Viability scan tomorrow, HbAc1 levels too high at conception worried.

[Mordirig]

Have recently found out I am both Diabetic and Pregnant (7weeks today) They thought I had Type 2 initially but they are investigating it as the diabetic specialist at the hospital thinks I may have adult onset Type 1 instead, either way my HbAc1 levels were 16 from the bloods taken at 5 weeks pregnant.
I have been taking my BG readings in the morning before meals and after and at bedtime since the 2nd which is when I was given a testing kit, I can't get lower than 7.1mmol/l and am often in the 9s despite cutting out starchy carbs and living on lean protein and vegetables and cutting out all sugar and I mean ALL sugar.
I had to refer myself to the hospital today by phone because the MW due to do my booking in apt 'forgot' to send the referral letter to them and my GP was worried about the lack of communication since my BG levels are still high and I'm not medicated.
The specialist MW asked me to email her a picture of my weeks readings and 5 minutes later called me to say I needed to be treated with insulin today, so I've now got my insulin, 70%/30% mix of long and short acting insulin and have to take 6 units before breakfast and dinner.
She booked me in for tomorrow for a Viability scan tomorrow and basically told me not to keep my hopes up since my HbAc1 levels were very high and I've just looked it up and there is a 30% increase with each 1% increase above 6.3 so I have a nearly 300% increase in risk for the baby having a congenital malformation if its not ceased growing already.

I feel so guilty and angry, guilty that I didn't know I was pregnant, was a failure in contraception that went unnoticed, but it was a really happy surprise.
Angry because I had GD 8 years ago in 2008 and have just read according to the NICE guidelines I should have been offered a yearly diabetes check since I am predisposed to developing it further down the line but I haven't been offered anything of the sort.

Has anyone got advice or stories where they had a similar HbAc1 level and it was ok? canyousmellthedesperation?

Didn't want to read & run Mordirig I've been Type 1 for 11 years and am currently 27 weeks pregnant with my first.

I'm afraid I can't give you any reassurance or info further than what you've already read regarding your HbA1c - all I know is it was drummed into me how important it was to keep low.

I hope you'll be seeing a specialist consultant; the insulin you've been given isn't what is nowadays usually seen as best practice/ gives best flexibility. Is it Novomix? That's what I was given when first diagnosed but very quickly moved onto Novorapid (fast acting, to have which each meal) and Lantus (long acting, to have once per day for background levels).

Best of luck with the scan; hoping for a positive outcome and that you get some good support with managing your diabetes.

Yes its a Novomix pen, thank you for telling me its not usually given, I will ask about that tomorrow at the clinic.
Do you have separate injections for the type you are on? Mine is in one 'pen' and its a pale colour but I have to make sure it's not separated before I inject it.
After reading some statistics I'm doubtful it will be a happy scan tomorrow so I'm going with low expectations and hopefully try to get these levels under control no matter what.
Thank you for the support and well wishes though, I hope you are right.

Yes, the Novomix pen contains a mix of the two insulins whereas the more common (nowadays) regime to be on is separate pens for each type. So you have one injection once a day of the slow release insulin and then one injection of the other type with each meal. This tends to give better control as it is more flexible to what you're eating and when. They call it basal bolus - might be helpful to read up on it here www.diabetes.co.uk/insulin/basal-bolus.html

Thank you so much Pug there's so much to learn!

Just wanted to update Pug the scan went well, heart beat present and measuring one day ahead so I am very happy with how it went and they've upped my units to 16 per meal twice a day and I can already see how its lowing my levels which is great.
I asked about the separate injections and the foetal medicine consultant told me because they aren't sure which type I have yet its normal to start with what I'm on now but they review treatment every week if the readings aren't in the range they should be.

Here's a little peak at my bean, although it looked more shrimp like than anything

Fab news! So happy for you

Congratulations Mordirig - that's brilliant news! Glad you're being closely monitored (get used to a lot of hospital appointments) and that your readings are coming down. Keeping your baby safe is brilliant motivation - my hba1c has never been anything like as good as it is at the moment!

Thank you Jw35 & Pug its quite surprising how easily I've cut a lot of stuff out, but like you say, when you're looking after a baby you're growing there is no other choice really.
I don't mind at all, in fact its made me look at what I eat more closely and read labels and I already feel less bloated so I think its a good change all round really.
I think they will take my HbAc1 levels at 20 weeks again, so hopefully I can get them right down before then.
That's really good Pug because I've heard its harder to keep it lower as the pregnancy progresses so you must be very on the ball with it.
I will use you as inspiration!

After I was diagnosed (aged 19) my HbA1c was 8.5ish, and then I steadily got it down to 7.8, 7.5ish where it hovered most of the time it was checked for the next 10 years. When we decided to start TTC in January this year, I got it down to under 7 and then the past 6 months it has been a record 5.6 which I'm gobsmacked by!

You can do it - I suggest writing down everything that passes your lips, every insulin dose and every reading you do, at least for a few weeks. Despite me having managed my diabetes reasonably ok for 10 years, just doing this for a few months made me really get a handle on which foods needed more insulin, when I was more likely to go hypo and how much I needed to treat a hypo (temptation is to scoff loads of biscuits, which I used to do, and then end up with a massive spike afterwards).