Gestational Diabetes....

[fairygirl]

I'm popping in on this thread, maybe we can support each other? I'm still waiting for a phonecall to tell me when I'm seeing a diabetes mw. Felt like poo last night after reading more and wanted to cry at how much crap I'd eaten not knowing my body couldn't handle it I too had all symptoms, thirst, lightheadedness, itchy skin, tiredness. I also wonder if it isn't just a pregnancy thing, maybe I've had mild diabetes all along as never had gtt before just a fasting blood test I think. I am going to make sure I am monitored after the birth to see.

and thanks for your advice yest x

 

[Pixelle]

Glad to hear you are feeling much positive about it. I have my GTT on Wednesday. My BMI and also family history is the reason for me having the test. I'm wondering from your symptoms now whether I might have gd . . . exhausted, dizzy, thirsty but I don't wee all that much so maybe not!

Thanks for the thread.

Good luck with your GTT. I only realised the symptoms after I was told about my failed test. I had discussed with midwife beforehand but she assured me it was just pregnancy symptoms. Even yesterday when I saw her she said it could still be just pregnancy symptoms as you rarely get any symptoms with GD. Try not to worry

I'm popping in on this thread, maybe we can support each other? I'm still waiting for a phonecall to tell me when I'm seeing a diabetes mw. Felt like poo last night after reading more and wanted to cry at how much crap I'd eaten not knowing my body couldn't handle it I too had all symptoms, thirst, lightheadedness, itchy skin, tiredness. I also wonder if it isn't just a pregnancy thing, maybe I've had mild diabetes all along as never had gtt before just a fasting blood test I think. I am going to make sure I am monitored after the birth to see.

and thanks for your advice yest x

Aww. I know how you're feeling. I felt the same. But you are not to blame and there's no way you could have known. What matters now is that you get the help and support from people to manage your diet

I had a blood test yesterday to determine whether I had Diabetes before pregnancy but generally it is brought on by pregnancy because the placenta interferes with things.

They will also monitor you and baby after birth and you'll be tested 6 months afterwards I think, too.

My best advice to you would be to not read too much online. I did and panicked myself. My nurse told me all the risks but not in a sensationalist way, more about being aware but not to dwell on it because a lot of the risks are very rare. They do take GD seriously and you'll have a lot more appointments but they're there to help.
I felt so much better after speaking to her. I hope you do too.

 

[fairygirl]

Oo I don't know they could test to see if you had diabetes beforehand. I will definately ask about that. I just want my appointment for next week now! I just rang my stepmum to tell my dad coz I know he is going to feel guilty coz of his diabetes, bless him.

 

[Pixelle]

We went shopping today, for food that I can eat that is low fat, low sugar etc.

Bloody hell....it's all so expensive! Why is healthier food more expensive?

Our usual weekly shop consists of Iceland stuff and a range of low fat foods but now we're having to buy ALL low fat, low sugar....it's astronomical!

Oh and it took us nearly two hours because I had to check every label for fat, sugar and sodium content. Most low fat is high sugar...aaarrrggghhh!

Still, I'm glad we've been shopping as I've been existing on barely anything for the last few days.

Got my 2nd appointment on Wednesday so they can review my blood sugar charts and food diary. Different diet does seem to be making a bit of a difference but not a huge amount Blood sugar is still too high when all I've eaten is a bit of toast etc.

Still, it's early days yet

 

[fairygirl]

I've been googling everything! Most stuff is high fat though. I can't believe Snickers and Peanut M&Ms are low GI let alone Frosties! Is that what you're aiming towards- low GI?

 

[Pixelle]

I was aiming for low GI before I saw the diabetes nurse. But her advice was to just try to do low fat, low sugar, high fibre. GI is ok on some foods but most either have too much sugar or fat. So you can't really win on GI alone.

Chocolate is a complete no no unless it's bitter and 70% cocoa...and then only a small piece.
most cereals are out too, unless they're wholemeal with low sugar.

I've discovered milk is no good for me, along with muesli and porridge oats....so no cereals for me anymore!

It's all trial and error though, everyone is different and what I cant have, others can etc.

 

[fairygirl]

For the time being I've downloaded an app for my phone that tracks calories, carbs, fats, sugars etc and I've put in a slow weight loss (only 1/2lb a week) to reduce the allowances as I seem to have piled on the pounds really quickly after gaining very little before 3rd tri! I figure it is a start towards a more balanced diet and then I can make other changes once I have seen the mw.
I have an all day class at the hospital on Saturday and wonder if I'll meet anyone in the same boat who can at least tell me the procedure, I am that impatient!

 

[Pixelle]

I got an app for my phone, too! It's quite helpful.

Good luck for Saturday, not long to go

I have my appointment at the clinic in an hour. Not sure what to expect so a little nervous, but I'm sure it'll be ok!

 

[- Butterfly -]

Hope you are all ok ladies.

I had my GTT today - wasn't too bad. Will hopefully get the results tomorrow. Will update you as soon as I know.

 

[eckarta]

Well i got diagnosed on june 28th with GD and i was an emotional wreck also.. just feeling that i failed this child somehow... i am in the medical profession and so im not dense when it comes to stuff like that, so when i went to the nutritionalist and diabetic counseler i found it a total waste of time.. i can find more information online or thru friends...

Mine kinda is a fluke deal i think... i take my sugars 4 times a day and they are NEVER over 115.. i would say my average is well below 100 honestly (different calculations over here in the states) i have done some trial and error with the foods to see if anything will throw me off... pizza.. nope.. ice cream.. nope.. milk or cheese.. nope... so i dont know if it was just an off day for me or what... but anyway.. i have been doing it all diet controlled and have actually lost 15 pounds... just being more dilligent on what you are eating and what goes into your body and how your body reacts to it is key.. i ate lots of sandwiches on whole wheat bread... and fiber bars... granola bars... but that first week i thought i was going to starve!!!!! but now i find i hardly eat anything really... but i must be doing something right because baby is measuring 6lbs 3oz already

 

[Pixelle]

Good luck Butterfly

eckarta - Yeah, you must have different measurements to UK as I have no idea what yours mean!
Must say, I did find speaking to the diabetes nurse helpful, but only because I was so clueless about it all!

So I had my appointment. Was there for 2 and a half hours!!! (Paying nearly £4 in parking for the privilege!)

Saw a nurse first who took my BP and tested my urine sample. I have a UTI at the moment so told her that and she said they'd test anyway.
She then proceeded to have a go at me for not having two copies of scan outcomes (12 & 20 weeks) and the fact that my front sheet of notes is wrong. (I changed address and GP but my new surgery haven't updated my notes, even though I've asked!) She was a complete battleaxe!

So after that little bit I had to sit and wait for another 30 mins to see a consultant.
She was nicer, but still a bit clinical and not very "warm" iykwim?
She reviewed my blood sugar chart and said everything was going well except my morning readings. She told me it's very common for morning readings to spike so not to worry. She gave me the option of going on Metformin - mornings only - or carrying on with the diet. I choose the 1st option as I just know that no matter what I eat or don't in the morning, my reading will be high and I don't want that to affect my baby. All my other readings are fine, because I'm trying so hard with the food I eat!

So now I have a prescription for Metformin for mornings only.

Then I sat and waited again for ages to see the dietician.
She said my food diary is really good and to carry it on. She said more fibre in the mornings might help with the spikes but other than that, I should carry on what I'm doing

Got another clinic appointment next week, along with my growth scan on the same day.

All in all, pretty positive!

For those that aren't sure what to eat, I'll list my food diary in a separate post...it works for me so might for you But it's only a general guideline

 

[Pixelle]

Okay, my food diary:

Breakfast:
- 2 slices wholemeal toast with Flora lighter than light OR
- 40g Porridge Oats with 150ml Semi-Skimmed Milk OR
- 40g Shreddies with 150ml Semi-Skimmed Milk OR
- 40g any wholewheat cereal with 150ml Semi-Skimmed Milk
If that's not enough, I sometimes have a yoghurt or fruit with breakfast.

Lunch:
- Wholemeal bread sandwich with Lighter than Light Flora, Lettuce, Lean reduced fat Ham, 7 cherry tomatoes OR
- 415g Carrot and Coriander Soup OR
- 4 Nairns Oatcakes with 1 slice Lean reduced fat Ham, 1 slice low fat cheese, 7 cherry tomatoes, reduced salad cream.

All of above with either a yoghurt (Shape Zero or Weight Watchers), piece of fruit, handful of nuts or berries.

Dinner:
- Baked potato with half a can of beans, lettuce, low fat cheese, cherry tomatoes OR
- Chicken breast with pesto and lean reduced fat ham, oven chips (pat with kitchen roll to remove excess oil), reduced salt & sugar ketchup OR
- Omelette with onion, peppers, rocket, low fat cheese, cherry tomatoes, basil.
- Broccoli and low fat cheese, melted.

Dessert:
- Fruit or yoghurt.

Snacking:
- Fruit
- Nuts (Handful)
- Rice Cakes
- Snack-A-Jacks
- Yoghurt

Drinks throughout day:
- Water (at least 2 litres)
- Robinsons No Added Sugar Squash (Peach Barley or Tropical Barley)
- 7up Free (I limit this to 2 500ml bottles per week)

I've only done a week of this so have no recipes as yet, just been trying to have healthy things really!

Hope this helps someone

 

[fairygirl]

That is so incredibly helpful!! Great I have Shreddies for breakfast and a granary bread low fat cheese and salad sandwich for lunch. I'm struggling with snacks but will now go out and get some snack-a-jacks and nuts (and I think salt popcorn is ok too) I'm struggling with dinners though, so are most soups ok? I had fried eggs on toast tonight coz I didn't have bread with lunch. I don't eat meat though so really stuck!
Edit: Jacket potatoes are ok? And I could have chips and salad?
I found a leaflet online from the hospital trust which basically says I'll be monitored closely and they discuss labour nearer the time. Really not looking forward to going the gtt after the birth, more horrid drink!

 

[Pixelle]

That is so incredibly helpful!! Great I have Shreddies for breakfast and a granary bread low fat cheese and salad sandwich for lunch. I'm struggling with snacks but will now go out and get some snack-a-jacks and nuts (and I think salt popcorn is ok too) I'm struggling with dinners though, so are most soups ok? I had fried eggs on toast tonight coz I didn't have bread with lunch. I don't eat meat though so really stuck!
Edit: Jacket potatoes are ok? And I could have chips and salad?
I found a leaflet online from the hospital trust which basically says I'll be monitored closely and they discuss labour nearer the time. Really not looking forward to going the gtt after the birth, more horrid drink!

Glad it helped

Most soups are fine, in my experience. Just make sure you read the label for sugars!
Eggs are good and won't make your blood sugar go up. Forgot to put on the diary that I sometimes have scrambled eggs on toast for breakfast or lunch.

Jacket potatoes are good. Chips are good but they have to be oven chips with any excess oil dabbed off.

I just had a low fat ready meal from Tesco......tasteless and horrible, but low fat and sugar. Oh well, can't have yummy food everyday

I struggle with dinners at the moment. Trying to find recipes is a nightmare as GD is different to other Diabetes and you can't eat the same stuff they do!

I'm not looking forward to the GTT again either! Got to be tested once a year after baby is born too...ewww.

 

[fairygirl]

I saw you get the gtt so many weeks after baby is born. I suppose if you do have to do it every year you'll become immune or should we put Vicks under our noses?!?

I didn't realise the ruled were different to normal diabetes. I have some low GI Vegetarian books on order from library.

How do you know when a food is too high in sugars by reading the label?

 

[sarafused]

Ladies I had started a thread just for posting food every day so those with GD could get meal ideas. Il try to find it and bump it back up.

Ive had fajitas for tea, 2 medium wraps with the salsa and filling was really good and it barely touched my blood sugar level

Ive had a lot of big salads over the summer, chicken, tuna etc and still had some crutons over it which was lovely. Ive been loving meatballs and salad too.

 

[fairygirl]

Ladies I had started a thread just for posting food every day so those with GD could get meal ideas. Il try to find it and bump it back up.

Ive had fajitas for tea, 2 medium wraps with the salsa and filling was really good and it barely touched my blood sugar level

Ive had a lot of big salads over the summer, chicken, tuna etc and still had some crutons over it which was lovely. Ive been loving meatballs and salad too.

I was thinking of setting a similar thread! Sounds great.

 

[Pixelle]

I saw you get the gtt so many weeks after baby is born. I suppose if you do have to do it every year you'll become immune or should we put Vicks under our noses?!?

I didn't realise the ruled were different to normal diabetes. I have some low GI Vegetarian books on order from library.

How do you know when a food is too high in sugars by reading the label?

Oooh, I love the smell of Vicks

Yeah, my nurse said don't go by Diabetes Type 1 or 2 as it's different. GD needs low fat, low sugar, low sodium, high fibre, apparently.

To tell what sugars are in a food, on the label look for Carbohydrates (of which sugars). This should be lower than 5g-10g per 100g. Fat should also be lower than 5g per 100g or combined Fat and Sugar should be lower than 10g per 100g.
I found it a bit confusing at first (not to mention time consuming!) but I soon got used to it.
Hope that makes sense!

 

[Pixelle]

Sounds like a great idea, Sarafused!

I'm having Fajitas tomorrow....love them and they're allowed!

 

[- Butterfly -]

Hey ladies

Thought I'd pop in and say my results were 6! I'm very relieved.

Thank you for your support and wish you a healthy remainder of your pregnancies. xx