Gestational Diabetes General Chatter #3

[Jewel]

Uh, no one else is around anymore.

I had one of those blood tests that show on average your levels for the past 3months, and i'm worrying that it's going to be a bad result.
Like I've had some not so good parts of the day, and I'm kicking myself that I haven't been so strict with the diet and all that. It's hard work and I'm so over it already.


I feel like everything is going wronggggggggg.
I just need to get a decent result from this blood test and things will be alright.

[kirsten74]

Hey Tenny, I had those throughout my pregnancy and was panicked every time! But to my surprise, despite the slip ups and cheating and not being so strict my results came back at 5.0 which is normal!
So don't worry too much until you get the results. You may be surprised!

[melbel]

I am sure you will be fine Tennykins. And don't forget you have only just hit the stage of pregnancy where you insulin needs go up dramatically so the high sugars you are getting are not your fault...it is normal between about 24 and 36 weeks for insulin needs to double or even treble so you need to be realistic and expect that your blood sugar is more than likely going to be that bit harder to control for these next few weeks. Just try not to get down about it and think of the goal...... a beautiful healthy Mum and bubba at the end...it will be worth it then!

[indie24]

Hi my name is Donna. I am 16 weeks pregnant and a Type 2 diabetic. I have been on insulin for about 7 or 8 weeks now.

[kirsten74]

Well, I have my 6 week post baby GTT tomorrow morning. My Ob still doesn't think that the Diabetes has gone away, but I am hoping to prove him wrong!
Does anyone know what the limits are for GTT when not pregnant?

[Jewel]

Thanks for the replies.
I've just been really down about everything lately.

I definately don't want to go onto insulin or anything.

Hi, Donna.

EDIT
So my results came back at 6. I'm not sure if it's exactly 6 or not. My DP rang up for my results cause I was a complete wreck. Stupid hormones. :P

[tucs]

Hi

I am 40 and 14 weeks pregnant. Got diagnosed with diabetes at week 9 (they think my steroids for arthritis had affected my BSL). Tried the diet for 2 weeks and lost 3 kilos and had +++++ketones so I was packed off to the diabetes educator and dietician and another 5 days of trying a diet. Only then to be put on insulin when I was just 12 weeks.

The endocrinologist told me that it appeared I was starving myself to get the good blood results. I had basically cut out carbs. But I still had trouble with my BSL's. Never got a reading under 5 in the morning.

SO am now on mixtard 30/70 twice daily. 16 units AM, 8 units PM. AM struggling with my post lunch reading as I am relying on long acting insulin whereas in the morning for breakfast and after dinner I get the benefit of the short acting insulin as well.

Seeing specialist on Friday and it may be that I have to go to 4 injections daily.

From what I have read as well the levels I have to aspire too are fairly tight.

Under 5.0 in mornings and under 6.5 two hours after staring to eat.

Gots loads of other issues as well (thyroid disease which looks like is activating again, fibroids etc etc). So to go on insulin so early was distressing for the first day and then I just got on with it.

I have been told insulin is just a temporary thing.

I still have to watch what I eat. Was out and about in the car the other day and picked up a KFC twister. Bad bad bad choice. I knew it. 2 hours later my BSL was 11.5. Shocking. Even after dark rye bread with cucumber lettuce tomato and salmon for lunch it is over 7.

Porridge is the best thing. If I eat porridge in the morning after insulin I have really low blood sugars.

Tucs

[cherii]

Hiya Tucs

I too am on Insulin. I have been for a while now. And just a week ago I got put on Insulin before Breakfast as my readings every morning are over the limit of 6.5 before I have even eaten anything. I am on 4 injections a day now. One before every meal and then one at bedtime, which is at 24 at the moment and not really doing it's job still.

I don't eat very much either. I haven't ever ruled out carbs tho as I just would not be able to get around everyday if I did. I just make sure they are minimal carbs if they are not complex or I make sure I am only having 9 grain bread or soy and linseed (which for me is the best kind). I was told if I was still hungry, just to pile extra protein/salads into my sandwich to fill me up, but you can only put so much on

I have to be under 5.5 before I eat and under 6.5 after I eat. Which is a way small reading to stay under and it's pretty much impossible. But all you can do is try your best. As you said it's only temporary and don't forget it's not your fault! It's the hormones that come with being pregnant that make it so hard for you.

Just to let you know that you are not alone here All the best with it all!!!!

[Jewel]

Hi Tucs.

I got diagnosed with Diabetes when I was about 10wks. I was a complete wreck for weeks, but now I only have a breakdown about it all like once a month. Lol.
I've been luck enough to be able to have mine diet controlled since then. They did think I might need a little bit of insulin when I first started the diet control, but my levels kept dropping.

I'm sorry to hear about the insulin. Good luck with that. I hope you're doing well with it, and your bubba is growing perfectly.
Oh yum. KFC. I haven't been game enough to have any of that. I have tried subway though. Seems to go ok.

Good luck with your appointment on friday. I hope everything goes well.

I've never tried porriage. What kind, and do you put anything with it?
I might give it a go. Lol

xx
--
Hi cherii.

Wow! Not long to go for you. Are you excited?
I agree, you can only stuff so much extra protein/salad in to fill yourself up.
I love the 9 grain bread. It works great for me.

I hope the rest of your pg goes great!

xx

[cherii]

Hey Tennykins, Yes not long to go now. I actually know basically when my baby will be coming which I will be posting about in the general pregnancy forum area.

I am excited, but very anxious/nervous too as it's our first baby. And because of the risks of it all with having GD that is reliant on Insulin as it gives more complications for ya.

My fave bread is the Soy and Linseed, but the next best thing is the 9 Grain. I really enjoy the 9 Grain muffins toasted with cheese. Mmmmmmm And the trouble with the salad is it fills you up at first, but because it's made mainly of water you end up hungry again before you know it. But you get that

Thanks for the well wishes. All the best with your continuing journey too!!!!

[shell_120308]

Why does your ob think that your gest diab hasn't gone away?? I am waiting to see my ob before i go for another GTT test.

Well, I have my 6 week post baby GTT tomorrow morning. My Ob still doesn't think that the Diabetes has gone away, but I am hoping to prove him wrong!
Does anyone know what the limits are for GTT when not pregnant?

[kirsten74]

Hi Shell, my OB has been determined this time that because the GD started so early, it was in fact pre existing, so was in fact Type 2. But I got my reuslts on Tuesday and my Endocronologist said my fasting was 5.5 and my 2 hr was 6.5. In other words perfect! Not even borderline Tyep 2! YIIPPPPEEEEEEE!!!! So There Dr Ob! It is so great to not have to worry about what I am eating. At the moment finding time to eat with 3 kids is hard enough, let alone deciding what I am going to eat!
Good Luck to all of you just being diagnosed with it, and to all of you who are living with it.... it does end. And you don't necessarily have to get a big baby out of it!

[Caz1971]

Hi everybody, just wondering if any one of you has had to have a kidney ultrasound (called a renal ultrasound) as I heard that if you had diabetes can relate to yr kidneys?

How's motherhood and those diagnosed with GD, it will be over soon...

Love Caz x

[shell_120308]

Congrats Kirsten that is great news.

[Kristale]

Hi all I was diagnosed with GD late at 30wks and am really struggling as I have such a sweet tooth and all my cravings are for sweet things. I am being good but my levels are not at all consistent they will be high when I've been good and low when Iv had something bad it is so hard. I see my ob next week so I wonder what he will say about my levels. I only have 5 weeks to go so hopefully no insulin for me when there isnt long to go and bubs was all normal sizes at last scan 2 weeks ago.
Any tips anyone has would be appreciated.

[Artechim]

Kristale, do you find there is any pattern to the time of day you eat naughty things and how it affects your levels? I know that I needed a load of insulin to eat two peices of wholegrain bread in the morning but could eat a muffin and milkshake at lunch and be fine.

Good luck for the next five weeks, hope it goes quickly for you.

[melbel]

kristale....you really need to write down all your levels and see if there is a pattern to them from day to day. As Artechim said a lot of people have higher sugars first thing in the morning and respond worse to food at that time. This is because your liver and kidneys dump all your excess insulin and other hormones and crap between about 4 and 6 am every day and starts fresh so an awful lot of people find they struggle at this time of day to matabolise even small amounts of carb. A trick is to have a low GI and low carb, high protein brekky and have your other carbs later in the day. Some people find they have a similar response at about the same time in the afternoon again low GI and high protein at these times seems to help. It is called the Dawn or Dusk phenomenon. When you have been "bad" as you put it did the food contain fat as well as sugar. Because fat will slow the digestion down and even though a food may seem bad it may not raise the sugar levels as quickly as you thought because of the fat content.

Do you follow the GI diet? This is probably the best way to accurately predict what effect a food will have on the blood sugar. There are a heap of books and refrences on the net about it...google glycaemic index if you want more info.

[Kristale]

Thanks girls yeah I am following a low GI diet but still getting used it. My levels are fine in the mornig it is generally evenings where I have the trouble so I obviously have to adjust what I eat then. Just finding it hard to be so careful about what I eat not something Ive ever had to do thats all but I will get it by the end I'm sure.
Thanks again