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

Think you violetwillow. That was fast!

I have the GTT Friday AM and was half thinking about going away for the weekend (that afternoon) but worried then that if I got a call I would be expected to go for appointments immediately or what happens?

Ah I just happened to be cruising on here today as I appear to have left my get up and go at home today!
I was given appointments for the next week if I recall, they certainly wouldn't be fitting you in for that afternoon I don't think. What would happen is they book you in with the diabetes clinic to talk about how to monitor your blood sugar, and slot you in for 3 growth scans, I think mine were at 28 weeks, 32 weeks and 36 weeks? If you got the call you can always tell them to schedule you in for the week after, honestly nothing is ever that urgent for you to have to cancel your plans, not even a high GTT. After all, if you fail it then you're living with high blood sugar right now, so you won't do any major harm living with it a couple more days.
Best of luck with it! Make sure you don't have anything that morning, not even vitamins or the like, as they can have a sugar coating, and take a good book with you for the waiting. And don't sit next to the toast counter like I did... It was 3 hours of toast envy for me, and I'm not even normally a toast person! I could have eaten a scabby horse that morning after the test... And take something with you to eat after else you might feel pretty fatigued.
And if you do get diagnosed, you know where we are :)

Thanks again VioletWillow.

lol @ toast envy

I'm not in the UK so not sure how the NHS deals but as violet said, I don't think even high values would be considered an emergency and very unlikely they'd want you to come in the same day.

Just a word of warning if you're going away that afternoon, I felt awful after the test and for the rest of the day. Really grumpy and tired. When I got my results (I did a 3 hour gtt with 100g glucose which is what they do here), my 3 hour value had dropped to 3.5 so I had some kind of reactive hypogylcemia going on.

Just be prepared not to feel so great for the rest of the day - although hopefully you'll be fine and not have GD at all :)

Foodie I had a mw appointment a week later and she told me then and she booked my consultant/diabetic clinic appointment for the following week, so I went two weeks between the test and seeing someone. I'd agree with violet willow that living with it for a few days probably can't harm. Good luck with your test x

The diabetes clinic put up my dosage of medication, I hope that'll do the trick. They also told me to up my carbs - so I added a small serving of pasta to my lunch and, surprise surprise, numbers were too high. Pasta's out, fruit's out, potatoes are out. Not sure what carbs are going to be left.

Hope everyone else is getting great numbers!

I haven't read whole thread but I just wanted to say good luck, I had GD with second pregnancy - not first or third - and all went very well. Fantastic delivery and baby etc.

i do think you might have to really change your carbs but remember it differs between individuals. Most bread and pasta was a big no for me, but basmati rice (lower GI), some hi fibre breads were good and filling. Smaller quantities spread out and modest exercise helps. Is there a nutritionist you can consult at your hospital?
Consolation for me was I was in better shape after birth than before ... No weight to lose and eating really well. Good luck and don't stress - that doesn't help!
From memory I could eat small amounts of dark chocolate too!

If you are not in UK, OP, where are you? I found Burgen bread here in Oz was good and really satisfied. Erm, that reminds me - also mini Snickers bars!

Hello. Another former GDer here. My biggest sympathies to you all. It's so stressful and random. OP, do keep trying out new carbs. I ate no fruit at all, couldn't take bread, but small amounts of pasta and basmati rice were OK. Chips were also OK as there's so much fat, ditto roast potato!

Being diagnosed with GD has led to me realising I have Impaired Fasting Glucose, which is basically pre diabetes. It has been really upsetting but also a giant kick up the arse, and I've lost 20kg and counting. I want another baby and am desperate to avoid another GD pregnancy.

On the breastfeeding issue, I did want to mention something that I only found out about very recently that might be useful information. It can be not so much that GD causes breastfeeding problems but that both GD and low supply stem from being insulin resistant. It's a hormone imbalance which makes you more likely to encounter both, and some doctors estimate, for example, that 25% of women of childbearing age in the US are now insulin resistant. Worth a google, but basically it can mean that you can boost your supply by eating a similar type of diet to the GD one.

mcgilly
I really need to up my carbs according to the nutritionist and if I want to stay off insulin, I need to find ones that work (I'm seeing a specialist nutritionist at the diabetes clinic, she liaises with the dr regarding medication). Pasta also isn't good for me either.

I'm trying to up my exercise but it's hard to find the time. I already swim twice a week and try to walk the dog as much as possible plus I have some 20 minute pregnancy work outs DVDs which I try to fit in on the days I don't swim. Only the walking after meals seems to make any difference to my numbers so I'm going to try to walk more after meals.

I'm in the US, in NYC, so plenty of choice available of low carby kind of stuff (still a big craze here).

Toospotty
You're totally right about the search for the carbs. I still have quinoa and brown rice to try. All other grains so far, other than a couple of brands of bread/wrap, I don't do well with (and no fruits either other than berries, I've given up trying because it makes my numbers so bad). I had some bulgur in a tabboule salad at a picnic which also seemed OK so I'll try that again. I never thought about chips! But they don't do them very well here in any case...But roast potatoes, yum!!! I've been avoiding potatoes until now but may try a roastie!

This is definitely my last pregnancy but it's really been a wake up call that, as a family, we need to make a big effort with diet and exercise if we want to avoid diabetes later, more than other families. Dh has bad diabetes genes as well as me. I wasn't overweight but wasn't slim either with a tendency to put on weight around my tum which is the worst place for diabetes risk.

Congrats on the 20kg weight loss though!! That's a huge amount of weight and will definitely reduce your risk of GD next time.

Very good luck and at least you are somewhere with choice and advice.
FWIW I didn't have any trouble breastfeeding immediately and the only impact I noticed at birth was a quick blood sugar test for baby. And the GD didn't return for my third. It's unpredictable, isn't it!
Have you tried Basmati rice? Lower GI and very delicious.

I'm just checking in to say good luck to Foodie Mum for her GTT test today... I hope it's all ok!
Shakshuka good luck also with the different carb trying, I found basmati rice works well for me, and chips (and now I know why, the fat!) but bread, so far any kind, is the devil for me. I'm hoping to try a couple of different grains but so far not been successful.
Having the insulin isn't so bad once you get over the whole idea of injecting yourself. But I hope you don't end up with having to take it either.

You're so sweet VioletWillow! It's actually tomorrow morning. I'm getting a bit nervous now.
It's great to have this thread for support, especially if I do have GD.

Good luck with the test foodiemum! Hope it all goes well.

I've had my glyburide dosage upped to get my fasting numbers down. I just hope things stabilise now.

I tried some quinoa with dinner last night and got a good result plus I had oatbran porridge with almond milk for breakfast (cows' milk puts my numbers up) - also a good result. Very pleased I've found some carbs which work!

I bought some brown basmati rice thanks to the tips here and that's my next experiment.

Has anyone tried stuff with sugar alcohol? It's supposed to be much easier on the blood sugar but I don't think it's working for me when I tried some frakenfood with it.

Hope everyone is doing well and their numbers are behaving!

Hi ladies...hope everyone doing OK and all the gtts come back negative. I'm 38 weeks today. Just woke up from a nap thinking abt eating a Victoria sponge!! Haha. I've been at this for 28 weeks now tho ;)

Shak I hope ur fasting numbers stabilise. Brown basmati is my best carb. I genuinely like it too! Good thing to come out of this pregnancy is I can cook it nicely now!! I also like wholemeal spelt spaghetti, and sweet potato is kind to me... Have u tried them?

I have made a couple puddings with xylitol. This one was the greatest success:

www.nigella.com/recipes/view/flourless-chocolate-lime-cake-with-margerita-cream-5146

Used 85% chocolate. Delicious and no effect on blood sugar really...does cause laxative effect in some apparently tho!!

I've emailed the link to the choc cake to DH, strongly hinting that it'd make me very happy if he made this cake as he's at home this afternoon

Hope he gets the hint!

Sister

Just saw that you're now 38 weeks!

Wow - not long!

Do you know what the protocol is with the NHS? Do they let women with GD go to 40 weeks or do they encourage induction at 39 weeks? Are you have non stress tests and ultrasounds? Just wondering as I'm getting a bit worried about what will happen here in the US since they love their interventions!

Haha hope you get your cake!! Should have made it clearer that I replaced the sugar with xylitol in like for like quantities... I think xylitol is quite a good sugar substitute as you can do this.

So, the NHS and GD ;) Quite variable I think. But my hospital policy (2 years ago) was that diet controlled women they were treated as "normal".. home birth discouraged but "allowed" to use the midwife led unit up until 42 weeks. However I was put under a lot of pressure to be induced once I got to 41 weeks. From this point on I went in every other day for monitoring (just urine check and strapped to the fetal monitor for about half and hour). My boy didn't come and I finally agreed to induction at 42 weeks. The first hospital I was at wanted to induce me at 40 weeks. But I felt my dates were wrong, and also women in my family like to cook their babies so I wanted a decent chance! I also couldn't find any good evidence to support the early induction policy.

If you are on medication I think they want to induce you earlier.... insulin maybe 38 weeks and metformin 40? But as I was diet controlled I don't really know to be honest. I'm sure some others on here will know.

This time as I have said earlier I declined a GTT and have monitored myself from 10 weeks (when I had glucosuria at my booking in). I am very grateful that my BS have stayed within targets, fasting averaging about 5.1 (and only above 5.5 maybe 3 times in the whole time I have been testing). And the post prandials have been ok for me with the odd spike but nothing serious with some diet adjustment. So I have the birth room set up upstairs with the pool ready to be inflated hoping I won't have to go to hospital at all! But we shall see. I would have gone to the clinic if my numbers wouldn't stay in target.

I know lots of women who have had positive inductions for second (I think this is your second??) and subsequent babies. Infact my friend just had her little boy a week ago and he was here within 4 hours of the pessary being inserted. The reason I am so nervous is I had quite a bad tear first time around so I worry about doing more permanent damage and am keen for things to be as intervention free as possible. I have done a lot of research into mild (diet controlled) GD, but not in cases where you take medication. I would have crossed that bridge if I came to it.

Sorry for the essay!

I think he did get the hint as he's asked me if we have 85% chocolate in the house :)

Thanks for the info. It's actually #3 for me. DD1 came at 40 weeks and dd2 kept us hanging around until 41+4 so i don't tend to have them early either.

Ideally I'd like as intervention free as possible. But I do feel quite anxious and nervous about this pregnancy which I didn't feel with the other two, both because of the diabetes now and my age as well. I think if they want an induction at 39 weeks, I'd agree but not sure I'd want any earlier unless there are clear reasons.

Good luck with your home birth!

Oooh let me know what you think of the cake if you get it ;) think we had it with some creme fraiche.

Ah number 3! Well done! Being pregnant is hard work, not sure if I will be up for it again ;) Very exciting though. I think being induced for babies after number 1 is a very different thing to the first (although for any other ladies reading this I do also know positive induction stories for number 1!). My personality would dictate that I need to KNOW NOW... so I would be asking them what their policies were. I like to mentally prepare ;) I wish I wasn't such a control freak though... it doesn't really combine very well with having a newborn!!

My midwife is away until a few days after my due date so baby has been told it has to stay put for another 2.5 weeks minimum!... fear I could have the other issue though of it taking a lot longer to turn up ;)

DH burnt it :( So it was a bit dry and not so great - but definitely has potential (and DH still gets brownie points for effort!).

I saved my carbs at dinner and had a piece with no sugar ice cream. My numbers were just below even after walking the dog so I'll need to be careful with it but we'll definitely give it a go again.

I haven't been back to my dr yet since being referred to the diabetes clinic. I don't think she expected me to have GD this bad this soon (neither did I) because I was just under the cut-off for diagnosing GD. I'd ask to be referred so I could monitor blood sugars just in case although she'd actually suggested just repeating the GTT in a few weeks. I'm seeing her on Tuesday so I'll know more then about what they do with full-blown GD.

This is DEFINITELY my last pregnancy. My other two were so easy compare to this one. But dd2 is already 7.5 so i may have forgotten or maybe I'm just too old for all this pregnancy lark!

I'm still not stable with my numbers and they're going over target even with very few carbs.

My good news is that I made delicious Russian cheese pancakes this morning.
This is the recipe:
www.olgasflavorfactory.com/breakfast/sirniki-farmers-cheese-pancakes/

Farmers cheese is a bit like quark - it's probably available in Polish stores in the UK.
I used chickpea flour in the mixture and almond flour for dredging them. I also added splenda rather than sugar and no raisins.

Oh my goodness, they were SO good and even with some berries for carbs, I got a great reading after breakfast. I just had the last few for my afternoon snack.

I hope it goes well on Tuesday and she is reassuring. Sorry this pregnancy is turning out to be such hard work :( Was reading a "big baby" thread on here yesterday and several women on there said the NHS "forgot" to test them for GD until it was too late!... all the blood testing is very anxiety provoking but I wonder how many women are eating what they like with very uncontrolled blood sugars in pregnancy. I am grateful for the chance to have kept an eye on mine, even though it's a pain. Do you think they will suggest insulin in the end? Maybe it will help you and you can be a bit more free with your meals. I can tell you are trying so hard with diet. How many weeks are you now? I did read GD peaks at some point prior to the end of pregancy (I can't remember when - somewhere between 32 and 36 weeks??) and then tails off a bit. I think I have probably found that broadly.

Good excuse the try out new recipes! These look yummy :) If I can suss out the cheese thing will have a go :)

Thanks sister!

I also think that there must be a lot of undiagnosed GD in the UK because they don't screen everyone there. In the US, they won't usually screen you if you're under 25, pre-preg BMI of < 25 and no other risk factors but otherwise, you get screened. I'm really surprised that age isn't a risk factor according to the NHS when the evidence points that it clearly is.

Of course the blood testing is stressful but I'm so so so glad I asked to get referred despite just passing the GTT or I'd have been one of those women eating what they want and having uncontrolled blood sugars. Even though I'm finding it challenging to get my numbers below target, none of my spikes have been crazy, nothing above 8.8, so even though the baby has probably been getting higher blood sugar levels than ideal at times, at least she hasn't been having super-high surges to deal with.

I'm not sure really what's going on with my numbers. I woke to a fasting of 6 this morning, my highest number yet. And yesterday, my numbers were a bit too high after meals despite hardly having carbs. I had to take the kids to Manhattan and we went to a noodle restaurant that they love for lunch. I ordered seafood noodle soup - without noodles (how depressing)!!! And I got 7.9 one hour after. From what exactly????

I've got an appointment at the diabetes clinic after my appointment with my ob on Tuesday so I'll see what they say about the meds.

I highly recommend the cheese pancakes. The kids loved them too so there are none left despite making a huge batch! Apparently you can use cottage cheese if you wring out the water although I'm not sure that'd work.

Did you eat any noodles at all? I would have taken some from someone else. About a fist size? Also I don't know what type of noodles place but apparently Chinese type things are normally sweeter than Thai type things! Apparently!

Good luck. My carbs that worked well are: jumbo oats (small portion fist size) oat cakes (two as a snack with peanut butter or salami) German type rye bread. It is heavy and square and the use by date gives you about a month to eat it. At the end of my last pregnancy I could have one slice with my meal.

Someone way up thread was asking about inductions. With my son I was induced at 39 weeks. From the growth scan the doctor could see he wasn't increasing weight enough. (Intra uterine growth restriction I think). I think I knew that would happen at about 37 weeks.

But - the interesting thing is that my doctor said that this time I might be able to stay until term or even let be over due. I could have cried! So basically even though I am on metformin and measuring my sugars it completely depends on what happens at the scans. I don't know what happens elsewhere but I think he knew that I needed to hear that it was a possibility. He is the sort of doctor that only tells you what you need to know when you need to know it though.

Sorry it was long. Also I want to add
Thank you for this thread. It is really useful to get new ideas. Also I felt very lonely last time trying to diet and feeling the weight of worry. I am less worried this time!