Type 1 Diabetic and Pregnant

[TheSnugglyDuckling]

In my first pregnancy there was a lovely supportive thread for T1s so thought I’d see if there are any around this time around.

I’m 9.5 weeks and having a shit time already, especially with BGs.

Anyone else?

(This is a thread for pregnant women with T1. If you have gestational diabetes please make your own thread. It is a completely different situation.)

I’m so glad someone has made a thread! I’m type 1 and 7 weeks today 😊 what are you struggling with? I’m finding it so much harder now my target level has been lowered to 7.8 after meals!

Congratulations on your pregnancies! I don't have T1 but I just wanted to make sure you both knew you can get a CGM on the NHS now you're pregnant, if you don't have one already?

@wibblewobbleball thank you! I have a CGM already (the freestyle libre) as I believe that is something all T1s should be offered now. However they said that I can go on the Dexcom whilst pregnant as it is the better CGM out of the two.

Hi all, glad someone made a thread! This is my second pregnancy and I have a 2.5 year old DD. I’ve been given a Dexcom and find it much better than the free style liber particularly for night time.

Im 11 weeks pregnant and haven’t noticed any difference in control yet, last time I remember it being about 20 weeks when my insulin resistance went up, but we shall see.

I find watching blood sugars and worrying about it a bit of a pain in pregnancy! Be good to have a bit of support from others 😀

Also, I am really missing wine but not necessarily related to be T1 😅

I’m finding it so cruel because I’m hungry allll the time! And if I don’t eat the nausea kicks in, but then I constantly have to inject to stay on top of it and feel guilty if my sugars go even above 8 😩 never used to worry before just used to trust that the insulin will eventually bring it back down.

@Ally1992 , I know what you mean! I’m also finding that I am over correcting with insulin and then needing sugar and it’s a vicious yo-yo affect!

One good thing being T1 is my hospital do an early scan so was able to see the baby at 7 weeks. Which is nice to look at the positives.

Totally. Dexcom is the only true CGM - Libre isn’t technically CGM. I don’t have T1 but I’m a DSM who specialises in looping. Congrats on your pregnancies ladies x

I’m going to read this thread with interest. I’m not type 1 but my daughter has just been diagnosed and have wondered how pregnancy will go in the future.

@Sunshineismyfriend welcome! And if it gives you some comfort, I was diagnosed about 25 years ago, have travelled and lived all over the world, in some countries with very poor health provision where I didn’t speak the language. I have had very little in the way of health complications and a very uneventful first pregnancy! 😀

@Sallyh87 it’s definitely a vicious cycle isn’t
it!

I asked the DSN about a 7 a week scan and my hospital doesn’t do them so have to wait until 12 weeks. I have been told about the additional growth scans later on which is a plus though.

Were you on Dexcom before this pregnancy? I’m still waiting to get something through from them.

Thank you. That’s good to hear. X

@Sunshineismyfriend I was only diagnosed in July last year and managed to get my A1c down from 101 to 41 in 6 months with the motivation to get pregnant. When your daughter is ready to get pregnant she will speak to a antenatal diabetes specialist about 3 months before and they will support with this.

No I wasn’t on the dexcom before, I used a free style liber but I paid for it myself. I think I got it through at around 9 weeks pregnant.

Have you registered with the diabetic midwife? I didn’t in my first and I didn’t get the early scan.

@Sallyh87 how do I register with a diabetic midwife? I have my booking apt next week.

@Ally1992, I only know how to do this because I was part of the clinic in my first pregnancy. No one informed me!

Google diabetes and pregnancy and the name of your local big hospital and they will have an area for it. There will be a pregnancy and diabetes clinic.

Have you been prescribed 5mg folic acid? They will also probably want you on aspirin from 10 weeks.

Another one glad to see this thread knowing there’s lots of women out there who have gone through pregnancy with T1 and all has been ok. My daughter was diagnosed this year too.

Best of luck for your pregnancies ladies!

@Sallyh87 thank you I will look in to that, the 12 weeks feels so far away still!

Yes I was taking 5mg folic acid before I got pregnant and already been told I will be on aspirin from 12 weeks

Oh gd this is me. The only thing that alleviates the nausea is carbs and it’s causing havoc with my BGs. Im also already really insulin resistant which I don’t remember being so early on last time.

I hate being pregnant and it’s just too much with the diabetes.

@TheSnugglyDuckling sorry you’re not having a great time with it 😔 how far along are you now?

This is my first pregnancy so I don’t have anything to compare it to, so far I’ve been pretty insulin resistant but I’m hoping that will change when I get to 8-16 weeks.

The main thing I’m struggling with is my BG dropping in the night and then trying not to over treat it so I still wake up around the 5 mark.

@TheSnugglyDuckling , it’s really rough sometimes isn’t it!

I haven’t found insulin resistance has increased yet but my blood sugars have increased at times. I think the hormones cause your liver to release more sugar so my blood sugars are going up over night and in the morning (something my consultant called ‘the dawn phenomenon’.

If lots of carbs help, I find that trying to eat some fat and protein with it, slows down the release somewhat. So eating some cheese or eggs when I am having a mountain of toast etc.

@Ally1992 , I was finding my blood sugars dropping over night so I reduced my nighttime insulin. Then they went up very early in the morning. So I’ve reduced and started to get up at 4am to take more. Not ideal but it seems to be working for me. The Dexcom will help when you get your hands on it!

Anyway it’s nice to know I’m not alone and there are others with the same struggles!

@Sallyh87 the nighttime nausea has eased off the last couple of days luckily, I also struggle with the 'dawn phenomenon' I usually have to inject 1 unit first thing as the arrows are already pointing up before I have eaten anything.

I had an apt with the DSN today and she chased up about the Dexcom as I haven't heard anything so fingers crossed it comes soon. I would love an insulin pump right now as I feel like a human pin cushion, but I know that's wishful thinking haha!

I hope everything is going good for you, have you had your 12 week scan yet?

I had a bad hypo earlier, binged and now I feel so fucking sick I can’t tell you. I want to cry. It is hard enough being pregnant without this stupid incurable disease.

@Ally1992 , I hope you get the Dexcom soon as it is so helpful! Although it is also really annoying as it will very loudly alert you every time your blood sugar is off with a very piercing beeping noise and it will continue to do so until you have fixed it. Good for control but not for trying to get some sleep!

Ive always been put off by the idea of an insulin pump, I think it’s the lack of control but I am coming around to it. Although having said that, they are hard enough to get out of the NHS so I don’t think I’ll have to worry about it. 😂

I have such a sweet tooth at the minute which I really need to calm down as it is not helping control. In the spirit of full disclosure, I ate two jam doughnuts after dinner, I wasn’t even that hungry!

Scan is booked for Tuesday AM so I will hopefully have some good news then.

@TheSnugglyDuckling , sorry you are having a rough time. Pregnancy is indeed fairly rough and diabetes doesn’t make that any easier. I too have treated hypos and gone over the top and had terrible blood sugars for the rest of the day. Tomorrow is another day and don’t forget sporadic bad blood sugar won’t harm the baby it’s consistent highs or lows that impact the babies development.

Hope you feel better soon x