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.

Debs that's a pain - it might have been an off day, I've had inexplicably high readings for a day before and then they've settled down again. It doesn't sound like you're eating much at all though.

I have to say though, as someone who has now been on insulin for 1 1/2 whole days, it's actually not that bad. I had an extra slice of bread with dinner last night and my sugars were still fine.

Ok, further to my last post - I just injected myself with lunch, and I bled a bit where I injected.

Firstly, this is horrid anyway as I hate injecting round the side of the bump anyway.

Secondly, is this in any way normal? It stopped pretty much as I wiped it with a tissue but surely this can't be right?

I am all flustered and a bit shakey as anything to do with blood and the bump does not make me happy.

Ozzie, my mum is type 2 and on insulin (obviously not pregnant though- that would be very weird!). I think she fairly often bleeds when she injects, just luck of the draw if you hit a blood vessel.

Glad the insulins going ok. Think I may well end up on it as seeing the fetal medicine consultant this pm about steroid injections again and the diabetes doctor (I am now seeing so many doctors I can't keep up!) has said steroids will cause me to lose control of my sugars and it's unlikely I'll be able to then regain control. Having said that from the discussion earlier up the thread it sounds like hospital food on it's own will do that!

Thanks Chocolate - I guess I must have just hit a blood vessel. I'm being surprisingly wussy and pathetic about this whole thing whereas I know that loads of people have to do this every day, forever.

I need to man up a bit!

Sorry to hear that you're having issues as well. Although I am making a fuss about insulin, it does also reassure me that it should stop any high readings. Although so far my readings have all been higher than they were without the insulin (confusing) - when I am eating exactly the same. I suppose it's a co-incidence, but it is odd.

I'll be pleased when this is over actually.

Good luck with your appointment today.

Hoping yesterday was an off day. we took a trip to IKEA and dd has decided that travelling is annoying so screamed most of the way there. Am hoping it was just the stress as I hardly ate yesterday. Though with summer holidays coming up they will be sky high for 6 weeks.

My consultants appointment went really well. Baby has put on about 400g in a fortnight, which moves it to the 6th centile from the 3rd. Really about the best we could have hoped for, knew the baby was still pretty small as I'm still small and losing weight.

I'm going to be scanned again by the consultant in a fortnight and the talk of steroids has been toned down.

So today my readings have been:
6.1 before breakfast, granola, jogurt and strawberries then 2 metformin.
Didn't take reading before half a Mcdonalds dinner, 1 hour after 6.3
8.2 before tea, omelette with salad and an apple.

Am a bit confused how it managed to be reasonable after dinner then 2 hours later with a long walk and loads of water it shot up to 8.2.
Have checked with the tablets and the highest dose I can go is 6 a day. Can't see my drs prescribing that much, I still haven't got 4 a day off them.
I can see the consultant wanting me on insulin but I am wondering if my machine is on its last legs. At my first appt they got me to check it was taking good readings as it was 2 years old. It was ok but now I'm not sure. Would rather just have to get a new machine then be on insulin.
I guess it will depend on the growth scan on Tuesday as well.

Debs, I'm noticing my readings are suddenly much higher than before, although not as high as yours. Obviously that's to be expected as the pregnancy progresses, but I'm wondering if it's the hot weather.

I also don't find exercise helps my sugars and sometimes makes them worse, I think sometimes exercising can trigger the liver to dump glucose into your blood to give you something to burn off. Just shows it's all a bit of a lottery!

I have to say, since going onto the insulin, it hasn't been as bad as I expected, although I hate the actual injecting - last night I had pasta for dinner! NOt a huge amount, but enough, with a salad to fill me up. I also had maybe half an apple afterwards and my reading 2 hours later was 5.6! Wonderful!

We did go for a long (ish) hilly walk earlier in the day and I actually do find that exercise really brings my readings down.

Debs it sounds like you're machine is on the blink as I don't see how the reading can go up when you haven't eaten anything (hey, I'm no endocrinologist though!)

Chocolate that's really great news about your baby putting on weight.

Hi, anyone about to help? Was diagnosed with gestational diabetes less than 2 weeks ago and i'm having a bit of an episode right now. I'm shaking and feel really weak. I think my blood sugar is too low. It's measuring 3.8 which doesn't sound that low. Is it? I've had one of my daughters sweets, had several handfuls of dried mixed fruit, a piece of rye toast (i'm wheat intolerant) with jam on, a glass of diet coke and a cup of tea with sugars in, but it's not going. What do i need to do?

Have you taken your glucose level? Below 3.3 is the point you should be concerned. Have you had enough water to drink? Make sure you're with people and have a lie down - don't climb stairs etc in case you fall. Try some more slow acting carbs, but other than that it does sound like you're doing the right thing. Contact your midwife or hospital maternity assessment unit, if you're still feeling that way an hour after eating.

Hello Ladies,
This seems to be a very helpful thread, just what I need. I found out I 'failed' my lucozade test last week and now have an appointment for the GTT on the 22nd of July. That seems like a long time away but that was the first they had available apparently.
So for the meantime I'm eating as if I am diabetic, what fun that turns out to be! My birthday was last week and hubby had to eat my birthday cake alone and a friend send me a parcel of Montezuma chocolate which is now teasing me from the fridge.Great timing!
I'm a bit puzzled about diet though, I have cut out all refined sugar, stopped drinking juice, cut down the fruits and upped the veggies.What about carbs though, I generally have wholegrain stuff anyway but how far do I have to cut them down?Oh and I was overweight to start with so a bit of lost weight wont do the baby any harm will it?

Hi Lillylane, welcome to the thread.

How pregnant are you? I didn't know any health authorities did a lucozade test and a GTT. Probably a good idea to follow a diabetic diet until then, although it is a pain if it's over your birthday. That happened to me in my first pregnancy, spent my 30th watching my mates have a drink and eat my birthday cake! I can't say I enjoyed Christmas much either!

I take it you don't have a blood glucose monitor yet? If you do my advice on the carbs would be to test and see what you can handle. In the meantime probably best to stick to carbs which provide other nutrition, so wholegrain or granary bread, brown rice, pulses etc. Look back through the thread, burmesegrumbler in particular gives some great advice. With carbs, you will probably find white starchy carbs are not good. I also think portion size is important, I try and keep it to no more than 1/4 of my meal.

I think you'll find some weight loss is inevitable, and most midwives don't seem concerned.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Ozzie I am definitely thinking it is the machine so will see what they say on Tuesday.
Have noticed a trend that my dinner readings are lower then my teatime readings which could be cos I take my tabs at breakfast and tea.

chocolate Thank you for the advice. I'm 29 weeks, had the lucozade test in the 27th week. Had to drink almost a bottle of lucozade and then they took my blood an hour later. The next test will be fasting, in the morning. This is in West London.
I think I will invest in a glucose monitor tomorrow. Am I right in thinking 4-7mmol are acceptable levels?

Lilly, seems a bit ott to do both, normally the GTT is a fasting test followed by a glucose test (sometimes done with lucozade) and a high reading on either will get you a diagnosis, so given your high glucose reading, I think you're wise to start taking steps ahead of the GTT.

It's up to you if you do get a meter, but the strips are expensive without a prescription. I would be tempted to call the midwife and ask what's the best way to go about getting a meter. Fasting targets are 4.0 - 5.6 with 4.0 - 7.8 1 hour after food.

Lillylane I would press for an earlier appointment for the GTT - I"m surprised they won't push for an earlier test. When I "failed" my first test they wanted me back the following day, as they seemed to think that every day counts once you get to 29/30 weeks.

At the very least push for an appointment with a diabetes educator or a dietician so they can tell you what you should and shouldn't be eating. It's not enough to just try to eat like a diabetic - you need to eat like a pregnant diabetic and ensure you are still getting enough calories and nutrients.

In a nutshell though, if you really can't see anyone, you basically need to;

1. Cut out pretty much all refined sugar. Check labels on all ready made stuff, you need to look for a figure below 5 of per 100g, preferably less.

1. No cake, biscuits, ice cream, chocolate, sweets (yawn).

1. Eat 5-6 times a day. include healthy carb with each meal, but not too much - eg 1-2 slices of bread, 2-3 spoons of rice/pasta, 3 small potatoes. Bulk the rest out with protein, veggies.

But really, you need professional guidance through this.

well, im on my 4th baby, been diabetic for 5 wks, i have an ok nurse, but wants to put me on insulin, i am getting better at controling my sugars, the diaetician said i need to put back my milk and eat more in my diet, i was eating nearly nothing, and went mad at me . i am 30 wks now and have to have a scan every 2 wks and go to a diabeties clinic every 2 wks, i suffer from bad spd, and they want to check on the growth, and now im carriing to much water, so hopefully, the consultant are talking abouy delivering me at 36wks, i am 38yrs and i am only 4ft 11. i have never suffred so much ina all my life, i got crutches, pain killers, and getting a belly belt in 2 wks, from physio.

Well, I spoke to a midwife who seemed unconcerned about the test being on the 22nd and not sooner.My GP advised me to cut the sugar and eat sensibly but didn't think I need to test yet as I have no symptoms otherwise. So I wait, and wistfully stare at the chocolate in the fridge.
Thank you for the advice everyone!

If they're unconcerned then I would imagine your test was borderline. I don't have any symptoms either but my Glucose Challenge Test came back pretty high and my GTT came back really high, so I guess that's why they wanted to rush me in to seeing the endocrinologist and diabetes educator.

It's weird though, even now that I am on insulin thrice daily and have to really watch my diet, I still wouldn't have the faintest idea that there was anything wrong, I feel completely normal.

Went to clinic and had another growth scan.
Baby is still on the 50% line and cord flow is good.
Consultant wants me back in 4 weeks for another growth scan aND atm is happy for me to get to full term before delivery. YAY
Saw the diabetes nurse and as my readings are creeping up she wants me to sned next weeks in to her and I might have to go on a shortacting insulin dose in an evening?
I described my diet and she said it is good, somedays I feel like I am eating nothing. They just don't want me to go too long with levels gong up.

Hoping they either calm down or at least I can find someway of bringing them down as the goal of full term delivery is spurring me on.

Debs, sounds like it all went as well as you could hope for, that's really good. I've noticed my readings coming down over the last couple of days, so I think the hot weather was affecting mine.

Debs that sounds like excellent news - Yay for full term!

I'm on the short acting dose, three times a day and I'm getting used to it now, so if they do say you have to go onto it, don't worry too much.

I don't like injecting myself but it's not really painful.

Hi everyone,

Im 9 weeks 2 days pregnant and had GD with my last pregnancy.

I actually called my midwife and asked for a GTT as my mouth is so dry when i eat i hate it!!

I was really hoping not to get it so early as last time it was about 32 weeks.

My appointment isnt for another 2 weeks , i just wanted to ask anyone who got it second time round did you get it this early? also did you get a dry mouth?

Its horrible and im dreading having to have insulin as i managed diet alone last time but a struggle towards the end

Katy- I'm on my second pregnancy, and I think things obviously work a bit differently in my area as once you have had it once you are assumed to have it again from the beginning of all subsequent pregnancies, so I have been testing my sugars since 6 weeks (now nearly 33 weeks). What I have found is that I haven't been able to tolerate refined sugar right since the beginning, that was actually my first pregnancy symptom, had a slice of DS's 1st birthday cake, was feeling terrible, thought to myself I hadn't felt this bad since I was pregnant- cue penny dropping moment (this pregnancy was unplanned)!

The doctor did do a Hba1c test to check I hadn't had diabetes all along, but that came back ok. I was ok with my normal diet minus sweets, cakes, chocolate etc until about 14 weeks, and at that point other carbs started spiking my sugars. I've been on a full GD diet since about 16-18 weeks. I'm still managing on diet alone, so it is possible and I don't think my sugars are any worse this time around.

It has been hard having to be so strict with what I eat for so long, but in many ways it has forced me to really find ways of making a GD diet work long term (last time I just didn't eat things which spiked my sugars, this time I have had to think about alternatives). One thing I have found really useful is Dreamfields low carb pasta which you can buy online. It's probably not worth is for those who are just doing the diet for a few weeks, as the delivery charge makes it expensive, but I have been able to order in big enough quantities to make it worth it for me. Pretty much everything else is available in the supermarket, so has been mentioned earlier up the thread.

I think eating a GD diet for so long has changed my tastes and preferences this time round, whereas last time I was desperate to get back to eating how I used to. This time around chocolate and white bread etc just don't seem so appealing any more.