24 weeks - tested my own blood sugar and it's high I think? what should I do?

[Laidir87]

So I've been feeling like crap about an hour after eating and my dad is diabetic. I'm due to get the gestational diabetes test but not until sometime in August.
I'm also due to go on holiday for 11 days on Sunday, so I bought a blood glucose monitor. Tested just now about 14 hours after eating, just drinking some water (didn't do this on purpose, just had a big meal last night late).
It's 6.1 mmol/L.
That's high isn't it?
What should I do? Should I go on holiday or not? (DP will be mad) Should I phone midwife answer phone line I've been given?

Phone midwife and ask, that's what they ate there for. Do it before the weekend.

That's a normal reading though isn't it?

That’s a normal reading. However if that’s how you’ve been feeling, call your midwife and ask for your test to be brought forward

Anything under 7 is normal. I had GD and my nurse would have been very happy with that result.

You want to be between 5 and 7 all the time outside of one hour of eating.

You can always cut down on carbs and have 6 small meals a day to see if it makes you feel better, you don’t need a diagnosis of GD to do that. There are a lot of GD mealplans around.
Walking for an hour after eating may help too.

Oh I've read it should be 5.3 mmol/L or less after fasting?
NICE Guidelines for testing3
1.3.5 Advise pregnant women with any form of diabetes to maintain their capillary plasma glucose below the following target levels, if these are achievable without causing problematic hypoglycaemia:
fasting: 5.3 mmol/litre and

Can anyone point me in the direction of a reputable source for this?

Yeah I'm going to phone them now, but here it is an answering machine and they call you back so hopefully they will call me back before going away.

I had GD in all my pregnancies and they wanted my morning reading to be under 5.5

It might be worth you testing 2 hours after each meal too and recording those levels

Just called and left a message on the answerphone thingy. Not sure they'll get back to me on a Friday afternoon though, and I'm due to go over 500 miles away on Sunday for nearly 2 weeks 😥
@HowtoDothisagain Yeah I'm going to do that.

Those NICE guidelines are for pregnant women with any form of diabetes, as they need to have much tighter control of their sugars over the remainder of their pregnancy (whether that’s weeks or months) to reduce the impact of the diabetes on them and their baby. It would be part of the intervention plan if you were diagnosed but doesn’t sound like you’ve had the test yet, so your reading is fine as someone who does not have a diagnosis of diabetes. Hope the midwife gets back to you!

Hope you get an answer from your Midwife soon. You're right, it should be less than 5.3 after fasting. This is why you should only speak to a HCP for medical info. Best of luck.
Tommy's have good info if you'd like to read about it there😊
www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/pregnancy-complications/gestational-diabetes/monitoring-your-own-glucose-levels

Yes you’re right, thresholds are different when pregnant so people age wrong saying the readings are fine. I did the exact same as you and got a doc’s app and ended up on insulin and metformin. I only checked as I had it in the last pregnancy so I knew it was probably coming so at 14 weeks I tested and showed my doc the results

but also, go on holiday. You wouldn’t be having the test for 4 weeks anyways. Nothing terrible will happen in that time. Treat yourself as if you have it. So if you have any carbs, eat alot of protein with it, walk around after a meal. Obvs no sugar.

The guidelines you're quoting is for those already diagnosed with GD not those testing to see if they have it. Are you on holiday in the UK? If so I'll go. Also how long are you away from? GD is not an emergency per se and some are even diet monitored until they give birth. So nothing should really stop you going on holiday.

Ive just been diagnosed as diabetic following my home GTT.
Apparently the first test in the morning after fasting should be below 5.3mmol/l.
1 hour after eating the readings should be less than 7.8mmol/l.
Thats the guidance I have been given from my trust.

I had it in my last pregnancy and they also wanted mine under 5.5 I eventally ended up having to take insulin to keep it controlled.

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all the advice whilst I'm still waiting on a call back.

Looks like I do have it then 😥2 hours after eating 1 small bagel with peanut butter and some cheese it was 8.6 mmol/L.

I didn't even want to go on the holiday in the first place, but DP will be really disappointed and mad and I don't want to disappoint my other child who is going. It's in the UK but 540 miles away from home and for 11 days.

@JungleRun21 What is a home GTT please? I am getting the GTT in clinic but it's not until August, it's because I'm over 35 and my dad has diabetes and I have PCOS.

@whatcanthematterbe81 Did you get a GP appointment then? I'm waiting on a call back from the community midwife.

In the meantime reading the GD website and going to change my diet and exercise.

The home GTT is literally the same glucost tolerance test you have in hospital but I was sent a pack to do it at home instead.
They send you the lancets to do the finger prick tests, the drink and a reader which uploads all of the results directly to the hospital.

They then email you the results and if youre diabetic you have to collect a monitoring kit from the hospital and do home readings.

Is that your fasting reading after waking up? If so then that’s raised, it should be <5.3. I’ve had 2 GD pregnancies in the last 3 years. I would mention it to your midwife to see if they can bring the GTT sooner.

It should be <5.3 for fasting, <6.0 for before meals and <7.8 one hour after a meal. Some trusts have different targets but that’s the NICE guidelines.

Im a midwife. Yes that reading is high. However, 14 hours is too long for a fast and so the figure is inaccurate. Your fasting level shouldn't be taken later than 12 hours of fasting, otherwise you can get a high reading. I would do it again tomorrow but make sure you are only fasting for 10-12 hours (we usually recommend 10) and do a few readings 2 hours post meals. If any are raised, try and get your OGTT brought forward. I wouldn't be missing a holiday for this though.

@JungleRun21 Thanks. That sounds good, mine is the same thing I think, but at the hospital clinic.
@Sebora Yeah 6.1 mmol/L after waking
@CrunchySnow Glad to hear from a midwife, thanks. I did wonder if it was too long fasting I don't normally fast that long but had a huge meal at 10pm and a long lie. I will do it tomorrow after 10 hours. I've left a message on the community midwife answering machine cause next appt not for over 2 weeks and GTT not for 4 wks. My reading 2 hours post breakfast was 8.6 mmol/L - is this a high reading then?

8.6mmol/L 2 hours post breakfast is high so quite possible you do have GDM but i'd do a few more and speak with your midwife. In the interim, id have a look at the website below as it has some great diet information and ideas.

www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/gestational-diabetes-diagnosis/

@CrunchySnow Thanks I'm screenshotting loads from that website!
No call back yet so presume won't be until Monday now, when I'll be 540 miles away for 11 days. Do you think it's ok to leave it that long? I can fly back early easily enough if needed.

I had gestational diabetes in my last pregnancy (am 6 months pp).

I was advised by my hospital (uclh):

"It should be <5.3 for fasting, <6.0 for before meals and <7.8 one hour after a meal."

Have a look at the gestational diabetes charity website. It is v helpful.

Basically you need to reduce carbs. Food pairing helps too. Definitely follow up.