to want to know if I have gestational diabetes?

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

Bear with me, it's a bit of a story.

3.5 years ago when pg with DD I had a GTT and passed it, no problem. At 38 weeks I was sent to the diabetic clinic because I was big for dates. Took my blood sugar over a period of time, without changing my diet, all within the normal range. However, despite this, I was induced at 40 weeks, made to formula feed, had nightmare situation basically. I hold it entirely responsible for the depression I suffered for 2 years after that.

Now I'm 15 weeks pg. I have been taking my blood sugar out of interest for the last week. Again, all fine. Saw the diabetic clinic today who have asked me to do it for another week and, here's the crucial bit, they want me to change my diet as advised by the dietician.

The bit that is really winding me up is that, if my readings are fine, neither they nor I will know whether it's because I have GD and am controlling it, or whether it's because I don't have GD.

No one seems to be able to understand that, for my own sanity, I need to know whether I actually have this bloody condition or not. Ideally I would take the readings without changing my diet and go back to the clinic, as advised, if any of the readings are higher than they should be. A week, max.

DH refuses to see it from my side, keeps saying, best for the baby blah blah and of course I'm not prepared to do anything to risk it. But at the same time, I have to know what the situation is. This will go on my medical record, if I wanted to have dc3 I'd be in the same position again. I need to know for sure.

I am stuck doing things their way so I'm not asking about that as such, but can anyone understand why this is important to me to know? I am so stressed about it again, it's horrible and I'm beginning to feel as I did before, wishing i wasn't pg.

Hi Gwendoline. I am in a similar situation. I have, in the past had problems with blood sugar levels (whilst not being pregnant), but never been diabetic on the tests I have had. With DS I had a normal pregnancy with none of the ususal signs of diabetes, yet when DS was born he had a hypoglycemic fit. They could find no other cause other than I might have had GD. They did a test on me as soon as DS had his fit which was supposed to analyse my blood sugar levels historically (i.e. for the last week or some timeframe - I can't remember the name of the test sorry!). Anyway I was borderline with GD so they assumed I did have.

I am going for a GTT in a couple of weeks (currently 25 weeks pregnant) and I am worried that it is going to come back negative like all the other diabetic tests I have had, yet I will still have the worry of DS's fit hanging over me.

What reasons have they given for changing your diet? They definitely haven't asked me to do that - in fact they told me continue with my normal diet. Can you chat with them again? TBH I would be feeling exactly the same as you so would want to know more details.

What reason have they given for a) changing your diet and b) not doing a GTT?

I would ask and keep asking until you get an answer that makes sense to you. Not to DH. Not to the diabetes team but to you.

I am also not sure why you couldn't breast feed because you had GD? Was that ever explained?

I had Type II before I ever got pregnant and of course had to be very careful and was put on insulin before I was even 12 weeks along after never needing it pre-pregnancy. Of course you want to do what's best for your baby but that doesn't mean you can't ask and keep asking questions. It's your body and your baby.

Reason for changing the diet is because they apparently don't want to take responsibility for any harm done to the baby When I suggested carrying on as normal just for the week, she looked at me in horror.

The GTT has been scheduled for 26 or 28 weeks, whatever it is. I don't know why they can't do one sooner.

As for the bf, the midwives were just shite. Simple as that. I had no bf support, not a bit. They were pretty horrible generally but it was almost like they panicked. Although now they're talking about colostrum harvesting etc so maybe it's better now.

Honestly? I would carry on as normal. And ask to be referred to a diabetologist, not a nurse. An actual doctor who specializes in diabetes and/or diabetes and pregnancy. Because the nurses you are dealing with sound clueless to me.

If after a week of eating normally your numbers are fine I wouldn't worry until the GTT.

If they aren't, scream and shout until you get a GTT.

Tee when DS had his hypoglycemic fit the hospital were extremely cautious about his milk intake and it was all calculated precisely to the ml of how much he should have and how many times a day he should be fed. Thankfully I could express by the bucket load but in the very early days he was given formula top-up, before my milk caught up. So I don't know if that what Gwendoline experienced?

Sorry x-post. I agree with Tee's post 12:03 given the extra information.

This sounds ridiculous, Gwendoline, I'm so sorry. I had GD in my first pregnancy and had to fight tooth and nail to avoid the induction-at-40-weeks etc scenario (well, in theory; in practise I went into labour before 40 weeks. But I had actual arguments with the GP who was telling me to just accept it or be responsible for the otherwise-inevitable stillbirth scenario) etc.

This time around their entire approach has been: let's do the GTT earlier. I have NO idea why they wouldn't do that with you. And FWIW a week of eating a normal diet, at 15 weeks, just won't put the baby at risk even if you do end up having GD, so that's utterly crazy. 15 weeks is around the time that the placenta starts blocking insulin and the baby starts producing extra to compensate. It is, therefore, the absolute earliest that your diet could have any effect at all, and one week would be very minimal. I mean, obviously, otherwise they'd test everyone at 15 weeks not 28, wouldn't they?

And you didn't HAVE GD the first time, that's the even more crazy bit - it sounds like they went through all the GD intervention protocols just because your baby was big for dates? Which was only a guess anyway, prior to birth - there's a huge margin for error in late term ultrasounds.

Um, anyway, my ranting isn't going to help you. Honestly, I'd resist this completely, and change practises if that's open to you at all.

I had GD and it was a nightmare so you have my sympathy.
It can be very frustrating waiting for the results (mine was late onset GD) and the only way I got through the time was to convince myself I did have it and to make the adjustments that I would have if I had it IYSWIM!
Then when the results were positive for GD it wasn't a shock and I already had the good behaviours more or less in place.
still felt like crying about it though