Gestational diabetes!!

[Reiko_ctu]

So got my first high reading of this pregnancy so far tonight. I went out for dinner with my hubby and ate an entire pizza and my 2 hr was 8.5... supposed to be below 6.7 so definitely a high. But I've been testing so far and my breakfasts are fine even with 2 pieces of toast and sometimes jam and a piece of fruit.

Anyways I'll have to tell my midwives at the next appt Dec 4 that I need to do my GTT.

 

[Bonnie11]

Ladies am slowly coming to terms with my GD diagnosis (I think you both commented on my other post!)

I don't have an appt with the diabetic nurse for 10 days so was wondering if you could answer/help with some advice.

My fasting is high but my 2 hourly is fine. What does this mean? If I'm processing the sugar fine (which I assume I am because 2 hourly good) why is my fasting still high, why does it go up again?

Secondly, how do I get my fasting/first thing in the morning ok? I have dinner around 7 and then go to bed at 9.30ish, up at 6.30. I don't want to eat after my dinner really as it gives me bad heartburn and also I'm full from dinner!

Does it matter that my fasting is high if it comes down ok after I've had breakfast?

Thanks for any advice girls

 

[Reiko_ctu]

I've never had high fasting sugars so I'm not sure. I think some people say having a late night snack with a protein and carb helps. Like crackers and cheese... but I'm not sure. I get the heartburn thing but maybe a small amount would help? Or you might need a nighttime dose of long acting insulin? But again no personal experience so I'm not sure!! That's such a long wait for the nurse. But I'm sure she'll be helpful, or I hope so!! Best of luck to you mama xx

 

[Bonnie11]

Thanks reiko, they called me today with a cancellation for tomm morning so I have an appointment at 9.30! Hopefully my questions will be answered then! X

 

[Reiko_ctu]

Thanks reiko, they called me today with a cancellation for tomm morning so I have an appointment at 9.30! Hopefully my questions will be answered then! X

Awesome. Let me know how it goes. I didn't have a great experience with the nurse and dietician in my first pregnancy and so didn't use them second time. But I am in healthcare and know a lot about diabetes and my family is nurses so same. I felt like I knew everything they could tell me and what I really wanted was low carb meal ideas! So I just found them online lol.

 

[gezimmom]

My neighbor had high fasting numbers, so she set an alarm in the middle of the night and had a high-protein snack ready to eat (even if it was cold chicken).

 

[Bonnie11]

Hi ladies!

Had my first appt today, honestly the team could not have been nicer and more helpful! Also spoke to the diabetic midwife who said as long as it is well controlled, even if it ends up as insulin, I should still be able to have a VBaC unless baby is huge/I don't go into labour naturally! So that really helped my mental state about it as I was convinced they would make me go straight to c section. But just have to see how it goes over next couple of months.

They've given me a blood glucose monitor and I go on food etc and I now have to go back every 2 weeks to see consultant and midwife and a scan every month. She said it's a bit trial and error for next week or so while I work out how food affects me. It's slightly trickier because it's my fasting that are high and not my post so will have to play around and see how things go. Answer is not well today! My pre meal sugars have both been 8+... but post meals ok! So who knows... am just testing regularly and trying to find a pattern and she will go over them again when I see her next week.

Thanks for the advice girls, shall plough on! X

 

[Reiko_ctu]

I don't know what's going on with my numbers at all. I've gotten a few high readings but now everything seems to be back to normal. I think maybe those highs were super carb binges... but today I had a PSL from starbucks and got a totally normal reading. You'd think a flavoured latte with definitely spike my sugars? And still eating 2 pieces of toast and and orange at breakfast, and bread or a wrap and fruit at lunch, and potatoes/pasta/rice at dinner and no highs. That's good, I'd rather they stay longer lower but it's still just weird to have random highs but not consistently!!

 

[Myshelsong]

Hi ladies, I was just told I have GC and my appointment is next week but wondering if anyone has a website they love with meal ideas. I want to start eating better now if I can.
I read some of your meal ideas and it seems like I can do this.
Trying not to get overwhelmed or feel guilty about this as I am overweight to begin with and am now spiralling down a hole of this is all my fault.

 

[Bonnie11]

Totally not your fault lovely, women of all shapes and sizes get GD! I wasn't overweight my first pregnancy and had it and this time around I was still carrying a bit extra from my last pregnancy so classed as a bit overweight. But I was in the clinic today and saw tiny women and big women with it, it's just hormones and insulin and there is nothing you can do about it! Similarly with treatment, something's work for one and not for others. I'm on insulin injections now and last time around I was diet controlled with a bit of metformin towards the end. Just depend what works at the time. So don't feel bad, most important thing is that you are getting on top of it for yours and baby's sake. And mine disappeared as soon as I gave birth and never had a problem between pregnancies so it is short lived.
As for recipes, it's a bit overwhelming in the beginning but it does quickly get easier when you find out what does and doesn't work for you, also your needs change through pregnancy so Things that worked one week might not work the next as you go on. So it's really trial and error. But if you have a google of diabetic recipes there are a ton out there depending on what you like to eat so pick a meal you like and then google the diabetic version xx

 

[Reiko_ctu]

Hi ladies, I was just told I have GC and my appointment is next week but wondering if anyone has a website they love with meal ideas. I want to start eating better now if I can.
I read some of your meal ideas and it seems like I can do this.
Trying not to get overwhelmed or feel guilty about this as I am overweight to begin with and am now spiralling down a hole of this is all my fault.

Sorry for your diagnosis Myshel!! Don't feel guilty though, it's not your fault. It's your placenta's lol!!

Anyways, I like to make sure for breakfast I'm eating eggs and veggies and then I can have some toast with that fibre and protein it doesn't spike my levels. Lunches and dinners lots of salad type things with seeds nuts cheeses and meats. Veggies anytime I want for a snack and fruits or granola bars when I'm feeling a bit on the low sugar side!!

 

[Zephram]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I'm trying to find out more information about low blood sugar. I have basically the opposite problem to gestational diabetes in that my blood sugar is always on the low end of the scale - have any of you been told what number to keep your blood sugar above? I can't seem to find much information about this anywhere. I'm not worried about my health so much as that out of curiosity I'm trying to figure out how borderline mine is. I'm going to ask my midwife about it next appointment, but for now just looking for information.

 

[Myshelsong]

Thank you so much for the support ladies, I am going back and looking at everyones recommendations.
So far feeling like I can totally do this, and excited this means I will be induced early!

 

[Reiko_ctu]

Zerg I think between 4-6... anything below 4 I always find I feel shaky and weak. But I don't think measuring blood sugar for hypo is very helpful. You just want to make sure you're eating complex carbs with every meal and snack to keep it up...

 

[Bonnie11]

Same as Reiko said, mine has to be above 4. I've had to totally change the way I eat, now have to eat min of every 2.5-3 hours apart to keep my sugars stable. Complex carbs and protein mix and don't use sugar (or anything sweet ie dried fruit etc) to boost your blood sugars, just have a carb/protein snack to level you out. I expect your midwife will tell you to eat smaller meals/snacks more frequently, I don't always feel hungry at snack time but I force myself even if it's just an oatcake or some breadsticks and houmus etc x

 

[Zephram]

My blood sugar after the test was 3.8. I have had pretty much the same result through my other two pregnancies, it’s never been higher than 3.9.

I’ve always known I have low blood sugar, because if I don’t eat regularly then I get the shakes, I can’t focus, I get angry and have occasionally freaked out if it’s been too long between eating. I don’t actually know what my blood sugar drops to as I’ve never had it investigated by a doctor, I just manage it by eating regularly myself. The only time it’s ever been tested when I’m not pregnant was once when I was sent to hospital with suspected appendicitis and I was told it was low then too.

I realise 3.8 is not super low, it’s borderline, it’s just interesting in that it basically confirms why I have low energy all the time. I’m going to get it checked by a doctor properly once I have this baby to see if there’s anything I can do about it. Just makes me wonder what it was before I consumed the 50g glucose drink as it obviously would have been lower than that.

Thanks for replies ladies, I hope things go okay with managing your own blood sugar!

 

[Reiko_ctu]

I would definitely feel shaky at 3.8!!

 

[Myshelsong]

Dietitian meeting tomorrow, is there any questions you think I should ask?
Not quite sore to expect

 

[Bonnie11]

Write down anything you want to ask as it's easy to forget! Likely they will give you some leaflets and explain about healthy eating and portion sizes etc, it's unlikely to be anything you don't already know but more about when to eat and how to combine and portion things so won't be too overwhelming! They will also show you how to test your blood sugar (v easy!) and when to do that. I expect they will give you a couple of weeks to change your diet and up your exercise (they will give you goals to aim for) and then see what your blood results say after that, majority of cases can be fixed with change of diet so hopefully that will be the case for you too! If it's doesn't work next step is medication (prob metformin) and then last one is insulin if those don't work. But hopefully you won't need to get anywhere near that!

Good luck, seems a bit overwhelming in the beginning but actually is pretty easy to get the hang of and it's not forever xx

 

[Bonnie11]

Also probably a bit further down the line you will meet with a consultant and midwife to make a birth plan. They don't usually like you to go past 40 weeks with GD but it's really up to you. Don't be pushed into anything you don't feel is right. They tried to induce me early last time at 38 weeks and it ended in an emergency section as she just wasn't ready to be born so didn't want to come out! And I let myself get talked into having it when actually I could have gone longer and done it naturally and been a much nicer experience. This time around even though I'm on insulin I have said I want to go naturally and my consultant is happy so far (may all change!) to let me go to 40/41 weeks as long as I have regular monitoring as I was adamant I didn't want to go through that again! However it's totally up to you, just make sure that it's you making the decisions and don't be talked into anything that you don't feel comfortable with! X