anyone else with gestational diabetes?

[Shakshuka]

I saw from searching that there used to be some threads but nothing current.

I've just started monitoring my blood sugars and it's hard going. I was shocked that my numbers were as high as they were because I was only borderline on the gtt. I thought I was eating pretty low carb already and I already have trace ketones so don't want to cut carbs further. I'll have to do some tweaking!

Anyone else going through this?

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Hi there - this thread is a little old. [[https://www.mumsnet.com/pregnancy/gestational-diabetes
If you want to read more about gestational diabetes, we’ve got some information here]]. MNHQ

Sorry reread that last post. The night time snack helped me when 1 hr post dinner was around 5. If post dinner gave me a good value I had to eat a snack before bed.

I'm eating the 3 meals and 3 snacks although I feel like a turkey that's being fattened for Christmas as I'm forcing myself to eat even when not hungry!

But tonight I'm going to try skipping the bedtime snack. I don't feel like eating then anyway and when I did the 3 hour GTT, after not having eaten for more than 12 hours, my fasting number was only 4.3. Almost all my fasting numbers since I started testing and eating the GD diet have been above 5 which is the target so maybe the bedtime snack doesn't work for me.

One hour post dinner of 5 is great! I was excited when I got the 5.1 but having been able to repeat that one!!

At the clinic, they told us to test one hour after meal and only do two hours if we were eating socially - like at a restaurant or a picnic - where the eating gets more spread out. The one hour target is below 7.8 (140 here as they love to use different units to everyone else :) ) and the two hour should be below 6.7 (120).

I'm not much of a cook but I do enjoy cookign and like experimenting with different foods so I think that helps. I've stocked up on some fraken-foods like Atkins bars for when the urge for something junk-like strikes. I had a bowl of strawberries with cream for dessert today. It was funny carefully weighing out the strawberries (only 100g!)\ but allowing myself to go all out with the cream :) Usually it'd be the other way around!

Hi all.

I'm going for the GTT next week and nervous about it.

Just wondering did you all have symptoms of GD or was it very surprising to be diagnosed?

I'm overweight to begin with it with this pregnancy so have been eating very sensibly anyway, so the GD diet should be pretty similar to what I am doing.

TIA.

Gosh, I was +1 in my last urine test and they said they needed to assess me next week to see if I was over again. I'd not been worrying too much about it but am now very concerned - this sounds like very hard work! No carbs?? Eep! Good luck with it.

foodie
Try not to worry! Even if you do have GD, if you keep it under control, outcomes are fine for you and baby.

I think that by the time you have symptoms of GD, things are pretty bad in terms of blood sugar.

I wasn't surprised because of my risk factors (previous 10lb baby, age, lots of diabetes in my family) but no signs.

If you're eating healthily then it's not too hard to adapt the GD diet although I'm not sure how much I'd call it healthy because you're replacing the calories from carbs with fats as well as protein. And things you thought were healthy like fruit and wholegrain carbs can cause your blood sugar to spike. But it's definitely opened my eyes to just how many carbs we do eat, especially sugars!

mssleepy

It's not no carb but carb restricted and spread throughout the day so as not to overload the body with carbs since it can't process them properly. You still need 150g plus of carbs every day as it's not clear what the effect is on the baby of reducing carbs too low.

It is definitely hard work but the diet itself isn't too bad.

Thanks for all the advice shashuka.

I think you're all great btw, pregnancy is stressful enough without the added stress of monitoring blood sugar levels and of course acquiring all this new diet information.

Ugh, I'm going to have to go on medication.

Since I started monitoring, all but one of my fasting numbers have been above the target. Not by a lot, but consistently. They told me today that fasting is the most difficult to change by diet/exercise. I tried skipping the bedtime snack last night but that did nothing - just led to me having even more ketones which isn't good!

I'm going to try one last attempt at getting it down by having a much bigger bedtime snack and see if that works! Otherwise, I need to start medication at bedtime tomorrow :(

Ah sorry to hear that shakshuka. Will it just be at bedtime to start with? Is it metformin rather than insulin? I hope it helps you get your fasting to a level you and they are happy with. What did they say about your post meal ones?

My fasting is on average about 5.1/5.2. I have been monitoring it for 26 weeks now and it does go through phases... lowest it has ever been is 4.5 and highest 5.5. I definitely have weeks where it is consistently higher or lower than others. My old hospital target was below 5 but this one is 5.5 so I feel ok about it.

I do find drinking a large glass of water when I wake up can help although equally I think it is all a bit random (maybe that is cheating too I don't know??!).

Thanks sister.

They weren't worried about the post-meal ones as I seem to be getting those under control and learning what works.

Just need to sort the fasting for now so just at bedtime. They prescribed glyubride. Do they not give that in the UK?

The target at the clinic I go to is 5 or below. It hasn't gone past 5.2 but only once was it below 5 at 4.9.

I've been reading that tighter control is better so I'm OK about starting the medication but not happy that it's happened so soon. I wasn't expecting it.

Are you/were you on meds?

I think glyubride is similar to metformin. I'm glad your numbers are not too high - in my hospital that would be in target (I think.... unless they have changed the target since my last pregnancy 2 years ago).

I know there are lots of ladies on here who have been glad to have the help of medication.

Last pregnancy I was diagnosed very late, and my fastings were not above 5 (average 4.8 I reckon) so no medication. This time as I said I haven't gone to the diabetic clinic but chosen to monitor and manage myself. I probably personally wouldn't have been concerned enough to go on meds for a reading of just over 5, but I know nothing really.... I am not a midwife or a diabetic specialist!

Part of my strong motivation is I had a very medical and tough birth last time, which is my opinion carried a significant number of risks to my baby (which seemed to be ignored alongside the "risk" of the diabetes). This time (as with last time) I want to have a homebirth. So I have been trying to stay with midwife led care. That said I have been monitoring carefully and if I went above targets (I checked on here and it seems under 5.5 fasting and 7.8 1 hour is fairly standard guidance) I would definitely have gone to the clinic. But it has been ok :) I don't even miss cake that much!

Would be very interested to hear if the meds helps with you :) and I really hope they do!

Not sure if my post will help, as my pregnancies were 20-or so years ago. Had gestational diabetes for both, ate healthily for both. However, the medical staff recommended that although my meals were healthy, eg, for lunch I'd have fruit, yoghurt and maybe a sandwich or pasta dish, I shouldn't eat all of it at once, as this sends the readings up. Instead, I had to space it out over a couple of hours, ie, little and often.

I didn't need meds, managed to keep it under control. (Tricky when you're feeling peckish all the time, I know)

I went swimming yesterday evening and then thought I'd try the big bedtime snack idea after failing with the no bedtime snack. So I had two slices of low carb/hi fibre toast (which I'm fine with in the mornings - onyl 20g carbs) with natural peanut butter, a glass of almond milk and some mozzarella. I was stuffed.

BIG fail. Still had ketones in the morning (why - surely that was enough not to have ketones?????). And my fasting was its highest yet - 5.7.

Nothing seems to be working. I guess I'll start the medication tonight :(

Just had a quick look at the NHS site and they prescribe glibenclamide for gestational diabetes which is the same as glyubride in the US.

The only thing that worries me about it is that it crosses the placenta whereas insulin doesn't.

Shakshuka that's a real pain! I was started on Metformin a couple of weeks after the GTT as the diet wasn't controlling it, despite trying lots of different things.
I've just been back to the diabetes clinic this morning as the Metformin isn't controlling it to their satisfaction now so have to go on a low dose of insulin as well, I'm 34+4 weeks so nearing the end now. The nurse said that sometimes regardless of how well you eat it's just how the pregnancy develops and blood sugars do stay out of control. It wasn't much of a comfort to me I must admit! I'm just going to cross my fingers that I can manage with only the one dose of insulin.
I hope the medication really works for you and that you keep your chin up regardless of all the messing around with blood testing etc :)

It's quite scary when your body doesn't behave!

And it's really frustrating as well. I can (for the moment) control the post-meals by being very careful but I've no idea how to bring down the fasting or why I'm getting ketones.

I wonder why the NHS prefers metformin whereas here they go first to glyubrin.

Fingers crossed that the one does of insulin works for you!!

Ah I'm sorry shakshuka - sounds like you definitely couldn't be trying any harder. I know that feeling when the horrid monitor flashes up a number that you were not hoping for :( It can get very stressful.

I'm not sure about the ketone in urine thing as I haven't ever had them, I used to get glucose a lot but when I went on the low GI diet that has been ok. Sounds like yours might be a bit trickier to control :( Hope the medication helps and the clinic is useful.

It is still early days for you working things out though, and I hope over time it will become easier. Bear in mind that I think in this country NICE guidelines (National Insititute for Clinical Excellence) for diabetes in pregnancy is that women with diabetes (pre-existing and GD) should aim to keep fasting blood glucose between 3.5 and 5.9 mmol/litre and 1-hour postprandial blood glucose below 7.8 mmol/litre. So your numbers are not crazy. You only have to go on the type 1 diabetes threads to see what some poor women have to contend with blood glucose wise. And they go on to have happy and healthy outcomes. A lot of women would love a 5.7 fasting I expect! So try not to worry too much. Easier said than done I know.

One other thing I have often specultated is the accuracy of these home blood glucose monitors too... what make do you have? I have the contour XT.. it is meant to be a good one and seems the most consistent with my venous blood glucose readings (taken from blood tests).

I hear you on the frustration! Since getting the diagnosis I've eaten the same breakfast every weekday and get sometimes wildly different results, from a nice respectable 7.something right up to high 9's! It's like spin the wheel, let's see what number appears today :)
I think you'll see a good improvement with the medication, that should suppress the fasting score just fine :)
Caleb I've wondered about the monitors too, I shall have to look what brand I got given.

Do you mind if I join you?

I've not been diagnosed yet. I'm 22 weeks and not in the UK.

Before I got pg I was morbidly obese at 96kg. I got down to 73 before I conceived. I'm now 78 and this gives me a current bmi of 29.

At my last appointment my doctor told me I'd gained too much weight and told me my sugar was too high at 90. She wants to see it at 80.

I was very sick at the start of my pg and am still suffering.

Doc wanted me to follow a diet I'm finding hard because of my food aversions and she also wants me to eat every 2 hours because of my nausea. She said no sugar and white carbs, snack on fruit eat meat and salad the rest of the time with one portion of brown rice or pasta a day and wholewheat ceral at breakfast.

Is that a similar gd diet?

When did you all get diagnosed?

Did you have any symptoms?

She didn't order repeat bloods but I'm worried on one hand but on the other I was eating out of character at the start as coke and sweets were the only things that helped my nausea. So there is a possibility that put my sugar up as I was eating out of character. I lost weight using mfp but it triggers obsessive behaviour in me I'm really hoping I don't have to go back to it.

Well done to all of you who are coping and managing gd.

Well done on that great weight loss mrsnec! That's a lot to lose!

I had an early 1 hour screening which was fine. Then at 26 weeks failed the 1 hour glucose challenge so went to the 3 hour. I was just under the cut-off (failed 1number - you need 2 for the diagnosis) but got referred due to some problems in previous pregnancies and then it became clear that my blood sugars aren't good. In the UK, most places just do the 2 hour test for women at risk whereas here all women do the 1 hour screening.

I don't think your current BMI counts, it's your pre-preg BMI. 5kg doesn't seem a lot to gain up to 22 weeks but if you were in the overweight category to being with, I think they like to restrict overall weight gain to 25lbs (11 kg).

Which country are you in? I'm also overseas, in the US. You should ask your dr to refer you to a glucose challenge test. Random blood sugar of 90 sounds totally normal! Is it fasting? Even then, my clinic's target is fasting of 90 (or 5 in the UK) which apparently is low.

I wouldn't eat fruit on its own if you're concerned about GD. All fruit so far, other than berries, is causing my blood sugar to spike. Try and combine it with some protein rather than on its own if you have it as a snack. And avoid fruit juice like the plague!

You also may find that cereal at breakfast isn't the best option, even wholewheat. It's a lot of carbs overall and milk is also surprisingly carb heavy. A higher protein, lower carb breakfast might work better.

Hi everyone. I was diagnosed yesterday. Came as quite a shock as the only reason I was tested was because of my dad so I wasn't expecting it. Consultant appointment next week and no info until then. Feel a bit in limbo and not sure what I should and shouldn't be cutting out, I thought I was being healthy before the diagnosis but now not sure.

Hi everyone. I'm not pg right now but had gd when expecting 20mo DS. It's hard, but you just have to remember that it's temporary and all this bother is for your baby (I took the approach that DS couldn't wait.to start impacting on my life).

GI really is important buy it's weird how some supposedly high or low GI foods reacted. I found that wheat (white bread, weetabix) would send me off the richtor scale while pasta kept my levels great. I practically lived off pasta for the last trimester as it was the safe option. Breakfast was particularly hard for me to control so right at the end, once off work, I actually ditched all types of cereal and went for protein like eggs. It really worked.

I ended up on 3x moderate doses of insulin as well as metformin. It was a right royal pain in the bum to be faffing with injecting before eating, but once you got the hang of it then it was tolerable. I found the worst to be my poor fingertips from all the testing.

If there is a silver lining, I think it is the fact that your baby's growth is closely monitored (extra scans). My hospital also operated a separate diabetes clinic and the appointments tended to run on time. Bonus!

Jenbee, hope your first visit goes well. Don't be surprised to burst into tears at thw thought of it. Agyer the first appt you'll probably feel overwhelmed but then you kind of enter the action phase and get yourself sorted. You can probably expect a talk with MWs, consultants, and dietician during that first appt. Take notes.

I was also induced early at 38 weeks. Apparently because it's harder to control and also because baby can gain lots of weight and still has to come out somehow. So that's something to keep in mind or to ask the clinic about in relation to making plans with work/relatives.

During induction I had a dedicated MW who stayed in the room monitoring, so that was a definite reassurance.
Whwn DS was born they checked him over

Sorry (bloody phone). So they checked DS over and put him under some heat lamps (something to do with regulating body temp with high sugar). He only stayed there for a few hours and they obviously brought him over to me for cuddles and BF in that time. Then later that day they did a heel prick test om him to test sugar levels, which were fine.

Good news... as soon as baby is born you can scoff down whatever you desire (though I didn't actually fancy anything buy sleep). Also, all this testing and watching diet means that you may not gain as much weight as some.

Another thing I just remembered (sorry I promise to stop posting) is that when I had my prescription for metformin repeated I went to a different pharmacy and they stocked a different type/brand of metformin. No evidence, but I swear it affected my readings. Did a little research on diabetes boards and there was mention of similar happening to others.

I had GD and the GD nurse advised a super book and app (app isn't so good) www.carbsandcals.com/ . The portion sizes were where I was going wrong (and I normally have a healthy diet, but quite carb rich). A latte always sent me over, which was amazing. Some things were weird like I could eat a chocolate eclair! (I wasn't so worried about the fat as I had lost too much weight with hyperemesis.)