Rant About GD and Guilt

[StarlitHome]

Okay so.

I've been diagnosed as glucose intolerant in pregnancy, which is a precursor to gestational diabetes.
My bump-buddy Calypso was just diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
And I just had a conversation with a girl who had a higher result in her last GTT and is having some issues with her mom saying it's because of how she eats.

That. Is. BULL.

In pregnancy, a woman's body is supposed to make about 3 times as much insulin as normal. Her hormones are supposed to stimulate her pancreas to make that insulin, but in 5-7% of women that doesn't happen.

So, the glucose stays in the blood because there isn't enough insulin for it to be absorbed, and that is glucose intolerance/gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes is not like Type 2 diabetes. EDIT TO SAY: Gestational diabetes and glucose intolerance in pregnancy can be controlled by changing the mom's diet - i.e. eating following a meal plan set by a dietitian, keeping track of the blood sugar levels. According to the information given to me at my doctor's office by the diabetes nurse, the mom's diet previous to pregnancy/during pregnancy has no effect on whether she will be diagnosed with GD.END EDIT

It is not something that we as pregnant moms should feel guilty about. It's a hormonal thing, there's nothing we can do except keep track of our blood sugar levels and keep them good.

No one should make a pregnant woman feel guilt over being diagnosed with glucose intolerance, with gestational diabetes, or even just because you have a high result in a GTT.

Pregnant woman have enough stress without guilt for something they can't do anything about on top of it.

 

[purapura]

Thanks... I am not diagnosed yet, but was sent to do the test, so did it today.
My mother had it when pregnant with me and she was told that it because of how she eat. I already feel guilty although I don't have the result yet.

 

[HollieQ]

Eee i didn't know! I always thought too that it was because the mum ate too much sugar - hence i was concerned i might be at risk

You're right though, no one should make a woman feel guilty, even if it WAS their fault really, but especially if it's not like with this.

Glad i know more about it now xxx

 

[StarlitHome]

Thanks... I am not diagnosed yet, but was sent to do the test, so did it today.
My mother had it when pregnant with me and she was told that it because of how she eat. I already feel guilty although I don't have the result yet.

Your mom is wrong! It's a hormonal imbalance that has nothing to do with your eating habits.

Gestational diabetes is a completely different thing from Type 2 diabetes (which can be a result of bad eating habits).

Don't let anyone tell you that you being diagnosed with GD, or having a high result in your glucose test, or being diagnosed with glucose intolerance, is because of something YOU did or ate. It's not true.

 

[Saljae]

Why do they say women who develop gestational diabetes have a 20 - 50% chance of developing type 2 diabetes later in life?

 

[kirmal12]

In all due respect i don't think you are correct TBH. There is alot of truth in what you said "but" diet does play a big part. I was diagnosed late in pregnancy at 32 weeks and was able to control my levels straight away by diet. I'm a older mum which didn't help and i wasn't particularly overweight. My diet changed dramatically while i was pregnant as the only thing i could stomach for over 22 weeks was anything to do with sugar. I must have consumed my body weight in milkshake over those weeks. I have a great chance of getting type2 diabetes within the next 10 years unless i control my diet and body weight.

Please don't make light of diabetes, my LO was induced at 38 weeks weighing 8lb8, can you imagine the size of him if i'd gone to term?. Also the induction failed and i ended up with a ECS. My LO was also born with dangerously low blood sugars i very nearly lost him, but with quick intervention and the help of formula he rallied round very quickly. With the awful delivery and the amount of intervention i had to have, i lost my chance to BF.

I'm not trying scare anybody as millions of ladies have no issues with either inductions or diabetes. If you are predisposed to GD diet is a major part in controlling it. Ultimately my GD consultant said there is a good chance if my diet had stayed exactly the same as it was before i was pregnant i wouldn't have got GD?

 

[StarlitHome]

I am not "making light" of diabetes or gestational diabetes or glucose intolerance in pregnancy. Since being diagnosed I am following a meal plan set by a dietitian, talking to a diabetes nurse every two weeks, and taking my blood sugar levels 4 times daily.

My point was simply to point out the information given to me by my doctor and the diabetes nurse at my clinic - that gestational diabetes is a hormonal imbalance. Not something that a mother should feel guilty for.

My paternal grandmother and a few members of my husband's family have diabetes (Type 2) and my best friend growing up did as well (Type One). I would never "make light" of diabetes.

 

[kirmal12]

I am not "making light" of diabetes or gestational diabetes or glucose intolerance in pregnancy. Since being diagnosed I am following a meal plan set by a dietitian, talking to a diabetes nurse every two weeks, and taking my blood sugar levels 4 times daily.

My point was simply to point out the information given to me by my doctor and the diabetes nurse at my clinic - that gestational diabetes is a hormonal imbalance. Not something that a mother should feel guilty for.

My paternal grandmother and a few members of my husband's family have diabetes (Type 2) and my best friend growing up did as well (Type One). I would never "make light" of diabetes.

OK i apologise for that comment but to say diet isn't a factor is slightly wrong IMHO, I'm no expert and i don't claim to be, but i'm going on my experience and knowledge.

 

[StarlitHome]

I am not "making light" of diabetes or gestational diabetes or glucose intolerance in pregnancy. Since being diagnosed I am following a meal plan set by a dietitian, talking to a diabetes nurse every two weeks, and taking my blood sugar levels 4 times daily.

My point was simply to point out the information given to me by my doctor and the diabetes nurse at my clinic - that gestational diabetes is a hormonal imbalance. Not something that a mother should feel guilty for.

My paternal grandmother and a few members of my husband's family have diabetes (Type 2) and my best friend growing up did as well (Type One). I would never "make light" of diabetes.

OK i apologise for that comment but to say diet isn't a factor is slightly wrong IMHO, I'm no expert and i don't claim to be, but i'm going on my experience and knowledge.

Again, I'm passing on the information given me by my doctor's office.
I have edited my original post to say that of course the treatment for GD is diet change, etc.

 

[kirmal12]

I am not "making light" of diabetes or gestational diabetes or glucose intolerance in pregnancy. Since being diagnosed I am following a meal plan set by a dietitian, talking to a diabetes nurse every two weeks, and taking my blood sugar levels 4 times daily.

My point was simply to point out the information given to me by my doctor and the diabetes nurse at my clinic - that gestational diabetes is a hormonal imbalance. Not something that a mother should feel guilty for.

My paternal grandmother and a few members of my husband's family have diabetes (Type 2) and my best friend growing up did as well (Type One). I would never "make light" of diabetes.

OK i apologise for that comment but to say diet isn't a factor is slightly wrong IMHO, I'm no expert and i don't claim to be, but i'm going on my experience and knowledge.

Again, I'm passing on the information given me by my doctor's office.
I have edited my original post to say that of course the treatment for GD is diet change, etc.

again same old problem "experts" can never agree on what they say!. They all have such different opinions

 

[StarlitHome]

Exactly!

 

[cranberry987]

i had glucose intolerance pre pregnancy due to pcos and over two years have got my hba1c down from 7.1 (cutoff is 7....) to 6.1 pre preg and 5.2 (normal levels) at 12w preg. this was due to diet, BUT theyre warning me that around 20-24 weeks my bloods may go up and theres not much I can do about it. I already eat healthily and yes I have the odd chocolate but its one piece now rather than a bar.

Im trying not to worry too much about it as things might go fine, but if I do need to go on insulin I will treat it as a hormonal thing. It wont be caused by what Im eating as if it was it would be high right now, nothing will change between now and 20w food wise. I constantly feel guilty about eating something I know I shouldnt, then I check my bloods and theyre fine. things are stressful enough without pressure over something we literally cannot control (within sensible limits, i mean as long as youre following a sensible diet etc, obv if you have a diagnosis of GD and spend all day eating sweets then its a different situation)

 

[capel]

I am no doctor but as I am type 1 diabetic for some time I know a bit about diabetes. Diabetes can be made worse by your diet BUT cannot be caused by it. And I can tel you that your body needs A LOT more insulin at the end of pregnancy. I am normally VERY sensitive to insulin. Before pregnancy I used to take very little and as I don't make any insulin of my own I know exactly how much I need. Now I have to take sometimes 7x as much. And it is not diet because I have the same diet for a long time. Of course if you eat less carbs you'll need less insulin, so if you have GD (or type 2) you can CONTROL it by diet. You eat less carbs and the little you can make is enough. And you are more likely to get type 2 diabetes if you had GD because your body just showed that it can't cope with increased insulin resistance, so if later on your resistance increases (and many things can cause this) your body may not be able to cope. Then you will have diabetes.

And more important even if you are very careful with your diet and eat very little carbs, your levels may be perfect and they are like a non diabetic person BUT you will still be diabetic because your body can't cope with the same amount of carbs another person will.

 

[amjon]

I certainly hope they don't send me for another GTT. I had a 5 hour and it was probably the most miserable 5 1/2 hours I've had. I REALLY don't want the symptoms again.

 

[Scarletvixen]

your liver produces 80% more glucose when you are pregnant, its a throw back to the caveman ages xx