Frustrated!!

[cherii]

Grrr so I have GD.
I am eating really really well (or so I thought).
But my levels are being total erratic. One day I can have something in particular and so I try it the next day and it sends me sky high. I am constantly hungry and I am getting really frustrated and stressed out. It has only been one week since monitoring GD, but now I feel like I need to call the hospital to tell them about my levels. I don't have another appt booked until like the 21st of Feb, which is too long away.
I feel like not eating anything at all, just so I can have 'normal' levels. I don't want to go on insulin and I can't eat any healthier than what I am.
Sorry I just needed to vent......

[kirsten74]

I hate to say it Cherii, but not eating doesn't help your BSL. I actually find that if I don't eat, my BSL goes up! I asked my endocronologist andhe said that if your body doesn't get enough sugar then it pulls it out of your muscles! That is why fasting readings in the morning, when you haven't eaten anything for maybe 12 hours are high. Seems completely screwed up doesn't it!
I had the same reaction when I was diagnosed the first time. Wanted to stop eating as it was too hard. As time goes on you will find that you know what will and won't push your BSL up. Each person seems to be a bit different - what works for one may not work for another. Things to be VERY careful of are white bread (except low GI stuff), rice and potatoes. Things with flour or which are highly processed. It also helps if you watch your portion sizes, as things which are low GI in small servings become high GI in large portions.
And you say you may be eating healthy, but sometimes healthy isn't necessarily low GI. Fruit while it may be good for you is actually quite high in natural sugars and will bump up your BSL. Dairy and protein are great as they are low or even no GI, so eat plenty of these. If you're like me and a carbo junkie, things get tricky as too many carbs or the wrong carbs will boost your sugar. Stick to pasta, new potatoes or sweet potatoes, low GI white bread or some biscuits. Again it comes back to finding out what you like which doesn't bump up your sugar. A great website is:
The Glycemic Index
it has a database which will tell you what is low, med and high GI. I found it really useful for checking if things were good or bad.
If you have any more questions, just let me know. THis is my second pregnancy with insulin dependant GD and you are quite welcome to pick my brains anytime you want.
Good Luck!

[Artechim]

You have my sympathy, I remember how hard it is. I tried really hard to control it with diet, but I ended up only looking at carbs and I would have a high reading. I was starving and in tears all the time. Insulin sucks, but it isn't as bad as you are dreading and it is great to be able to eat normally again (well, low GI and portion controlled but better than no carbs at all).

As Kirsten said, have a good look at the glycemic index to get an idea of things you can eat. The time of day can make a huge difference too, I needed a heap of insulin to have toast for breakfast but could eat a muffin and milkshake at lunch with about a third of the insulin dose.

[BellyBelly]

Don't forget to read these articles then

Gestational Diabetes - The Emperor Has No Clothes by Henci Goer

Gestational Diabetes and Induction

[cherii]

Thanks heaps gals for your advice!! I have already figured out a couple of meals that I can't prepare cuz it just sends me too high. But one minute I can have a particular meal I prepare and my levels are under, so I have it again thinking it is safe and it sends me way over. That is what I get so frustrated about.

The ONLY bread I eat is Soy & Linseed. If I have potato, it's only baby potatoes cooked in their skins and with a lot of salad. I don't eat much fruit cuz it tends to send me over and I mainly drink water, and to spice things up I have a diet drink sometimes or a glass of milk.

The other day I had a lovely soy and linseed roll (and quite a large roll it was) with chicken, a slice of cheese, some fat free mayo, tomato, cucumber etc and it was delicious and I was Under. Then I had pretty much the same meal the next day and way very over!

That is what is so frustrating!! How am I meant to figure anything out at this rate

[Jesstibb]

I found that not all breads are created equal! Some brands of 'safe' seeded varieties would send me over for example. Like Helgas, just can't eat it, but Mollenberg and Burgen are fine.

[cherii]

oh I just had Helga's for breakfast