Self monitoring for GD - advice please!

[Sarah Lou 80]

I had GD at with baby number 1. It was established at the 26 week fasting test.

I was expected to be tested earlier this time but the midwife informs me that, because I was diet controlled last time, they don't need to test earlier and will do it at26 weeks again

I really want to be tested sooner but guess that's not possible. I still have my blood testing equipment from last time (I haven't checked it still works) but was going to monitor my levels and obviously keep an eye on my diet.

I've completely forgotten what I'm meant to do! When should I test my levels? I think my fasting levels were dodgy last time so should I test first thing in the morning? And how long after meals? 2 hours?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[ssjad]

I think that's a great idea. I did the same last pregnancy and this one and gd was picked up way earlier than if I waited for formal testing.
I think it all depends on the country though...
I test twice a week on waking, before eating. Then I also test two hours after each meal (and extra if I feel crappy).

 

[Sarah Lou 80]

That's good to hear. I think it must even vary from not only country to country but county to county! I'm sure I've read on here that other UK ladies have been tested earlier second time round regardless of how they controlled their GD before.

It's definitely something that concerns me so would rather keep things in check. 26 weeks seems so late to check. Second time around.

Thanks for your reply. Going to do it the same way you do I think.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

Hello

I am GD pregnancy number 3. I declined the GTT with DD2 and this baby and self monitored.

I was diagnosed with DD1 at 36 weeks.

DD2 I started monitoring at 16 weeks and GD had definitely arrived by 20 weeks - so I think you would be right to test pre 26 weeks and then refer yourself to the GD team if your numbers go wonky.

This time my GD started at 16 weeks.

I have been diet controlled in each pregnancy.

In DD1 pregnancy and this one I was told to monitor 3 x a day pre food and 3 x a day 1 hour post food.

I was advised to aim for below 6 before meals and below 7.8 an hour later.

With DD2 I was told to do 2 hour post food monitoring and was expected to be under 6 by 2 hours post eating.

 

[Sarah Lou 80]

Hello

I am GD pregnancy number 3. I declined the GTT with DD2 and this baby and self monitored.

I was diagnosed with DD1 at 36 weeks.

DD2 I started monitoring at 16 weeks and GD had definitely arrived by 20 weeks - so I think you would be right to test pre 26 weeks and then refer yourself to the GD team if your numbers go wonky.

This time my GD started at 16 weeks.

I have been diet controlled in each pregnancy.

In DD1 pregnancy and this one I was told to monitor 3 x a day pre food and 3 x a day 1 hour post food.

I was advised to aim for below 6 before meals and below 7.8 an hour later.

With DD2 I was told to do 2 hour post food monitoring and was expected to be under 6 by 2 hours post eating.

Hi there! Thank you for this. Some really helpful advice. I tested once last week and seemed ok but I'm only just coming up to 14 weeks so I think I will leave it a couple of weeks and start testing again. I really don't want to leave it as long as 26 weeks. Seems ridiculous to me!

 

[AmeliePoulain]

Look out for signs like increased thirst, feeling sleepy after meals and weeing more too. 16 weeks is usually the earliest point it starts unless you were already type 2 x

 

[Sarah Lou 80]

Thank you for this.

 

[Harley Quinn]

I am in a very similar situation. Had (diet controlled) GD in my second pregnancy, now in my third pregnancy. My doctor sent me to have a fasting glucose test (so just one blood draw after fasting for 8 hours, first thing in the morning) because that was the one I 'failed' on my previous GTT. Apparently I passed that test according whatever standards they use, BUT if it had been the actual GD screening that they do at 28 weeks, then my result would have failed because those standards are much more strict.

So, now I have gotten my monitor and test strips back out and am testing every morning before I eat, then one hour after breakfast.

I recently called the diabetes centre at the hospital to check what my numbers should be. She said that upon waking (so fasting level) should be between 3.8 - 5.2 and that one hour after meals should be between 5.5 - 6.6. So that's a little different than a PP said, but I guess the standards might be different in other countries or provinces.

The thing I forget is, should my post-meal test be one hour after I start eating or one hour after I finish eating? I feel like if my meal takes me 30-45 minutes to eat, that it would make a big difference to my levels if I test one hour after starting vs. one hour after finishing. Does that make sense? Anyone know the answer to that?

 

[AmeliePoulain]

I do it after I've stopped eating, I don't think there is a perfect way to do it though to know the true peak when eating a usual meal over reasonable length of time.

 

[Harley Quinn]

Thank you!

I figure I'll just keep doing what I'm doing (which has been an hour after I finish eating) and then show my doctor my numbers at my next visit and see what she says.

My fasting numbers have been fine, but my 1-hour post meal numbers have been low a few times. Not sure if that really means anything or not.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

Which country are you in Harley Quinn? I am interested in the levels you have been told to aim for (I am quite happy even though I have a higher limit I am still within the ones you quote 99% of the time)

In my last pregnancy I was on a clinical trial where all of my results went via bluetooth from my monitor, to an app on my phone and then to the consultant. The times were automatically logged. I always did after eating and nothing was ever said.

I think especially when you have other children it is very difficult to eat meals very fast. My lunch is often consumed over an hour!

 

[Harley Quinn]

I'm in British Columbia, Canada. I'll definitely ask my doctor about the target numbers at my next visit.

Yes, kids do make it difficult to get anything done in a timely manner! I'm doing most of my testing after breakfast or lunch, so it's while I'm at work. Still, I eat breakfast at my desk most days while I'm working, so it can take up to an hour to finish.

My post-lunch number was low again yesterday. Have you ever been given a minimum for the one-hour after meal test?

 

[AmeliePoulain]

No never a minimum.

How low is low for you?

I sometimes get high 4s.

Could it be your GD hasn't started yet and you are getting normal (low) pregnancy numbers? Do you have any sickness? My MS didn't stop until 17.5 weeks this time and (ironically) my GD flared up the day the throwing up stopped! I was getting totally normal readings whilst eating whatever until then.

 

[Harley Quinn]

My lowest so far is 3.6, then 4.1, and today it was 5.1, which is just under the range she told me.

I wonder the same thing. Is that range just for when you have GD? Maybe my numbers are totally normal for someone without. I do wonder if I should ask for a referral to the diabetes clinic sooner.

I did have MS, but it's pretty much gone now. Only lasted from weeks 7-10ish.

 

[ssjad]

I haven't been given lows either, really. Just to watch out for hypos with bsl below 4. Other than that I need to stay below 7 two hours after a meal, and below 5.5 for fasting.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

When GD isn't kicking off I think in pregnancy those levels are quite common. I know lots of people who got 4s on the one hour after a GTT.

I stab my DHs finger a fair bit and he is usually at a 5 or so after eating his bodyweight in pasta and cake...

 

[ssjad]

Haha... I can't wait to eat my bodyweight in pasta again!
Yes, low blood sugars are common in pregnancy. In first trimester before gd really kicks in my sugars get quite low.

 

[eventerjj]

I check fasting and 2 hours after meals. They told me from when I star eating, but I usually do once a meal is done. As long as I am consistent I don't know how much it matters? Fasting for me is supposed to be between 4.6 and 5.3 and 2 hours post meal I should be 6.6 or under. No lower limit on that one. I get a lot of low 4s for fasting and then it usually drops 0.3 or so after breakfast. I actually tested 3.6 after breakfast the other day and had 3 post meals at 2.4 when I was walking all day...