Gestational Diabetes Chatter #6

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 :rolleyes: 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 :crossfingers:

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?

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.

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

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

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 :redface: I've been very slack using working fulltime and having a toddler as an excuse to not be able to fit in exercise.

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

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

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

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!

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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!

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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 :redface:

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 :hug: good luck!

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.

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

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.

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 :grouphug:

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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!!

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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.

I have just been put on 4 units of insulin in the evenings, Boohoohoo :(

Aaaw noes that's a pain! Is that your first insulin? How's it going?

Well I'm off to see my endo on Fri arvo... will be interesting to see what they say!

Yep belfie, first time on insulin. I was a little freaked about doing it tonight but it wasn't that bad. I just wish I didn't have to go on it! Hopefully the 4 units at night is enough to keep my fasting BSL's down.

Good luck with your appointment on friday.

ooh I remember the first one at home was hard. I did it ok in front of the DE, but on my own the next day... I made DH cheer me on! Well done for doing it, you've got the hardest one out of the way :clap:

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ooh I remember the first one at home was hard. I did it ok in front of the DE, but on my own the next day... I made DH cheer me on! Well done for doing it, you've got the hardest one out of the way :clap:

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Aww, thanks belfie! :hug:

Well i've been to see my endo, and as expected, he wants me monitoring BSL's and suggests we don't bother doing the OGTT. So i've just picked up more testing strips and tonight the fun begins. He said if i'm getting BSL's over 8 than I definitely have it, and commented that I was on insulin relatively quickly last time. I think we all expect I'll probably get over 8 within a week or so.

My plan is to also see a dietician (assuming it's confirmed I have it) and to cycle/swim for exercise as my osteo has said I'll probably need to be on minimal walking until bub is born (due to SPD/bad hip). And I've been feeling ok all week but I think it's sinking in a bit now and I'm just a bit :crying:. Plus I just popped into my Belly buddies group and one girl has JUST celebrated not getting GD this time (she's had it twice before - so she's rightfully over the moon)... but it just made me burst into tears. I guess I just frustrated to have this messy diagnosis process again... and I feel I can't rightly be upset YET cos it's not definite... but I am upset anyway. My mum is over helping out (cos I was struggling to manage toddler and walk)... and she's great... but I feel so useless sometimes, and I miss walking, and now I'm gonna miss chocolate, and have to remember to do all those friggin' BSL's. And I know if I whinged on FB they'd all just tell me to look on the bright side, and think about the beautiful bubba at the end of it... and I will. I just can't tonight :crying:.

Aww belfie :hug: s Hun. It'll be okay. Whatever happens, you'll get through it!
I've got my :crossfingers: your BSL's stay nice and low. :hug:

Thanks MamaSpice :hug: it's much appreciated. Well first BSL tonight 7.7. So not over the 8... but certainly nowhere near an ideal BSL either :rolleyes:

Awh, I'm so sorry Belfie. Big hugeeeeeeeeeeee hugs. :hug:
Cry all you like. We understand. I cried a ton. People can say "oh look on the bright side yadda yadda yadda beautiful baby blah blah" but until they've had to go through it they can't fully understand. Yeah at the end you'll be holding your gorgeous bubba but it's the hard yards beforehand that are tough!

I'm going to go YAY for your 7.7 cause it is still under 8. :dance: :dance:
:hug: :hug:

xox

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Thanks MamaSpice :hug: it's much appreciated. Well first BSL tonight 7.7. So not over the 8... but certainly nowhere near an ideal BSL either :rolleyes:

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As Jewel said, it's still under 8! And is that from just eating "normally" or have you started eating "diabetes friendly"?

I am so not sure what is going on.. but with only a couple weeks left till c-sec, my levels have gone up. i mean not over 10 but still its higher then they want them to be. I go to see Endo on Tuesday and I am sure they will want to put me on insulin.. BUT... i cant do it.. same with DS. i just cant inject myself for the life of me... regardless.. YES I KNOW ITS BEST FOR BUB... but they can also ceser me earlier if needed.. I cannot get my mind over it..

i know its mind over mater.. but goodness. I can only do so much...

I am not eating much at all as I have heartburn something SHOCKING!

and my levels are still high...

just having a rough time... gosh this is hard.

oh Didi, I'm so sorry to hear your levels are going up - they often do go up because of the placenta, nothing to do with what you're eating. Can you ask if the endo can put you on tablets instead of insulin? I'm sure i've heard some PG women in here on tablets and not having to inject. Or can you get your DH to do the insulin for you if need be? All the best for Tues :crossfingers: I'll be thinking of you :hug:

Jewell - thanks so much hun, your post gave me one of those pathetic smiles amidst the tears! Totally agree with the yadda yadda!!!

MamaSpice - I'm not officially eating for GD yet... but I'm not eating normally either IYKWIM. Tbh, if I'm gonna get over 8 I just wanna get it over and done with it - I hate all this mucking around. This morning was 7.8.... creeping ever closer. Haven't done lunch yet as I had a HUGE row with DH and didn't eat till really late. So saying, felt a bit funny so did some randoms and they were 9.9 and 10.4... :rolleyes:. I had baked beans on toast for lunch (TWO whole pieces of bread) mainly cos that always sent me high last PG (even with only 1 slice bread) and according to my endo, if I wasn't GD, I should NOT go over 8... so yeah sounds kinda stupid I guess, but I wanna know one way or the frickin' other! Then I can bawl my way through the grief stage and onto acceptance... :doh:
How is the insulin going for you? How are you finding the jabs?

Sorry to hear you're having a hard time Didi :hug: Like belfie said, I too have heard of preg mummies going on the tablets instead of the injections so why don't you ask them about that. Try not to stress about it. I'm on insulin injections now and my BSL's weren't even really That bad IYKWIM. So I guess every endo is different. And you are nearly there.

:hug: s Belfie, it doesn't sound too promising matie. But at least you know what you have to do. Injections are going okay. I'm on the Protaphane Innolet and they recon it's not supposed to hurt but I can feel that needle going in. It's longer than what I imagined. I'm on 4 units but the endo said to increase it to 6 if my fasting BSL's creep over 5.5 again.

Another 7.8!!!! :wall:

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Another 7.8!!!! :wall:

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Oh Bugger! Try not to stress and see what the endo says.

Ya i know of the tablets.. Metformin. i was on them prior to having a baby.. and well the side effects are HORRIFIC and its a class C drug so i am not happy taking them unless class A... (a little particular sorry)


I hope they can just csec me earlier.. like in 13 days or so..

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Ya i know of the tablets.. Metformin. i was on them prior to having a baby.. and well the side effects are HORRIFIC and its a class C drug so i am not happy taking them unless class A... (a little particular sorry)

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No need to say sorry! I didn't know that they were Class C drug, and had always wondered why insulin injections seemed typically to be the first choice. I totally understand that you'd not want to take them. You're not far off full-term, when were they planning to do your c-sec?

MamaSpice - afm settled down, 6.6 tonight. And yes, you're right I just need to wait & see (both for BSL's and endo - who is monday week)... but I always was impatient lol. So saying we went out for dinner with friends tonight (very rare & special event) and I had a yummy steak with good GD-friendly veggies. So feeling a lot calmer about the world after a great evening!

Thanks girls.

They change my C_sec date every week as i have my check up every tuesday and and c-sec would be booked for the thursday so right now its the end of the month and it can be a week forward etc.

My mum arrives on tuesday THANK GOODNESS!!

Didispunk - Sorry to hear your levels have gone up. :hug: I don't know how I would have done if I needed to inject myself. I was very lucky I was able to manage mine with diet. Yay for your mum getting there on Tuesday!!!

Belfie - YAY 6.6 :dance: That's a good one, especially out to dinner. I'm crossing everything your levels settle. :pray:

Mamaspice - :hug: for you too.

Sorry I'm crashing your thread. Just wanted to show you all I'm here and know what GD and all that is like. Well, minus the injections part. I don't know how you ladies do it. I think you're strong, amazing people. I'm cheering for you all the way (and hoping I don't seem like a stalker).

xox

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I'm cheering for you all the way (and hoping I don't seem like a stalker).

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Well I can't speak for the others, but if that's stalking, yay bring it on! (and I've been stalking all year in that case :rofl:). Thanks for the cheers and support, it's always great to hear!

Didispunk - omg I'm so happy that your mum is coming on Tues! I hope she is just amazingly wonderful and mega-useful! You so deserve some support and help with everything you're battling :hug:

MamaSpice - how you going?

Highest BSL today was a 7.5 after lunch. Still haven't hit that "8" but feeling a little more ok about the world... just takes a bit to get through it at first. Am attempting to "go with the flow", we'll see how long it lasts :rofl:
Incidentally, my endo says there's no point doing fasting BSL's as if the post-meal BSL's are ok, everything else will look after itself. That seemed a little weird to me, but also explains why I didn't do fasting BSL's last time either.. Do you guys do fasting BSL's?

Hi Girls!

Thanks for the best wishes jewel!

Didi, glad your mum is arriving soon. And hopefully they'll book in your definate section date for you this week :crossfingers:. I can see why you wouldn't want to go on the meds. My insulin is a class A drug.

Belfie, it's strange how different Endo's can be! Mine has been focusing on my fasting BSL's. All of my ones after meals have been under 7 except for 2, so they weren't concerned at all about those ones. But about half of my fasting BSL's lately had been over 5.5.
6.2 was my highest fasting BSL. My endo explained that at night is when bub grows so that's why they wanted to put me on insulin at night to make sure my fastings we all under 5.5. I found no correlation between day time readings and my fasting ones. Quite often my reading after dinner would be really good, like 5.6 or something then the next morning my fasting BSL would be over 5.5 which really puzzled me :dunno: . Then I might have a reading of 6.5 after dinner but my fasting BSl the next morning would be fine.
It sounds like my endo are a lot more strict on when insaulin needs to start, then a lot of others are.

MamaSpice - that is weird. I really don't get why they all do different things :dunno:. Re your fasting reading, does it make a difference if you have a late evening snack? Actually was this discussed a few pages ago?

Well I just got a 9.7. I'd been eating slacker and slacker given it wasn't definitely GD yet...so that's the red flag and I'll hop onto a GD diet now. I actually had some frozen fruit yoghurt right after my lunch, but I think it was pretty sweet - so I imagine that's what did it. I feel kinda ok cos it was just hanging over my head. At least now i KNOW there's good reason to monitor my BSL's! I've got an appointment with a dietician on Weds, so I know it's really worthwhile now which is good.

Hi belfie, yeah I tried having a dairy snack just before bed as someone had said it might help with my fasting BSL's but it didn't really make any difference.

:hug: sorry to hear you got a 9.7. Did you have to go on insulin with your last pregnancy?

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:hug: sorry to hear you got a 9.7. Did you have to go on insulin with your last pregnancy?

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Yup, but was only up to 18 units by the end, which I didn't think was TOO bad. But really don't want to be induced this time (can't afford to be IYKWIM) so will be doing my utmost to avoid insulin - as that typically does result in induction. Last time the DE wasn't much help with the diet (she just said "oh you know your diet better than me!"), so that's why this time I've asked to see the dietician. I've just been re-reading the NSW diabetes GD meal plan... it has 4 serves of fruit!! Morning tea, lunch, dinner and supper! That seems heaps of fruit to me, and I can normally only tolerate 1 serve a day anyway due to my other dietary restrictions. But really, would you eat that much fruit?