Gestational Diabetes Chatter #6

[Caramello]

Not the way that I want to eat it Mel. Scoffing a whole bag of M&Ms is more what I was feeling like

[melbel]

yeah well.....its not the chocolate thats the issue then, it's that damn candy coating that'll do you in every time! LOL

[~mamaspice~]

Hmm, melbel, I could go some dark chocolate right now! Lol

Didispunk, I'm glad that the endocrinologist is happy with your readings. That high one did seem a bit random. I'm sorry to hear you were admitted for dehydration. Glad to hear you're feeling better now.

Seachange, I think I'll probably lose a bit of weight this pregnancy too. I have not gained anything yet and now that I can't eat chocolate like I'd like to (yep I am a chocoholic and could easily polish off a whole block) I'll be surprised if I don't lose weight.

crysk, disregard everything I said about having custard before bed. My last 2 morning readings have been over 5.5 again And I've had a few daytime readings over 7 as well. I recon I'll be on insulin before too much longer

Does any one elses specialist test for ketones? My endocrinologist hasn't so far but when I saw the Ob last week he did a dip stick test which showed up positive for ketones. But I hadn't eaten for about 5 hours so hopefully that is the reason why and it's nothing to do with the diabetes

[~mamaspice~]

On a few occasions now I have eaten something and a little while later kinda feel light headed and weird. I'm suspecting it's my BSL's spiking too high that is making me feel this way. Tonight I made some supposed Low GI cookies, but an hour after eating a couple I just feel really weird. Does anyone else get this feeling?

[didispunk]

What are your readings ment to be????

What is your doc happy with?

My levels now first thing in the morning right now are around 6 and Above... My endo said whatever your reading is in the morning you cant crontrol that is from hormones and that is when the baby reacts most to the sugars is the first reading in the morning.

[~mamaspice~]

Hi Didispunk,

My levels I have to aim for are under 5.5 fasting, and under 7 two hours after meals.
Some of my fastings have been over and some not. To give you an example the last seven days they have been 4.9, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 4.8, 5.8, and 5.4. My highest fasting reading that I've had though is 6.2.
Also in the last 7 days I've had several daytime readings over 7. My highest reading being 8.

I think as my pregnancy is progressing the readings are slowly but surely creeping up a bit.
I see the endocrinologist again this coming wednesday so I guess I'll see then if he thinks it's time for me to go on insulin or not.

I really want a VBAC but this GD business is getting me a bit nervous. Especialyl if I end up on insulin I'm starting to wonder whether I should just have an elective CS at 37-38 weeks to get bub out and away from the volitility of my rising and falling BSL's

[didispunk]

Thanks Mama.. I appreciate that. I tried for VBAC with #2 child with no GD and water broke on its own at 36 weeks.. never progresed so had C-sec and this time, I was thinking VBAC.. but now.. no way since this diabetes.. its awful..

Best of luck with your decision!!!

xoxo Thanks again for your advise

[~mamaspice~]

Hey, how is everyone treavelling?

A quick update from me. Saw endocrinologist today. Still happy for me to control with diet only. He said my levels are pretty good although it woldn't hurt to exercise more. He's probably right I've been very slack using working fulltime and having a toddler as an excuse to not be able to fit in exercise.

[didispunk]

I have been doing well levels at 6-7-8.... not sure what is considered high before they put you on insulin???

[~mamaspice~]

I have been doing well levels at 6-7-8.... not sure what is considered high before they put you on insulin???

That's great Didi! I'm not sure at what levels they put you in insulin either

[belfie]

I just looked up my old log book. I was told that my post-meal BSL's should be between 3.5 and 7.5. Once I had more than 3 BSL's in a week over 7.5 they started talking insulin, but as my endo said it was also about the general trend, lots getting to 7's and 8s'. regardless of the lovely low GI meals I was eating - then I went on insulin (but a pretty low level). From what I remember some folks get put on at 7 + and some at 8+. It seems to vary a bit, I'm sure I remember hearing that Box Hill endo's were saying stick under 7.5 and Monash endo's were saying something different but I can't remember if it was a limit of 7 or 8!

[~mamaspice~]

I just looked up my old log book. I was told that my post-meal BSL's should be between 3.5 and 7.5. Once I had more than 3 BSL's in a week over 7.5 they started talking insulin, but as my endo said it was also about the general trend, lots getting to 7's and 8s'. regardless of the lovely low GI meals I was eating - then I went on insulin (but a pretty low level). From what I remember some folks get put on at 7 + and some at 8+. It seems to vary a bit, I'm sure I remember hearing that Box Hill endo's were saying stick under 7.5 and Monash endo's were saying something different but I can't remember if it was a limit of 7 or 8!

thanks for the info Belfie. My highest ever fasting reading has been 6.2 and my highest ever other reading has been 8 (but I've only had the one 8) can't be too far off needing insulin it would seem

[belfie]

well I remember feeling freaked out about - omg 1 more high reading and it's insulin... but my obs said don't freak too much - it's about where it's all headed. And it might be that you eat like a frickin' saint and the BSL's still go high - and that's the placenta's fault, not yours! I have my fingers crossed that you can avoid it... but worst case scenario, it's better to go on insulin than to be starving yourself (not that I imagine you're doing that!). Hugs good luck!

[~mamaspice~]

Oh no, I'm definately not starving myself! Lol. I haven't had any readings over 7 in the last 7 days, YAY! But the previous week I did have a few and I know that some of them were because I was "testing" to see what I could get away with eating. I found out that a piece of Pizza was defiantely a no go, as are Mccains healthy choice chips with dinner! They may be low fat but they're definately not a diabetics friend Lol.
Tonight we had Thai takeaway for dinner. I boiled up my own Basmati rice to have with it but I was still a little scared that the curry might put me over. But it didn't YAY!

I think the hardest thing for me to deal with are the fasting BSL's cause when they're high its kinda beyond your control.

[didispunk]

I have not been eating much at all.. let alone well.. I have such bad heartburn living on fruit tingles as its the only thing i can handle... i am just not sure about going on insulin.. if i can... i am sure they will want to...

But if i am eating the best i can.. (ok can be a little better) but makes me get heartburn..... what else can i do.. just take insulin to help bub not get too huge. (c-sec anwyasy)


I am just at a loss.. i cant win

[~mamaspice~]

Didispunk, have you tried Andrews tums for heartburn? Having a couple of them seem to work for me. If your Dr suggests insulin, it's probably best to go on it. It will be better for bub all round and lessen the risk of him having really low blood sugar after Birth.

[belfie]

g'day everyone... it's me again

I've failed my GCT and am being referred straight to my old endo (as I stuffed my GTT last PG by vomiting 1.5 hours in).... so they're just working off the fact that my 1 hour is bad and they probably can't get a 2 hour. So i'll probably be monitoring BSL's to start with to see if I am getting high readings or not. I've still got my BSL machine from last time, just don't have any in-date strips. So I'm gonna ask the endo whether it's worth trying to do the GTT as that's the only way to rule it out IYKWIM. Whereas with the BSL's, what he said last time is that if your BSL's are good we can assume either a) you don't have it or b) it's well controlled with diet... but we can't say you don't have it. BUT if I monitor for a week or so and DO get high BSL's when they'll say I do have it, and I've saved myself doing the GTT! I guess I just want to be really sure if I do have it or not, given the implications it can have with insulin/birth/labour/baby admissions to SCN etc!

So yeah... spent the weekend feeling REALLY stressed and miserable... but now I'm feeling oddly calm! Don't think it's sunk in yet... maybe it will once I start doing those darn fingerpr1cks again it will! And just reminding myself of that silver lining, I probably won't gain anymore weight - it sure is one way of keeping PG weight healthy!!

Hope everyone else is going ok

[~mamaspice~]

So yeah... spent the weekend feeling REALLY stressed and miserable... but now I'm feeling oddly calm! Don't think it's sunk in yet... maybe it will once I start doing those darn fingerpr1cks again it will! And just reminding myself of that silver lining, I probably won't gain anymore weight - it sure is one way of keeping PG weight healthy!!

Yep belfie, good point! I'm nearly 32 weeks in and haven't gained a single kilo yet the whole pregnancy It's a pain having to pri@k your finger 4 times a day but fingers crossed your BSL's are good.