Type 1 diabetic & pregnant

[Gem176]

Hi,

Haven't seen any threads for type 1's who are expecting.

Thought I'd start one just in case anyone else wants to join in and share the particularly stressful rollercoaster that pregnancy is with the added bonus type 1 🙈

Another Type 1 here and currently 24 weeks pregnant. It has been hard work so far to say the least with hypo-unawareness, lots of overnight hypos, CGM alarms and lots of corrections but will be so worth it ❤

How're you getting on @Gem176 x

Hello, i'm a ?MODY so fall into Type 2 for some reason but I'm on insulin and metformin. 25 weeks today! what a job it's been already! Insulin resistance is crazy. On 5x my normal fast acting so far to stay on track. Hba1c is 31 so so far so good. Having to eat yogurt and fruit everyday for breakfast which is getting a tad boring, already fanaticising about all the food to eat! 😂
How are you both getting on?

Hey! Also T1 and 24 weeks pregnant. I’m on a closed loop system (part of a clinical study) and it’s helped to regulate my sugars overnight. Finding I’m getting very hungry and craving carbs a lot? Losing hypo awareness must be really tough @Tigerlily08, I’m sorry you’re having to deal with that!

Hi @Tigerlily08 @DiabeticFirstBaby @Tig2010

I'm still very very early but this is my second rodeo so just wanted a bit of company as last time (8 years ago) I just stressed the whole time and wasn't really aware of Mumsnet and the excellent community on here.

Struggling with the sheer number of night time hypos but also how early the insulin resistance has kicked in. I'm having to take huge amounts of novorapid to combat postprandial spikes yet dropping like a stone in the middle of the night. If I lower my back ground I run high and the difference of 0.5 of a unit of levemir is the difference between running high and being low over night. The lows are happening despite there being no active novorapid on board. All worth it though ❤️

Losing my hypo awareness terrifies me! How are you coping with that?

@Gem176 nighttime hypos are grim - I’m so sorry you’re having so many - they leave you feeling knackered. How are you finding that with work? Are you on a CGM that alerts you in the night?

I’m also finding breakfast insulin requirements have shot up loads, although other meal times are now catching up. I’m on an insulin pump and my carb:insulin ratio has gone from something like 1 unit for every 12g carbs to 1 unit to 6g at breakfast. And something like 7g and 8g for lunch and dinner. Such a massive change!

@Gem176 can I ask whether you had a C-section or were induced for your first pregnancy? I am pretty nervous about the delivery and recovery process afterwards as my sugars are quite sensitive to physical stress - tend to go really high.

@Tig2010 I'm really lucky, I'm wfh and as long as I'm available for prearranged appointments I can catch up on the admin side at any time so it's not like I'm stuck in an office 9-5 😅

I'm on the libre so no alarms but so far my hypo awareness has been spot on, same as last time, long may it continue!

I went for an elective section, my first pregnancy was unplanned and I had been told of every single issue that could crop up due to not having done pre conception or folic acid etc.... I was terrified and fought tooth and nail against a really awful consultant for an elective as they are far safer than an emergency. Inductions result in a higher than average number of emergency sections, diabetics don't contract as well as non-diabetics and in all honesty I had got to that point with zero complications despite all the horror stories so was unwilling to risk it because I had a consultant who preferred vaginal deliveries. No vagina, no opinion mate! Will be going for an elective again this time without a second thought.

@Gem176 ooh that is great advice - thanks! Yeah, the vagina consultant can take a hike! Had no idea about the contractions thing. I was a bit worried about the recovery process following a c-section but if there’s a strong chance of an emergency one anyway I guess it doesn’t matter really.
So good that your hypo awareness is still there - mine too so far. And also wfh which I agree makes things so much easier.
I’m definitely getting hungry a lot esp in the evening - having to try very hard not to eat tonnes of sugary cereal at 10pm...!

@Gem176 they have moved me from a Libre to a Dexcom which I end up wanting to throw out of the window with the constant alarms waking me at night. However, very lucky to have it as I was dropping into the high 1's and low 2's without feeling any different. I was also given a stash of glucagon which my partner has been trained in just in case!

Im a prison officer so currently signed off work due to hypos. Work have been pretty shit about the whole pregnancy and COVID situation anyway so definitely feel safer at home. There's been numerous outbreaks in our prison and they do not follow the rules at all. They're also being difficult about finding me any admin work to do so I am pushing for suspension from 28 weeks which they are also reluctant to do!

I also had no idea about the contractions. I was hoping to avoid C Section if possible (horse rider who is missing being in the saddle 😂) but may have to reconsider x

@Tigerlily08 Really glad you’ve got the Dexcom for the alarm - no hypo awareness must be grim but you sound like you’re dealing really well with it (although appreciate it’s a case of what choice do you have). Totally agree the Dexcom alarms are so annoying. Mine defaulted to a weird baby noise to start with and I couldn’t figure out how to change it for weeks. Felt like some bizarre rehearsal when it went off in the night. Hope you manage to get what you want from work - they sound like they’ve been as useful as a hole in the head!

I don’t know if your hospital offers this but I’m on a trial through my hospital (St Thomas’ in Waterloo) for a closed loop system where the pump (a Dana) and the CGM (Dexcom) interact. It’s been good for nighttime sugar control. I don’t know if it’s something you can ask to be moved to but I reckon it would help with hypo management certainly during the night. I was getting two hypos a night before I went on it (at around 14 weeks) and haven’t had any for months now. Even if you can’t move to it now, thought it might be useful to mention for the future.

@Gem176 have you tried having a carby snack before bed to to keep you going overnight? My hypo awareness has deff reduced, i can be sat at 3.4 ish and feel fine whereas pre preg i'd be shakey!
I find i'm always having to catch hypos 5 hours after insulin as i have to take so much to stop me from spiking and not keeping in target. I also have snacks and small apple juice boxes next to the bed so if i wake up i'll scan libre, and if low drink one of those.