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?

I have an appt with the diabetes specialist in the morning,I'm new to all this and have another silly question.
Can i eat sugar free jelly?
If not are there any 'treats' i can have???
Sorry for being such a dunce hopefully i will know more in the morning.

I had sf jelly as a regular treat, yes . Even had it with double cream (lower in sugars than single) some evenings!

I also made Rick Gallup's low GI choc brownies as a treat (contain red kidney beans!).

Thankyou CSWS
Woo hoo i can have some jelly tonight!!!!
I will google the brownie think i will manage without so many carbs but i will really struggle with snack type things are there any decent recpie books out there?

CSWS how was you post baby gtt

If you can't find the brownie recipe then email me on cantsleepwontsleep at gmail dot com, as I'm pretty sure I have it saved as a pdf.

Debs - I haven't had it yet - is booked for early Dec iirc. Have you had yours?

Sorry - just read your previous post and see that you have .

CSWS Hope everything is fine.

Can I join you?

I've been diagnosed today and feeling a little delicate about it. From discussions with the diabetes nurse today, it seems very likely that I had it with DS in my last pregnancy too.

The nurse told me that baby will go straight into special care because it is "policy" and if I disagree I need to write to the Head of Midwifery. I'm definitely going to do this, as the nurse couldn't tell me why special care is required apart from staffing levels. I had a terrible experience post birth as the special care nurse threatened to take my son into their unit unless I gave him formula for his jaundice. The "discussion" ended with me in tears and formula being given. I so don't want to run into her again!

I'm only 16 weeks so there have been lots of mutterings about it being early, but I have PCOS so was always high risk. I burst into tears at my appointment and still feel teary. I guess it has brought back the bad memories of my last hospital stay.

How is everyone?

Hi all - posted on here a couple of months ago when i found out that i had GD , it seems that actually i dont have GD but already had pre-existing type 2 diabetes anyway. What i was going to ask CSWS was how her post birth GGT went - have you had yours yet? I am really hoping that my sugar levels get down to a lowish level again as im injecting 28/30/30/30 units (4 times a day - novo rapid and lantus) This seems quite a lot and my diabetes doctor said that he thinks that i will be on (in his words) 'massive' amounts of insulin by the end of this pregnancy as my body becomes super insulin resistant because of my placenta. I am just scared that i will stay like this after i am pregnant - i dont mind if i have diet controllable diabetes but i hate injecting all the time and such huge amounts ( it tends to go up 2 to 4 units per week )hurt when im injecting them. I once clicked the pen up to the most that it would go to and it went to about 70 units and i was terrified that im nearly halfway there.

I have a CS booked for 6th of Feb ( baby is due on 21st ) but am starting to wonder if i will make it that far as placenta is robbing my body of all insulin at a rate of knots ... just wondered if anyone else was like this or if CSWS knows anything about type 2 diabetes going away or at least calming down alot after pregnancy. I had GD with first three pregnancies but it always went away, doctor thinks that i have had type 2 for a while now though as its been 11 years since my last pregnancy. By the way - i cant remember when you were due CSWS but congrats on your little bundle! did you have a boy or girl?

Hello ladies. Just letting those of you who have asked know that I got the results of my post-natal GTT today, and I passed . 4.5 fasting, and 5 point something (5.6 I think) 2 hours post glucose.

rosie - I'm sure that some of the other ladies who were on this thread in the early days had huge amounts of insulin, but were fine post birth. How can they be sure that it is type 2 that you have, until they know whether it goes post birth?

llareggub - that sounds like the crappest reason ever to take a baby to SCBU, and I would definitely fight it if I were you. There is absolutely no need for it unless the baby is symptomatic.

Oh, and I had a boy rosey - 8 weeks ago today. Duncan Elliot - 8lbs 4oz.

Hello all

I found out I had GD last thurs, and after a tearful start am feeling pretty ok about things now. I read through this whole thread over the last few days and have learnt absolutely loads - thanks to all contributors past and present for some great advice / stories.
I am finger pricking at 3/4 times per day, depending on whether I'm on a before or after day, and have to present my results on Tuesday to see if they will let me go forward managing by diet alone, or whether insulin is the answer. Am pretty pleased with myself tonight as have achieved a 5.5 reading 1 hour after dinner (my readings are usually around the 7 mark and have been as high as 8.6).

I am just short of 30 weeks, with an original edd of 3rd March. I also have pretty bad PSD so exercising to keep the sugars down is not an option!

Think I might have a nice snack now before bed as I can afford it!

I'm 29 weeks and was put on 4 metformins a day on 18 Dec. I rang up clinic today and was told to give my post meal blood sugars for the last 3 days and they told me to go in tomorrow as they are going to put me on insulin. Yesterday I had a bowl of cornflakes for breakfast and 1/4 OJ to 3/4 water (I was told I could have pure fruit juice with meals but I only have it diluted at brekkie) and my bs was 11.6 after 1 hour. I had the same breakfast this morning and the BS was 6.7 after one hour. I don't understand it!
For others who went on insulin what kind of readings were u getting? My magic number to be below is 7.8 an hour post meals.

Insulin will give you better control and readings...

Metformin has been given the thumbs up from the NICE guidleline people... It helps the sugar get into the cells.

It can be affected by activity as well... and its not an exact science.,.. it will take time but persevere and you will be ok..

Do ask anything you need to as wlel.. alwayas happy to help!

Hi there

I was hoping for a bit of advice from you please.

I'm 31 weeks now. I did the routine pee on stick sample at my midwife appt. yesterday and had some glucose 'spilling' for the first time. I have not had the glucose tollerance bloody test so far.
Midwife said she'll keep monitoring the glucose levels in my urine and might send me for the glucose tolerance test.

Thing is I still have morning sickness and vomitting most days. I find eating enough difficult and don't have much sweet stuff but do desire potato carby stuff. Baby bump is measuirng at 30 weeks (not 31) so isn't big, so should I be worried?

The idea of fasting then having that sugar drink freaks me out. I know I'll be sick if I don't eat.
Any thoughts?

Thanks

When I had my first glucose + it was because I had had honey that morning, the next one was fine. If you keep the sugar and carbohydrates down the day before the urine test then you could be alright.
If you have to have the dreaded GTT then you will have it at about 9 so you aren't starving for ages.
When I had my 1st test I felt dreadful but it was soon over. Take a couple of books/magazines. I took TAB and had read it cover to cover and done the puzzles and still had an hour ro go.

Oh and good luck and try not to worry, it always makes things worse.

Hi there Im on my 8th pregnancy and have had a gtt every pregnancy since my 4th due to raised levels of sugar in my urine fortunately its never led to gd but have to be tested again this pregnancy as already had raised sugars. My question is how to cope with the disgusting drink they give you. I feel like it makes me really ill as though my body cant cope with that amount of sugar I get the shakes and feel very sick in fact was sick last time (didnt tell them as didnt want to have to repeat the drink) Im 18 weeks so isnt for a while yet but already stressing over it

hello everyone, I think I just need some reassurance... I am on my 2nd pregnancy - 13 weeks & have just had a slightly raised glucose blood test, I have been referred to a diabetic clinic in January - should I be worried?? I am suffering from proper anxiety this time round and have a lot of other stress in my life, is January too long to wait or should I push for more tests? my sister is type 1 diabetic plus I heard that if high glucose was undetected in the first trimester, it could have caused development problems with the baby?

hey sazzaf theres a current thread with a few of us on with GD if you fancy joining in we might be able to help www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/815355-Gestational-Diabetes?msgid=17257121#17257121 just called Gestational Diabetes if the linky doesn't work!

They're probably meaning 28 weeks along in your pregnancy when they say 'january', its normal to be tested with the glucose test at about 13 weeks & 28 weeks, obviously this time , 13 weeks, it wasn't elevated enough for them to actually put you on treatment which is good news - although I would definatelty double check this with your GP to make sure. you can ask for further tests, no harm in getting reassured

thanks!! x

Hi, I'm at panic stations. After being constipated for almost two weeks and not eating very well (due to stress levels) I had the biggest french fancy cake before heading to the routine 28 week clinic. Bloods came back 9.9 Any advice? I'm having a real problem getting on with my midwife so some advice as to if those things can influence it would be good just now.

Hi, saw your post and it struck a chord with me so I've just started a new one because this one is quite old and some of the posters might not still be around.

Bloods at 9.9 is high. The sugary snack you had will have caused it but someone without diabetes' insulin would have kicked in and brought it back down to normal (below 7.8) levels.

You'll probably be asked to do a fasting glucose tolerance test now to see whether that also comes back high. If so don't panic yet, have that and then see. If you do have GD (like me) it's not the end of the world but there are implications for you and your LO. If you want to talk more about those then please post on the new thread and I'll be happy to answer any questions I can.