The All New And Shiny Gestational Diabetes Support Thread

[midori1999]

The old thread seems to have died a death, so thought of start a new one for anyone who wants some support or just to chat about GD.

I'm 9 weeks pregnant now, had GD in my last (5th) pregnancy and had my GTT today, expecting to be diagnosed tomorrow as my levels are already silly.

[re15]

Hi All

I wonder if anyone could give me some advice. I was diagnosed with gd at 35 weeks and am now 36 weeks. When I saw the diabetic mw last week I measured my blood sugar levels for 3 days but, as my fasting read was consistently high, and due to the stage of pregnancy I am at I have now been put on insulin. I had a growth scan today which although the sonographer said was within 'normal' limits(fetal weight was 7lb and in 80th centile) showed the AC as in the 97th centile!. I have an appointment at the diabetic clinic tomorrow where they will review my scan and discuss my birth plan but I just wondered if anyone knew what I can expect. I understand that being on insulin would normally mean that I ws induced between 37-38 weeks anyway. Feeling a bit worried about it all! Any advice welcome!!. Many thanks.

[cheshirem2b]

Hi ladies!
Well I went for my clinic appointments yesterday...

The Diabetes team are very pleased with my readings from the week. Apparently if I was at the Trust 20 miles away I wouldn't be classed as having GD but our Trust uses a lower cut off of 5.1 & my readings are usually 5.3-5.9. based on my readings they plan no intervention at this stage & I'll keep monitoring my levels and watching what I eat and go back in 10d to see them again.

Then went to see baby on the scan. weighing 4lb10oz (estimated birth weight of 7 to 8lb) around 90th percentile for abdomen but all fine. baby was relaxing with their hands behind their head lounging away! Baby is doing v well and is head down.

Then to consultant appointment and if I keep my GD levels under control and baby follows it's growth pattern they won't induce until 40weeks to give baby a chance to do it on their own. I have another consultant appointment in 4 weeks so that will be reviewed then as well.

Weirdly I'm a bit disappointed I'm not being induced before Christmas but whatever is best for baby is fine with me!

[Daisycakes9]

Had my appointment at the diabetic clinic yesterday. It was helpful and I found out a few things. One thing I checked was that I should be taking my bloods 2 hours after the end of my meal - it sometimes takes me a while to chomp through everything so wanted to make sure I wasn't cheating the testing!

The other thing that was really helpful was understanding that it is v important to have adequate carbs at each meal in whatever form - grains, legumes, fruit, milk egg and that I shouldn't see it a failure if when eating properly my sugar couldn't be managed. The most important thing is that the baby is getting the nutrition he needs. She also pointed out that pregnancy hormones increase as the pregnancy develops and that it may well become impossible to control by diet and exercise alone.

The third thing was that carrots have carbs!! So am am now checking what veg are 'free' - this website was helpful:

gestationaldiabetesrecipes.com/about/

Will find out at 34 weeks if I am likely to be induced but was told I would be on insulin during the delivery. I have a growth scan tomorrow 29+ 4 days and meet the new specialist midwife team who are taking over my care.

All in all am feeling confident about how efficiently everything has been handled so far.

Cereal is out for breakfast but been having a snap pot of reduced sugar and salt baked beans, a slice of linseed bread with no sugar peanut butter and an apple. A snack I like is fat free natural yoghurt with a few prunes and a few spoons of flaxseed and sunflower mix, it doesn't spike my sugars and I can have as a snack - I really like prunes! Going to try a bit of banana on linseed bread with no sugar peanut butter tomorrow... !Walking after a meal really helps too. Hope everyone is doing well.

[Daisycakes9]

Quick post before bed, good point you make TarkaTheOtter, I had one piece of granary bread and spinach soup for dinner, tested after 1.5hrs as was starving and was at 8! Did marching on the spot for 15mins and tested again at 2 hours and was at 6.4. So two lessons learnt, don't do just butter on toast and marching on the spot really brings down your levels!

[TarkaTheOtter]

Aylx have you tried having some protein with your toast in the morning. The protein will stop the sugars spiking so much from the carb. I could eat peanut butter on toast but not butter on toast for example.

I'm not currently pregnant but TTC dc3. Was diagnosed at 28 weeks with dc1 and managed to diet control for a bit then onto metformin. At my 6 week postnatal GTT I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. With dc2 I was diagnosed with GD at 14 weeks and on insulin from 16 weeks (that felt like a looong pregnancy). Funnily enough I passed my postnatal GTT fine. I have a lot of diabetes in the family but no other risk factors. Trying to decide whether I should lose a bit of weight whilst TTC. My bmi is low 20s but I'm 0.5 stone heavier than when I passed the postnatal GTT.

[Alyx80]

Hi, I'm 29 weeks tomorrow and was diagnosed at 19 weeks after having GD in my last pregnancy. I have to test upon waking (below 5.8) and they are always fine and then one hour after each meal (below7.8). I started diet controlled but it's steadily got worse and I'm now on 1mg metformin at breakfast and evening meal. I'm ok most lunch times which is how it was last pregnancy too.
My evening meal readings are slowly creeping up this last week, I have a scan and clinic appointment tomorrow and have been told I'll be going onto insulin if baby is measuring at all big.
I really struggle with breakfast, can't have any cereal or toast and the only thing I've found that is ok is Greek yoghurt and tinned fruit which I'd expect to not be good but my reading is about 6.7 after that. It does leave me hungry though and I need to snack mid morning on cheese/eggs etc.

[Daisycakes9]

Hi chershirem2b nice to see you on here and like the name!

From other's posts, different areas do have different criteria and unlike you I am testing 2 hours post meal. The uncertainty is the frustrating part and I hope you get some answers on Thursday. I'm back at the Diabetic clinic tomorrow and plan to ask about growth scans and inductions as neither were mentioned yesterday. Keep us posted!

[cheshirem2b]

I'm a GD sufferer Daisy!!!

I'm finding it strange how different areas have different ranges of "normal/acceptable" readings.

I was diagnosed with GD 2 weeks ago - fasting reading of 5.4 and 2 hour glucose reading of 6.8 - so my fasting reading was slightly raised.
I was the diabetes nurse last week and got a self-test kit and diet advice. I'm sticking to low GI etc etc and my readings are for example:
pre-breakfast 5.4 - then I have porridge and banana
pre-lunch 5.3 then I have soup and some nuts
pre-dinner 4.8 then a healthy dinner - e.g. salmon & loads of veg
pre-bed 5.6 and then nothing to eat until breakfast
If I'm peckish between meals I've snacked on low carb, low sugar foods
So basically all my readings are around 5 - 6 and I'm being told they want them under 5!

I've got an appointment on Thursday to see the diabetes nurse to review my results and see if they are happy with them or if they are going to try any medications...

I've also been referred for growth scans etc as well - What I'm finding frustrating is the not knowing... Will they leave me to 40 weeks or induce at 38 weeks? I'm due 1/1/15 so an induction date will affect our plans with family over Christmas which is obviously fine but I'm a bit of a control freak and just want to know!

I've got an appointment with the nurse on Thursday and then a scan and clinic appointment so I'm hoping for some answers then!

[Daisycakes9]

Hi all

First time poster on Mumsnet so do forgive any faux pas! I was diagnosed yesterday with GD at 28+6 days. I wasn't too surprised as i have a family history of diabetes on my Mothers side but obviously not ideal. I had a fasting result of 4.5 and 2 hours after the Lucozade was 10.8. Saw the diabetic nurse and the dietician and was in hospital for hours!

So far my readings (all 3 of them!) are in range, though tried my Bran Flakes for breakfast went for a walk and was still at 7 (my results need to be below 7) 2 hours later so thinking they might be off the menu going forward.

Also we're in the process of moving house and were supposed to exchange on Friday and just been advised by our solicitor that our buyer has pulled out!! My go to emergency food of Ben and Jerry's is out so guess I'll have to sit with it - my husband is currently away with work and won't be awake for a while, so while I was feeling pretty stoic about the GD diagnosis, am now very frustrated!!

I have read some of the previous threads on here re GD and they seemed v supportive so wanted to see if anyone else was out there! It would be great to swap some food ideas, am v into falafel and halloumi at the moment and have a lot of soups ordered in my supermarket delivery today, so guess I'll just have to see how I get on as would rather control through diet if possible.

[TipseyTorvey]

Not sure if this thread is still live but recently diagnosed after a blood glucose reading of 15.6 and put straight onto insulin. This is all very new and a little bit stressful to be honest so great to know there's others out there. Biggest challenge now is what to eat, I'm really hungry but worried about raising levels so trying to cut back on carbs and only eat main meals.

Any advice on what to drink aside from water would be great! After only 4 days I'm craving something else, but not sure what will set me off.

[gunwalloe]

Giving the thread a bump for anyone newly diagnosed.

Also wanted to ask any former GD sufferers if your GD suddenly improved at the end of pregnancy? My readings today are that of a "normal" person I even ate bad things to test it out and had no rise in my sugars. Its got my slightly worried that my placenta may be failing as I was led to believe it was the placenta that caused the GD.

[magichandles]

Hello ladies, I'm officially joining you now, although I have been self-monitoring occasionally before my 28 week GTT because I had GD with both previous pregnancies.

GTT result was actually within range, but my fasting reading was high, so I've been put on diet control for the time being. So far not so good - my post-prandial readings are supposed to be less than 7.0 and so far today I've had an 8.6 and an 8.4.

I have my first GD clinic on Tuesday, which appears to be some sort of group session which I've never had before, and sounds like it's going to be some sort of AA meeting for sugar!

[gunwalloe]

Littlemiss I've just run out of strips so I'm in for a moan tomorrow to. I was going to buy some from the chemist until I found out how expensive they are
How are your levels at the mo ladies?

[LittleMissRayofHope]

I successfully shut my test kit in my DD's room for both her naptime and bedtime so haven't tested all day.., I expect to be told off!

I had Chinese the other night and my reading came out quite low. Most of mine are low. I really feel like a fraud most of the time with regards to GD!

[gunwalloe]

Stupidly had a Chinese tonight as its our anniversary blood sugar was 4.1 before so I thought I would be ok to have half a portion but no blood sugar a hr after 9.5 the highest its ever been im hoping there not going to put me on metformin or insulin on Wednesday now

[gunwalloe]

I've already had 2 emcs so had to have a planned one this time at 39 weeks this was arranged before the GD

[LittleMissRayofHope]

I'm hoping to go full term and birth as naturally as possible. I was super lucky with my first, had diamorphine as my contractions went on for 53 hours and only got to 3cm!! But once I had the diamorphine that was it, took an hour to get to 10 and had no intervention or stitches or anything! So I'm very hopeful to avoid intervention and induction.

I keep notes of what I eat and how active I am. I have been tweaking aswell.
I know a cheese roll (white baguette) will give me a higher reading so I have seeded brown bread instead and it's much lower. Also have upped the quantity of Veges or meat along jacket potato as I LOVE jacket pot, so my team can see I'm making the effort aswell.
I'm quite overweight, not sure that makes a difference. I know the exercise helps a lot. But I'm finding it relatively easy to control it through diet so far. Fingers crossed it continues!!

[gunwalloe]

I wish I could be more active I've suddenly become really unfit we are in Cornwall on holiday and walking even on flat ground has me puffing I wonder if my iron level has taken a dive from my new salad and chicken diet.
Ella how many weeks are you?
Are you both having the baby's early?

[LittleMissRayofHope]

My targets are below 5.5 for fasting and below 7.5 an hour after eating.
So far my fastings are all under 4.2 and I've only had one over 7.5 after eating and it was cos I forgot (the next day after starting testing and I just plain forgot!!) and I had a huge bottle of lucozade!! And got an 8.4!
I am fairly active though as love in London so walk a lot and have a 2 year old so run around after her constantly so I guess that helps.
Am only 32 weeks aswell, the nurse said as baby starts growing fast I may ntice it creep up.

[gunwalloe]

Littlemiss 10 is high for there cut of my cut of was 7.8 and I was 7.9 I was to feeling like a fraud and thought they had got it wrong but the last couple of days my levels are creeping up and I'm now worrying about staying below the targets they've given me.

[LittleMissRayofHope]

I was diagnosed about 10 days ago, on a total technicality! My glucose test was 10.1 and the cut off is 10! Anyway, they have had me monitoring my blood for a week now and have growth scanned baby - who is normal size.
Today is my DD's 2nd birthday so we had cake for breakfast. Accompanied by fruit juice.... My blood sugar was 6.3 afterwards.....
I find it frustrating but also fascinating! I could easily become obsessed with testing and I'm kind of playing around with what I eat, then testing to see how different foods affect me.

Good luck to anyone who has it more seriously then me. I feel like a slight fraud!!

[gunwalloe]

It was 7.9 and they said anything over 7.8 was GD I'm sure there's something funny about there test results.