Anyone want to join in a support thread for those with gestational diabetes?

[CantSleepWontSleep]

Since it seems to be reasonably common, I thought maybe we could have an ongoing thread where we could discuss issues relating to it, and maybe share ideas of meals that work for us to keep blood sugars down.

I was just over the threshold on my GTT nearly 3 weeks ago, and have been monitoring my bloods 4 times a day since last Thursday. Had my first visit to joint diabetic/obstetric clinic this morning, which I found thoroughly impersonal and demoralising, so am feeling a bit low about it at the moment.

I am nearly 20 weeks, so still have a long way to go. Am hoping to control it just through diet, but consultant gave me a prescription for insulin 'just in case I need it'!

Am having the most problem with my after breakfast reading. Have been told to keep it below 7 one hour after eating, but even with the cereals they have recommended, I am getting around 8-9. Dietician has recommended trying baked beans on toast for breakfast instead. Is anyone else struggling with this one, as they said it is a common one to find raised due to steroids produced by the body in the mornings?

pepper - your levels aren't higher than 10 90 mins after a meal surely? Mine never (yet!) get as high as 10, even 60 mins after a meal.

csws my BS 90 mins after a meal can be as high as 15-16
mine isnt controlled at all at the moment

i just wanted to ask you guys a question
my readings have always been high and only ever had 1 hypo
but today i went to 4.1 nearly passed out i felt terible couldnt speak properly was confused
took my glucose tabs had a sugary drink got ot to 4.5
took my insulin again tonight same is happening again my BS is just dropping of my scale
what is going on i have bad headache and should i be worried im getting hypos one after another all of a sudden

I really think that you should be admitted to hospital where they can monitor you properly disney. Make sure that you eat enough (not just sugar, but something slower release too) to get you through the night without a big hypo.

Has your insulin just been increased?
You're close to 36 weeks aren't you, when levels are meant to stabilise a bit, so maybe if your insulin has increased then it's now too much.

I know that some days you are struggling to eat, but do try and make sure that you are eating often, even if it's only a little at a time. Much better for even blood glucose control.

You're nearly there now disney, so you can do it for these last few days .

yes i will have something before bed also taking my bits ot bed with me tonight
glad its friday and DH home

yes id noticed they had stabilised a bit till today when they keep dropping

i have an appt monday with the whole lot to get my fixed date as well

how come the stabilise at around 36 week mark then?

oh lordy - diabetic unit on my case and to cut a long story short I'm going to go for another GTT next week hopefully. I hope to god it's normal. I had my heart set on a homebirth. Last babe born in birthing unit and I have a fundamental fear of labour wards.

Sorry I confused you CSWS - if I ate like a normal person I'd be in the high 9s probably, I think I just meant that that seemed ridiculously easy to stick to?
Disney - I agree with CSWS, your GD really seems worryingly up and down. I would be scared to have a hypo while asleep, thank goodness your DH is there.
Maybe at 34 weeks they'll consider it safer for both you and the baby if he's delivered soon, at least you then worry about yourselves separately IYSWIM.

Hpe you have a good weekend and they sort you out on Mon.
TYAGN - good luck at your GTT next week - at least it will count as a proper test and not a random thing when you could have eaten anything before hand cos you didn't know.
We'll have no internet on hols so I'm signing off for a week (properly this time!)

My diabetic nurse explained BS levels very similar to those posted by TYAGN. She said that in a non-PG, non-diabetic person up to 11 is "normal". And although I've seen 3 different diabetic consultants, all have said "Just keep it below 8". I have to contact the diabetes dept to go on insulin if my levels go above 8 2 hours after a meal more than twice in a week.
hba1c was 5.6% and consultant said that under 6% was good. He said it was testing not how much sugar was in the blood, but what effect it was having on my body. Did I understand that correctly? I just mmmd and nodded when he was telling me about it. Tell them you're a professional (I'm a teacher) and HCP think you must have a degree in human biology, but keep you're mouth shut and they assume you don't have two brain cells to rub together and don't tell you anything!
I've had one growth scan and Ab measurement was on 95 percentile, whilst every other measure was around 50 percentile. Do you think this could be because my BS level requirements are more lenient? Consultant said it was probably result of growth from before my diet was under control.

Hi everyone, Just a quick note to let you all know baby Ruby arrived thursday night weighing 5lb 1 ounce, I have baffled everyone at the hospital as they have no record of a GD insulin controlled baby weighing so small at 38 weeks. She is perfect and so tiny and despite having a bad experience with a nasty midwife we are both doing well. Bs readings are now normal but I am still sticking to a low sugar diet as I have been told I will develope type 2 at some point in life. If its ok I would like to continue popping into this thread to keep up to date with you all and wish you all the best with the rest of your pregnancies.

Congratulations Lilolilly!
Great to hear the medical profession are not always right!!
Hope you have a lovely babymoon.

great news lilo big hugs for you xxxx

welcome baby Ruby

were you early sorry bad memory or induced????

csws having an induction in 20 days and terrified i was offered a section and refused
need to get my head round this now
keep gettin hypos now though

Saw my consultant for a growth scan today - she's predicting 9lb+ (due date is 3 weeks).
She said everything was fine with baby and he's not too big like some GD babies can be, especially considering DH was 8lb+ and DS1 was 8lb 7oz.
Beginning to feel like a bit of a fraud on this thread. I really feel for you lovely ladies who have to work really hard to control BS. I thank the Lord I don't have to inject everyday.
Do you mind if I hang around anyway??!

Everyone must hang around on this thread, or I will be talking to myself in a couple of weeks time!

Just popping in using the wi-fi at the bar in france, but it's v cold (sitting outside), so it is just a quickie. BS thankfully so far so good on holiday. Even had chips on the way here and only went up to 7.9, which was better than I'd expected!

Congratulations LL and welcome to a teeny tiny Ruby!

i also had my growth scan yesterday im having elective induction now on 19 days
my baba weighs in right now at 5lb 10
my smallest baby ever considering i am diabetic
the insulin has really took effect and done its job this time
thats why i have refused the section i dont want the long recovery period afterwards
i have to have the insulin drip during labour
and an epidural incase he gets stuck with his medical probs
see jacob im on insulin and i have a small baby you are not and having a big one
crazy how it all works out

csws hope you are having a good time im gettin resltess here mind if i pop out and join you

Yeah Disney, totally agree - CRAZY!!
Consultant just said there's no such thing as "normal" and I just have bigger babies!
Saw diabetic consultant, who basically wondered why I was still coming to see him (even though he made the appt!). Said he'll see me in 4 weeks time, so I pointed out baby was due in 3 weeks. He just said, "Well if Baby comes, I won't see you then."
Seem to have a very relaxed attitude here in South East if you don't get BS above 8!
And I would take induction over caesarian too Disney. Couldn't be doing with not driving for 6 weeks+. DH has "suggested" I don't drive any more, but I don't think I can cope with being housebound!

have you had an induction before i did and it scares the crap out of me
please need some positive thoughts i got 17 days tomorrow

Yeah. I was induced before. 10 days late.
They started me off 8pm Saturday, broke my waters 6pm Sunday, first epidural went in 11pm Sunday closely followed by syntocinon.
Then had second epidural in early hours of Monday.
Begged for CS 10am Monday.
Was told I was 9cm dilated so they'd give me an hour to reach 10cm and then 2hrs pushing, THEN I could ask for a CS.
DS was eventually dragged out by forceps at 3.15 Monday afternoon.
I AM NOT DOING THAT AGAIN.
In fact, I'm not entirely sure why I'm up the duff again - I always swore I'd get a puppy next time!
I've got 11 days to go.

5lb 10 is so light disney - you could practically sneeze this baby out .

Enjoying a few treats whilst on holiday, but mostly controlling bloods ok. Ice cream at lunchtime yesterday and chips with dinner didn't do my results much good though .

Induction really doesn't sound like much fun, so am still desperate to avoid.

csws you are supposed to enjoy your holidays eat and get away with what you can

i know i cant believe my baby is going to be an average or smaller size whats going on here?

Contacted diabetes midwife today to find out result of my last hba1c (taken 2 weeks ago). Got 5.4%, and they did a random blood glucose which was 5 too. Midwife was impressed!

Celebrated with more chips for dinner!

well im impressed to how about that reading eh!!!!

how are you feeling ?

hi all, mind if I join in?

am 35wks with dc3 and had fasting test yesterday after I was insisting I didn't need it

results came back as significantly abnormal and have to go to diabetes clinic and for a scan on Tues now

have no idea what going on or what to expect or how this affects baby?

dd1 was 10lb4 and dd2 was 11lb4 WITHOUT having GD and was hoping for a VBAC but am not sure whether to give up hope of that

head now spinning looking up info on the web

Hello Dizzy!
Don't go reading too much - it only mucks with your brain!!
Just remember that eating brown stuff is generally considered the "healthy" option (brown bread, brown rice etc). Chocolate, although brown, is not thought to be optimum for diabetes control!!!

lol thanks JacobsPrincess - will remember that - don't suppose burnt chips count as brown stuff?!?

will stop looking it all up now

dizzy your BS tends to slow down at around 35 and 36 weeks anyway so if your baby is big its prob gonna be by now and by the sound of it you have big babies anyway

were you tested last time?

i was a type 2 diabetic before pregnancy and switched to insulin as soon as pregnant really

this baby is normal weight for weeks which is good first time ever

when my last baby was born he had low BS and needed heel pricks every hour plus feeding usually brings it back to normal range

are you having a growth scan?

in labour you may have to be on a drip to stabilise BS not in all cases though