Support and help with Gestational Diabetes?

[Crapweasel]

Failed the "Lucozade test" last week, I've now been told that my GTT has also come back high and have therefore been diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes.

Having failed the Lucozade test but passed GTT during my last pregancy I was really hoping to dodge that particular bullet again. Oh well....

Did some searching in the archives and found this fab old thread with lots of support and tips on diet etc. Any current sufferers (or experienced old timers) fancy joining a similar thread for 2010?

I have a diabetic clinic appt on Tues (where I understand I'll get a finger prick testing kit and see a dietician) so I'll report back then.

I'm 29 weeks by the way.

[germl]

Hi everyone

I got diagnosed with GTT about a week and a half ago (I am 30 weeks) - I don't know what I scored as I didn't ask and the diabetologist didn't tell. I was wondering what dietary advice everyone got from your consulant/diabetes nurse/doctor as I have only been told what I can't have based on what I told him about a regular day eating after I changed my diet when they told me I had GD the week before my appointment:
Breakfast
Very early - slice of linseed and soya toast so I can take some painkillers without feeling sick
bit later - Porridge with mix of semi skimmed milk and water

Snack
One funsize satsuma and pumpkin seeds/nuts

Lunch
1 or 2 eggs on linseed and soya toast maybe a couple of rashers of bacon too

Dinner
Any manner of things - veg/meat etc - just watch the carbs (diabetologist recommended about 1/3rd medium to large potato)

Also, don't eat or drink sugary drinks

The doctor didn't seem too impressed when I said I was eating a piece of fruit but breathed a sigh of relief when I said it was "funsize". I've read this thread and see other people are eating some soft fruits and sensible snacks but the doctor seemed very happy with the diet I said above - which seems weird based on other people's experiences. I've got to test bloods pre breakfast (range 3.5-4.5) and one hour after eating (4-7.5). After 4 days I've only had had one reading over at fasting of 4.7, the highest being 7.1 after a meal - it was the first day of testing and about half my meal was rice

I have fibromyalgia and have noticed that the couple of days I've been feeling rough because of that, my after breakfast blood sugars have been higher than if I'm not in pain - maybe because I am stressed?

I am, however, still very confused - based on what the doctor has said I have no fruit in my diet and very limited snacks and I've had very limited dietary advice, I am constantly doubting myself and don't want to get it all wrong! I was hoping you ladies would be able to maybe help me out - I know I should have the confidence to try out different snacks/foods but I've lost all confidence in everything at the moment and that's affected my judgement. I am, however, probably losing weight which as I have high BMI is good. The first midwife I saw a booking in recommended slimming world to lose weight but I just watched what I ate and had only put on 3/4lbs up to now.

Sorry it's so long!

[DancingCat]

Hi Silly, sorry that you're struggling with the blood sugar testing. I must admit I too was sceptical - and a little flippant as I have another condition which is likely to cause a little baby so thought 'well I may have an nice average sized baby then'!!

I test mine almost religiously now though because the specialists who deal with my other condition which is significant and can cause late term miscarriage, not to mention causes me strokes, were very concerned about the diabetes. I think the risks are small, but they are risks nonetheless.

I'm no expert on diabetes though I know a lot about my other condition and take loads of meds to keep that under control. So if diabetes is such a concern I feel I need to do the same with that. I just do my best to keep my blood sugars under control (they were perfectly managed pre-pregnancy with diet alone but now I have insulin and metformin).

Talk to your diabetes clinic who should be able to give you better information.

Good luck

[sillysow]

Hi All

I am sorry to say that I just cant get my head round this blood sugar testing - I dont know why I am so phobic - but I just cant seem to do it :(

Dont know what to say really :(

Without sounding flippant - and this does sound flippant but it isnt I assure you - what are the risks really - other than a large baby. I understand that the stillbirth theory has no real scientific backing?

[xkatyx]

hi eralc, my first pregnanct i also had no GD but with my 2nd i had exactly the same result 7.8 and the cut off is also 7.7.

but i clearly had GD as baby was big but i managed on diet controll.

good luck

[Eralc]

Hi,

Just looking in here for the first time. I've just been phoned by the midwife to tell me I have GD - had a glucose tolerance test yestereday morning, and I have scored 7.8, and the cut off level here is 7.7 (am in Australia, so not sure if that's the same as in the UK). I haven't had a chance to read the rest of the thread yet, so will go back and have a look later. This is my second pregnancy, and I had no signs of GD with my first, so it's been a bit of a shock (I think made worse by the fact that we are on the other side of the world to all my support network - we have only been out here 7 months). I'm seeing the diabetes educator nurse for an group information session on Tuesday next week, so I guess I will have lots more questions after that. Am very frustrated about all the potential appointments and intervantions that might take place when my result is only 0.1 over the cut off.

[xkatyx]

Hi everyone

i was woundering if anyone has changed blood testing machines??

I got given a new one yesterday and that machine keeps giving me really high levels but my old one are within range!!!

I scan yesterday and baby is perfect weight so that machine seams to be doing the right thing.

Help

[michelletrudgeon]

Hi Everyone,

Sorry I haven't been on since my last post. Sillysow hope you have started testing your blood. I have found it helpful when speaking to the obstetrician and the diabetes team. The consultant backed me to the hilt about not inducing early as all my readings were fine and my baby is measuring nearly on the 50 percentile. The metformin has helped to control the first reading of the day which was the worry. So I'm going back in at 38 weeks and hopefully I can go to term. Induction just scares me a bit as it sounds so forced.

Diet defintely seems to be trial and error but there have been loads of posts on this post with suggestions - it did take me days to get through them all but I did feel 100% better about everything at the end. Sometimes I eat a huge meal of carbs and my levels two hours later are fairly low but other low GI foods can send readings way up.

Hope everyone is well

M:-)

[scubamummy]

Hi - I'd like to join too please. I'm 29 weeks tomorrow and had the GTT at 26 weeks due to a family history of type 2 diabetes. I was absolutely convinced it would all come back ok as I had no other predisposing factors, had a fantastic pregnancy (my first), have been measuring bang on dates and have a pretty healthy diet and lifestyle etc, but the 2 hour post-lucozade test came back with a result of 9.1. Fasting was 4.4. They only gave me the results today at my scheduled mw appt. I'm due to speak with a dietician at the hospital on Monday so I'll find out more then, plus I have made a note of the great diet suggestions on this thread so I feel like I can try to do something positive.

I feel like my dream of midwife-led care and an unmedicated, empowering, totally natural birth at our local MLU (which is sited away from the hospital) has been shattered - they don't accept women with GD. At the moment I'm really scared at the thought of labouring and giving birth in hospital and really don't want to be induced early to suit them, nor do I want the cascade of interventions that inevitably seem to follow this. I want to be armed with as much advice and guidance as possible, and am confused about the relative risks of GD and of induction and subsequent interventions.

How reliable is the GTT? I read that stress can skew the results; I might be clutching at straws or in denial with the results but I'm pretty needle-phobic and get extremely worked-up about having bloods taken and I feel like this may have affected my glucose tolerance somehow and that it's really all ok, just a mistake. Is this at all likely??

[noeyedear]

I'm just reading a few pages of this post at a time. Lots of people have tried to avoid induction. I just wondered why? Is it really awful? My first birth was fairly quick (7 hours) and I thought an induction would be a good way to go if it was offered, just so that I could be sure I could get to the hospital on time, and I could plan what to do with my DS, as well as make sure baby wasn't too big at birth, even though my DS1 was only 7lb.

[DancingCat]

It probably does - I have traditional porridge (made in the microwave for ease). I found diet to be very much a case of trial and error though

[noeyedear]

Thanks! My parents have a spae one, so will ask to borrow it. I'm usually starving at about 11.00 after I've had porridge for breakfast, so maybe I'm one of the ones who should try something different. Doesn't it also deoend on the porridge? No Ready Brek or quick cook?

[DancingCat]

Hi noeyedear, the diabetes.org website will give you loads of diet / recipe ideas. I think diet very much depends on the individual, as I said on my post above - I have porridge every morning and find it not only good in terms of my glucose levels, but also keeps me full til lunch! The only way to be sure is regular finger prick testing and recording diet, then you'll get a feel for what raises your personal levels - you can get a testing kit at boots if you haven't got one or can't get one from your doc (which you should be able to). Good luck with your GTT

[noeyedear]

Hi all, I had a urine test ( routine) at 22 weeks that came up high glucose- there are 3 dashes on my notes- don't know what that means. I'm booked in for a GTT at 28 weeks anyway, due to strong family history. Is it inevitable that I will have GD? The GTT came back negative with my first pregnancy, but in the last few weeks glucose was showing in my urine, but I didn't get any advice on what to do about it. My DS was born with low blood sugar and was in SCBU for a week. I really want to avoid this this time obviously, so I thought I'd start my healthy eating early! I've only read the first couple of pages of this thread so far, but I'm a bit confused about the food thing! I've been eating porrige in the morning because I thought it was low GI, but lots of people on here have said it's high! I though I knew a lot about the diabetic diet, having both parents who are diabetic who read about it a lot and then completely ignore all the advice! I've spent so much time nagging and moaning at them about their ridiculous diet that I feel I have to be extra sensible about mine, mainly for the baby, but also to be a good influence on my (60 and 70 year old!!) parents!

[DancingCat]

Hi Silly, just wanted to give you a little support....

I's 29 weeks pg today, I had pre-existing type 2 diabetes which was controlled fully by diet and exercise and was thoroughly p*ed off when they were telling me I'd have to take metformin and would probably end up on insulin - I just didn't beleive them as I'd had such great control before. I found them a bit bullying - they wrote in my notes that I'd had no pre-pregnancy 'counselling' - I was livid - due to my other health issues my pregnancy was so calculated and planned it's almost untrue!!!

Anyway, my blood sugars started to go totally bonkers (at about 17-18 weeks like they said it would) so now am taking insulin 3 times a day and metformin twice - I'm finding it so much better as I can actually eat much more of what I want, as I can adjust my dose of insulin to manage my glucose levels which are now perfect again, like pre-pregnancy. I worry less.

The finger pricking is a pain, but you will get used to it, and when you can convince them that you're in control they'll use less of the 'bully boy' tactics.

As for low blood sugar, they do worry about that less as it isn't apparently harmful to your baby, but this is why the finger pricking is needed as it will make you feel lousy. If I feel that mine is low I check, and then eat something nice. I appreciate I am lucky, lots of people with diabetes have to really watch what they eat, even with medication, but I can still eat cake, bread etc (as long as its in moderation). The only thing I do now worry about is that I haven't put enough weight on - I was 49kg pre-preg and am now only 55kg.

I hated the thought of loads more meds on top of the clexane and aspirin I already have to take, but honestly even if you end up on insulin its really not too bad.

Good luck

[sillysow]

Hi all

Sorry, this may be a slightly depressing post

I am in my second pregnancy, and have just failed the GTT at 14 weeks. Last time they didnt do the GTT until 39+4 - but that is a whole different story.

I saw a real bully boy midwife on fri - who has quite frankly cheesed me. Sadly I am the sort of person that does not really do hospital environments or enjoy needles. I have not yet managed to test my blood sugar (huge wimp I know) and I just dont know how I am gonna manage the next 25 weeks like this.

I feel as though its a hopeless challenge to try and enjoy the pregnancy and the ideal of a homebirth is likely to be laughed at.

The stupid thing is because it was missed last time my blood sugars got really low and I was quite poorly at the start of a very long labour that ended with a cascade of intervention.

On fri I was told they didnt care how low the blood sugars went - I can understand that theory - but not entirely.

Hating this - would love to be cheerful but cant. And I know how stupid it is but I just cant bring mysef to prick my finger. I think its partly cause I cant forsee mybs being right - and therefore dont see the point in lining my self up for a telling off and insulin

Sorry guys

Please give me a gentle kick up the arse.

[allyfe]

Hanbee I just wanted to let you know that Hamish was born on 4th Nov at 9.09pm, weighing a perfectly respectable 8lbs 4oz . Labour was pretty great. Contractions way too painful for me with only gas and air and tens machine so I opted for the epidural. But they now do them quite weak so by end some effect had gone so could push and felt it all. So I didn't manage it as well as you but it worked for me! Blood sugars fine all round too.

Also wanted to say thank-you all for all your support and advice. It made me so much more able to take control of gd.

[hanbee]

Hope you're feeling better Ally.

[allyfe]

I'm feeling very sorry for myself. I have a cold - pregnancy colds are the worst, and with GD I can't even have lemon and honey! I'm feeling very hard done by .

[allyfe]

Hi Michelle,
Welcome to the thread :) It's interesting they are making you test 5 times a day! I do three - after meals (unless I forget which I do WAY too often). I do do once before breakfast as well. The thing I find so frustrating is that, depending on which finger you choose, the reading can be too high or acceptable. I've also just switched hospitals, and the levels of 'acceptable' at the new hospital are considerably lower than the old one! Such a confusing system.

How is the metformin going? I guess it if is your pre-breakfast level that is high then that one is the hardest one for you to be able to manage, which must be frustrating. Fingers crossed that the metformin and diet begin to regulate it nicely.

With regards to the scans - we had one just before I started managing the GD which showed the tummy on 95 percentile (although the other measurements were all close to that), and then the next one done 3 weeks later showed that the tummy size had gone down a bit relative to the rest. So you'll probably find at the next scan the measurements are more in line with each other.

Once the baby arrives I'm planning to move on to a (temporary) diet with lots of cake and yummy things. It would make much more sense if I didn't bother - I'm pretty sure I've lost a little weight relative to my pre-pregnancy shape (I think I look slightly slimmer, despite the big bump), and it would be very nice to be back to my pre-pregnancy shape that much quicker. But I am still going to need a pretty good fix of cake to make up for my deprivation. I was pretty good before, and I will need to make sure I don't get too carried away .

But till then, I'm just trying to make sure I remember to check my bloods at the right time . I find it so hard when I'm out and about to remember. But I'm now 38 weeks, so only a couple more maximum to go!

Hanbee - I will be letting you all know how it goes...my braxton hicks have been a bit stronger for the last few days, so I'm hoping all is getting practiced for the actual event and everything will be as straightforward as possible. Although I also have a stinking cold and am not up for the idea of giving birth with a horrible cold as well!?!! Hope you and your family are all doing well :)

[hanbee]

Congrats restrainedrabbit (what a great user name!), sounds like a brilliant birth experience. I planned a home birth in water for DS1 but, alas, it wasn't to be. Have consoled myself that the birth pool in the loft will be appreciated once they're older and want a big paddling pool!

I'm checking back regularly as I want to hear how Allyfe's birth goes!

[Restrainedrabbit]

Just wanted to add a positive message to thread, I gave birth to DC3 ten days ago at home in water (40+2) after a diagnosis of GD at 34 weeks. Docs wouldn't do anything as no point testing after 35 weeks (apparently), did growth scans which showed baby to be on 99th centile but in the end she was 8lbs 3.5oz . Had no probs with low glucose post birth and no problems with delivery

[michelletrudgeon]

Hi Everyone,

Congratulations on the new arrival!!! I hope that it is okay to join the thread. Two weeks ago I had a high reading after my GTT. I've been testing 5 times a day and all my readings have been good except the first one of the day before breakfast.

I was lost until I found this thread. It took me several days to get through all the comments but I need to say a huge Thank You :) as it has made me feel more confortable about what is happening to me and our cheeky monkey. The dietician and the diabetes nurses were very nice but gave me no advice on how to lower this value.

Yesterday we had a scan as I had a low placenta at the 20 week scan but now at 32 weeks it is all okay. However, even though our munchkin is weighing in the 50 percentile along with the other dimensions her tummy is measuring in the 95 percentile so I have been put on metformin to control my liver overnight.

I had a really positive experience with the consultant and the obstetrician. I raised induction and they didn't want to make any decisions yet until they see if the tablets work,and they are letting me increase my dose over two weeks so I can avoid the usual side effects.

GD seems such a minefield but hopefully once our babies arrive we can all move on to much more exciting worries

Mx

[allyfe]

Oh hanbee thanks so much for replying! My first labour sounds very much like yours! My waters broke early, I did go into labour in 24 hours, but I stalled at about 6cm (for about 3-4 hours). The pain was awful, ended up having an epidural, the cord was round the babies neck and she was forceped.

That is partly why I've been so worried about the induction etc. I know things are often different with the second, and I'm so pleased to hear that things went so well for you.

Fingers crossed all goes well. I managed to switch to Kings and they won't let me go over 40 weeks, so I'll be giving birth in less than 3 now.

Thanks again, you made my day with your ds's lovely birth :)

xx

[hanbee]

Hi Ally,

I was dreading the induction but apart from the "prostin Pains" I had in early labour it was really straightforward. It was a massive difference from my first labour. Frst time round my waters broke and although I started contracting I wasn't in established labour after 24 hours so I had the synto drip. It was not a good experience, established labour was 13.5 hours and I had an epidural after 7. DS1 was born by forceps with the cord round his neck.

When I got really disheartened during this labour when I was still only 2 cm dilated after a few hours of early labour contractions the midwife I had was really supportive and said the same thing happened to her SiL second time and once she got into labour it was really quick. So apparently this sort of pattern is quite common, your uterus just works better once its done it one!

I won't say it wasn't painful, but it was an incredibly intense experience and I'm so glad I did it without pain relief and experience the whole thing. Harry was really alert for hours after birth which got breastfeeding off to a good start and I'm sure the lack of drugs helped with this.

Just hope everyone else has as positive an experience.

[allyfe]

Huge congrats Hanbee and welcome to Harry! Your induction sounded like it couldn't have gone better! It was so quick! And just with gas and air. I'll be really pleased if my induction goes like that.

I hope that you have had a fabulous weekend eating banned substances. I'm so looking forward to all the things I will hopefully be able to eat!

I'm guessing you won't have much time to post so don't worry if you can't reply - but I was wondering how this labour compared to number 1. Was it much quicker or was the first also relatively straight forward?

Hope you are all doing well.

Alison xx