Gestational diabetes - Advice & Reassurance Pls

[AR23]

Hi,

I am 29 weeks today and a few days ago at my 28 week midwife appointment I found out I have gestational diabetes (my sugar levels were 8.4 and the midwife said the cut off level is 7.8).

So firstly I'm really upset and sad, it came as a bit of a shock as I've just turned 31, I'm slim, exercise regularly and eat quite healthily.

I'm still waiting on receiving my letter for the next steps, which I think are attending a gestational diabetes clinic where I'll be given more information etc.

I'm just looking for advice and some reassurance until then I guess. Called the midwife and she wasn't able to help much as she wasn't a specialist on the area. But from what I know so far, I should avoid white bread, pasta, white rice....desserts, biscuits ad sugary things, and fruits that are quite citric.

Are bananas ok? And porridge?

I had the glucose test done at week 27, got the results at week 28, and today I'm week 29....so it's already been 2 weeks I've had it without me knowing, in which time, I've had the occasional chocolates, cakes etc, so I'm a bit worried. The midwife said it can lead to large babies being born....and effectively high sugar level is like poison.....so I'm really scared now.

@Salina2 @LifeIsAnArt aww thanks. Yes I wash my hands before testing too, the nurse also told us to wipe the first bit of blood with a clean tissue, then squeeze again and take the test with that second bit of blood. So I’ve been very thorough. Hmmm that’s interesting because my right hand fingers seem to give a much lower reading haha 😂 but the two times that I’ve actually done this (done the test twice using different finger from each hand) I’ve always stuck with the higher reading to be more cautious lol. I have an appointment today with the consultant so will mention it, if she gives any new insight then I’ll report back :)

I had 2 GTT which came back fine and pee tests at every appointment gave no indication of high glucose or protein but at my last consultant appointment I mentioned drinking more than normal so could I have developed GD. After a week of 4x a day blood sugar testing (and seeing diabetes nurse and consultant yesterday) I appear to be borderline and it's my fasting bloods that seem to be the problem. Post meals have been between 5.1-6.8 (one 7.8 reading) but the others have been 4.9-6. I've now got an insulin injection (levonir?) to do before bed which will hopefully regulate the sugars and bring down that first reading. I'm 36 weeks today and am being induced at 38+1 mainly due to crippling SPD and massive baby but also have a growth scan on Christmas Eve to check if baby has had a massive growth spurt if so might be induced sooner. Thinking back, they didn't mention anything about diet but I wonder it its because my post-food readings are OK?

@Lizzieee2727 it’s the same thing with me, my fasted levels are borderline high. I was put on 500mg metformin tablet, but even after a week there was no improvement, so now they’ve doubled my dose which I started to take from yesterday. My next appointment is on the 30th so they will see what to do then.

@Lizzieee2727 you poor thing. I've only just started getting spd (prior back issues) and it's painful. I saw somebody on crutches yesterday and I just cannot imagine how much pain you are in. May not seem like it but you're very close to the finish line so take some comfort it cannot continue too much longer.

@AR23 good luck for your appointment, I hope the extra dose works for you, have you had an extra growth scan yet?

I had my 20 wk scan yesterday, proportionately baby is big but she said that's genetic not related to the gd, 90th% for some measurements. Concerned if I'm starting off from high up the scale that baby will be very big as I'm so early with the gd. I'll just have to see what happens at the scans, I don't think I've got another until 28wks.

My next gd appointment isn't until early jan but my morning readings are creeping up a little, not over yet but higher than they were, post food readings are all fine but from what you guys are saying this seems to be the issue with most people.

I had GD and fasting levels were too high so ended up on insulin. It was absolutely fine, the injection doesn't hurt and really easy to do in a pen thing.

Made a big difference in my readings.

They induced at 37 weeks 5 days because DD was measuring a bit big and one of the concerns with GD is that the placenta could fail at the end of the 40 weeks.

DD was born 8lb11oz, induction was fine if a little boring as nothing happened for the first 24 hrs following the pessary going in. Once my waters were manually broken by MW though labour was only 4 and a half hours.

My go to meals were

Breakfast - banana pancakes (just smoosh a banana, mix with an egg and fry dollops) with Greek yoghurt on top, whole grain seeded bread with scrambled egg, fry up - bacon, egg, mushrooms and grilled tomato

Lunch - salad with egg or chicken, ryvita with cream cheese, sliced rye bread with cream cheese, sliced cheddar, egg or meat

Dinner - meat and veg, we replaced pasta/rice with veg alternatives

I actually lost 2 stone after being diagnosed which was pretty cool, had expected to add to the blubber rather than reduce during pregnancy.

@Lizzieee2727 @mintbear ahh I also have pelvic girdle pain 😭 That is a whole different story. I’ve bought a support belt but it’s not really helping, midwife said at next appointment she’ll refer me for physio if there was no improvement. It’s okay when I walk, but turning in bed is really painful.

I had my first growth scan this week, and all good. Today my morning reading after breakfast was higher than usual (still within the limit) but I literally ate the same thing as I have been having for the past week, I guess it’s all the hormones changing. Just need to hang in there ladies

@TorysSuckRevokeArticle50 ah thanks for the info and meal information? If you don’t mind me asking, did they test your daughter for diabetes after she was born? Pls don’t feel like you have to answer, no pressure

They didn't test for diabetes but did do 3 heel sticks over the course of about 12 hours to check her sugar levels. Just because the babies can get more sugar via placenta if you have GD and they need to make sure that babies levels aren't too high.

DD was born at 6.30pm and we went home at 8am the next morning

Just to mention, my biggest worry was placenta failing because it kept being mentioned as a possibility so I was worried DD wouldn't get the right nutrients. Again, all fine, in really good nick, so much so we were able to donate it to Anthony Nolan in the hospital for stem cell extraction to treat people with blood cancers.

Thanks all for your kind words and glad you're all doing well. I've now got used to the idea of being on Metformin but it's doing very little to help my fasting levels- they're still spiking. I know it's takes two weeks to kick in so fingers crossed it brings them under control. I went to see the consultant yesterday and she said she was going to keep me on Metformin but bring my due date forward due to complications in my last pregnancy and the high levels I'm currently getting. That means, an elective caesarean (last one was EMCS) in three weeks. Even though I've been through the caesarean process before- I'm petrified this time around. My toddler is really attached to me and I don't know how he'll cope with me being away for surgery and the 48 hours post-section. Eek.

@AR23 and @mintbear, thanks for the info. Oh, yes I found a support band useless but may just have been the ones I got from amazon. My belly is really low and I just didn't find the band lifted the bump enough! Was also referred for physio at 28 weeks, I'm still waiting for an appointment and I'm now 36+2!
Ive only had 3 doses of the insulin pen so far and the morning readings have been 6.1 and 6.1 so far but I'm not convinced I got the second dose as don't think the needle went all the way in! Had 'high' for me readings last night - 1hr 8.7, 2hr 8.1 and 3hr 7.4 but hoping that was just a one off (I had scampi and a jacket) though am ringing the diabetes nurse in the morning anyway. Urgh, only 13 days until induction!

Hi ladies, I just wanted to know, those who are taking metformin, what level of doses are you taking? I was initially taking 500mg with my evening meal, then was asked to take 1000mg with evening meal to help with my pre breakfast levels.

Last 2 days I noticed my post breakfast levels creep up (despite having whole meal granary seeded bread paired with fats), so called the diabetic nurse for advice and she said I could take a 500mg metformin tablet with my breakfast to help the post breakfast levels.

This means I would be on a total of 1500mg of metformin a day. The nurse said some women take up to 2000mg of metformin a day which is the maximum....so I just wanted to know what doses everyone is taking, and if there is anyone on the maximum limit?

I've been taking 1000mg with breakfast and again with evening meal since around week 29 (I'm now 37w) I have the odd spike but have been able to avoid insulin for now and just keep check in my diet!

@Cannyhandleit oh thanks lovely, I was worrying about over dosing on metformin despite the nurse saying 2000mg is the maximum, I still felt like I needed some reassurance that there are other ladies who are taking this amount. Thank you

@AR23 I am on 1500mg a day also, 1000mg with breakfast and 500mg at lunch, my breakfast levels started spiking regardless of eating the same foods I was a few weeks ago. Max you can have is 2000mg correct and if you need extra support due to spikes insulin will be offered, my breakfast levels are the highest so if they don't stay we're they are I was told I may have to go on insulin but it's nothing to be scared or worried about my midwife said, the more you go on in your pregnancy your body becomes more resistant to insulin which isn't anything we're doing or not doing. It's so hard but we will get through this.

@AR23 I'm on 2000mg long acting with my evening meal, they put me on that dose straight away. It seems to be standard at my hospital.

As an aside I can't tolerate bread at all, whatever I'm eating it with. I couldn't in my last pregnancy either. I can eat potato no problem though! It might be worth trying other things for breakfast just to see if that helps a bit.

@Salina2 @Bromeliad thank you ladies, that’s very helpful to know. So the spikes for my post breakfast levels started happening 4 days ago, I gave it 4 days to see if it that first result was an anomaly but it wasn’t unfortunately. 3 out of the last 4 days my post breakfast levels have spiked. So I think from tomorrow I’m going to try taking 500mg metformin with my breakfast too. I feel more comfortable taking it after reading your replies - so thank you. Hmmm I was only having 1 toast and that too always paired with fats or protein, my only other go to for breakfast would be yoghurt and some nuts/seeds (I’m vegetarian) but it wouldn’t be very filling and I usually have Greek yoghurt with a few berries as my snack. Plus I don’t have a lot of time in the morning to prepare something. Thank you though... it’s all trial and error 🙂

No problem! I had the same problem in my first pregnancy and lived off Greek yoghurt with various toppings for breakfast. It's very tedious day in day out but plenty of seeds and nuts do help (for some reason I preferred walnuts). It's all about balance though. It was also over that really hot summer in 2018 so it's all I felt like eating luckily!

Are you having stomach issue with the metformin? I have all mine in one go and have to have it half way through the meal or I wake up feeling sick in the night. I'm hoping it goes off over time.

@Bromeliad yeah, having yoghurt in this cold weather isn't the best when you're craving something hot. Nope, no issues with the metformin, my diabetic nurse said the maximum dose you can take in one sitting is 1000mg though (and 2000mg maximum per day). I take my two tablets (1000mg) just after my dinner. And now I'm going to start taking one tablet (500mg) just after breakfast.

I'm 32 weeks today....counting down the weeks!

Hi all, I'm type 1 diabetic not GD but I imagine the struggles are very similar. Does anyone else feel like completely breaking down and eating an entire box of celebrations today or is that just me??? Sorry needed someone to vent to and this seemed the appropriate place

Yes, me! Christmas is really hard isn't it? Can you normally eat a bit of chocolate? My Dad is type I and can normally have one or two. I guess your diet is even stricter now anyway?

@AR23 yes, I've heard that about the standard metformin. I think because my trust puts us all on the modified release version you're supposed to take it all at once. It's coated to break down slower over 24 hours. It's easier for me to remember at least!

My GP surgery misread the hospital's prescription and gave me the standard version so it's a good job I double checked before I started taking it.

@Bromeliad oh gosh! What a mistake on their behalf, good thing you checked. I must be on the standard version of metformin then.

I'm getting so fed up with the erratic sugars. It's doing nothing for my anxiety... Can't seem to bring down the fasting readings! I've gone from 4 units of levomir insulin to 7 and they're still too high - highest has been 6.4, lowest 5.9. My evening meals don't have lots of carbs - last night we were at friends and I had 3 inch square of lasagne, massive side of salad and 2 small bits of garlic bread. Definitely been heavy on protein and veg just don't know what else to do. My daytime post-food readings are between 5.9-7.5 usually though had a couple of 8s and one 9, now looking at all the food we've got and wondering if I can realistically eat it!
Have one last growth scan this afternoon (36+6) to see if baby has had a massive growth spurt (at 34+5 was 6lb 12) and then consultant and diabetes nurse afterwards, possibility of being induced sooner than planned date of the 2nd.

Just reassurance that your size/what you eat prior to being diagnosed with GD has no impact on whether you’ll get it so please don’t in any way blame yourself.
I had hyperemesis and was living solely on a drip in the hospital/a size 4 when I was diagnosed with GD so it really can happen to anyone