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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Pregnancy

I can't seem to control my gestational diabetes.

102 replies

sparklygothkat · 01/09/2007 11:19

Have been testing after every meal. And I just can't seem to control it. My readings are supposed to be 6-7 after a meal, but I am getting anything from 7-10.1 are they going to be pissed off with me? I am trying, but struggling. I have no sugar in my tea, use sweetner on my cereal (ones that the nurse said I could eat) Have used diet stuff and check the sugar content on everything. I don't want to have to go on insulin.

OP posts:

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sparklygothkat · 01/09/2007 13:34

anyone have any ideas how to control it?

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harleyd · 01/09/2007 13:38

have they refered you to a dietician?
i know its not quite the same but my dad has just found out he has type 2 diabetes. his seems to be staying between 7-9 atm. he has been refered to dietician for more info. sorry i cant help more, hope someone else can

sparklygothkat · 01/09/2007 13:41

I am seeing the dietian on monday, have only been diagnosed a week and only be testing for 4 days, but seeing all the high numbers in the boxes makes me realise that I have no control on it. I am really trying, and generally my first one of the day is fine, but after meals is far too high!!

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coleyboy · 01/09/2007 13:44

How long after food are you testing?

Have they given you info about how and what to eat?

coleyboy · 01/09/2007 13:46

Oh, and if you've only been doing it four days don't panic. It will take you a while to work out what affects your levels.

I think it is really important for you to know about the science behind sugar and what it does to you, so you can then eat accordingly.

List what else you've been eating/avoiding and I'll see if I can give you any tips.

No need to panic yet.

sparklygothkat · 01/09/2007 13:47

1 hour after eating. I was given a list of 'ok' foods but not bad foods. I had an egg and wholemeal bread for lunch and hope that its ok when I test soon.

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harleyd · 01/09/2007 13:48

i know that my dad cut his from 18 to 12 in the first week simply by cutting out sugar, biscuits, coke that sort of thing. sounds like you have done that already

primigravida · 01/09/2007 13:49

'Diet' stuff can often have more sugar than regular products to make up for the reduced fat. Worth checking to see if that's the case with the diet stuff you're using.

sparklygothkat · 01/09/2007 13:51

Had weetabix for breakfast (was told it was fine to eat) but that seems to send my sugar levels far too high (10.1) Sweetners in my tea (couldn't do the whole no sugar thing in my tea yuck) Lunch is a sandwich or something light. Have been told that I can't have sauces anymore, which is a bugger as I love Bolnagne (sp?) and kormas.

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sparklygothkat · 01/09/2007 13:52

no coke, no biscuits. I have been looking at the sugar content on everything, and know I can't have chocolate (sob!!)

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sparklygothkat · 01/09/2007 13:56

yea!! 4.0 for my egg and bread lunch!! Guess I'll be eating a lot of eggs!!

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pinkteddy · 01/09/2007 13:57

well the ready made sauces have a lot of sugar in. Sure you could make your own bolognese though with tinned tomatoes etc.

coleyboy · 01/09/2007 13:59

Totally agree about diet/low sugar stuff, it's a complete waste of time.

Tips that worked for me:

I ate two smaller hot meals a day, which always consisted mostly of complex carbs (this is sugar, but is released slowly into the system) ie rice or pasta.

I only had one slice of bread a day (there is sugar in bread) as the dietician said bread is often what catches people out.

I drunk a shit load of water.

I stayed away from fruit juice, and only had small portions of fruit (normally with natural youghurt as a dessert).

I got inventive with salad and checked out the sugar levels in the dressing.

I made my own soups - and often saved my daily slice of bread to go with it!! (how sad)

Jacket potatoes (again a complex carb)

Hope this helps!

sparklygothkat · 01/09/2007 14:02

I am going to waste away, am only 5ft and normally weigh 7 1/2 stones. Have put on a stone so far, I can't believe I have to do basically go on a diet lol!!

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Whooosh · 01/09/2007 14:05

SGK-are you at QE2?

Friend was diagnosed a few weeks ago and told to test 1hr after eating.I did some researcha nd the consencus seemed to be this was too soon-2hrs far more realisitc.SO she challenged them and they agreed.

Se is on insulin and it is creeping up weekly-the advice she was given-dietary or otherwise was crap.

Best advice seems to be follow a low Gi diet.

Good luck.

sparklygothkat · 01/09/2007 14:06

no lister, I refused to go back to the QE2. I did wonder about the 1 hour testing TBH

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Whooosh · 01/09/2007 14:08

Don't blame you not going back there! .
Give the 2hr test (as well as the 1hr one) and see what happens maybe?

Whooosh · 01/09/2007 14:09

Oh and avoid baked potato-nightmare apparently but boled potatoes are fine,as,bizarrely are sweet potatoes.

sparklygothkat · 01/09/2007 14:13

I refused to go back, after my treatment there and the fact that the SCBU didn't tell us that DD1 had GBS and Spesis while in SCBU. And also they gave her a blood tranfusion without our knowledge or content. When I had dd2 there (in between dd1 being born and finidng out all that happened) The midwife refused to examine me when I was in premature labour, and forced Pethadine on me, even though I didn't want it, all so she could go for lunch without being disturbed.

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Whooosh · 01/09/2007 14:16

Well friend who has GD had stillborn there 2yrs ago-won't go into detail butdefinitely negligence involved.Whilst there,she met another lady who had a stillborn 3 days before-how likely is that????
Both babies buried side by side now

Hate that bloody place and cannot understand why friend is still using them but I think it is becasue they are now monitoring her VERY closely.

sparklygothkat · 01/09/2007 14:20

I just went to my GP when I found out I was pregnant and said I didn't want to go to the QE2 and wanted all my care to be at the lister. So far they have been great, they have found out why I deliver early (genetic blood clotting disorder) which the QE2 could have found out when I was pregnant with Dd2 but they refused to do any testing even though I asked. I am on Clexane now for that. Lister tested me for diabetes because a family history, and reading up on it, I wonder if I had it with the others, as they all had low blood sugars when they were born, but the QE2 didn't bother.

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iris66 · 01/09/2007 15:03

Sparkly - I agree wiht the low GI diet advice. Bread (of any kind) sends my sugar into orbit as does white pasta & mashed potato. I find that being heavy on the protein at each meal and eating porridge for breakfast helps. Also, do drink plenty of water. Being constipated seems to have an effect - as does being stressed!! Chiiiiiiillll . will try to catch up later with more tips. Ooh Nairns oat biscuits - med/low gi and quite nice. HTH

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sparklygothkat · 01/09/2007 15:05

TBH I hate porriage, and anything oaty! I don't have a great diet normally, but its varied. I don't know how I am going to do this, when I dislike so much

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dilbertina · 01/09/2007 15:05

I developed Type 1 diabetes whilst pregnant with my 1st so unfortunately have plenty of experience!

You could try doing a google search for GI (glycaemic index) you can get lists of high GI food , low GI food etc. This is a measure of how quickly the food converts to glucose. If you aim to eat low GI food you will not spike as much. Weetabix is a high GI food - try porridge instead. Pasta is generally ok - potato is not....anyhow check out the lists.

Re: one hour thing. Generally I check 2 hours after eating but whilst pregnant I always do 1 hour. Since the aim is to have as close to normal levels, personally I wanted to get close as possible all the time not just when it's easier to get close! Having said that it is very hard to always get it right so don't beat yourself up too much if you're high on occasion.

It also worth bearing in mind that your insulin resistance will prob. get worse as your pregnancy progresses, it may not just be you not doing it right! If you do end up on insulin it really isn't the end of the world - I found the thought of it really daunting but the reality wasn't so bad (and unlike you I couldn't stop when I had the baby!) also, if you go on insulin at least you'll be able to eat chocolate - you just have to have insulin to cover it (every cloud and all that...!)
good luck

flamingtoaster · 01/09/2007 15:18

I had sugar problems when pregnant with DD - and I still have a degree of glucose intolerance (but am not yet diabetic though they told me I had an increased likelihood of becoming diabetic later). I find that including onions etc. in my diet really helps. There is some evidence that eating some foods (e.g. onions, cinnamon and some other spices) can help blood sugar control - it might be worth trying to incorporate some of those into your diet.

Flip

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