Gestational diabetes ... fucking sick of it and is it even dangerous??

[immstat]

I am so fucking sick of this. The GD process / journey is making me absolutely hate being pregnant.

I have had it with my 2 pregnancies. I am only 18 weeks and already been injecting insulin for fasting for around 2 weeks (I have a phobia of needles so this is a rigmarole every night). Sometimes my bloods are good sometimes not. Makes no difference what I eat or if I exercise. I can eat exactly the same thing on different days and have wildly different readings during the day or my fasting bloods. I can't make head nor tail of it. I am constantly confused.

1st pregnancy they told me my baby was going to be massive. He came out 7lb. From what I've read online, on forums etc, this happens ALL THE TIME. Women being told their baby is going to be huge but actually they aren't? Wtf is that all about?

I don't understand the risks to baby. I'm becoming more and more convinced that high blood sugar isn't actually that bad and the midwives are shitting us up for no real reason. Which doesn't make sense but neither do my readings 🤷‍♀️

I just feel like giving up. I just feel so trapped and down about it. I feel like not eating so I don't have to go through the process. Or just eating what the hell i want because really...what's the worst that can happen?? I think I am trying to convince myself it's not dangerous because I can't seem to get it right.

I can't do this for another 5 months 😢

Can someone please give me a gentle shake, or a hand hold, or something. My husband is great, supportive, trying to help with my diet and moods...but he can't fully understand how I feel. Does anyone relate??

@immstat

thank you

did you use an app to note your meals and sugars? if not how did you do it?

this is something I need to begin doing

this post was for @OhWhatAmIDoing

It's so hard I've had GD twice and I am now a diet controlled diabetic, carbs are the devil in pregnancy, I had an omelette or half a weetabjx or bacon, mushrooms and tinned tomatoes for breakfast as anything else sent my blood sugars sky high! By around 24 weeks I couldn't eat starchy carbs without my bloods going too high, GD is like type 2 your body produces insulin but can't use it, You don't have to eat carbohydrates I don't think. Can you ask to see a dietician? I really feel the advice should be tailored to the individual instead of just across the board! I was never put on insulin in pregnancy just metformin 500g x 3 a day, as I was always around the 37 week mark then when it stopped helping, they induced at 38 weeks. My first gd pregnancy baby was 9lb 11oz second was 8lb 7oz, the difference was not eating carbs everyday in my second pregnancy.

No I just used to write it in a little notepad, literally just my meals for the day and blood sugar an hour later. Or the notes on my phone if I was out and about :)

@immstat I've been exactly there. Exactly. I kept saying I felt like I'd developed and eating disorder because I was so damn obsessed with what I could and couldn't eat, when, what I would have afterwards...it's relentless and when you are pregnant food is usually your one pleasure left you you. I feel you.

I found the GDUK Facebook really twee but really helpful. Only in the right frame of mind though or I got the rage with the founder and her acolytes, which was my fault, not theirs.

Simple steps. Write down each meal in your chart. Balance every carb with double / triple the fat and protein and salad. Repeat safe meals. Have 3 meals and 3 snacks every day. I never went longer than about 3 hours. Nuts, cheese, cream, meat, berries and carrots are your friends. I used to eat a slice of chorizo, a slice of cheese and one oatcake before bed and usually get a good morning from that. 2litres of water a day, and walk up and down the stairs six times after every meal.

A high reading is ok. Lots is not. If you are getting them speak to your m/W and up your doses. I didn't even ask by the end, just kept putting them up to make it work. Stress DOES increase levels, as does hot weather and shit sleep, so try to stay calm and cool and rested. You are doing your best, and they will be looking after you.

And don't cry. It will be ok. All this is doing something. The babies who get ill get it from very out of control readings. You are chasing yours and getting them down, you are aware and you are being monitored. Hugs.

As a midwife (not in UK) I can honestly say it is crucial for yourself and your baby that you do all you can to manage your diabetes.

I've see 3 stillbirths in a month due to uncontrolled gd. It is very serious and can have lifelong consequences for mum and bub.

Also, GD gets worse. That's not your fault, but it just does, so be prepared to adjust meds and foods and don't blame yourself.

so overwhelmed I will come back to re-read all your comments when I am feeling my head is back on straight

It's hard work but it's worth it. My GD also wasn't great and DS was in NICU for a little bit. I also wasn't particularly well either.

can I have pistachio nuts? just a handful without anything else? or do I need to pair with something? I am so hungry and I dont know what to do

I had GD in last pregnancy. I felt awful pretty much all the time. 100% listen to the midwives, I cant actually remember what the damage may be if you don’t, google it? Also, you and baby are at a much higher risk of type 2 diabetes later on.

My husband called and he is now going to do an excel spreadsheet and map out the foods I can eat and with what, and when. A sort of meal planning (never done meal planning in my life). Then I will take my blood after EVERY meal (not just the ones midwife told me to do) so I can whittle down what foods I can't tolerate. Will also plan my exercise (swimming/walking) and will take up pregnancy yoga.

I had GD in both of my pregnancies, I was also diagnosed from he 12 week scan with my second (earliest they test here). It was a very long haul, I know how you feel.

I think the most useful thing my consultant said to me was that they don't understand why it sometimes gives you stupidly high readings for no apparent reason and that it sometimes isn't your fault. It could just be that you had less sleep the night before. GD is quite personal, what works for one person doesn't for another. For example, I couldn't eat any bread at breakfast but lived off banana and full fat yoghurt instead - despite most people with GD not tolerating banana at any point.

I found the GDUK Facebook group equally unhelpful for this reason, I found many of their suggestions just didn't work for me so I didn't feel very supported. I probably wasn't the right demographic though as my Dad has Type-1 so we followed a diabetic diet for most of my childhood. That also taught me that all diabetics are different.

Good luck, it's tedious and annoying but worth it for the cuddles at the end.

I don't have GD, I have type 1 diabetes which I've had since childhood, so our experiences won't be exactly the same, but pregnancy has made my diabetes control different and it does make you worry more when you know it's not just affecting you, but also your baby.

Do you have regular appointments with a consultant as well as the midwife? I have a phone call with mine every 2-3 weeks and I've found it really helpful. You should definitely let your care team know how much it's stressing you out as they may be able to provide some counselling to help you come to terms with it. One of the things my consultant told me was that "you only need to be good enough, there's no requirement to be perfect."

You will get the occasional high blood sugar with no explanation, but as long as you're recognising it and trying your best to avoid it next time that's all you can do.

Eat the nuts! They don't need pairing really. The spreadsheet sounds like a lovely idea.

thank you all

I think thats why I found the FB page a bit unhelpful, because some of the stuff they suggested had my bloods sky high. I do like seeing the posts where the babies are born though...it makes me feel happy and hopeful

I have read some stuff on type 2 diabetes and so I have been confused about GD thinking it was the same when its not. Its all a head fuck

I ate a small handful of nuts but I am still starving. too scared to bloody well eat anything (which I know is no good either) and my heartburn is off the scale

Hi @immstat do you like cheese or eggs or yoghurt?

Carbs are really the only thing you need to restrict although really high levels of protein can have the effect of raising sugar levels.

Some quick and easy snack ideas for you which should be low risk are

• celery with peanut butter/cream cheese
• full fat Greek yoghurt with nuts and berries
• asparagus dipped in boiled egg or with slices of ham
• green beans or broccoli roasted with garlic or dipped in aioli

I had GD and it was bloody horrible.
The support was great from the hospital (2 week checks and scans) but it was so worrying.
Baby ended up being 6lb6oz and his bloods were fine but could have been worse.
It’s less about the carbs/sugar in the food but rather how it breaks down. So instant porridge- carb looks ok on the box but sends sugars sky high.
Slow release foods tended to work well.
Rolled outs to make porridge from scratch. 1.5 weetabix instead of 2 etc. High protein foods to keep you fuller for longer.
I had to check my bloods after every meal and first thing in the am. Didn’t always get it right but gave it a good go.

halfshrunk - thank you i have added some of your list to mine

danikm - thank you x

I was diagnosed at 28 weeks (I’m 35 now) and felt exactly the same. I feel like the joy of pregnancy and my birthing options have just been robbed.
I’ve got used to the diet now and I’m just getting on with it. Although I think it’s a massive pain the arse and dream of cupcakes! I’m not on any medication though so I can imagine that being even harder.
I joined that GDUK Facebook group but recently left.
I find it quite a nasty page. Everyone just recommend adding a stone of cheese to everything (like that’s going to make it healthy) and they tear anyone who has low readings and is questioning their diagnosis to pieces.
It’s toxic.

Regarding the heartburn, get your doctor to prescribe Omeprazole. It’s changed my life!

For a treat tea I’ve been having a ploughman’s lunch.
Crackers, cheese, ham, scotch egg and pickled onions

For a treat tea I’ve been having a ploughman’s lunch. Crackers, cheese, ham, scotch egg and pickled onions

Oh my god I am literally salivating over my keyboard. Are scotch eggs good to eat with GD??

Just remembered, the other thing I did was google a Low GLycemic Index foods list.

From that I was able to make up a nice long list of low GI foods that I liked and that I could use as my basis shopping list/meal planner.

A list like this could be helpful to you www.mypcoskitchen.com/my-pcos-diet-cheat-sheet/

There was still some trial and error where a food would randomly trigger a high reading but on the whole it made it a lot easier and more varied than the ridiculously tiny list of food I started with, which was basically meat and cheese. Tasty and fun for a day or 2 but got bored of it very quick and didn't feel good on it 😂

...also dreaming of cupcakes...

@immstat

For a treat tea I’ve been having a ploughman’s lunch. Crackers, cheese, ham, scotch egg and pickled onions

Oh my god I am literally salivating over my keyboard. Are scotch eggs good to eat with GD??

Should be fine, scotch egg is egg, sausage and then a breadcrumb coating so while the breadcrumb and sausage filler will contain carbs there's also a decent amount of protein. The rest of the plate is protein and fat too except for the crackers which I'd probably skip until you know how your body reacts to the scotch egg. If sugar levels are low though you could try with something like ryvita which is more complex carb than a jacobs cream cracker.

thank you. this will definitely be on my meal plan