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Gestational diabetes

12 replies

LennonMagill · 25/02/2020 22:11

Hi.
Has anyone felt they were misdiagnosed with GDM? At 28+3 my baby was estimated at 4.5lb so I was sent for the glucose test. My levels were slightly elevated, however my iron was low at the time which I'm told can affect blood sugar. At 31 weeks the baby was estimated at 4lb. I was given my blood glucose monitor on monday and my levels always seem fine so tonight I had half a £1 bag of skittles, Muller corner yogurt (choc flakes), an ice lolly and a tin of iron bru. 1 hour later my levels were 7.8. Which is the max but still within the limits. I'm confused, is it possible to be misdiagnosed with GDM?

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EcoCustard · 25/02/2020 22:47

I wouldn't say misdiagnosed but it affects everyone with different levels.. What were your results from the GTT test? I have had it in 3 out of 4 pregnancies and in two of those my results were only.1 over at 28 weeks. However GD is progressive it can get harder to manage as the pregnancy progresses. 7.8 is the limit in my region 1 hour post meal, if I had that level I would be reducing it and eating better. There is a great Facebook page Gestational Diabetes UK, the diet will help immensely with managing levels. Gestational Diabetes doesn't just cause big babies low birth weight is also related. All mine were tiny 5lb and below at 38-39 weeks.

Crunchymum · 25/02/2020 23:36

You've had a test, you've had a diagnosis. It is something that can be controlled with diet.... so why not just watch what you eat?

FWIW I had GD and my hospital didn't give me much time to go down the diet route.
Diagnosed at 29w
Metformin at 31w
Insulin at 34w
Baby at 38w (5lb 11oz!)

Crunchymum · 25/02/2020 23:38

And yes I was just off the cut off on one of my 3 blood tests (the middle / 2nd one)

It does progress, it can be diet controlled but its actually autoimmune, hence the medication.

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Pinkiii · 26/02/2020 06:30

I had GD.

My sugar levels after lunch and dinner were generally always fine and i could pretty much eat anything, KFC would put me at 7.3 for example.

However my fasting one in the morning was always ridiculously high.

I would be cautious though because after 33 weeks my sugar levels went crazy and had to have the injections as metformin wasn’t even helping anymore

furryleopard · 26/02/2020 06:44

Your blood sugars are likely spiking, ie going very high then dropping quickly so it appears that you're able to eat very carby things. The aim of GD is to keep level, avoid spiking so that no excess sugar is passed to the baby.

It's not the end of the world having a diagnosis, by eating cleverly I kept mine diet controlled and as an aside I lost weight too. I still ate food I enjoyed and even chocolate but I paired my food to help my body stay level and I only ever ate 1 carb at a time.

Have a look at the gestational diabetes UK website. It's run by a mum who had it herself and has researched into the condition. The NHS don't as a general rule understand GD it is not like other forms of diabetes.

Happy to answer any questions though!

If you've had a diagnosis you've got it, and it gets worse as you go on with your pregnancy. Honestly check out GDUK.

BalloonSlayer · 26/02/2020 07:23

Why would you be pregnant with a condition that's dangerous to you and your baby and eat a load of sugary crap just to see what happens and to try and prove wrong the medically trained people who are trying to help both of you?

LennonMagill · 26/02/2020 07:24

Thanks for your replies. I have been doing the diet but experimenting with portions of carbs to see what I can handle as I was advised to. Then because they were always well under the limit I wanted to see if pure sugars would affect it. So maybe I can handle the carbs for now just.

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furryleopard · 26/02/2020 08:07

If you are doing NHS guidance diet then you'll likely need to think again with it! They recommended I ate cereal for breakfast and that stuff is full of sugar! They generally just give you the advice they'd give to a newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic who has space to do some trial and error with food and has higher targets. With GD you need to get on it quickly to protect your baby.

Have a look at GDUK. There is info there on how blood sugars work and how your body will spike with high carb foods. Any spike means excess sugar going into your baby.

You won't miss out on stuff but you need to eat cleverly. So the sort of things I ate were strawberries with double cream and chopped nuts, granny smiths apple dipped in peanut butter, boiled eggs, a freddo with loads double cream and nuts, double cheese and ham toasties with brown bread, pizza made with brown wrap and loads of cheese and pepperoni, fry up of bacon, egg, high meat content sausage, I did switch to brown pasta/rice etc... I ate veg from above the ground as they are generally lower in carbs than those grown below.

Plenty of food, in fact I are constantly to avoid throwing up! And you can eat ALL the cheese with GD. Like, I ate two blocks of cheese a week!

And also just to add, GD is nothing you have done, it's not about your weight (Cheryl Cole had GD when pregnant with Bear!), It's not about your previous diet. It's a pregnancy complication same as any. It just needs to be treated through diet/tablets/insulin and it will go away once you have the baby.

Babyg1995 · 26/02/2020 08:25

Did they advise you to have fizzy juice ,sugary yogurt ,skittles and an ice lolly anyone I know who's had gd they have avoided all those things .
Gd is a serious thing and can harm you and the baby I would go on the website and follow the diet advice.

Letsallscreamatthesistene · 26/02/2020 09:08

Exercise also keeps blood sugars regulated. Im not talking about thrashing yourself on a treadmill, walking, swimming etc is great.

CatSmize · 26/02/2020 09:52

I felt that I'd been misdiagnosed! I failed the first GTT at 9w but threw up during the 3-hour test so only had 2 readings (which were normal) instead of 4. I had the choice of repeating the 3-hour test or using a blood glucose monitor and following the diet.

There was no way I wanted to go through thr 3-hour test again so I self-monitored and was exactly like you! I noticed that even after eating carbs and treats my readings were perfectly normal. My baby's measurements always showed up as perfect too. I had an awful pregnancy so I could barely walk, let alone exercise.

However, at around 32w was when I started getting the odd reading slightly over the limit and as I progressed in the pregnancy I noticed it happening more and more so in the end I don't think I was misdiagnosed. By the end, even a portion of mash was putting me over the limit! You might find the same happens to you further down the line.

Congrats on your pregnancy!

LennonMagill · 26/02/2020 19:09

CatSmize

Thankyou!

Oh you did have a bad time of it.
I think I might be like you. My levels always seem normal. Bar that one reading they are rarely over 5.3 except when I've went too long without food. Although most of the foods I would eat would be fine with the recommended diet, except for the white bread (I'm wheat intolerant but have still cut out the white bread) and the odd treat or takeaway. But I'd say over the next week or so I'll see more of an issue with the carbs. I've heard from a lot that it gets worse after 32weeks which is where I'm at now.

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