Please be sensitive x

[BigTWDFan]

I had a miscarriage Jan last year and started to pile weight on, i also became very depressed and anxious, come July i had a plan to lose weight but guess what happened... i fell pregnant, even though we was trying i was still back and fourth on the idea, because i was still in a bad place from the miscarriage. Instantly knew i was pregnant from the morning sickness, but instead it of it being my normal morning sickness, it was a lot worse. I could only eat at lunch time, since then i've lost weight, i can pull my jeans down without undoing them, i have little energy and hardly leave the house.
Anyway to my main point, they know i have HG and wanted me to do a glucose test, couldn't do it for vomiting and being bed ridden for 2 days, so they mentioned going over to the hospital diabetes clinic for a quick test. When i got there, the doctor pulled diet plans out and told me i was going to be tested 4 times a day at home until i gave birth. I told her i couldn't do it, i can't keep fruit and veg down and only thing i can keep down is chocolate, mash potatoes, pasta and diluted juice along with (and no idea why) cheese burgers. I told her no and came home. This was the begining of this month, and since then i've hardly slept, my anxiety and depression as rocketed, i feel like a terrible mother. My husband and a friend as told me to not worry if i can't do it because of the HG even though i do have a high (or not as high) BMI. But i still can't help stressing and panicking. I have appointments for growth scans next month and i'm already crying and worrying about what they'll say. I'm 30 weeks pregnant and wishing i never fell pregnant, but at the same time hating myself for saying it. I just want my baby here now, i can't cope any longer.
Sorry for the long rant, i'm already worrying my husband and just wanted to get it all out and see if anyone else went through this and how they dealt with it all

I haven't gone through this, but I didn't want to read your post and say nothing at all.

Don't beat yourself up, pregnancy is shitty and hard sometimes if not all the time for some. If you're unwell and unable to do the tests that is completely different than being fully able bodied and declining them. You aren't doing this because you are being ignorant to the need, you're not able to do them and that's not your fault.

Don't let it get to you, you're a good Mumma otherwise you wouldn't be worrying so much. We do the best we can, you've got your scans and they will reassure you more than words I am sure. 💕💕💕

I think it would be worth speaking to your gp about your feelings as it sounds like you are depressed. They will be able to offer some advice and also possible referrals to other organisations (for counselling) which it sounds like you might need to help come to terms with the miscarriage and being pregnant again. Keep talking to people, don't bottle things up.

Are you on medication for the HG.
A had it very badly and could only keep chips or jacket potatoes down.
I ended up almost being taken into hospital because my ketones were high because of the vomiting.
I was put on Citizine for it. I still had problems with veg, but was able to eat fruit etc with the tablets.
My midwife told me to eat what i could, so please don’t worry about what your eating. I’ve got a high bmi too.

I had HG and gestational diabetes during my pregnancy, and I also really struggled to stomach much in the way of 'proper' food. The idea of giving up the few vaguely safe foods I had (white bread, mainly) was terrifying. But I thought, well, I'm going to feel/be sick constantly anyway. And tbh I found that getting my blood sugar under control helped me feel a bit less sick overall. I assume you've been through options for anti-sickness medication with your GP? After trying several different kinds, I found that promethazine also took the edge off the constant, lurching nausea enough for me to attempt food.
You can have small amounts of wholegrain pasta, lots of cheese, sweet potatoes etc - you can find alternatives to your safe foods with a bit of trial and error to see what you can tolerate. Staying hydrated - even though I know drinking water feels like the most impossible thing - can also really help manage your blood sugar.
You do need to be monitoring your blood sugar as advised and you do need to be engaged and honest with your midwife and whatever diabetes support your getting. It might be that you need to discuss medication options like insulin to help manage your blood sugar in light of your sickness. But it really is important that you get your blood sugar monitored and under control. The risks to you and your baby are real and can be very serious.
If you are on Facebook, there is a great group on there called Gestational Diabetes UK which I found a great source of support and information during my pregnancy.
Good luck OP. I really feel for you, it felt like a very tough and long period of my life. But it isn't forever x

Apologies if I've misunderstood OP but if you've been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you do really need to be changing your diet. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels during pregnancy can be hugely dangerous if you have GD.

Can you talk to your MW about it?

In my last pregnancy I didn't have HG, but my baby measured big all along. The hospital kept pushing that it must be GD, despite me explaining my family just seem prone to big babies - I was 10lb. I did the test twice - twice came back ok, but in the weeks before my due date they gave me a special machine and I had to take pinprick blood readings at home for a while - still all came back ok. I'm sure there was no special diet involved though as I'd there had been, there's no way I could do it. Towards the end I had such bad indigestion I could barely eat, and throwing up a lot.

I don't think it's doing you any good to get this upset. I'd go back and tell them while you're happy to do the tests, a special diet just isn't realistic, not because you don't want to, but because of your HG.

I’ve not been through GD personally but did work with a lady with it during her pregnancy. She made some changes to her diet but not completely (I think she found it really hard to change portion sizes and give up carbs). I found it difficult to understand as she had a very hard time conceiving (years and years). Her DC was totally healthy when born though. I think a lot of it can often be a mental block, perhaps talking to a professional may help?

Hi Op,

If you don't mind me asking if your BMI over 35?

My friend went through this as well, she felt the doctors were constantly on at her, she had to put her results in an app in her phone linked to the hospital, she couldn't manage it all the time.

I haven't got diabetes, i've been tested before pregnancy and not had it while pregnant with my other 2. Spoke to doctors about tablets and i am on some that i take 3 times a day, but can't go any higher because of my IBS, depression and anxiety tablets that i already have to take.
My midwife and doctors are fine with me not being tested, my BMI is over 35, but it is the hospital consultant that won't leave me alone. I see midwife in a few week and going to speak to her has i'm getting to be afraid of going to the hospital. Hard enough with the memorys i have from the miscarriage. Thank you everyone though x

I haven't got diabetes, i've been tested before pregnancy and not had it while pregnant with my other 2

Very gently, I appreciate you're in a really hard place right now, but this doesn't mean that you don't have gestational diabetes now. What's your understanding about why you've been asked to monitor your blood sugar four times a day?

Can you switch hospitals? Will that make things worse or better?

I've not been through this but please don't be hard on yourself. Most women have a bump in the road (pardon the pun) in pregnancy. It is what it is. Some get horrendous sickness like you. Some get pre eclampsia. Some get diabetes. There really are hundreds of things and problems. This will all be over in a couple of months. You are doing what you need to do to get through. Plenty of overweight people have successful pregnancies.

My honest advice is attend what appointments you can. Eat and drink what you can. Trust that baby will be ok. Honestly I had caffeine, chocolate, coleslaw, crisps. Yes I ate veg too. But there were times I was bingeing on crisps. I was 13 stone after my son was born. I'm not 11 stone and slim again. It all falls into place.

I had small issues in pregnancy. Mine was pre eclampsia with my first so I had asprins with my second. 2 of my friends got diabetes in pregnancy. We all have healthy children now. You will too. Focus on planning for your new baby. As I said this will all be over soon xx

Are you on medication for your HG to make it more bearable?! I’ve had it in both pregnancies & really could not have survived without multiple anti-sickness keeping them vomiting at bay for the most part! If not, please, please speak to a doctor & get your HG under control. It should make a big difference to then being able to manage a lower sugar diet! I think you really need to discuss management of both conditions. Both are equally worrying for you & baby without proper care & treatment!

Go explain to your GP about how much you are suffering with vomiting & as such, your diet isn’t very good & eating a real struggle. Explain you’ve not officially been diagnosed with GD (or at least that’s what it sounds like from your post?) but you’ve been told you must follow a certain diet etc .. be frank & honest and explain you need some help! Explain about your soaring anxiety & low mood/crying too. It’s not normal to feel so low & panicky. Support will be available. If your GP isn’t kind, speak to your midwife. Or another GP!

Without meaning to sound harsh in any way (as it sounds like you are just seriously panicking) but you cannot bury your head in the sand & hope it all goes away. You also can’t just take the advice from your husband as to don’t worry if you can’t do it. The doctors aren’t making up the risks & why you need to check your bloods etc. They are just trying to look after you as best they can! They are worried about you.

Sending love OP, I know just how rough a HG pregnancy is. It’s soul destroying. But you need to look after yourself & baby best you can 🧡

I've already been referred for glucose testing in this pregnancy. I will go, but like you, I don't think for a minute I have it. It was frustrating in the last pregnancy, because, like you, I got someone who was adamant I must have it. I'm expecting the same again, and I'll humour them, but it is frustrating. And I don't have the added complication of struggling to eat anything.

I also have a high BMI 33 I believe I've had the first blood test to check my levels I've not heard anything so far so I'm assuming all ok I was told if high they would call me and get me in sooner to do the glucose test with the drink. I have been told due to my high BMI I have to take 75m of aspirin every night and from 28 weeks I'll have growth scans every 3 weeks my other 2 children were both 8lb when born I didn't have a high BMI back then I'm sure all will be fine and you should try not to stress yourself to much but also talking to your GP about how your feeling may help you

Doctors are a little concerned about me, but with all the meds i'm taking its hard to put me on anythong else, sick tablets work to some extend but not enough. With my other pregnancys when my boys were born, i weighed under what i was before i was pregnant, it's looking like that again now, midwife weighed me other week and she said my BMI has gone down, and if it carrys on she's going to start getting concerned. Both my other boys weighed 7'8 and by the look of scans it also looks like the baby will be the same. Just concerned with all the stress etc that i have that it might have an effect on baby and myself afterwards.
So far what i eat and drink changes every 3 to 5 week and it's such a nightmare finding what else i can eat.
I'm starting to feel a little more calmer about the diabetes thing after all the nice comments on here, no idea why my consultant at hospital said a quick test then the clinic saying something else. Gonna try and push it out of my mind, gonna say its not easy to do. I really can't wait for this to be over with, i am gonna speak to my midwife soon about all this. I just wish i could enjoy the last 10 weeks of pregnancy x

Hi, when they said test 4 times a day. I'm sure they meant pricking your finger blood sugar tests. Would you be able to do these? If there is nothing wrong it might put your mind at rest. Sounds like you're having a really rough time and battling through so well done! As others have said, for speak to your GP or midwife about anti nausea medication it might be really helpful.

@LH1987 That's what I had to do. They gave me a digital device. No special diet. I think a lot of pregnant women would struggle with that part.

Yes it was a finger prick test, but she wanted me to do the diet, and when i told her i couldn't keep anything down let alone that diet she gave me, she just wouldn't believe me and was almost forcing me to do it. It was only when i broke down that she let me leave the room, i was on my own too has my husband works nights. I'm yet to talk to the midwife about it, i wouldn't mind doing the finger prick tests, but apparently to do the tests i'm to do the diet. I struggle daily has it is to eat, let alone 3 times a day and a diet.

I agree with @MillitantMargo, just do the finger prick tests. Even if you cant manage the diet fully. you might find you are better able to manage the diet than you think as well. Even if you don't do it perfectly. If you are able to manage cheese burgers, a reasonable meal would be to take the bun off and just eat the burger. There may be other stuff that you can manage, such as adding cheese to a small bit of whole wheat toast wouldn't be too bad. I'm not suggesting this is a great diet but it might be manageable. It sounds like the nurse totally overwhelmed you which isn't helpful. If it were me, I would take the blood sugar tester and try anything you think you can food wise that is low carb.

@BigTWDFan Well, the way they do the test over the last 3 years I suppose, but I definitely didn't follow a special diet. I didn't have HG, but I did have food aversions, and certain things triggered heartburn that just made me throw up all the time towards the end. I couldn't have done it.

The way they do the test might have changed, I mean. It does sound like she was being pretty harsh though.

I would do the testing so at least you are aware of your sugars. Gestational diabetes affects your baby, they can have severe low blood sugars once born as they've been used to your levels. They can be quite ill and need intravenous dextrose and be on NNU for a week or more. Hence the HCPs being a bit pushy. At least monitoring they can give you medication to balance your sugars, rather than altering your diet. Theres a good HG thread on here somewhere, lots of excellent ideas and medication tips.
I don't mean to scare you, just want to make sure you are fully informed.