Gestational Diabetes, high fasting bloods ?

[LizzeyBenett]

Hi all so I found out last week I have gestational diabetes and started monitoring my levels a few days ago I have to do that for 2 weeks before the hospital decides if I need medication/insulin which I would love to avoid and control with diet. My question is my blood sugar readings are fine all day but my fasting bloods sugars first thing in the morning have been high every day , has anyone found a way to control this ? I have an appointment on Wednesday so will check with hospital then but in the mean time has anyone had any experience with this ? It's all very new to me.

Definitely get seen asap. Have they prescribed you any medication? They might prescribe metformin. They should be seeing you regularly to keep an eye on things, make sure you keep records. I'm sure everything will be fine but if in doubt always ask to be seen.

You have my sympathies. I had GD with both of my pregnancies and it can feel very stressful! X

Hi OP, What’s your last meal of the evening like? Is it high in carbs?

High fasting readings is an issue in GD.

Are you sleeping well? Are you hydrated?

Consider going for a walk after your last meal. Make sure it’s balanced.

Consider a high protein/high fat snack before bed.

All in all if you need to take medication it’s not the end of the world. Better it’s managed. Good luck.

Last meal has very little carbs and I am constantly drinking water even throughout the night , I will try the high protein snack before bed as I do go to bed quiet early so might not be helping things. Thanks so much for the response .

There’s a really good Facebook group “Gestational Diabetes UK” which has good advice on strategies to try for fasting readings.

There’s various things you can try (9pm snack, exercise after dinner etc) but the fasting readings are the hardest by far to control. I ended up on Metformin as although I was very good at diet control, I just couldn’t stop the fasting readings rising as my pregnancy went on.

The ‘constantly’ drinking water is it because you’re thirsty as that’s a sign in itself, please don’t see it as a failure if you do need to take medication. I agree with PP on the Facebook page; apologies I didn’t think of that, really good advice and ideas.

Maybe if the snack has some carbs, consider just protein for the evening snack. But ultimately you’ve got to be able eat a balanced low sugar diet for you and baby. Wishing you well.

This was my issue and unfortunately I did end up on metformin and eventually insulin.

The problem with GD is it does constantly evolve, I maintained with diet for a while then it just stopped working.

Others advice is great, a walk before bed worked for me for a while.

I also looked on the diabetes uk website where it had lots of good ideas of recipes / foods to avoid.

Please don't see it as a failure if you do end up on meds, although I know it is disappointing.

My diabetes went straight after birth and baby was totally fine. He is nearly two now!

All the best xx

Same for me, couldn't control the fasting bloods, tried metformin which made me feel awful so moved onto insulin and found it all very easy to manage after that and was able to eat a wider range of foods. Any carbs were spiking my sugars before then so I ended up eating hardly any carbs and slipping into ketosis all the time which is no good either.

Best of luck op, it was honestly a miserable time for me but it is a short time relatively speaking! X

Another vote for the Gestation Diabetes UK Facebook group and website. Loads of advice on this and why the fasting one is the hardest to control though diet etc.

I found that some cheese and apple cider vinegar in water last thing before bed really helped my fasting readings

I had my GTT yesterday and got the call today to say I have gestational diabetes. My fasting reading was normal at 4.7 but the reading after the sugary drink was 8.5 and the limit is 7.8 I think. I will start the monitoring tomorrow once I pick up the pack from hospital. I’ve never had problems with my sugars but my first baby was 9lbs 7 although I didn’t do the test that time. I’m hoping I can impact the readings with diet and not need the medicine but let’s see. I will look up the FB group too.

Personally I would not recommend the Facebook group but I completely appreciate everyone has different experiences and some find it really helpful. I’d really recommend looking at Dr Sara Wickhams round up of the GD research as well as the latest Cochrane review of the use of medication to control GD. You may be struggling with fasting numbers because you’re having too few carbs in the evening. It’s a really common mistake as it can be quite personal to your body whether a lower carb meal or higher carb meal in the evening impacts fasting levels. I would try adding more carbs in the evening paired with protein and fibre or protein and fat. Good luck! I know it’s a horribly stressful thing xx