Diabetic Mamas Support Thread, T1, T2, or GD

[umsami]

Was wondering if there were any other diabetic pregnant mamas out there who wanted to start a support thread.

I had GD with my last three pregnancies, but graduated to full-blown type 2 after my last pregnancy. It had been well controlled with diet/exercise, although now that I'm pregnant, my endocrinologist has me on metformin. We may go to glyburide as the pregnancy progresses or insulin. (I've done both.)

Fasting blood sugars are my downfall. I am lucky if I can get them in the 95-99 range, but ideally my MFM and endocrinologist want below 95.

We, as a family, had been leaning towards a vegetarian diet (probably 6/7 days per week), but now I feel like I'm having to head back to more animal protein as I'm having too much trouble keeping my numbers down as a vegetarian.

I've used OneTouch and AccuChek meters...and I just bought a Wal-Mart brand one because the strips are so much cheaper ($39.99 for 100... $9 for meter.) It's actually just as good as my other meters, same small blood sample, etc.... although I'm continuing to use my AccuChek lancet as it has 5 or 6 lancets in one barrel, and is much easier for me.

[zannster]

I have GD. I use the WaveSense Presto meter ($15, and strips are not as cheap as yours but reasonable). I haven't used any others for comparison, but it seems to work fine. This is my first time having to do this. So far, my fasting BG is okay (around 85-90), and the GD overall is not too bad. I can eat a decent amount and variety of carbs.

I'm struggling with the diet now though. My midwife wants me to follow a rather low-carb diet, and I just can't/won't stick to it at this point. Unfortunately, I think dairy is doing a number on my other end (ouch), so I'm struggling to figure out how to get enough protein. I had been 99% vegetarian for a few years prior to this pregnancy. Now I'm eating chicken more days than not (still refuse to eat any other meat but chicken and fish), and other protein sources (besides the evil dairy) usually don't appeal to me. *sigh*

[greenluv]

Me, too.

I had been told that I had "higher" bs levels with my last 4 pregnancies but was never given an explanation about what that meant. None.

I'm now officially a T2 diabetic. #'s have been between 90-140 for the last few weeks. I'm finding that the closer I get to 90, the more likely I am to shoot right past it and drop way low and get hypoglycemic. I haven't yet worked out how to balance this bs level and weight gain. All in all I have awesome women Dr's one of which is also diabetic so she gets it.

BTW, I am using insulin 4 x's per day. The pills I was taking in the beginning were killing me.

[mkpgoddess]

Oh God, I'm so happy to see this, I could cry. Thank you, UmSami!!

I had GD with DD, but it was 100% diet controlled. When we started TTC, I immediately went on a GD-like diet as I was told that I would probably have it with successive pregnancies, so I didn't want the shock the new diet gave me with DD. At least now I'm used to it...

I was immediately diagnosed at 6 weeks with GD with this pregnancy. I failed the 1 hr glucose test so spectacularly that they aren't going to make me take the 3 hr. My fastings are the major problem, usually hovering in the 94-101 range, but a quick walk after dinner and throwing up every meal has brought them down to 86-88. I have to be below 89. Meals range between 101-122, again brought lower though with the morning sickness. I have to be below 130 for meals.

I use the OneTouch Ultra since that's what my insurance covers. I was using the FreeStyle Lite but my numbers weren't making any sense, so I didn't mind changing.

Oh, and no metformin or glyburide for me. My doctor won't prescribe them, so I'll go straight to insulin once everything starts to go nuts again. Part of me is glad the m/s is getting bad because at least my numbers are good, but on the other hand......ugh....and sadly, I don't seem to ever drop past 86 even if I go a really long while without eating (after all, we have to time our trips to the loo... )

Samantha

[umsami]

Yes, walking definitely helps!

I have a new OB practice... and it bugs me that they are not at all concerned about my diabetes yet. They're like... well, we're going to refer you to a MFM... But that could be a few weeks before I get in.

My endo is much more concerned and just changed my 1x daily metformin extended release to 2x day (am and pm). My fasting blood sugars are still high, but slightly better.

As much as I hated the thought of insulin, I liked how in-control I felt. My MFM gave me this little chart so I knew if I got a reading of X.... to inject so much of this kind of insulin. It was so tightly regulated... and that's probably why DS1 was in the 8 pound range... versus almost 10 for my other two (my glyburide babies). Glyburide is easier... in terms of a pill... but I don't think it does as good of a job. Plus I had quite a few hypoglycemic episodes in the middle of the night. If I didn't have enough glyburide at night, then my fastings were too high... but if I took enough, and maybe didn't eat enough at dinner... come 2 a.m. or 3 a.m.... I was hypoglycemic.

When I saw the new OB (well I saw her CNM), she's like, "our goal is to keep you off of insulin." I kind of felt like saying, "Well, as I've needed it (or something) for three pregnancies..that doesn't phase me... my goal is to have healthy blood sugars so my baby is healthy!" I know people freak about insulin... and even being diagnosed as GD here on MDC... but to me, it no longer phases me. I just want to have a healthy baby. If it means I get to inject insulin into my thighs, so be it. (Thank G-d for big thighs )

I will say... though... I wish I could just eat whatever I wanted during pregnancy. Those "what are you eating" threads kill me. I wish I could just stop thinking about the diabetes and eat whatever sounded good at the time.

[greenluv]

Originally Posted by mkpgoddess

Oh God, I'm so happy to see this, I could cry. Thank you, UmSami!!

I had GD with DD, but it was 100% diet controlled. When we started TTC, I immediately went on a GD-like diet as I was told that I would probably have it with successive pregnancies, so I didn't want the shock the new diet gave me with DD. At least now I'm used to it...

I was immediately diagnosed at 6 weeks with GD with this pregnancy. I failed the 1 hr glucose test so spectacularly that they aren't going to make me take the 3 hr. My fastings are the major problem, usually hovering in the 94-101 range, but a quick walk after dinner and throwing up every meal has brought them down to 86-88. I have to be below 89. Meals range between 101-122, again brought lower though with the morning sickness. I have to be below 130 for meals.

I use the OneTouch Ultra since that's what my insurance covers. I was using the FreeStyle Lite but my numbers weren't making any sense, so I didn't mind changing.

Oh, and no metformin or glyburide for me. My doctor won't prescribe them, so I'll go straight to insulin once everything starts to go nuts again. Part of me is glad the m/s is getting bad because at least my numbers are good, but on the other hand......ugh....and sadly, I don't seem to ever drop past 86 even if I go a really long while without eating (after all, we have to time our trips to the loo... )

Samantha

I'm sorry you have morning sickness. I had with all 4 of my other babies but NONE this time. I think it's weird and I don't really "feel" preggo but I have the US pic as proof. Interesting that insulin is a hormone so I suspect that this diabetes has much to do with the lack of ms this time for me.

I was diagnosed immediately this pregnancy as well and was told that typically showing diabetes this early means it's t2 and not gestational-not sure how true that is but it's what my OB tells me. Then again my numbers were well over 400 during that initial bg screen.

One thing to keep in mind is that stressing will make your bs #'s freak out. I am grateful for my insulin because I can eat as usual-just some things in moderation and not feel so restricted. I don't know what I'd do if I had a Dr breathing down my neck about perfect bs numbers. As I said, 90 would be ideal for me but I'm having trouble staying close to that without falling too low. I have been drinking a few ounces of V-8 juice when I wake up to use the bathroom at night and I think this is all that's keeping me from bottoming out completely at night.