Gestational diabetes – WTF?

[hubbahubster]

I've just been to the midwife for a 30-week check-up, having had the GTT last week and not heard anything from the hospital. She called the hospital's biochemistry department for the result, to be told that it was 7.9 and the limit in pregnancy is 11, so I'm fine. As soon as I got back, I got a call from a diabetes nurse to tell me that I DO have gestational diabetes and that actually the limit is 7.8.

Obviously I was a bit thrown and explained that I'd just been told all was well, and was 0.1 really that big a deal? This is my first baby and I honestly have no idea. The nurse on the phone then laid into me for being reckless with my baby's health, told me lots of awful things that would happen as a result, and was horrified that I said I wasn't able to go to the hospital right away (I don't drive and it's half an hour away, public transport doesn't run in that direction either) to be shown how to test my blood sugar. When I asked whether I couldn't just be shown at my GP's surgery, since otherwise both DH and I will have to take a day off work so he can drive me to the hospital, again she was horrified that I didn't seem to be taking it seriously and gave me a real lecture. Once I was off the phone, I burst into tears! It's not like I was saying that I was going to ignore the blood test result, just that I couldn't drop everything and WALK to the bloody hospital!

I guess I'm just venting as I'm upset about the way I've been dealt with?

Don't know the specifics of the results but it sounds as if the call from the hospital was not helpful to you! I would ring your midwife and see if she can help out with teaching you the blood testing. Sending a hug to cheer you up!!!

Sounds like that particular person needs reskilling a bit. I've also been diagnosed with GD, also on the borderline and was also initially told that I didn't have it, only to be sent a letter saying that I did. However, what happened next was that the hospital sent me an appt with the dietician for the following week, where a group of us were shown how to do the fingerprick testing, and a further appt for the week after that at a specialist antenatal clinic within the hospital.

Contact your midwife, or the antenatal team at wherever you're booked to have the baby, and find out what their protocol is. Then make a complaint to PALS about the diabetes nurse's attitude, so she can be sent for a 'people skills' refresher.

Well I wish they'd make their bloody minds up because I was told that the limit was 7 last time and on that basis they made dd's birth a nightmare and will make this pg a bloody misery. I passed the gtt with flying colours but was diagnosed at 38 weeks before except no one had the decency to tell me.

I'm sorry you're getting such mixed messages. Hope you can sort it out.

I don't know the levels of results etc but I have a test coming up in July. I know someone else who had it too and it went away after the birth. I get so angry at these midwives and nurses laying into you like this, especially in your first pregnancy. I remember last time I got it too from a midwife and I was so upset all day with all the stuff she had fed me. Try to remember there are lots of causes and risk factors for GD if you do have it including age and most of which are not 'your fault' at all.

I think it is 7.8 limit for after eating, I haven't heard 11 at all so they might have changed it? It 5.5 limit for fasting, and mine came in at 5.5 exactly, so not even 0.1 over but still they called me in to come in that day and get the blood testing kit etc, so i think it might be standard, even for being just exactly on the limit or a tinnyyy bit over
but still the way they spoke to you is not nice, especially considering that you had previously been told all was fine. I would call them back and hopefully be able to speak to a different midwife, and then make an apt with them to go in and get the kit and see if they can expain it to you so that the info you have been given will make a bit more sense

They've not handled it very well, but it's better that you know now.
I was diagnosed at 33/34 weeks, which was far too late to do anything, meaning my baby is too big and metformin hasn't really had a chance to prevent that.
I'm having a c-section tomorrow, and have not really had any choice about it, also lost 2 weeks of preparation time as they wouldn't let me past 38 weeks, so I feel a bit lost really.

Hopefully you will be able to manage your sugars and if necessary be given the medicine you need to control it in plenty of time.

Good luck!

Grrr, what an unhelpful nurse! It's a bit of a shock being diagnosed with anything during pregnancy, the hospital staff should know to treat people better! I think people who work there forget that hospitals aren't always easily accessible and that it is difficult just to be able to turn up any time.

I just got diagnosed too, at 32 weeks, with a level of 8.3 (was told a 7.8 limit too). So I've just started blood sugar monitoring. As well as showing me how to do that, I got diet advice and another blood test done at the hospital, so maybe they want you to go in for that stuff too? The rest of my appointments have to be at the hospital too, really annoying as the doctor's surgery is much more convenient.

Hope you can get there soon and find out more :)

My test results say 3.5 - 8.0 is considered normal but I suppose your results are close enough to be on the edge? Make sure you get the piece of paper with the results on it for your notes by the way (mine was tested fine but I still had to ask for the printout as they weren't planning to bother with it).

If you're that borderline, it will just be diet changes and watching your blood sugar I would think. In a way, testing your own blood sugar is a good thing as I think it allows you to feel you have some control over it and you're on top of the situation and learning how your body is affected by different things -- meaning you can help it. So while it's inconvenient, it's worth it.

Diabetes nurse sounds like a cow, just ignore her (easier said than done). Sometimes these medical folks love to impart their judgey-pants all over you for no other reason than to make you feel bad and themselves feel big and important and knowledgeable, unfortunately. I honestly believe some of them don't feel right unless they're delivering bad news or predictions to you with a self-satisifed smirk or waggling a finger in your face. That's been my experience a few times anyway (first time pregnancy here too). Hopefully your midwife is a lot better to deal with.

My advice would be google and read about what you're likely to be told, how to manage it, foods to avoid and all that. Forewarned is forearmed. Make a list of questions to take too. And stay calm and cool about it, if you're borderline and the baby is fine and you've caught it early enough in any case then things will be ok. They're only making a giant fuss over it because it's there to make a giant fuss over -- if you had bigger problems, they would hardly care about this!

hi, im a type 1 diabetic and just want to say dont let them scare you! Yes 7.9 is highish for a non diabetic (norm is 5ish fasting ) and its best that you do keep an eye on sugars. However your not going to damage the baby with sugars of 7 now and then. 11 yes but not 7. This nurse sounds like a dragon! she'll prob put you on diet controlled and see your sugars after a few weeks on that before making any other decisions re insulin. if you do end up on insulin, its really not as bad as you think (take it from me, youll be surprised what you can do when you have to) and itll only be until baby is born.

She sounds very unprofessional. Perhaps a complaint would be appropriate once you've had a chance to gather your thoughts?

I feel for you. Pregnancy can be stressful enough. Last pregnancy I had 3 GTTs but no GD. Just measured way above dates and had a large baby.

32 weeks with DC2 and so far I have had regular random blood sugar test and am having a fasting glucose test tomorrow (GD isn't suspected but am having another large baby so they are just being safe).

First time around with my DD, I had a pretty horrible couple of conversations with midwives who were extremely rude to me regarding sending me for GTTs and how it was all my fault that I was growing a massive baby, risking the babys health and mine (despite being of completely normal BMI with a good diet...). And I was quite upset too not just because of their rudeness (and they were ill informed too as I did not have GD) and at the thought of risks for my DD.

This time have a lovely consultant and he has been very reassuring and given blood results so far, believes that I just grow nice large babies. But has spent time talking to me in a normal adult fashion about best ways to avoid GD without any finger-wagging accusations or unpleasantness.

I hope your appointment goes well for your. You GD sounds borderline and very mild so you have every chance of controlling it easily with a low GI diet and walking/swimming exercise.

Thanks everyone. I saw the practice nurse this morning who had unfortunately just been briefed on the phone by the cowbag I spoke to yesterday, so she started straight in with the attitude that I was a reckless mother putting my baby at risk :( I tried to explain that I was simply looking for a better solution than going to the hospital. She was still pretty patronising, asking what I ate and being desperate to find fault - "oh Ryvita? That can be full of fat." Er, dark rye Ryvita? Really?

Anyway, I'm confident my diet is fine and at least monitoring my blood sugar will prove it. Although pricking my finger bloody hurts!

As long as you are happy with it Hubb, don't take any notice it will just make you more stressed out. They could have at least been a bit nicer about it. Honestly some of them should not be in the job the way they go on.
I have to inject in my tummy every day with blood thinners and at first I hated it but now have really got used to it so hopefully you will too ad hopefully once the baby is born it will go away. I ate whatever I felt like last time and pretty much am this time although I'm trying to not do the four choccy bars in a row this time (its just 3!) Just enjoy the rest of your pregnancy and relax - thats what you need!!

wow hubba they are pretty rude at your hospital aren't they! bad enough to get one staff member rude, but 2!
i would have thought dark rye ryvita is something good? the nurse at mine told me to eat granary bread or some kind of dark rye bread kind of thing (i forgot the name, as ive not actually gone to get any...)
hopefully next time you have to go in you will atleast get a nice person at last!

op a tip for you when pricking finger. Adjust the needle length to the smallest length that draws blood (if you havent already) and use the sides of your finger tips down the sides of the nail but not too close to nail and not the finger pad as it hurts a lot less! (i test mine 10 times a day!)

It really is just the heavy-handed way they've gone about it that's upset me ? making me blub and rant at them, which makes me look like a psycho! So far all my sugar readings have been fine and I haven't been eating any differently, so hopefully the nurses will get off my case :) thanks everyone.