Gestational diabetes fasting levels

[Bubbles021]

Hi everyone,
I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes last week at 33 weeks and have been testing my blood sugars for one week now.
A doctor is calling me for a review today, but I just wanted to hear other people's experiences. My trust requires that I test my blood sugar levels one hour after breakfast, lunch and dinner, and in the morning before breakfast after fasting.
So far my after meal levels have all been great and within the normal limits. However I just cannot get the fasting level under control. It's been high every single day and I have tried everything. I've tried eating my evening meal at different times. I have no carbs after my evening meal. I've tried a walk in the evening. I've tried a high protein (no carb) snack before bed, like a boiled egg. But still, it's high everyday. It varies between 5.4 and 6.2, and I've been told it should be under 5.3.
I think because my other levels are fine it's making me quite disheartened that this fasting level is not under control. I've been told it may mean Metformin with my evening meal. What are other people's experiences with the fasting level? And experiences with Metformin. Thank you for your help.

Hi,
my fasting levels were always the issue, the after meal ones were always perfect. I think in general a lot of people only struggle with one rather than both.
my fasting were always between 5.4-5.6 so not even much over but in the end I went on to insulin, something I was very upset with but it was the best thing I did, I had spent so much time stressing over my levels which was making things worse. Thankfully a small dose of insulin righted things and my baby (now 11 months) was born perfect.
honestly try not stress, it’s your placenta that is causing this not you… that swiftly leaves your body after baby. My blood sugars have been completely normal since I gave birth.
best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy

@Hopeful2017 thank you so much! I've had a call from the doctor and we're going to try Metformin for a week she said. I just feel like I'm letting my baby down! She was really happy with my post meal readings, but it's just the fasting level xx

I'm in Ireland with GD, and our targets are a bit stricter (5 for fasting and 7 after meals, and 6 before bed). I've to test 7 times a day, and have been finding it hard to meet the fasting numbers too, was getting 3 - 4 high numbers a week. The last week I've been setting an alarm for 3am to get up, have a snack of a cracker and laughing cow cheese and drink a pint of water, and have only had one over 5 reading since, which corresponded with a night of no sleep. It might be something that could help. It was suggested to me by the dietician and in the lily nicholson book (really worthwhile getting!).

@Radrose im in Ireland too. I’d check with your diabetes team if that’s ok. As far as im
aware it’s not a true reading as you’re not fasting then. My GD was a year ago but I asked similar but they told me it had to be a 8 or 10 hours without food, I can’t remember which. I was with the rotunda

It’s not your fault if your levels are skewy in the am. You aren’t letting baby down.
my midwife reminded me of this. You can control the food but you can’t control your body

If it's your fasting levels, that suggests that it's caused by your placenta not your diet. Absolutely not your fault, and fiddling with things around evening meal unlikely to make a difference.

Metformin should sort it out. One tablet with supper, possibly moving to two as pregnancy progresses. Please don't blame yourself, it sounds like your diet control is working (as post eating levels are good) and this is hormonal. You absolutely aren't letting your baby down, in fact - quite the opposite.

I'm in Galway, and they said it's fine once it's stopping the levels from rising. The aim is to control the blood sugars. I check them at 3am too, and they aren't above the 5 at that point. It stops the dawn effect or something like that, where your body dumps a load of glucose to keep you going during the night. A friend of mine had GD 4 years ago with the Coombe and was given the same advice. Thank you though 😊❤️

Hi,

My fasting levels are between 5.3 and 5.8, I have been taking 500mg of Metaforim for the last 4 days and it hasn't had any affect. My day levels are okay. I am still having snack just before I go to bed. I have contacted the midwives and have an appointment in in the next few days. For those ladies who took medication, when did you see a difference after taking the Metaforim?
It is a horrible and lonely place to find yourself in. 😧😪