Hypoglycaemia??

[flowerpot258]

I'm 28 weeks. Had my glucose test with the midwife yesterday to test for gestational diabetes.

She called this morning and said my iron is a bit low so she's gonna give me iron tablets and she said that my fasting bloods were .1 lower than they'd like so I've to go to the hospital next week to a drop in session that educates you about it?

I have no idea what that means, can anyone shed any light? Will they give me a machine to test bloods? Or maybe just advise me on diet?

She said I wouldn't need to go on any medication or anything like that but this was just to speak to a diabetic nurse to speak about how to stop my fasting bloods being too low.. they said my bloods after the glucose drink were fine, it's just the fasting bloods.

Any information would be good as I'm clueless about diabetes. I really don't know anything about it

Anyone?

How long had you fated for?

FASTED!

If your blood sugars were too low, it’s not diabetes. I guess the diabetes nurse is just the expert on managing blood sugar.

Did she say what exactly the fasted blood glucose was? Did they say what they are classing as the low end of “normal”? If they are using 4mmol as the cut off (often used in a diabetes scenario as it’s easier to remember a single number than a point something number) then there’s not really anything to worry about. 3.9 is the lower end, but not abnormally so.

Not entirely sure why they are referring you to a diabetes specialist nurse, as it’s clearly not diabetes. I guess if they think it’s too low they might likely suggest you have a low GI carb snack before bed to give you a sustained release of glucose as it’s digested over night. I really don’t think it’s anything to worry about at all op.

@NeunundneunzigHorseBallonz - I had fasted for about 13-14 hours. Something like that.

@PrettyMuchBollocks - they had said something about my fasting bloods being 5.1 and they like it to be 5.2... so it seems a bit silly to refer me just for that. I'm not sure if this is just due to pregnancy or if this is something that will progressively get worse over time. No idea tbh. I'll go to the clinic but it just seems a lot of hassle if it's just to advise on a snack.They could have just told me that over the phone

I'm not pregnant but I have been diabetic since I was 14, 34 now!

5.1 is not diabetes but you can have hypoglycaemia (low blood sigar) without diabetes. They will just be referring you to a diabetes specialist because they are in the know with how to manage blood sugar.

I expect they might tell you to have a snack pr give you some glucose tablets. Perhaps a blood machine just to test in the mornings x

I would be concerned if they were 7+ as this is a sign of diabetes.

Ahh, ok. So they aren’t worried about hypoglycaemia. I’m guessing they aim for their patients with diagnosed GD to have a fasting glucose below 5.3mmol (low side of the normal range in diabetes is good, as means you are less likely to have a very big baby). The fact yours is only .1mmol below isn’t really here or there. Below is below. Besides, the NICE guidelines for diabetes and pregnancy advise for diagnosis of GD a fasting level of 5.6 or greater is the cut off. I think they are possibly mixing up their diagnosis criteria levels and their diagnosed ideal range levels, if that makes sense.

Also meant to say it’s possible they will give you a monitor to do some finger prick tests of your own at home of your fasting levels over the next few weeks.

@PrettyMuchBollocks - yeah quite possibly. Thanks for the info. I know nothing about blood sugar levels at all.

I got tested for GD in my last pregnancy but everything came back normal. I expected the same this time but apparently not. My levels after the glucose drink were totally fine so it is just the low blood sugar they're looking at

@Fawbs89 - ah okay, so it doesn't sound major, maybe just a bit of a talk and some advise from them. I suppose it's better they are acknowledging it and doing something for it instead of ignoring it !

@PrettyMuchBollocks @Fawbs89 - just had a message from the pharmacy. Apparently a prescription has been created for me by the diabetes nurse. I don't know what it is yet and it probably won't be ready to collect until tomorrow. The midwife had said I won't need meds but looks like they've gave me something. Maybe just some glucose tablets I don't know. It's all very vague at the moment. I have the clinic tomorrow actually so that should shed some light on everything

I think you've misunderstood. 5.3 and over is considered diabetes so 5.2 is the max they would likely to see. so you are borderline and they are likely to be prescribing you a monitor to keep an eye on it and will recommend that you go on a diet (and this stage it may be as simple as cutting out junk food to bring numbers down but look at the gestational diabetes uk website for amazing advice on getting your numbers under control).

This isn't hypoglycemia. That is possible but unlikely to be at a treatable level unless on insulin or other medication which lowers your blood sugar.

As Bells says, it’s likely to be a prescription for glucose monitor and test strips. In gestational diabetes (and regular diabetes pre and during pregnancy) the desired glucose range is much tighter (and lower) than in general diabetes, in order to minimise problems with your babies growth and birth. I imagine the nurse will teach you how to use the meter, and when to test. As you are just under the range the aim for they probably want to just check it doesn’t start to increase over the next few weeks. They might also discuss diet, things like eating more complex carbs if you don't already. Less or different snacking maybe. Good luck op. I can’t see they are diagnosing you with GD, as you are not in the range, but they must just want to keep a bit of an eye on you to check your levels don’t creep up.

That's good glad you have been seen x I wonder what they have prescribed?

5.1 is a perfectly normal glucose level. In some one with out diabetes is 3.9-7.1 mmol/l but we tend to say 4-7 for ease

In pregnancy for people with any form of diabetes the glucose targets are far tighter. Fasting should ideally be below 5.3, and then below 7.8 one hour post meal, and 6.4 two hours post meal.