The Gestational Diabetes support thread

[openeyes]

Hi ladies!

Hope you don't mind me popping my head in here. I had my GTT yesterday morning and was told yesterday afternoon to go straight to hospital as my results came back really high and they might have to keep me in overnight (Thankfully I didn't have to in the end!). So, I guess that means I have GD! Am booked in to see the Diabetes Midwife on Monday afternoon.

I'm a little bit scared and not really sure what to expect. Any reassurance and advice as to what will happen next would be greatly appreciated! xx

 

[Jaxx01]

Same happened to me! Unfortunately I wasn't able to try by diet alone so I was put straight on insulin! The thought was far worse than te reality!!

Firstly, I'd say don't panic! You will get regular checks and scans just to make sure baby doesn't get too big! I was induced 11 days early as they don't like you to go over as the extra sugar can break down the placenta towards the end or baby can get a little big!!!

Firstly diet wise, obviously stop all sugary sweets, cakes fizzy drinks etc. Next would be to swap white for brown where possible, ie bread, pasta etc....

Having GD doesn't have to be bad... If you control your levels you and baby will be fine!

With regards to baby after birth... Stanley and I had to stay in until he had 3 consecutive normal blood sugar levels... Sometimes if the mums levels are too high, then baby produces more insulin to fight it and once that extra sugar is taken away the extra insulin in baby could make its natural sugars drop! Or something like that lol m

pm me if you want a chat!!

Xx

 

[openeyes]

Thanks for that Jaxx

I know GD isn't the end of the world. But the hospital really scared me last night! I read through my notes when I got home and my GTT reading was 16.8mmol!! Which is scarily high!

It's going to be hard for me to cut down on sugar, as I have a massive sweet tooth! but I'm sure with the support of my lovely oh I'll be able to do it.

I guess the extra scans will be a positive out of all of this Means I get to see my little man more!

xx

 

[Jaxx01]

Good luck with your diabetes midwife appointment this afternoon let us know how you get on xxx

 

[Jaxx01]

How far gone are you? My level was 15. Something when I was diagnosed, unfortunately that's why they put me on insulin ;( mine it turned out though was most probably underlying type 2 as i was diagnosed in September

Don't be scared if they put you on insulin, tbh I found it quite easy to keep levels down on it and from someone who does not like injections at all it wasn't that bad!!!

Fingers crossed they allow you to diet control xxxx

 

[berit87]

I was diagnosed around 14 weeks if I remember correctly, am now 37 weeks still on diet only but my readings were never that high. Like Jaxx said it is not the end of the world - if anything it has taught me to eat better rather than binge through pregnancy and thanks to that I have not gained any weight throughout the pregnancy - very good result considering the last 2 pregnancies I put on quite a few stone.

Make sure you do a lot of research so that you are informed - my hospital tried to force lots of things on me like induction etc which in the end they decided was not necessary. Of course things vary depending whether you are on insulin or not etc.

Good luck! x

 

[Jaxx01]

I was induced 11 days early as the risk of the placenta breaking down increases as you get to the final few weeks.. I think if you have tight control then it shouldn't be a problem. I was induced by peasant not drip so wasn't that bad an experience tbh!

It can be overwhelming at first but you do get used to testing etc xx

 

[openeyes]

Just got back from the hospital. It's not all as scary as I first thought! They talked me through everything. Don't need medication just yet, but that could change. Had another scan, which was nice, but he is a little bit bigger than he should be around his tummy. But hopefully me changing my diet will help manage that!

 

[Jaxx01]

Hey Openeyes! Glad it went ok did they give you any dietary advice?? if not I can give you a few pointers? Did they give you a glucose monitor? Xxx

 

[openeyes]

Yeah, I got to see the dietitian. Just got back from buying a bunch of stuff that I can eat. And got a glucose monitor. Had a couple of high readings, but I think thats just my body getting used to it. My last post meal reading was 6.5, so thats not too bad.

 

[Jaxx01]

No that's not bad at all!! I'm getting 7-8 and I'm not even pregnant lol x

 

[openeyes]

It was my post breakfast reading of 12 that sent me off the rails a bit! lol. But I've just been shopping to get lots of lovely GD friendly foods!

 

[dragonlady]

i had my GTT the other day and got my results yesterday and they r a bit high and ive been asked to go back in tomorrow to get a blood sugar monitoring machine. no idea what ill have to do and what will happen. i really dont want to have more problems on top of all the ones i have. i dont think its much of a problem as ive not gained a lot of weight since getting pregnant all the info says i should have gained between 17 and 24 lbs by now and ive only gained 8lbss so i think if i had a problem with diabetes id have gained a bit more than that and bubs would be bigger.

 

[Jaxx01]

No necessarily hun I had it bad and my baby was only 7lb!

You've already said your levels are slightly high, they will need to keep an eye on it as your levels are likely to rise as the pregnancy progresses. It differs in different trusts but I had to take a reading first thing and before and 2 hrs after a meal. They will prob let you do that for a week or so to see what's going on xxx

 

[openeyes]

Jaxx, out of interest, do you remember what your readings should be 2 hours after a meal? I have to take my post meal readings 1 hour after and they have to be below 7.9, but I'm finding that whilst my post lunch and dinner readings are fine, my post breakfast reading is always high.

 

[Jaxx01]

Yes mine were the same!!!
What type of things are you having? Xx

 

[openeyes]

Well, yesterday I had bran flakes and milk. And this morning I had 2 slices of granary toast with low fat marg and a kiwi. So all of the things that are on my "ok to eat" list!

I was just curious, as surely, for me to have 7.9 after only 1 hour after meals is not necessarily very achievable, whereas for it to be that after 2 hours? I don't know.

I don't know if I need to speak to my diabetes midwife, as if I have another high reading that will be 3 since I started monitoring on Tuesday. But all of my other readings have been fine! I really don't want to go on insulin I have to psych myself up just to jab my finger for the tests!

 

[Jaxx01]

Basically they say two hours because in a non diabetic that when the blood sugar should be back to 'normal' so unless you've been told to check after an hour I wouldn't bother, it's the 2 hour one that's important!

With regards to your breakfasts... I'm not sure tbh..

Bran flakes should be ok but maybe your portion is slightly too large??

This 'safe' list is the nhs bog standard list? I'm sure it will probably say baked beans and a jacket would be fine whereas I learnt the very next day that there were just too many carbs in that!

Granary bread was the same!

It's so difficult to get the balance right as you and bubba still need some carbs!!!!

I used to like ommelette

 

[openeyes]

I have been told to check after an hour though! Yet, for my GTT I took the liquid and waited 2 hours! I really don't understand this whole thing.

The list I have is in a booklet they gave me at my first clinic on monday. So I had my granary toast for brekkie and got a reading of 11. Yet, I had a ham sandwich made with the same bread and my post lunch reading was 7.8. I don't know about my portions, I am probably having about the recommended portion size as is on the box, so for bran flakes maybe about 20g?

The silly thing is, all these numbers are starting to stress me out! On Tuesday I had to go to hospital as my bp was 130/100 because I was getting stressed out about this whole thing.

 

[Jaxx01]

Aww I know it can be really stressful but you just gotta try your best...

I'm not sure, a few ladies here have been told an hour, I was always told two? Odd lol even as a fully fledged diabetic it two hours lol

there's something that happens in our bodies overnight, think iur liver produces insulin, not exactly sure but a lot of people have trouble in the mornings! What's your reading first thing in the morning? It could be that once you get that one down, the breakfast one will follow!! Do you snack at night? A late snack might give you a higher early morning reading??


Just don't stress hun, that won't help, stress, colds & lots of things can push your sugars up! xxx