The Gestational Diabetes support thread

[jenb1301]

Hi ladies. I'm hoping you will be able to give me some advice. I had my gtt on Tuesday and just had a call to say that they are going to treat me as a gd patient. I'm not sure on levels, the midwife originally asked me if I had definintely fasted from 9pm the night before which I had, as my 1st set of bloods came back higher than usual. I've got to wait for an appointment to see the diabetic specialist but until then I really don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. Can anyone give me any advice on what I should/shouldn't be eating? Baby is measuring 3 weeks ahead and I also have extra fluid which I'm guessing is now linked to the gd. I can't help but worry now as I know nothing about it xx

 

[Demaris]

Hi Jen

I was feeling exactly like you a few weeks ago, that time between diagnosis and the appointment I was left thinking well what do i do?

My consultant at my appointment told me not to alter my diet drastically, but to try and cut out bad carbs like sweets/cakes/chocolate etc. But as for all other carb groups like pasta, potatoes, bread as long as its in moderation we needs carbs for baby.

At first i was so paranoid about going over my 'limits' that i was practically on an atkins style diet, which isn't good for us. At first they will probably see how diet control can alter your numbers. They will give you a machine and a pricker thing to test your blood either 2 hours before meals (fasting) or after meals. You have to write these numbers down and they keep track tweeking here and there to get the right levels. Some are offered medication in tablet form to bring levels down and if that isnt having the desired affect then they are given insulin to inject (thats what i do). But plenty of people are just diet controlled.

They will explain everything at your appointment, but dont change anything now as they will probably want to discuss what changes to make with you when you see them xx

 

[jenb1301]

Thank you demaris. I was really hoping it wouldn't come back positive but I am overweight so I always knew it was a possibility. I'm already panicking that baby is going to be massive! Is it likely that they will want to induce me early because of this? Its my worst nightmare and I think I'd rather have a section if they want to get the lo out early. Xx

 

[Demaris]

Thank you demaris. I was really hoping it wouldn't come back positive but I am overweight so I always knew it was a possibility. I'm already panicking that baby is going to be massive! Is it likely that they will want to induce me early because of this? Its my worst nightmare and I think I'd rather have a section if they want to get the lo out early. Xx

GD is caused by the placenta producing hormones that interferes with how insulin works in your body, its nothing you have done or didnt do (dont blame your weight)

You will probably have more growth scans and depending on baby's size they will assess a natural birth. My 1st too were 9lb and 10lb (although I never had GD with them) and I was fine having natural births

I am being induced at 38 weeks but im not sure if its because of the GD only or because also I am 41 years old x

 

[jenb1301]

Thank you demaris. I was really hoping it wouldn't come back positive but I am overweight so I always knew it was a possibility. I'm already panicking that baby is going to be massive! Is it likely that they will want to induce me early because of this? Its my worst nightmare and I think I'd rather have a section if they want to get the lo out early. Xx

GD is caused by the placenta producing hormones that interferes with how insulin works in your body, its nothing you have done or didnt do (dont blame your weight)

You will probably have more growth scans and depending on baby's size they will assess a natural birth. My 1st too were 9lb and 10lb (although I never had GD with them) and I was fine having natural births

I am being induced at 38 weeks but im not sure if its because of the GD only or because also I am 41 years old x

Oh really? The only risk factor I had was the fact that I've got a high BMI. There is no diabetes in the family so I did kind of assume that it is down to my weight, although I also think I'm not massively overweight and there are ladies that are bigger than me that have perfectly healthy pregnancies so I guess it's just down to luck! x

 

[Sm1lerno1]

Hi ladies,

I have gone through quite a few pages but can't find what I'm looking for.

Had the glucose tolerance test yest. Only because there is excess fluid surrounding baby, but nothing major.

I phoned today for results and was told she would have to speak to the doctor to know what to do.
She said their limit/cut off was 5.1 apparently after fasting I was 5.1 and bloods after the test were 5.2 so she said that was borderline. She also said sometimes that will be fine but other times that requires further investigations.

The problem is, I know nothing about this at all. What levels? What is 5.1? I really am clueless.

Can you shed a little light on this?

 

[Demaris]

Hi ladies,

I have gone through quite a few pages but can't find what I'm looking for.

Had the glucose tolerance test yest. Only because there is excess fluid surrounding baby, but nothing major.

I phoned today for results and was told she would have to speak to the doctor to know what to do.
She said their limit/cut off was 5.1 apparently after fasting I was 5.1 and bloods after the test were 5.2 so she said that was borderline. She also said sometimes that will be fine but other times that requires further investigations.

The problem is, I know nothing about this at all. What levels? What is 5.1? I really am clueless.

Can you shed a little light on this?

Those levels sound fine to me, I think each hospital differs though. I've been told my optimum readings should be between 4.5 and 5.5 and if I go over that to ring and have my insulin upped. My original readings when I got diagnosed was 7-8 and they said that was hugely over target. I would imagine they would ask you to control your readings with diet? have they offered you a GD appointment?

 

[Jaxx01]

Hey

I don't come on here all that often but had a notification.

Basically, a non diabetics levels are normally between 4-7 fasting and around that before and 2 hours after meals

I think 5.2 is an excellent result are 2 hours but this may increase as pregnancy goes on so the doc may just want to make you aware of a few dietary changes you can make to help you keep it in range x

 

[Jaxx01]

Mine was 8.9 fasting and 15.4 2 hours after lol I was rushed in within hours of the test to be put straight on insulin!! x

 

[Sm1lerno1]

I'm not going to know anything further until tmrw when the nurse has spoke to the doctor and phoned me back.

I'll assume then the higher it goes the worse you are affected? Or am I completely off?! As she said the 5.2 was within normal range but he 5.1 was bang on borderline.

See the numbers, what are they? Is it a sugar count, a blood count, I honestly have no idea!

Thanks for your replies. I'm not worried about it but I hate not knowing nothing about something. X

 

[Jaxx01]

Yes the are representative of the amount of sugar you have in your body, we all need some sugar to survive and function properly. However, the more sugar you have floating around your body, the harder it is for your insulin to break it down (if you're diabetic) and can lead to nerve damage and all sorts of nasties and if you are pregnant when you have too much glucose in your blood the extra sugar can cross over the placenta and case issues for the baby as it will need to produce extra insulin to cope with the demand this can cause the baby to gain weight and be a bigger than average baby and also the extra insulin is a worry when the baby is born.

 

[Sm1lerno1]

Yes the are representative of the amount of sugar you have in your body, we all need some sugar to survive and function properly. However, the more sugar you have floating around your body, the harder it is for your insulin to break it down (if you're diabetic) and can lead to nerve damage and all sorts of nasties and if you are pregnant when you have too much glucose in your blood the extra sugar can cross over the placenta and case issues for the baby as it will need to produce extra insulin to cope with the demand this can cause the baby to gain weight and be a bigger than average baby and also the extra insulin is a worry when the baby is born.

Thanks for your explanation.

I read through dozens of pages lastnight....didn't realise food also played such an important role. See what I'm told today and take it from there.

Thought I'd had my fair share of illnesses this pregnancy lol but maybe not!

Thanks again x

 

[Jaxx01]

Yeah unfortunately the carbs in food break down into glucose. Get a tight control on you diet will help massively x

 

[Sm1lerno1]

This terrifies me..... I live on bread and bread alone ��

 

[Jaxx01]

You know it's really not that bad. I am now type 1.5 unfortunately so I've had to give up bread and I, like yourself, used to live on bread. Also used to love pasta and potatoes. But my new way of life is not so bad...I follow a low carb high fat diet (dietary fat had little effect on your cholesterol level)

Tbh, you levels don't sound bad at all and they will probably advise you swap to slower release carbs, ie swap white for brown etc.

Most of all, don't panic! !! Let us know what your doctor says and we are here for any questions. Not only did I have GD I'm living everyday with it now I'm on multiple daily injections of insulin x

 

[Sm1lerno1]

I went into day care today just after physio, the doctor was there. I asked what was happening and the doctor was satisfied that they didn't need to do anything further.

Good news but maybe to be on the safe side, I should adopt a better diet!

Got another growth scan on Wed, so I guess they will measure the amniotic fluid again, hopefully it's as it was or back to normal amount.

Thanks again for your replies. Good luck to you all. You are very brave women. X

 

[Lolie14]

Hi,

I have just been diagnosed with GD - I am 18+3

Could anyone point me in the direction of a GD meal planner for a vegetarian? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Bonfire Bride]

Hello ladies,

anyone else here been diagnosed with GD? or coping with it recently?

I had my GTT on Tuesday and was phoned on Wednesday morning with the results. I have an appointment with nutritionist on the 10th and then finally get to see a consultant a week later.

I have already pinched my mams diabetes glucose testing machine and test around 6 times a day so that I have some information to take to the consultant.

Was terrified at first after jumping straight to Dr Google but have calmed down now thankfully

 

[hayes]

I had it with my first pg n now with my second it's a pain but I'm managing to control with diet so I know I'm lucky really. Was induced last time at 38wks n had a pretty good n straight forward labour. Being induced this time at 38+3 on the 1st Sept.

Any questions ask away hun. Oh n Harry was only 6lb10 so not a big baby or why probs with his sugars when he was born.

Michelle.x

 

[Ella1979]

I had GD with my second pregnancy and couldn't control it with diet, so was put on metformin. All pretty straightforward, to be honest, bit of tummy trouble for the first few days taking the metformin and didn't like testing blood sugar so many times each day, but other than that was absolutely fine. I had a C-section (my choice, it was either induction or section) at 37 weeks - it was brought forward a week due to me having too much fluid, but he was born at a very healthy 7lb 10oz, so not too big either!