'm finding it hard to eat regularly too, the meds I'm on decrease appetite so I'm literally clock watching to make sure I eat enough! Do you have your kit yet for testing?

It's hot here today and I'd love an ice lolly!

 

[misspriss]

I think you can get sugar-free Popsicle (if that is what an iced lolly is...).

I am doing pretty good, I've had a few slightly high readings here and there, like over 120 (6.6) but not 130 (7.2). Just still figuring what I can and can't eat.

Trying to find ways to fit in working out, but not strenuously. Lol.

 

[misspriss]

Does taking a nap screw with your sugars?

I had a bad dream and woke up a bit early, DD woke up too. I at a Special K shake which has 23g carb (but 5g fiber, so really 18g) for breakfast. It also has high protein. Normally I have breakfasts and have the shake for my snack. I'm allowed to have up to 30g for breakfast and yesterday I had like 25g and did just fine, including fruit!

Well I laid down in the second hour post eating and took about an hour nap, and when I got up I got a 104 (5.7)! Which is not objectively high, but my after breakfasts are usually in the high 80s to low 90s (4.7-5.2)! Made me grumpy as I already had a high fasting number this morning 94 (5.2).

I guess starting out from a slightly higher fasting didn't help. But normally breakfast numbers are at or below my fasting for the morning at 2 hour.

 

[misspriss]

Well my post snack/breakfast was 81, so maybe the nap effect is short lived.

 

[misspriss]

Went out for lunch today, went over on my carbs quite a bit. Came home and looked up the nutrition information online, 75g carbs (should only be 45-60). Went to the store and walked it off, my 2 hour was only 110!

 

[misspriss]

Today went well.

Went to the dietitian, she said my numbers were "as good as anyone could hope for" and that I did not need to come back in again. She and I went over strategies for keeping my fasting numbers from continuing their upward trend, like getting good sleep and bedtime snack help, exercise strategies, etc. Went very well.

Then went to the OB, he said specifically "good sugar control" in my notes (he had an assistant helping him with his note taking, so he said that out loud and specific for her to put in). He only asked about my one "very" high number of 145, which I went out that night. I planned ahead and checked the nutrition info, but it just didn't work out. Baby measured 32cm fundal height, at 31 weeks that isn't concerningly high for fundal height. Heartbeat was good as well and baby is head down for now.

 

[misspriss]

Well tomorrow I go back to the doctor again, I've had a total of 2 "high" numbers since my last appointment, one was like 121 and one was around 130, no high fasting numbers. Hoping the doctor is happy (how could he not be ?)

I'm secretly hoping they could let me test every other day or something, as I've heard some people get to do if they are doing well....

 

[Mrs Dragonfly]

May I join? I haven't received an official diagnosis yet but baby is measuring large and I have borderline too much fluid so my midwife had me start checking my glucose levels today and all day I had higher numbers than what she said she wanted me under. Tomorrow I'm supposed to receive a call from the diabetes center to create a plan for the remaining weeks.

I'm frustrated that it crept up so late in pregnancy, I tested negative at 28 weeks.

 

[KRobbo]

Hello, sorry I've been quiet lately battling some issues with meds but I'm now on Insulin me settling into this new routine.

Welcome Mrs Dragonfly, where are you from? Sorry to hear about your numbers, is this your first time with GD?

 

[KRobbo]

Oh and I'm glad things are going so well for you misspriss! I hope it stay safe the same for you x

 

[misspriss]

Hello, sorry I've been quiet lately battling some issues with meds but I'm now on Insulin me settling into this new routine.

Welcome Mrs Dragonfly, where are you from? Sorry to hear about your numbers, is this your first time with GD?

Sorry to hear you have been having issues, but sounds like it is settled better now?

Welcome Mrs Dragonfly! Hopefully things will go well for you, you do not have much longer to go!

I am feeling good about my doctor appointment today, my numbers have been good the past two weeks.

 

[KRobbo]

Yeah I was having bad numbers and I'm now on insulin night and day. Even though this is my third time I've been giving myself a hard time as I always feel like I could just try harder. It got to the stage where a breakfast of eggs, bacon and home made bread (carb free almond flour, Philadelphia and eggs) was giving me a reading of 7! I can't tolerate bread, potatoes, wraps, rice or pasta - not even the smallest amount. My lists of safe food was getting so small and I was hungry and exhausted. It's souls destroying when you see your numbers creep up but I feel more in control now I have the insulin- although I am still eating relatively low carb to keep the doses small.

 

[misspriss]

Well I had a good checkup, my doctor said just what I hoped he would. I now only have to test fasting and one meal per day, instead of all three meals!

My numbers were good, one high (132) in the past two weeks.

We had Chili's for lunch, I tested after to see if I did good picking food and I got a 109 (6.05) so that is good. I suppose I should use my "one meal" test for a home meal though. I thought I'd test after "out" meals - but in reality, there is nothing you can do if you've gone over at that point, and you are unlikely to repeat it. If we do a recipe at home, it's probably something I eat frequently and need to make sure is still "safe" because I will probably eat it again. Like I should probably test after my regular tuna salad with chips, to make sure I can still handle 2 pieces of bread and a serving of chips, IYKWIM.

Baby is measuring good and HB is good, one more two week appointment then it is once a week after that!

 

[KRobbo]

That all sounds good it sounds like you can still tolerate a great amount of carbs and that's a good plan for checking recipes at home.

 

[KRobbo]

How are you getting on? On the home straight now misspriss - are you planning any post labour treats?

Things have really settled down for me, finally my fasting levels are low enough (16 units insulin) and I'm only needing a small amount of insulin for lunch and dinner (4-6 units) my numbers are stable and it's two weeks until my first growth scan so I can see how my hard work is paying off.

 

[misspriss]

How are you getting on? On the home straight now misspriss - are you planning any post labour treats?

Things have really settled down for me, finally my fasting levels are low enough (16 units insulin) and I'm only needing a small amount of insulin for lunch and dinner (4-6 units) my numbers are stable and it's two weeks until my first growth scan so I can see how my hard work is paying off.

Really well actually, haven't had a single high number since switching to twice a day testing. Still sticking to the diet strictly.

So far my ideas (some I could pack, some date night ideas after):
- Dr Pepper (from a can, chilled, poured over ice)
- Cookies (really want to make homemade oatmeal)
- Doritos
- French Vanilla Swirl Iced Latte from Dunkin Donuts
- Cookies & Cream milkshake from Chick Fil A
- a bowl of ice cream so big I can't eat it all
- Purple Cow restruant
- Olive Garden
- Moe's

A lot of these items I can eat now, like I eat a single serving of ice cream every night for my bedtime snack - but a single serving is such a pitifiully small amount. I can have an Iced Latte with French Vanilla Sugar free and two Spenda, but I want a regular one with sugar. I eat doritos, but only an 11 chip sized serving. I can have 1 or 2 cookies for a snack, but no point in making home made cookies because it makes 4 dozen plus and I can only have 1-2 cookies. I can have diet Dr Pepper or Dr Pepper 10, but not regular. I don't feel my diet is super restricted in content, just restricted in size of portions.

 

[misspriss]

Also I'm not gaining any weight, I've actually lost 1-2lbs making my net gain this pregnancy 10-11lbs, I think that is low even for being overweight to start with.