Please can you tell me a bit about gestational diabetes?

[Whatnowwww]

I’m 21 weeks, and I’ve been feeling so rubbish and I still have really bad morning sickness. I’ve been signed off work for the past six weeks with stress and I’m just physically feeling shattered. Not sure if it’s mental, physical, or both.
I had ‘glucose +2’ in my last urine test so they’re sending me off the fasting test.
But, the test is 6 weeks away so I’ve got 6 weeks of what if. If they’ve selected me for the test, what are the chances I’ve got it? Is it a cautionary thing or quite likely I’ve got it?

It’s an IVF pregnancy, which is a risk factor I’ve read, but I’m also of European origin, slim when not PG and I don’t have any diabetes in my family.

In these next 6 weeks, apart from staying off refined carbs and sugar and trying to exercise a bit, is there anything I can do to stave it off? Thank-you x

Hi, I have GD - I didn't have any family history of diabetes, but I did have a slightly higher BMI and I'm a little older (39) so I knew from the start I was being put forward for the test. But until the test I didn't really do anything different as didn't have a clue what it meant, so it's great you're trying already, just in case you do have it you'll have your head around it all already. I found out I had it at about 24 weeks I think (I'm now nearly 35 weeks) - spent the first few weeks diet controlled but my fasting levels are too high so I'm on 2 metformin at night and currently 10 units of slow release insulin before bedtime (each week my meds get upped as I still can't control my fasting levels, but rest of the day is fine with diet control). The finger prick testing is a bit of a pain but you get used to it. I would highly recommend having a look on www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/ and also the GDUK Facebook page is amazing - so helpful with what you can/can't eat - to be honest a lot of the NHS advice isn't that great re: diet - they'll advise you could have Weetabix or porridge or orange juice - three things almost every GD lady can't tolerate lol. The website and FB page also have great recipes (a lot are free) and talk a lot about how 'pairing' your food can help - generally just a lot of support and advice. In the meantime I'd carry on as you are, cut sugar, no refined white carbs, loads of water, a little exercise and see what happens with your results when you have the test. Either way it's nothing you've done wrong or eaten things you shouldn't - it's completely hormonal/placenta related so please don't feel bad if you do have it. It's just one of those things and a lot more common than I realised! Good luck!