possible Diabetes?

[Welshy11]

Wondering if anyone can offer some advice. Wasn't feeling well so wen tot the midwife last Friday and she asked for some bloods to be taken to test for Diabetes, iron and pancreas function. also urine to test for infections etc. Results back already and have got a voicemail advising glucose levels are raised and appointments have been booked at the local diabetes clinic and with a consultant- both within the next 2 weeks. I've tried to call the midwife back but no answer, just wondering if anyone has been in this position? Does it definitely mean I have GD or could it be a precaution they are seeing me. I've no history, first time mum and bmi of 27, so no red flags before feeling unwell. thanks

I didn't want to leave your post unanswered and thought I'd share my experience even though it was different to yours.

I never felt unwell during pregnancy and never had any glucose in urine but I tested positive for GD during the mini GTT. I then went on to have a full GTT which confirmed it. Like you I had no risk factors. It was my first baby and I had a BMI of about 21/22.

If they've booked a consultant appointment id imagine your glucose levels may have been high enough to diagnose GD but that's just a guess. They may just be going to test you (although they'd probably have told you that along with instructions eg not to eat for X hours beforehand). Can you ring your midwife and ask?

What I really wanted to say is don't worry. I was devastated when I found out I had GD as it meant a complete change to my birth plan, but I actually found dealing with it day to day to be fine.

If you do have GD it's much better that it's diagnosed so they can monitor you and the baby. Undiagnosed GD can be dangerous for babies so it's a good thing if you have got it that theyve found out. And on the plus side you'll get to see your baby a few more times at growth scans!

Hope you feel much better soon

Thankyou you hetty for your helpful post, nice to know others have been through similar! Left a voicemail with the midwife so will probably get a call back tomorrow and will probably get the letter with more info tomorrow aswel. Can I ask did you end up high risk? And how was your birth?

Thankyou molly for your well wishes x

My GD was pretty minor in that i could control it with diet so didn't need medication or insulin.

My hospital treats every woman with GD as high risk meaning I had to be consultant led and had to give birth on the labour Ward (wasn't allowed to use the MLU). However all hospitals are different - my best friend also had GD and would have been allowed to go to her MLU (her baby ended up being an early breech baby so she had a c section but that was totally unrelated to the GD).

The birth was actually great. It was the opposite of what I wanted (water birth on the MLU) as I was induced at 39 weeks (my hospital wouldn't let you go past 40w with gd) but it went pretty smoothly. I think the worst bit was that I had to stay in for 4 nights afterwards as the gd caused my DD to have low blood sugar when she was born (she'd been used to getting excess sugar in the womb) - I felt guilty for putting my daughter through the regular heel pricks to test her sugar levels. But that doesn't happen with every gd pregnancy. I would also say that the hospital I gave birth in is very risk averse when it comes to gd, you may find you're still able to use the midwife led unit if that's what you want, and they may not be so keen on early induction.

I hope the midwife is able to give you some answers tomorrow and put your mind at rest x

If they've called you I'd say they're pretty certain also you may get a call from the diabeties centre in the next day or two

I had gd with my last pregnancy but I was/am at higher risk due to weight, I lost a stone in the first trimester but no other symptoms, had an early gtt which came back negative at 20 weeks then another which I nearly refused at 28 which was positive

You will be considered high risk but hospitals differ with how they'll treat you, I wasn't allowed to try for a water birth but I was potentially allowed to go to 40+6 dd2 had other plans she was born at 39 due to pre eclampsia and we were kept in 4 nights due to an emcs after a failed induction and an undiagnosed birth defect, she passed all her sugars first time and has had no lasting effects, unfortunately I am now in what my dr called the pre diabeties stage

if you've got Facebook join a group called gestational diabeties uk people from all over the world are on it and you'll get good advice. I was diagnosed at 28 weeks diet controlled to begin with but ended up being medicated from 35 weeks

if it does turn out you have gd the dietitian goes by the book whereas there have been recent studies with better ways of controlling it e.g. Less carbs more protein and good fats lots of snacking to keep your sugars steady and stop spikes

Happy to answer any other questions you have hope this helps

Thankyou both you have really helped. I think I'm the same with regards to wanting a waterbirth but at the end of the day as long as he arrives safe and healthy that's all that matters. Hopefully will speak with the midwife today.x

Spoke with my midwife who said they usually expect levels not to exceed 6.8 but won't usually refer to dietician or consultant until the levels reach 7.8. My result was 7.2 but because displaying symtoms they think it will develop. Also have a b12 deficiency...it's never ending!