Gestational Diabetes General Chatter #5

the cut-off is an interesting question - from what I heard/read, different endo's gave different cut-offs (even my endo acknowledged this!). He told me to watch out if it was over 7, but he really only cared if it was over 8. When I queried it, he said well the sevens are just a bit of a red flag warning us which direction you're going.

In terms of cut-off, I "failed" the GTT due to vomiting after 1 1/2 hours (everywhere in the waiting room lucky patients huh!). So they couldn't re-test me, and they just monitered my BSL's. My endo said if I went over 9 I definitely had GD (which I did).

Smudgy - sending you big :hug: I have to agree with Artechim, i think you've not been eating enough. It's really important during your PG to have your carbs as well. If you're type II, they tend to reduce carbs more but not for GD. If you're BSL's are too high with the recommended carbs, it's better for you AND baby to have the insulin rather than both of you going without the carbs. But I know how you feel (I was so there!) and being 3rd trimester definitely doesn't help, plus all these ppl who tell you it's easy when you feel you're stuck in a nightmare. As you said, it IS the placenta -you're doing a fabulous job, but really remember that it's a bit of a trap to feel that if you just control your food enough you won't need insulin. Sometimes it's just going to happen anyway.

Also, you may need to try different carbs to see what works for you - the rye bread is good, but maybe try someting other than the noodles & paratha bread? I know many people find the multi-grain breads better? and as someone said, basmati rice for sure. It IS trial and error, but before you know it, it will be over and you will have a beautiful baby in your arms :hug:

myson - I got some bruises & my DE warned me that I would. But I'm also not a bruiser (so to speak lol)... so didn't get many. I also reckon I hurt more if I injected right after a shower. Maybe more blood at the surface of the skin or something? :dunno:

Smudgy - It sounds like bread might be sending your BSL's up. I had issues with bread which is where I got my first high level. Even switching to a Low GI bread made my levels go up higher than my normal wholemeal bread did. It took a little trial and error till I found a bread that didn't affect me and it's the Wholemeal Vienna from bakers delight which I could eat no worries.

I had stir fry quite often but I found a noodle (hokkein) in the aisle of Woolies (PM me if you want the brand details) near the asian food section which had lower carbs than my normal so I had that and it didn't affect me. You might find including noodles or rice (basmatie or brown) into your stir frys might help you with controlling the hunger. A few of your stir fries you mentioned didn't have any meat in them, you really should include a protein source in each meal so try including some beef or chicken in your stir fries. This will also help with the issue of you being hungry still afterwards. Remember portion size of the meat though.

You mentioned one snack was a quarter of an apple.. Have the whole apple!! Or you mentioned 1/4 a carrot (have the whole carrot!) - Unless there is a specific reason why you are only eating portions of these and I've missed that part! :) I would have a piece of fruit and a cup of tea as my snacks, or a yoghurt and tea or something like that. You don't need to starve yourself just watch what affects your levels and what doesn't. Food diary is best way to identify that. If something affects you then avoid it, cutting down the portion won't really help you as you need to give your body the energy from food, so if it affects you, find something else that won't.

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After 2 hours of dinner (chicken + spinach + mushroom + chillies stir-fry), my BSL read 7.3 :(

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- This one it could have been the portion of the chicken, you need to watch portion size of any meats as I found that sent up my BSL's.

Yes you definetley should have been told to go to 6 meals a day instead of 3. Normally I'd have breakfast, 2 hours later I'd test, then have my snack straight after, then 2 hours later have lunch then again 2 hours later test and have a snack (don't test after your snack, test first then have snack), then another 2 hours have dinner, 2 hour wait and test and then final snack before bed.

Also if you want to experiment with a food to see how your body deals, experiment with a small portion during your snacks as you have a good 4 hours before you test again and it'll give your body time to deal with it. If you experiment with a snack, then have a safe lunch that you don't doesn't affect you and if your level is high then you know the experiment snack doesn't work for you and to avoid it.

I always had a snack before bed but it was sometimes just a warm glass of milk. My only GD symptom was thirst in the morning and by having a snack that issue went away and obviously kept my levels good. I'd have a glass of milk and maybe a few biscuits (try the RICH TEA biscuits. They are super yummy but Low GI. I am still eating them for a sweet snack now!!).. Or I'd have a glass of milk and a Le Rice (Low GI).. Test it out and see what works for you..

Regarding Baked Beans. I always just had a can of them whenever I had them on toast and they didn't affect me. Try a full can and see what it does. Remember it's a trial and error thing but if you are loosing weight then you need to not skimp on the stuff that doesn't affect you.

Readings of 4++ are not low. I had some readings in the high 3's and they were getting a little low. During labour I had a 3.1 and the midwife made me have some lollies to bring it back up but I'd eaten nothing since the night before as I went into labour at 5am and only went to hospital at 9.30am.

Regarding plans for after delivery, I've tried to stay Low GI but I have always been a healthy eater and chosen low fat and low gi stuff so I really just changed my snacking habits and the bread I now have the 9 Grains. I've always been under my BMI so will just have to play it by ear and try and stay as active as possible. I am going to try my darn hardest to avoid it for my next PG as I've spoken to ladies who have. I did question my GD diagnosis as in the time I had GD (11 weeks) i only had 3 levels over 7.0 the entire time. I was eating small amounts of cake at the end without any effect.

About these levels:::

10/2
BSL = 4.6
Breakfast - 1/4 apple + 1 thin beef sausage + capsicum + mushrooms + 1/4c baked beans + 1 slice white bread
BSL = 8.7!! :o

I'd say too many proteins here with the sausage + baked beans and then bread. Try this without the sausage and try full can of baked beans

Snack - 2 thin rice cake + 50g yoghurt
Lunch - Tomyum chicken soup + 1c noodles
BSL = 7.5 :redface:

I'd say a mixture of rice cakes for snack and then the soup & noodles. Maybe try eliminate a part and see if that helps. LIke the soup & noodles without the rice cakes prior

This is only my thoughts/guesses but who knows, it may help.. :) If not then can completely ignore me! :) :)

Wow that went on a little but hope it helps.

Leigh26 - Congrats on the all clear for your GTT.. I told you!!!

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Hi Ladies,

I have been lurking around just reading the forum - i gave birth to my daughter on 21 January (i was insulin dependant gestational diabetes) and for the first few days after the birth my bsl's were all normal - however since coming home, the few times i have managed to do a check the have all been over 7.0 which when i was pregnant was my cut off. - My question is, after giving birth what is considered a "normal" bsl?? - i go for my post partum glucose test in two weeks and am really stressing about it!

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gill77 - In my panic and stress post birth and prior to my GTT again I found this information on the Diabetes Australia website. It talks about PreDiabetes and the levels you would need to display to be considered "PreDiabetic" so if you are under those then you wouldn't be considered PreDiabetic and therefore not full diabetic. It talks about what your fasting level should be under and also 2 hours post food. 7.0 after food looks fine - they say under 7.8 just for PreDiabetes so it would be even higher to be considered diabetic. Pre-diabetes... Diabetes Australia - NSW - go the bottom of the fact and download the fact sheet.

P.S. I'm so sorry thay was so long ladies... :)

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P.S. I'm so sorry thay was so long ladies... :)

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lol I was just reading thinking what a great post it was! Don't apologise missy!

And as always, I have to jump in and say that for whatever reason, baked beans ALWAYS put my levels over (but then I always was a bit weird :rofl:). So just to show you how much things can vary.

Oh and btw, I still haven't done my follow-up GTT. I'm such a wuss :redface: next time I have to go to the GP... for sure....

It was always bizarre how some foods were ok for 1 person and not for another and part of the reason it can be so frustrating but it all boils down to just how your body deals with the food and how it's functioning.

Smudgy - If you are loosing weight and always hungry then you may find going on insulin to keep your levels under control will give you more room to move with what food you can eat and it'll mean that you can increase the amount of food you are eating to stop the weight loss and also the hunger. Being PG makes you more hungry as it is let alone being hungry and trying to deal with the GD. I honestly did not get hungry very often and if I was then I knew I hadn't eaten enough at my last meal or snack.
You need to make sure that whatever you are eating has the highest amount of nutrition possible. The GD does limit your diet and that's a given fact so whatever goes into your body needs to be food that gives you the nutrients and vitamins you need. Hence why chocolate and junk food is off the menu because they really provide your body with little to no benefits. I didn't eat any processed foods (again due to the fact processed foods are more convenience foods than nutritional - give or take a food specific foods)..

Good luck everyone and keep asking questions..

Belfie - Get yourself off to the GP and get your referral. You'll feel much better once you get it all over and done with.. :) :)

I'm almost to tears with GD and reading everything here in response to my frustration just made them pouring like rain (3rd trimester pg hormones are making me cry so easily these few weeks!):redface: But especially snowchickies and belfie, oh thank you so much! :hug:

Last Thursday was our second meeting with the DE and she asked me to make an appointment with this Dr whom will decide to let me go on insulin or tablets. She confirms my pancreas is not keeping up with pg and placenta so no matter how much I control my food intake, it'll spike up. Plus, a completely no-carb diet is out of the question.

So here I am. Tomorrow's the appointment and I am finding myself not enjoying pregnancy at all at the moment (this is my first) :( Not even the thought of my baby's arrival would bring as much excitement anymore.

On Monday we had a growth ultrasound and baby seems to be growing at a normal size - not too big - which is good news. My ob however mentioned the possiblity of not letting me go further than 38.5 weeks.

To add to the third trimester discomforts, my ob thinks I might have PUPP. I've a huge rash across my belly but no where else at the moment. It is SO SO itchy all the time and I feel so uncomfortable.

Sorry for the blabber, whiny complaints and rants here, ladies. Feels so good to let it out from my chest. Hope everyone had a great V-day and may all of you blessed with joy and happiness for all the kind words you provide :grouphug:

Miza

hang in there smudgy. it will a be a distant memory in a few more months. and even if insulin is the answer please trust me, its not as bad as you might think to give yourself the needles. yes the thought of it is awful. (it was terrifying for me) but you will be ok.

you are nearly there. really only 6 weeks if you do come early...

i am so over it too. not feeling all glowing and excited at all! just want it over with.

Smudgy, not long to go. :hug:
It is true, the further along you go in your pregnancy the more insulin you require and when you're pancreas is not producing it you just need to give your body a helping hand. As myson said, the insulin is really not that bad. It is scary at the start, but you get used to it quickly and it will help your levels which is great for you and baby. :)
Hang in there, you could only have 6ish weeks left!!

Smudgy sorry to hear you are having a hard time

I started on insulin about two weeks ago and it makes the world of difference, my levels have all stabilised, its takes the stress away and it really dosent hurt, the finger sticks hurt a lot more than the insulin needle. Hope you start to feel better about things soon.

My OB wont let me go past 38 weeks either so 2 weeks for me, than hopefully goodbye gest diabestes!

hi ladies, sorry I've been MIA lately..... Have been in hospital with high BP......

The GD seems to have settled at the moment, bubs isn't too big according to the ultrasound yesterday.... But doc is talking about inducing me next week, am absolutely petrified but looking forward to meeting our little one and finding out if it's a boy or a girl!!!! :D

Smudgy, Myson, and Kellbell.... I hope that all is a little better for you all today.... A few more weeks and it'll all be over.....:D I'm hoping that the insulin does the trick for you all.... Will make life much easier as then you will be able to eat without stressing about the BSL's so much....:)

All this talk of being induced has me a little confused. Do some doctors just induce because you have GD? I have been told I will likely have lots of ctg monitoring and ultrasounds from 38wks to keep checking cord blood flow and placenta, but if all is ok he is happy to let me go to 42wks so that I risk less intervention. My levels have been really good and if they're under control, apparently there is no need for concern and I should be able to go into labour on my own.
It just seems like such a grey area and everyone has a different opinion. It seems the majority of people with GD are induced but I dont really understand the reason why.

Megan from what i have been told there are two reasons...

1. possibility of macrosomia ie. big fatty boomba baby! leading to difficult delivery because of shoulder dystocia (getting stuck). interestingly though a macrosomic baby has a normal size head usually and it is the body that grows out of proportion hence difficulty maneuvering through the birth canal.

2. slightly increased risk of stillbirth in GD. Some studies show that from 38 weeks onward the placenta MAY begin to break down earlier and/or faster than in a PG without GD. Hence the extra monitoring.

I will be having weekly CTG's from 32 weeks on and am having 4 weekly growth scans already. And have been recommended to have this baby between the 37 and 38 weeks mark, one way or the other.
ie naturally, (hopefully) induced or ceasarean.

Still not sure how its all going to go... seing the OB next week to discuss it further. But different Doc's have varying opinions on risks etc. so they will steer you more in the direction that THEY feel is best for you and bub.

Megan with all type of diabetes there are risks to the baby. The risks are not so much these days with better monitoring techniques etc but a lot of obstetricians are stuck in the conservative better out than in policy. Rare risks include placental degradation without warning as with diabetes everything develops earlier and therefore gets to the point of degrading earlier....it used to be a significant risk but now with CTG, regular ultrasounds it is something that can be better managed. Also there is a risk of macrosomia if th diabetes is uncontrolled.....macrosomia doesnt just mean a big baby, it means a disproportionally big baby....one with a much larger stomach than head. This means you birth the head part all hunky dorey but then baby gets stuck.....big issues can occur. Again this was a real risk in the past but not so much these days if you are well monitored. And then again the opposite can occur where you get growth retardation due to excessive sugar levels impeding the circulation of important growth nutrients through the placenta...this is more an issue with long standing diabetics whose general circualtion can be impaired not so much GD'ers.
So you can see why some OBs take a conservative approach especially around the 38 week mark.......you are lucky to have found an Ob who is more up with the play on modern monitoring techniques and focussed on the reality of these small risks rather than the hype that surrounds them.

You hear stories all the time (and i have seen some posted here in the news sections) about women who have birthed like 15lb babies and it says in the article that the woman had GD. This invokes fear in a lot of people espesh those who are pregnant themselves. the reality is that those women would have had to have had uncontrolled, severe GD and been uncompliant to treatment plans in order to grow such a big baby with such health issues. People like the responsible ones I see on these forums are doing the right thing by minimising the risks and monitoring things etc and they have all gone on to have healthy happy babies whether induced early or gone to term.
If your doctor wants to induce and you are not happy with that then i would ask a lot of questions about the why they want that....push for regular monitoring etc if you think it is just the GD that is influencing their decision.....but if you are happy to be induced then thats okay too....at least all the testing and injecting will be over!!!
I hope this makes sense...was just trying to answer megans questions and it has turned into a bit of a ramble!

Thanks for all that info mel :) I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something with regards to how my situation is being dealt with. Obviously I would prefer to go into labour spontaneously, but not at any risk to the baby. The OB and endo are both really happy with how things have gone, I was diagnosed early and it's been well controlled (bsl average at 5.4) which I guess is why he is happy to let me go with the extra monitoring at 38w rather than being induced then. Still a bit of a way to go until then, and anything can happen but I just needed to be clear that I didn't have any other reason to question him, and there were no other risks I hadn't been made aware of.

Myson, :lol: a big fatty boomba baby....when I had my 4d scan the lady told me he had really chubby cheeks and they're the first words that came to mind!! lol I'm hoping it's not a sign!

Megan, my Dr told me that because of the GD there wouldn't be any way that she'd let me go past 40 weeks because of the deterioration of the placenta and size of bubs.... At my scan at 33w 3d bubs was measuring 13 days ahead at nearly 6lb..... On Tues bubs was only 6 days ahead at 7lbs 13oz....... :rolleyes: And now with the high BP she's concerned that the nutrients aren't getting across the placenta to bubs which is why she's looking at inducing me next week...... But if it stays down, which it has for the last 3 days without meds I'm hoping that I'll be left to go into labour naturally, unless I go over the 40 week mark.....:pray::pray:

I think alot depends on your Dr, and the monitoring they have available to them...... Mine has everything available, which is why she has only said she's looking at inducing, it's not quite a definate yet......

Thanks Vanessa. I'll be happy to go with the extra monitoring from 38w and see how things go from there. I have been told over and over by my DE, OB and midwife that if my levels are controlled then there should be no effect on the placenta and I would be treated like any other woman, but the extra monitoring will be available (which obviously I would take). Then I keep seeing women (at the hospital I go to with private OB's - I'm public) where they have been induced as early as 34wks because they have GD and these women had not had any growth scans, or other monitoring. The fact they had a GD diagnosis was enough for the OB to induce early. I guess I should be happy my dr is not booking me in for an induction next week, but hearing of 2 women I know being induced at 34w with controlled GD has had me in a bit of a panic.

Megan, I would be worried if they are happy to induce at 34 weeks too.... That is a little too early for my liking, just my opinion though...... Bubs lungs aren't fully developed until 38 weeks, and there isn't enough surfactant in the lungs prior to that to make an easy start to life...... This is why my doc is hanging off til next week anyway.....;)

If your levels are good, I'm sure that you'll be fine, I think it is more if you are looking like you are gonna go past 40 weeks that they'll make the decision to induce...... Or if you get a secondary condition like me.... GD does put us at higher risk of having hypertension, which they want to prevent from developing into preeclampsia....... So I think a lot will also depend on what your BP does in the last few weeks...... Mine had been great until last Tues when it went up, then down, then up again on the weekend.....:wall: Now it is down again and we are playing the game of wait and see.....:wall::wall::wall:

Wow 34 w sounds just a bit too early doesnt it... because of the lungs and the sucking reflex issues...