Second pregnancy, I thought it might get easier - nope!
I had gestational diabetes last pregnancy, so was monitored for it this pregnancy. I have been eating ULTRA carefully, trying to lower risks. My first GTT I passed without issue, and I wasn't due for another until November. However, before my second scan about a month ago something was niggling and not quite right, and I had the kit, so I did a few days bloodsugar testing.
Well, hello there fasting reading over 6.0 (target is 5.5). I am not glad to see you again.
Neither was my consultant, so onto one metformin with dinner I went. A week later, there was absolutely no change, so up to two metformin (with associated stomach issues).
That helped, but I was still averaging 5.6/5.7 with only one or two at 5.5. Meanwhile, my lunch readings were starting to climb (no change in what I was eating, this is solely my body throwing a fit). So, last week they asked me to increase to two metformin at dinner and one at breakfast. Fine, said I.
Unfortunately my poor stomach does not think it is fine. I am really struggling to eat, and yesterday my body seemed to give up all together (either that or I had a stomach bug) and I had a fasting reading of 6.3 followed by after-meal readings of 4.8 and 4.9 (which probably partly explained why I felt shivery and crap - after meal readings should be between 5.0 and 7.0 in pregnancy). I tried to eat little and often and in desperation called 111 for advice on whether I could split the evening dose, as I didn't want to risk making myself more ill. Unfortunately 111 hear the words "stomach cramp" and "pregnant" and think "labour" so off I was sent to Urgent Care. I have a toddler so that was twenty minutes frantic calling round for emergency childcare in case they decided to monitor me for a ten minute appointment. Appointment went:
"You know stomach cramp is a side-effect of metformin"
"Yes. I told 111 that."
Thankfully HE gave me advice on splitting the dose (Yes, fine, so I took one with the very small meal I could manage, and one ninety minutes later with a snack. Still gave me stomach cramps but I kept it down.)
This morning's fasting reading.. 6.2. I could honestly cry. And I don't WANT to up my dose any more, not with my stomach like this. I'm worried I'm not eating enough for baby - I've barely put on weight since the start of pregnancy and I'm on week 23.
Meanwhile I've been having serious issues with pelvic pain. NHS were no good, I had a month off work because codeine sends me cuckoo, and I ended up going private. I managed to make it back to work on Thursday. My boss is very understanding, but I don't want to get back just for them to up my medication and make me ill! And I know the standard advice for high fasting readings is to exercise but I can only just about walk so I CAN'T.
I don't even know what I want. A hug? Food I can eat that doesn't make me want to vomit? A time machine to next Feb?