Support thread for those diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes

[HighFibreDiet]

Hi, it seems there are a few of us around and I wondered if you wanted to start a support thread? There seemed to be a good thread going through 2010 but I can't find one running at the moment.

My due date is 17 July. I took the OGTT at 30 weeks (not realising that the best time for diagnosis is supposed to be 24-28 weeks). I was only diagnosed last week, given my blood glucose monitor on Thursday and have been trying to tweak my diet to bring down the readings since then. Seeing my midwife today and have to phone in my readings next week to see what they make of them!

My main problem seems to be the fasting blood sugars and the endocrinologist I saw on Thursday said if I couldn't keep them consistently down, I would go on insulin, with 'no negotiation'.

Would love to hear from other pg women with GD, or those who have been through it before. I'd also like to compare how the antenatal 'care' varies with country, as I am in Australia and it seems extremely strict over here (e.g. my fasting blood sugar levels have to be under 5.0 mmol/l).

Looking forward to getting some responses

Hi Sprite and glad you have found this thread. I have only just posted myself but been lurking for a while and have found the information invaluable. If you search the site there are older threads too and these can also be very helpful to read, I have found.

My due date is 14th September so I am not too far behind you!

It is hard to deal with initially and scary too. My level with the GTT was 7.7 so actually slightly under the cut off of 7.8 but the fasting level was 6.7 which concerned them.

It's an awful lot to get your head around though. As I said I am relatively new to this myself too but hopefully can offer support.

I am feeling better now actually after my rant this morning! We had visitors over the weekend which made it harder I think.

Just had a very nice tea of vegetable and pasta bake and have made enough for tomorrow too so no cooking tomorrow!

Have been advised to up my evening insulin but keep morning one the same as daytime levels are ok.

Thanks for everyone being so welcoming. And good luck with your very upcoming birth ladygonegaga.

Since it's my first birth and I was late I was thinking she would go past the due date but looks like that may not happen. Good to know what's in store though.

MrsZB glad you are feeling better and since our EDDs are so close we can share updates, which is nice. I've got my scan next week so fingers crossed everything is okay with my little munchkin.

I can definitely see how visitors makes things difficult. I've been dreading all the dinner invites we've been getting (bbq season) as it requires explaining, sometimes to people I don't know well at all, about what I can and can't eat and asking them to somehow accommodate me, if only by telling me what's on the menu ahead of time.

Most of all I dread other people's pity with 'sorry to hear that' as I am actually coping okay and want to focus on the positive instead of the doom and gloom side (at least outwardly).

Having said that, has anyone else noticed their energy levels go up since cutting out sugar? Maybe a blip but I'm feeling much more alert at work despite getting less sleep a couple nights in a row. Go figure.

MrsZB does that mean you need to measure before and after meals or just before? My midwife suggested just doing it afterwards since my fasting levels were okay, which is nice.

Hello, can I join in? I'm in Oxfordshire, UK and I've been having my blood glucose monitored for a few days using a finger stick test (6 times a day before a meal and 2 hours after) after DD2 measured a bit big (90th%-tile) on 34 week scan. The doctor said today that they thought some of the post meal readings were too high (e.g. 7.8 mmol/litre) and they want the levels below 6.5mmol/litre. I have been told to monitor glucose for another week and eat a low GI diet.

They want to see if the blood glucose can be kept lower by diet changes alone and then redo the sizing scan at 37 weeks. Obstetrician is already talking about inducing at 38 weeks to make sure baby is not too large . We are talking 8 1/2 - 9lb here not 11lb!

The thing is DD1 was 90th %-tile at 38 weeks when she was born because she was long, DH is 6ft 2in and I'm 5ft 10in and we are both skinny minnies. I was 9lb 5oz at 38 weeks and all my siblings were 90th %-tile + and born at 38 weeks, my mum did not have GD we were just bigger than average. All this monitoring is based on one measurement of the baby's abdomen which came up large and the fact that I take a low dose of steroids, to control an autoimmune disease, which can make your body's processing of glucose a bit sluggish, theoretically.

I was not expecting them to do anything when I went in today and this is the latest thing in a long list of problems, glitches, medical investigations and false alarms this pregnancy. I am truly utterly fed up. It is enough to drive you to chocolate and alcohol, neither of which I am allowed to touch it seems.

Sprite21 Good luck for your scan, hope all goes well. Actually though BBQs might not be too bad if you have mainly meat and some salad and just avoid bread? It is hard though and I sympathise with having to tell people you don't know very well.

When I say my fasting levels are high, I mean the first thing in the morning one. That's the one that I was told has to be under 6 and has only once been under! Insulin hasn't helped at all though!!!

So I test first thing in the morning, before lunch (to make sure insulin isn't taking levels too low), then before tea (ditto) and then 2 hours after tea. But daytime levels are always fine, it's just the early morning one that doesn't budge.

MamaLaMoo I am not surprised you are feeling really fed up. It sounds as if your pregnancy is following a similar course to your first, which was fine?

Also, 2 hours after a meal I have been told to have my levels under 8, which I understand to be slightly higher than some, who have been told to have levels under 7.8? I haven't read anywhere to have them under 6.5, that sounds wrong to me (in my admittedly limited experience?).

For me, I suspect I had it last time as DS was 10lbs 10oz and so it makes it easier to cope with as although it is a pita, I do feel supported and believe it is the best thing for me and my baby. But if I didn't feel it was necessary then I would find it so hard to put up with.

Hello MrtsZB, yes my first pregnancy was fine, they didn't do a 34 week sizing scan then so didn't notice DD1 was a bit larger than average! I am baffled by the 6.5mmol/litre figure as well. 7.8mmol/l 2 hours after a meal is the borderline for diagnosing impared glucose tolerance, my highest reading was 7.8 which surely means I am doing OK blood glucose wise. Some of my readings were actually rather low, 3.2 one morning for example. I can only assume they are ultra cautious because I am under the care of a high risk obstetrics unit due to aforementioned autoimmune disease.

I have to say I got really upset last night and sobbed on my husband. He wants me to go and see the community midwife and talk about it, he is worried about my mood. I can't help thinking there is something wrong with antenatal care when you end up feeling like chucking the blue notes off a bridge and refusing to see another doctor until you're in labour. I am actually fantasising about labour being so quick I can't get to the hospital in time and end up having a home birth!

Ack, just wrote a long message but it seems to have disappeared as I got logged out. Computers and me don't always get along.
Just wanted to say thanks for the updates and advice. It is so good to talk to people going through similar experience.
I have to agree with query on 6.5 reading, I've been told to stick under 7.8 after meals. But then I guess they cater it individually? Difficult to say.
Am feeling annoyed because I read my midwife notes last night and she said 'has been referred to dietitician' which I haven't. Maybe I'll call and ask about it. Conscious that I only have a short time to sort out this diet thing and my reading this morning post-breakfast was too low (go figure).

Also, am down to my last test stick after visiting the pharmacy this morning and being told they've run out and 'hope' to have a shipment in by 11, or maybe 4:30. I hope so!
I had to test on the bus this morning amidst a big group of teenagers and was desperately trying to get it right since I didn't have any extras to spare. Managed it okay though.

I had to laugh out loud at your fantasy MamaLaMoo, wouldn't that be nice (with no complications of course).

P.S. Just wanted to add that similarly I find sobbing on husband very helpful and also don't feel guilty asking him to do things like go and get me a snack or make me a sandwich for when I get home. Just practicing my bossy skills for when the baby comes

Arghh - can I just come and moan. Having a really bad day today! Kids have been playing up and driving me up the wall, and am now at the point where I am so knackered I feel like I could just lay down and die...!

And to top it all off, dragged the kids to the docs after school to pick up prescription for testing sticks, as down to last one, to find it was closed for the afternoon. Grrrr - would have thought the receptionist may have mentioned this on Mon when I said I really needed some more, and would pick up on Weds!

So am feeling like just giving up at the moment! Just praying its not too much longer to go (am 35 weeks today).That's the only thing keeping me going at the moment. Right moan over...

Interesting that some have to test 2 hours after meals, mine is 1 hour after, and I thought that was standard when pregnant? mamalamoo I could quite happily get on with life without all this testing, injections and tablet taking....sometimes I wonder if all the stress it causes cancels out the benefits...but I guess they have us over a barrel as would feel guilty if there were any direct problems with baby from ignoring their 'advice'.

Mamalamoo I hope you find someone to talk to about it all and get some answers at least as to why they are so worried.

Sprite21 I hope you managed to get more sticks! I didn't find the dietician that helpful to be honest, I have learnt more from on here.

3kidsnobump Please feel free to moan! I am definitely entering a moaning phase! Will you be induced early or anything like that?

I wish it was more standard really, in terms of testing etc. I queried the 2 hour thing but was told that they thought it was too hard to get below 8 after 1 hour. BUT, sometimes I do random testing (!) and I have noticed that actually my levels are lower 1 hour after eating and then get even higher 2 hours later? I am assuming my body processes things quite slowly (!?)... or something ...

I wated to ask what everyone is eating? Especially for breakfast? I am vegetarian and am sooooo fed up of eggs for breakfast but bread seems to send my levels up and I am not that keen on cereal. I bought some yoghurt to have tomorrow with fruit.

Morning, I spoke to the community midwife yesterday and she was very nice and helpful and didn't mind me crying all over her. Anyway she has got the hospital to put a note in the clinic book to the effect that I should see the doc and obstetrician I am familiar with at appt next week to talk it all through, she helped me think about questions to ask and I am going to ring up the diabetes specialist midwife today to see if she can talk me through what is going on.

The community MW says from reading my file their concern is the size of the head versus abdomen readings taken at 34 week scan which may indicate I would have difficulty delivering, she said one of the things MWs and obstetricians fear most is shoulder dystocia which is more common if the abdomen and shoulders are wider than the head.

What she couldn't say was if keeping blood glucose below 6.5 for the next 2 weeks would have the slightest effect on the size of the baby this late in the pregnancy. It seems that they noticed this disparity in head/abdomen size at the scan and are reverse engineering an explanation in terms of blood glucose even though my readings are not above 7.8 on a normal (sugar munching) diet.

MrsZB have you considered porridge or ready brek instead of cereal and milk? I have been told I can eat granary bread or rye bread so can have some toast as well. Or what about vegetarian sausages?

MrsZB after some careful experimentation I have found a foolproof breakie (for me anyway). I have two slices of toast made from Burgen Linseed and soya bread with Whole Earth sugar free peanut butter on it. The bread is lower carb than most. I actually enjoy it as all the eggs were making me feel a bit sick. I found I can't do cereals at all unless a tiny amount. Porridge was particularly bad for me .

I am still not in labour. Grrr. Bitch midwife refused to sweep me on Tues so having one tomorrow. And if still no labour my induction is on Sunday! Really looking forward to not "being a diabetic" any more.

Right, have now managed to obtain more testing strips, so have only missed 3 readings between yesterday and today....

Have also had a very early night last night, and had a 2 hour rest while DS2 slept this morning, and DS1 watched a DVD. Think I am just expecting way too much of myself at this stage, and should probably try and take things a little bit slower (easier said than done with 3 kids!) Am also ridiculously emotional at the moment, keep crying at the drop of a hat, which is extremely unlike me. Guess it much just be all the pregnancy hormones going nuts!

MrsZB I am finding the breakfast reading impossible to get below 8 after an hour, even with tablets and insulin - but for some reason that happens to be the 'magic figure' they want it to be! I do find it a bit strange that different hospitals have different levels. You would think it would be more standard....(probably far too logical!)

Ladygonegaga - must be exciting to finally have an end date in sight!

Hello all, been lurking but not posting much due to, well, laziness really Am 38+something now and very ready to meet my baby, but she shows no sign of wanting to come out Diabetes-wise I have stopped taking my Metformin as of last week - was taking one tablet with breakfast but forgot last Monday and had a normal reading anyway, so decided to take a week off and see what happened, and all breakfast readings were normal apart from one, which was the morning after a particularly shit night's sleep. I've noticed other high readings when I've been extra tired, so am sure there are other things besides food and drink that affect blood sugar maintenance.

LadyGoneGaga porridge also sent my sugars crazy so I've had to give it up. Processed cereals, however, seem to be mostly fine e.g. last week I had cornflakes and semi-skimmed milk for breakfast every day without incident, and have previously enjoyed large bowls of rice crispies to no ill effect.

Sprite I must say, despite the massive pain in the arse that is having a GD diagnosis, I do feel better for regulating my sugar intake. Ideally I'd like to carry on eating like this once the baby's born, e.g. less sugary crap, as I am also in the best shape I've been in for years. I do miss baking though.

Intriguing as ever to read about all the variations in testing and 'acceptable' levels I test four times a day: first thing, then after breakfast, lunch and dinner; I can test either one or two hours after a meal; if one hour, happy range is 4-8; if two hours, it's 4-7. I would say invoking extreme concern over levels above 6.5 is taking the piss a bit!

I am absolutely starving all the time this week, eating a lot. Seeing the a/n diabetes peeps next Tuesday for 39 week appt, when hopefully they will offer me a sweep.

Due date is 1st August.

I got really high readings when we were moving house, Star. I suspect stress impacts on them as well as tiredness. Am surprised you can manage cornflakes and rice crispies - both of those are really High GI. I can't even manage branflakes .

I get you on the healthy eating thing though. Have put on 4 stone in this pregnancy but all of that was pre-diagnosis. Weight has been stable since and have not had the same level of crazy hunger pangs that I had before.

Hello to starinstrangeways and others. Totally agree about wanting to carry on with this healthy eating (with perhaps the occasional ice cream thrown in). 38+, that's great. Very close now.
Ladygonegaga I was wondering whether you might have had the baby or what was happening with labour. Good to hear from you. Sorry about bitch midwife (tee hee) but yes, at least there's an end in sight and you must be so excited to see baby.
Nine weeks feels like ages away. My partner had to remind me that even if I can't hold her yet I can feel her inside and she must be comfortable and not ready to come out yet. Felt reassuring.
3kidsnobump my sympathy at grasping after test strips. And I have no idea how you do it with 3 kids. Very impressive.
I managed to get the test strips at the chemist after all but things were chaotic there at 5:30 and I will have to do this more in advance next time.
Stupidly the GP prescribed me 100 lancets and 50 test strips when I go through test strips to lancets at a rate of 3:1. Will have to call and sort this out with them.

As for breakfasts, I am finding that 50g of all-bran plus hardboiled egg (or sliced ham) and a piece of fruit works well for me. I switched from all-bran to bran flakes this morning and got my highest morning reading yet. I'm sure this is what the midwife recommended but looked online and bran flakes has a very high GI, basically same as cocoa pops!
Glad to hear that acceptable range for some is above 4. I was told to stay above 5 but have had a couple of 4 readings and was worried they would get on my case about them.

I haven't noticed sleep affecting my levels yet but will look out for this since I've only been doing it for a week so still finding patterns.

Oh, and just wanted to ask Ladygonegaga what a sweep is? Hopefully it feels more pleasant than it sounds. Things to look forward to....

A sweep is a stretch and sweep, Sprite. Midwife inserts a finger into your cervix and tries to strip the membranes away - should hopefully help to induce labour naturally. Not the most fun you can have with your knickers off but hopefully better than a chemical induction.

I am so disorganised too...always running out of test strips. Why do they only give you 50 at a time? It's not like you're not going to be needing them!

I'm so glad to hear other people have had the stupid prescriptions too! It drives me crazy - 50 test strips at a time and 200 lancets on my scrip, meaning I have to drag ass down to the docs every two weeks, pay for parking to drop off my repeat request, then pay again a couple of days later to pick it up and get it filled, all with a rowdy toddler in tow. It's not like they go off ffs, I checked.

I have never yet had to get a repeat lancet scrip Doubt I ever will, there's still a boxful on the shelf.

Hi all!

Thanks for the breakfast suggestions. I did buy some veggie sausages yesterday as thought they might be good. The strange thing is that I haven't been asked to test after breakfast so I don't exactly know how things affect me although I test sometimes randomly to see! I had greek yoghurt and berries this morning which was really lovely and made such a nice change from eggs! I do have that Burgen bread but I can only tolerate one slice really.

Mamalamoo I am glad your midwife was helpful :)

Ladygonegaga sending labour vibes your way!!

Kidsnobump glad you got more test strips! I have to say that my doctors have been really good actually. I put in a repeat prescription and just told them how many times a day I had to test and how long I had left and they gave me 200! I will need to get more but at least it isn't weekly.

My weight has been stable too since I was diagnosed at 28 weeks. I even lost a couple of lbs initially so currently at 32 weeks my weight gain is 1 stone and 4lbs which I don't think is too bad at all! (I am overweight to start with though ...) I gained quite a bit in my first pregnancy so pleased that it won't be nearly so much this time!

Has anyone on this thread had this before? I suspect I had it last time as my son was 10lbs 10oz but I wasn't tested. But one of my worries at the moment is that it won't go away afterwards? Although everything I have read says how much more likely it is to come back at some point as Type 2 diabetes so I am aware that I need to make changes for the long term. I just really want a chance to make those changes!!

Hello ladies sorry I haven't been on here recently, hello to the new people. Still haven't had bub, but she's moving around lots so I'm not worried, and I have started having pre-labour pains (definitely more painful than braxton hicks) so think she will come in the next few days. Hope your induction goes well, LadyGoneGaga, sounds like you are psychologically ready for the baby even if the midwives don't think your cervix is ready! Oh and stress definitely impacts the blood sugar readings. Cortisol and adrenaline both release more glucose into the bloodstream - I'm convinced that's why my 'fasting' values were always pretty high (could pretty much guarantee one or other of the boys would be awake in the nighttime so I probably haven't had a full night's sleep for years).

I do wonder if I had GD with ds1 and possibly ds3 but they were both fine without any diagnosis or treatment. While under hospital care, I was also frustrated at the lack of evidence for treatment and the 'reverse engineering' as MamaLaMoo put it, trying to justify whatever their treatment or interventions are by whatever risky outcome they are pretending to avoid.

Anyway I'm solely under midwife-led care now, having refused to go back to the hospital, and not worrying about all that.

MrsZB I seem to remember from the references I read that there's about a 30% chance of having Type 2 diabetes later in life. So it's not a foregone conclusion but definitely something to watch out for.

aStar sounds like they got your prescription numbers the wrong way round!! 200 lancets seems silly even if you're changing them every day!

Hope to have a birth announcement before next week.

Highfibrediet Sending labour vibes!!! Hope it happens for you soon.

My news is I just had my growth scan and baby is measuring 97%tile at the moment, with large abdominal measurement :( Estimated weight is 6lbs ... I'm 32 weeks! Eek!!!

My DS was 10 lbs 10oz so it's not a big surprise of course, and I read that from now on the baby is just laying down fat stores so maybe it will slow down a little as my sugar levels are managed?

I have to decide VBAC or ELCS so think I might be swaying towards and elective...!!

MrsZB sounds like your baby is just following in the footsteps of its older brother. These growth charts are based on averages anyway and don't take into account individual differences in body size, etc. But also seems likely the bs stabilising will slow down growth. I'm 32 weeks next week and have my scan so maybe this is when I will have to make a similar decision about the birth. Good to know what's coming up.

VBAC - what's this?
ELCS - elective caesarean?
And thanks to Ladygonegaga for amusing definition of a sweep. Definitely conception was much more fun I'm sure.

I had a sneaky granola bar with lunch today even though my midwife said no sugar for two weeks to see how things go but I suppose I got a bit complacent because the numbers were fine so far - and of course got my highest reading yet afterwards, even with a post-lunch walk.

Looking forward to future birth announcements and also would love to hear about the actual labour (if you can be bothered or have time to come on post-baby).

I am really curious about the monitoring thing as I was hoping to move around during labour as this is supposed to speed it up but a friend who had GD said she actually found the monitor reassuring during birth after a couple of hairy moments and none of it really mattered once the baby was born.

Mostly convinced but still hoping to avoid a very extended labour what with monitors and induction threatening to drag it out...
I was somewhat surprised to find that I'd gained 10 kilos in the second trimester alone so I will get to see how much of that is baby at the scan.

Sprite21 Yes I think you are right. I am not being pushed for a decision yet and apparently I may have another scan later on?

A VBAC is a 'vaginal birth after caesarian' as I had to have an emcs (emergency c-section!) last time. So this time I need to decide to try again for a vaginal birth or have an elective c-section. Not an easy decision to make!

I think how they manage the labour depends on the hospital. Most seem to favour early induction, and it is likely you would be monitored. Some hospiutals have mobile monitors though. I was told today that if you are on insulin you have a 'sliding scale' with is a drip with glucose and insulin to manage your levels,

Best thing is to keep asking questions of your own midwives/hospital etc and find out what their policies are.

Can't be long now Highfibre - I was wondering since things had gone quiet that you might have had the baby! Completely agree with all this messing about with different treatments to try and avoid risks...I have been on insulin for almost 2 weeks now, and doesn't really seem to have made any difference to my levels, by the time they get it right, I think it will be too late anyway...

Yes these test strips are like gold dust! My GP also gave me 50 strips & 200 lancets...I was thinking that they just couldn't add up! I change my lancets every time, and still haven't got through my supply as yet! They have been better this time - have managed to get 100 strips...so if I'm induced at 38 weeks, that will be enough to keep me going - that cheers me up a little!

Wow MrsZB, that sounds like an enormous baby! I think I would be opting for an elective in your case...