is there is gestational diabetes thread?

[PeppaPigStinks]

I need some advice - just got the call. Although it's no surprise really I have it!

I'm needle phobic so this is going to work well!

Congratulations on your new arrival! Lovely news
I am massively pissed off with the whole thing, two weeks ago I saw a consultant who had no issues with my readings and yesterday saw someone different who has told me that 2+ ketones is indicating I'm not eating enough (when the previous one didn't bat an eyelid at the same result) and I was sent to see the dietician who said I shouldn't be eating much fat as that causes insulin resistance. So now I'm back to being scared to eat at all, even foods which I thought 'safe' due to ketones and I have to go on metformin which I'm not happy about but worse, the consultant also started saying I'd have to be induced at 37 weeks. I did ask why as the previous one had said up to 40+6 is ok but this one said metformin changes everything even if you are still well controlled and there's no growth concerns. Had anyone else been told this? There's nothing in the NICE guidelines about it if all is otherwise well.
I really don't know what to do for the best now, I've had a failed induction before (never got into full labour) so the chances of it working especially at 37 weeks is quite small so I wonder if I should go straight for an ELCS but then think I'm depriving the baby of the possibility of a vaginal birth so I should give it a go anyway. But then I'm a VBAC so induction is more risky due to scar rupture anyway. I keep going round the different options and can't see a way forward so have sobbed non stop since yesterday afternoon (including through both appointments!) How do you make a choice when every choice seems to be a bad one?

ChocolateTeacup - are you making the sandwich or is it shop bought?

TrouserSnake - the guidelines definitely say you can go to 40+6. It makes no difference if you are taking metformin or insulin. The guidelines were updated in 2015 so maybe that consultant needs an update

I have additional complications and as I'm over 40 they'd prefer me not to go over 40 weeks. My baby is allegedly on the larger side already but I've already had 2 big babies. I've agreed to induction at 39+1

In general I've found that despite various NICE guidelines saying "offer" MWs and Obstetric staff expect you to agree instantly to whatever they are saying and not decline their offer.

I am making it, so I accept there may be some variations but not that much (i'm fussy)

I think skipping meals can make readings higher: if your blood sugars get a bit low then your body panic dumps some glucose to keep you going.

Good Morning All. I've been lurking a while, and felt it time to post! I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes just after my booking in appointment at 8 weeks pregnant. I was initially completely gutted but have since come to the realisation that it's probably the best thing that could have happened. I am now 26 weeks pregnant and still battling on with the diet, however am taking 1000mg Metformin with my evening meal which I guess is to counteract high fasting readings in the mornings and just yesterday was instructed to take another 500mg Metformin with my breakfast as my pre-lunch readings were starting to rise to around 5.9mmols. My instructions have been to test before breakfast and then before all meals through the day and again at bed time, the targets I've been given are between 4 & 6 mmols. My diet has consisted of an awful lot of protein, quite reduced portions, although still managing to handle a small portion of carbohydrates - rice, pasta, potatoes etc I have however cut out all sugar, hidden and otherwise. As a result have lost almost 10kg!
My experience with NHS Scotland has been interesting to say the least. Quite conflicting advice, it depends who I see. Dietitians gave very few suggestions - not sure if this is down to my diet and intake or if they just don't know, and nobody has even mentioned exercise. I have found sitting in a consulting room with midwife, obstetric consultant, diabetes nurse, dietician and a couple of students extremely intimidating and unnerving which makes me feel quite out of control. Also I don't understand why I test before meals- perhaps that was as a result of my GTT? It also concerns me the massive blood sugar spikes that I might be getting after eating and I then feel I can 'fix' the readings by not eating for a long time afterwards (because I'm only testing before meals). I normally have breakfast at 5am, lunch at 1145 and dinner sometimes as late as 2100 with no snacks, I know this isn't perhaps best practice though but am scared to change due to higher readings, however any time I've raised it at hospital they seem a bit non-plussed but unable to suggest anything else.
So I guess I'm thinking that I'll more than likely be on insulin before the end of this pregnancy as I believe I'm almost on the full dose of Metformin, I do worry that the GD was picked up so horribly early in this pregnancy its put a real dampener on things and I'm not the best pregnant lady at the best of times, in fact at times I hate it!! Anyway would be great to hear what others are going through!

Do they think you actually have previously undiagnosed type 2 diabetes? The key indicator I believe is a high fasting blood glucose at the GTT. Why did you have a GTT so early? It certainly sounds like you are being managed very differently to how 'standard' GD is managed in my hospital where they give you a pre-printed sheet with instructions to test first thing in the morning then an hour after each meal. Testing before meals has never been mentioned to me at least. Presumably they are not concerned about ketones given how much weight you've lost?
But I have also been given conflicting information at each appointment and no suggestions by the dietician. The only carbs I can eat without getting a high reading are half a slice of rye bread and a handful of boiled new potatoes. God I'm bored of that! Are all your readings normal?

Hello TrouserSnake! Reason for the very early GTT was because there was glucose in my urine, quite a lot I think. Fasting level was indeed high before GTT, not sure on level two hours after, it was a long time ago, think it's in my notes though! Nobody can tell me whether they think I had Type II beforehand and I guess I'll need to wait for the postnatal tests which I'm not looking forward to, really don't want to be a statistic if you know what I mean. With my first baby (almost 3) pregnancy was a doddle and GD never even mentioned so not sure what's going on. I'm a wee bit bigger than I was during pregnancy number one however have now lost that extra weight and in my eyes back to normal, which is quite nice . I'm aware of ketones and have been tested a couple of times during appointments when they've been picked up in urine samples but both times they've been within acceptable limits. I think I'm definitely going to have to man up at my next appointment, write a list of questions and take them with me. Am also going to waste some test strips and do some post-meal readings just for my own amusement!! Bad luck with the carbs - I feel quite lucky really. Readings are alright, but sometimes spurious for no apparent reason that I can see. They have been creeping up before lunch though so hence been told to take a Metformin at brrakfast time, and about three weeks ago had to increase the dose at dinner time to help with rising fasting levels in the morning. I was kind of expecting things to go a bit haywire around this stage though from reading through older posts of here.

Can I ask what sort of symptoms those of you with GD had....? I am only 18 weeks and struggling to get rid of thrush (sorry, TMI!), and am worried about having GD. Can I ask the gp to test me?

Livelyredjellybean I wasn't properly of symptoms to be fair, but I was beyond tired, far worse than with number one I was also very thirsty and peeing a lot in hindsight. I think the problem is that any symptoms there are, are very similar to those you'd expect in early pregnancy anyway - good luck. Midwives will pick up on glucose in urine tests and also may test you if you're overweight, or have a family history of diabetes as I understand it. Good luck.

Jellybean definitely ask - I spent a while in my first pregnancy trying to get someone to take me seriously that I thought I had diabetes because I'd had a previously normal GTT.

Hi ladies, how is everyone getting on?
Can I ask what you are actually eating on a day to day basis and how well controlled your blood sugars are? All of the standard advice on what to eat doesn't seem to work for me, I can't eat any normal (wholewheat) bread, pasta, couscous or anything and only get normal readings with a bit of rye bread or a few baby new potatoes. I am sick of eating the same things and constantly worried in case the occasional 8.0 I've had is damaging the baby. Are people really able to eat wholewheat pasta meals and still get a reading below 7.8? I'm on 500mg metformin twice a day already. I'm soooo bored of eating the same things.
And I'm bored of only being able to drink plain water too, I don't like the chemical taste of drinks with artificial sweeteners and I can't think of anything else that would be ok. I'm resigned to the idea that nothing is going to change until after the baby comes but I'd love to know how other people are getting on.

(Sorry, me again!) Also, what am I going to eat in the hospital?? The usual stodge provided by the NHS is not going to work as apparently blood sugars will be measured every hour and have to be below 7. I'm struggling to think of foods I can take that will be ok out of the fridge for more than a few hours. So far I have come up with Babybels. Not that sustaining for labour!

TrouserSnake. My normal work day intake is two poached eggs on the very small Warburton's seeded batch toast (2 slices) I have that at around 5am, I have a banana at around 10am, then for lunch a salad at work at midday, and then dinner at around half six is some kind of meat or fish with salad and a few new potatoes. Days I'm not working are the same, but I don't get up quite so early and have peanut butter on toast instead of eggs. I find lunches hardest. Things I've tried are quinoa which protein, so seems to fill me up. But I am getting bored of it. No idea what happens re food in hospital, I had an overnight stay a couple of weeks ago and sent my husband out on a suitable food hunt. NHS Scotland I think wouldn't be able to cope!! I think it's my fasting levels that cause the problems, but then again not really 100% sure. I worry that shouldn't leave so long before food, but I know that if I do snack my readings will go up. I'm currently on 1500mg of Metformin a day, at 29 weeks on Tuesday, am worried at what will happen as pregnancy progresses and hoping it doesn't get worse, but I guess there's no way to tell. Had 28 week scan last week and consultant seemed quite blase about the whole thing, had nothing particularly constructive to say. I now realise that my post hasn't been particularly helpful - sorry!! Peanut butter, cheese, quinoa, Booja Booja ice cream if you fancy something naughty, freshly squeezed lemon or lime in water for drinking, nuts and toasted seeds on top of salads to cheer them up. Good luck, let us know how you're getting on.

Did anyone have any feeling of blood sugar being all over the place before your respective GD diagnoses?

I'm 22 weeks and have had mad sugar cravings for about the last 10 weeks, feeling very headachy and brain-foggy, particularly in the mornings- which can (I'm embarrassed to say) be very easily resolved by eating a couple of ridiculously sugary muesli bars or a few chocolate biscuits. This gets rid of the headache and makes me able to see straight for a few hours, then the headache and fog comes back (I usually then just give up on thinking for the rest of the day). I normally eat the kind of thing described above by Mastermarinermum - it doesn't help the sugar headaches at all.

Is this likely to be GD? it's the feeling so much better after eating sugar that worries me a bit.

Master it sounds like you're eating similar to me. I'm paranoid about ketones though after consultant had a go at me for a 2+ reading. I also lost weight initially so had to eat a bit more even though I'm scared of high readings. Are all yours always normal? Do you test bang on an hour after eating? I'm rarely that exact (I have a life!) so worry I'm 'missing the spike' sometimes.

Parents, I was starving all the time with DC1 although never had a GTT in that pregnancy and have been to a certain extent this time around. Thing us, there are so many weird and wonderful symptoms of pregnancy it could be nothing to do with GD. Do you have a GTT booked?

Hello All! TrouserSnake I've had a couple of ketones in urine moments during hospital appointments, but when they check bloods the levels are acceptable and they don't seem that concerned. I think that my intake of carbohydrates is probably sufficient most days, although some days more than others. My readings are definitely not consistent, I can have consistency for a couple of days and then they go haywire and then back to normal - there doesn't seem to be much of a pattern with food stuffs or otherwise. Having said that one Metformin at breakfast seems to have helped. I worry about missing spikes, but can never tell because my testing is done directly before my meals - still completely unsure of the reasons behind this. Have to be between 4-6mmols before a meal.

Am desperate for a piece of really good cake!!!

Hi all! Sorry I've neglected this thread as the app booted me out and I needed to re-set my password!

Quick update: DS was born on Saturday night after v quick labour! He's doing great, I'm knackered

Aw congratulations trouser snake!! Am envious of your quick labour - I've been pushed down the c- section route and really don't want it!!

Thank you! It wasn't all plain sailing, the stitching up afterwards took longer than the labour
Hope all goes well for you, I had a back-up section booked in case I went much overdue but DS decided he was in a rush to put in an entrance before that!

Aw poor you. Hope you are starting to feel a bit better and that your little Ones sugars were all good.