gestational diabetes - PLEASE HELP!!!

[scarednoob]

just been told that I have spectacularly failed the OGTT with a result of 11. horrific. not even sure it's worth bothering to do the proper test with a result that high.

anyway, it took all day to get this far, and I only have a couple of days next week before going on holiday to get the test done, see the dietician and get set up before we leave. needless to say it was absolutely impossible to get through to the hospital; the midwives have been on answerphone on all 4 lines all day, and I am really panicking that I can't get it done on time, and will have another 10 days with rampaging blood sugars whilst I am away.

is there anything I can do in advance to help? should I be trying to buy a monitor and some needles from boots, or following a GD plan? is there anything that anyone would recommend? I cut out all sweets, biscuits etc when I had a growth scan last Saturday, but I am panicking about not knowing what even boring things like brown rice might be doing.

and I am REALLY REALLY panicking that i have hurt the baby by being an uncontrolled fat mess and that it won't go away after birth. urgh! thank you!

Hi scared, I'm so sorry you've been diagnosed with GD, it really sucks... How far along are you?

First of all, don't worry, it's very unlikely you have harmed your baby in any way. I'm 21 weeks now and was diagnosed when I was 16 weeks with the result of 13.9 (GTT one hour after the drink). I'm now on metformin and insulin 4 times a day, and as you can imagine I've done massive research on this whole subject.

I also had to wait about a week from when I was diagnosed to my first diabetic team appt. Personally I did buy a glucometer as I was desperate to start making at least some changes asap. The one I bought was Accucheck and I can highly recommend it. The one NOT to buy though is OneTouch (inaccurate). I was measuring often and very soon established that some healthy foods no one would think bad of, like porridge, spiked me up to 13.4. So I stopped having it for breakfast. Obviously it goes without saying what you already know about sweets and biscuits, also fruit juices are a no no. Stick to brown/rye bread, brown pasta and rice, new potatoes, and all of these in moderation. Eggs, cheese, veggies, meat and fish are all ok. Fruits are to be watched carefully too. If you make these few changes now, you'll feel much better both physically and psychologically, since you'll know you are making a real changes for your baby right now.

If you decide to buy the device, the readings you should be aiming for is below 5.5 on waking up (before breakfast) and below 7.5 1 hour after food. At least these are from my hospital, maybe yours will give you different ones, but just to give you a rough idea.

Hope it helps. And good luck with it

I would suggest looking at diabetes UK website where they can help you with diet, even if you might have to control your GT with insulin, getting your diet sorted now might help.

you want to eat things with low sugar, that includes carbs of which is sugar, on the nutritional label.

even look on drinks, was surprised the other day to see flavoured volvic is high in sugar compared to other flavoured water.

I would wait to buy a monitor as the team at the hospital will provide you with one and get you a prescription to get the needles. so will save you the expense.

also I found mixtures of food could give me high readings and found bread was a bit of a trigger for me.

everyone is different, but have a look on the diabetes UK website and they can really help you out

Thanks, really helpful. I feel sick with guilt and terror at the moment but I know when I have a plan I will be able to focus on it - it's just the panicking about whether I should be eating things like brown rice or whether that's a trigger for me until I can see someone.

Also genuinely terrified about it not going away after birth. Diabetes looks truly horrific!!!

God I know that sounds vile and awful. I'm just like a spoiled child right now with disappointment at the result. I will improve my attitude as well!!!

it will go away.

but I was told off by my gp at my six week check after I had my DS and said it was a wake up call for me to lose weight.

hasn't happened as well as I had hoped, and I think I have gd this time round too. I'm 16 weeks, having my gt in two weeks.

it isn't always to do with weight, I have several friends who have had gd and are normal weights, its all to do with the placenta and it dealing with sugar.

you maybe able to control it totally with diet. try not to worry, the tram at the hospital will look after you.

Don't panic. You'll get the care you need as soon as they can see you. Sorry to say GD does ruin holidays and a low GI diet is a very boring one, lots of meat and veg, drink water. People do have different triggers, some one up the thread said porridge. I had GD with both my pregnancies and joke my DDs are made of rolled oats, cherry tomatoes and celery. If you try your best to control your diet but make sure you're eating enough too. Taking a walk after eating is a good way to use up sugar, in the depths of winter I used to walk up and down the stairs lots after every meal!

My youngest is 4 and I know the limits are much tighter on bloods now. I managed with diet, but my sister took insulin with both her pregnancies. Either way, it's short term, it will go away. I'm high risk not due to my weight or lifestyle but genetics, diabetes is very popular in all its forms in my family.

Try not to scare yourself with internet reading. You will find horror stories, no one posts the 'we managed' stories. Apart from the GD and v boring food I had uneventful pregnancies, normal births with no intervention and have to fabulous heathy girls. I'm 43 with no signs of type 2 diabetes. We managed!

Enjoy your hol and look forward to the treats you can have post birth while cuddling your newbie!

That's two fabulous, healthy girls!

Ah thanks everyone, you are making me feel much better. At the moment it just seems like such a minefield. Really helpful to know others deal with it well.