Need advice on Insulin injections for Gestational Diabetes!!

[DawnAS]

Hi there,

I was diagnosed with GD at 28 weeks and will be 30 weeks on Wednesday this week so this is all very new to me.

At my first clinic on Thursday last week they looked at my blood readings and said that my diet was fine but that the GD would only get worse now week on week so wanted me to start using insulin (3 units of slow release) by injection each night before bed and if I was going to have a high-carb meal, to have 2 units of fast release by injection, before I ate.

Well, the last Saturday I had nachos for dinner (prior to starting the insulin injections) and my reading was 6.2 two hours later. Then this Saturday, had exactly the same again but took 2 units of insulin beforehand and my reading was still 7.8 which does seem very high...

So, I phoned the hospital this morning and they said that as I'm a week further on, I may start to need more insulin.

So, my real question, is that I'm going out for a meal tonight (probably the last meal out before our little girl is born) so I don't want to limit myself and go without a pudding. So I am going to have some insulin, but can't get hold of any experts to know how much to take!! Thinking I should maybe take 4 units...

Anyone got any advice. My readings today, without insulin have been 4.9 (before breakfast), 4.2 (2 hours after breakfast), 5.1 (2 hours after lunch) and I've just had some strawberries and low fat natural yoghurt as an afternoon snack...

Any help gratefully received!!

xxx

roughly what are you planning to eat? sorry, is that an impossible question!

v good readings today btw .

Hi Hoxtonchick,

I haven't actually been to this restaurant before, so it's a bit tricky... But I'm thinking maybe a steak and chips for main course, but for a pudding I am a fan of hot puddings, like crumbles and stuff which I know are quite bad... But I really don't want to limit myself, hence why the Diabetic nurses suggest I start using insulin when I want a treat...

If I do decide to have steak/fish and a pudding, I may have a small salad for a starter...

i think 4 units would be fine. do you recognise the signs of a hypo, & know what to do if you have one? deffo test 2 hours afterwards & be prepared to eat more carbs if low. hth.

Just about to do my insulin now so thank you so much for coming back to me. I'm going to take a bag of Jelly babies with me just in case I start to get shaky... I haven't had a hypo (yet!), but the nurses told me what to look for - thank you so much!!

xxx

have a great evening . will you let me know how the readings are?

Hello Hoxtonchick,

Well, I did push the boat out last night but I loved it!!

I had Leek and Potato Soup with half a bread roll, Scampi and Chips (although I only ate half the chips...), but I think the clincher was the Rhubarb and Raspberry Bakewell tart with Clotted cream.

I tested my blood two hours after I'd finished and it was quite high at 8.9... But at least I know now!! Before I went to bed last night I had to take my 3 units of slow release insulin and my bloods this morning were back down to 5.1, so back on track now.

I'm hoping that the one high reading isn't going to cause too many problems for our little girl.

Thanks so much for your advice yesterday. I think if I hadn't heard back, I may have just stuck to the 2 units and the reading would have been even higher!! So thank you.

It's so difficult to know what to do though isn't it? It's a bit of a minefield really!!

xxx

oh good, glad you had a good evening. 8.9 is fine for a 1 off, don't panic. glad you didn't go hypo! hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well & good luck with the birth.