Gestational diabetes

[Nancy1989]

Hi All,

I had the glucose test last week and my results have come back at 7.9… anything over 7.8 is considered as gestational diabetes. I have been told I’ll have a call from a diabetes nurse for next steps but just wondered if anyone had similar results before and if it was controlled by diet alone. 28 weeks currently.
Thank you!!

Just bumping for you! I was diagnosed at 26 weeks but never actually got told my post drink readings so I can't advise on that. If you haven't already, check out the gestational diabetes UK website, it's been a life saver for me. Good luck!

www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/gestational-diabetes-diagnosis/

I was diagnosed at 32 weeks (on New Year’s Eve last year).

Like you my result was absolutely borderline. I had a call from the diabetes nurse. I was asked to come into the local hospital to the diabetes and endocrine unit. There I had some bloods taken, I spoke to the consultant who reviewed my GTT results who assured me as my fasting numbers were good I should be able to control it with diet alone. I then saw a dietician who set up a meal plan for me and spoke to me about foods I should and shouldn’t eat. Lastly I saw a diabetes nurse who did like a mini therapy session about how I was feeling about being diagnosed and would answer any questions I may have. She finished by giving me a glucose meter and told me how to use it. I would prick my finger 6 times a day - before and 1 hour after each meal and record the readings in a book. Each week I would email them a picture of my book and since my readings were all ok (maybe had a few) they said they were happy for me not to attend the diabetes clinic again.

My husband also had to prick my finger every hour whilst I was in labour (I was too drugged up ) and give the midwives the reading. After I gave birth the gestational diabetes immediately went away and I had a healthy baby boy weighing in at 8lbs 4oz!

I got 7.8 on my GTT and was treated as if I had GD. I had no risk factors but baby was measuring on the fat side so had the test to rule it out… This was at about 34 weeks. I managed to control it with diet just fine until 39 weeks when my blood sugars started to go all over the place. I had to be admitted and given insulin but was scheduled to be induced the next day anyway.

I was diagnosed in first pregnancy at 16 weeks (fine second pregnancy). I was on metformin. I was close to going on insulin near end of pregnancy but as I was so close I stayed on metformin. I was induced and ended up with a section but ultimately a healthy, not huge baby.

My next pregnancy was not GD, completely different and almost 1lb smaller.

Thank you for all your comments, it’s my first baby so wasn’t sure what to expect!

Anecdotally, if it was your post-drink reading that was high that’s easier to control with diet. If it was your fasting reading that was high it’s harder.

GD ended up being not so bad for me. I couldn’t control it with diet and exercise beyond about 32 weeks so ended up on insulin and was induced at 38 weeks. But I didn’t gain much weight at all (good as I started overweight) and felt great from eating so well and all the exercise. No aches and pains and it staved off a lot of third trimester tiredness. I ended pregnancy in better shape than I started it. DD was 8lb 8 so while I didn’t really want to be induced at 38 weeks, it was probably a good thing as she could have got really big if left in there for up to a month longer.

There is a fantastic Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/GestationalDiabetesUKMums/?ref=share

I can’t remember my results but controlled it with diet alone. But I didn’t follow the NHS guidance as such, I used the info from an online group which was much stricter and involved understanding carb pairing with fat. The NHS guidance isn’t strong enough to keep levels down in a lot of people so they end up medicated.
Incidentally I had a 6lb10 baby in the end too.

The one bonus of GD was that with the strict diet I only put on weight equivalent to baby+fluid+placenta and the additional scans were great.

I was diagnosed at 28 weeks with a ‘just over’ the threshold result.

I attempted to be diet controlled but at 29 weeks was started on metformin daily. When that didn’t bring my fasting readings down I was started on insulin at 30 weeks at bedtime. My levels remained under control until 32 weeks where I had to start increasing my insulin every day. I was also then started on a different insulin to use before each meal too, as all of a sudden the foods I had previously tolerated well, started giving me high readings.
I was told this is very normal between 32 and 36 weeks.

I had a growth scan at 34 weeks and baby was looking a normal size.

I was consultant led anyway due to having had 3 previous c sections and was booked in to have this baby at 39 weeks, but the consultant changed her mind and brought my c section forward to 37+4 due to the amount of insulin I was on.

The delivery went fine, baby was born 7lb 5oz, perfectly fine and his blood sugars afterwards stayed under control at every test they did. We came home 24 hours later.

The only plus of GD was because I had to restrict my diet so much, I actually put on only 9lb in the entire pregnancy. When baby was born I ended up weighing less than I had before I fell pregnant!

The GD website and Facebook page were amazing for food pairing ideas and recipes, and general advice. The ladies on there are extremely knowledgeable.