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Gestational Diabetes

3K views 58 replies 18 participants last post by  Harmony96 
#1 ·
I don't do the GTT and my doc know this. I started testing this morning (I test 4 times a day for a week and share the numbers with him) and I'm not happy with my fasting glucose: 114. I guess I've got some tweaking to do ...
 
#8 ·
I passed my test the other day, but they discovered an iron issue in the process. Nothing is ever simple, haha.

Question: why with mine did I need to chug my love cocktail an hour before getting pricked and get my results in 5 min, but others have had to wait 3 hours or other strange time periods? I don't understand.
 
#9 ·
I passed my test the other day, but they discovered an iron issue in the process. Nothing is ever simple, haha.

Question: why with mine did I need to chug my love cocktail an hour before getting pricked and get my results in 5 min, but others have had to wait 3 hours or other strange time periods? I don't understand.
There are two tests. If you fail the one hour, you get to take the three hour.
 
#11 ·
Is it standard practice for Midwives to order this test? I know OB's require it, but my midwife hasn't mentioned it since the first visit. There was a handout on GD in the packet of stuff she gave me then. I'm pretty healthy, with no diabetes in my family. I see her on monday, and I'll ask, but I'm curious about all your experiences. All the woman around me are more traditional (or less depending on the was you look at it :) ) and have had OB's.
 
#12 ·
Some do, some don't. Most will use something other than the syrup water (jellybeans or a large, carby breakfast). MWs are better about handling a decline than OB's.

Having diabetes in your family really has little to do with GD. Insulin resistance is a natural state in pregnancy. Some do not even believe there is such a thing as GD. I believe it is very rare. My doctor admits the diagnosis and blood glucose goal numbers are completely arbitrary. He also admitted that it has a lot to do with labeling a pregnancy high risk and charging insurance companies more. For example, when they change the diagnosis to include the top 10% of high glucose mamas instead of the top 2% (which they did), how many hundreds of thousands of pregnant women instantly were bumped into the high risk category? How many millions of dollars were billed to insurance and Medicaid?
 
#13 ·
With my first, my midwife (home birth/naturopath) did offer it routinely, the standard "glucola" syrupy drink stuff, but it would have been very easy for me to decline it or do the alternative. All the nurse midwives in the area offer the same standard one too. I think the OBs around here would give you a hard time about not doing it but would be ok with you just 'assuming' you had it after a failed 1 hr and doing the diet and finger sticks that would be recommended, without doing the 3hr.

I'm getting my results on Monday, and admittedly bought some Ben and Jerry's to enjoy thus w/e just in case it's my last...
 
#14 ·
With my first, my midwife (home birth/naturopath) did offer it routinely, the standard "glucola" syrupy drink stuff, but it would have been very easy for me to decline it or do the alternative. All the nurse midwives in the area offer the same standard one too. I think the OBs around here would give you a hard time about not doing it but would be ok with you just 'assuming' you had it after a failed 1 hr and doing the diet and finger sticks that would be recommended, without doing the 3hr.

I'm getting my results on Monday, and admittedly bought some Ben and Jerry's to enjoy thus w/e just in case it's my last...
Haha, enjoy your ice cream!
 
#16 ·
My MW let me just decline it no problems. From my DD though my tips are: eat a high fat, very low carb breakfast, and walk around if you are able while you wait the hour for your blood draw. I just went outside the lab and made phone calls and walked around while I waited.
 
#18 ·
This time around my midwife hasn't even suggested it, but in the beginning we talked about it and decided we wouldn't bother unless I wasn't feeling well. With my other two pregnancies with OB's it wasn't a decision I was allowed to make and also had to fast before the tests.
 
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#19 ·
This GD is kicking my butt. With my last pregnancy I was able to control it with diet, now the OB put me on glyburide, only after I tried everything. I hate taking meds. After being it for three days, my morning fasting sugars were under control, however, I broke out in hives. I didn't realize it was a sulfa drug, and I have developed sulfa allergies over the last year. This sucks. I'm so frustrated and feel like I'm a failure. I haven't called the OB yet, since it's a weekend, and she has no answering service, I'd be calling her directly, which I feel bad about, but this isn't an emergency.

Has anyone tired tri-chromium to control diabetes? I've been doing so much research, my brain is on overload. Does anyone use fish oil, or coenzyme10 to help?
 
#20 ·
This GD is kicking my butt. With my last pregnancy I was able to control it with diet, now the OB put me on glyburide, only after I tried everything. I hate taking meds. After being it for three days, my morning fasting sugars were under control, however, I broke out in hives. I didn't realize it was a sulfa drug, and I have developed sulfa allergies over the last year. This sucks. I'm so frustrated and feel like I'm a failure. I haven't called the OB yet, since it's a weekend, and she has no answering service, I'd be calling her directly, which I feel bad about, but this isn't an emergency.

Has anyone tired tri-chromium to control diabetes? I've been doing so much research, my brain is on overload. Does anyone use fish oil, or coenzyme10 to help?
You said you'd tried diet ... did you follow the recommended GD diet? IMO, it has way too many carbs. Meat, cheese, eggs, and low carb veggies might be enough to control it, IDK. A lot of dieticians recommend whole grains, but that is a huge mistake. No grains is better. Also, eat a lot of fat, ie., coconut oil, avacadoes, etc.

As far as meds ... I've used cinammon and spirulina to control regular diabetes in my cousin while he was losing weight, but I've never had to go on meds with GD. I'm sorry you're struggling! Hives suck!

Also, what are the goal numbers your doc gave you?
 
#22 ·
I eat low carb, like less than 60 a day. The GD diet is full of carbs, I tried that at first and my sugar was in the 150's or higher. OB wants my fasting glucose under 95, which I think is low, last time for me was <100, and under 120 after an hour, and last time at an hour was <140. Granted that was six years ago, but do things change that much?

I'm frustrated too. Even with being low carb my fasting level this morning was 99, without meds for four days. The hives do suck. I'm still itching in some places where new hives have developed. I would think the meds would be out if my system by now.
 
#26 ·
I took the 1 hour test last Friday, and I haven't heard from my midwife. No news is good news tho! She said they'd only call if there was a prob. Whew! I wasn't really worried, but I do have a major sweet tooth, so I didn't want to hear I couldn't have any dessert :D
 
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#27 ·
I've avoided the GTT as I previously at type 2 diabetes (resolved following large amount of weight loss). I've been doing fingerpricks and taking a limited carb, moderate protein diet since the beginning. I think it would be positive as my meal-limit is about 1.5 slices of bread.

Hoping to get away without insulin. I have a lovely physician who is quite supportive on this front, and with my 1000 questions.
 
#28 ·
after failing the one-hour test, one of the four blood draws for the three-hour test, and then retaking the one-hour yesterday, i got the bad news today that i have gestational diabetes. even though there wasn't really anything i could have done to prevent it, i still feel like a failure. it's especially discouraging because i started a GD diet after the three-hour test (two weeks ago), and my score on yesterday's test was the worst one yet.

i was already so nervous about the health of my baby (no particular reason, just first-time nerves), and now to be told "you are a high risk pregnancy..." so scary. :(
 
#30 ·
First of all, you are not a failure. Pregnancy makes one naturally insulin resistant. It's the way our bodies are made. GD is a set of arbitrary numbers picked to make more pregnancies high risk, thus allowing them to charge more money. Even my OB admitted this. Having said this, I do believe it's important to control your numbers, just in case. My friend just had an 11 1/2 lb baby! No thanks!

It us frustrating, and I feel like EPA failure too. My husband tells me I'm not, somim passing that sentiment onto you nineteen plums. Our bodies just don't know how to do this. I refuse to believe I'm high risk. My doc wants to do biophysical files every week starting in two weeks. I am going to call on Monday and ask for the meds since my fasting glucose won't stay below 122. It fluctuates between 97, which she says is too high, and 122. I refuse to let anything happen to my babe. I worked too long and hard to get her. I've tried to go no carb at night for dinner and snack, only to wake up to fasting levels @122.
Good luck, we can fight this, we have too.
Arbitrary. My OB wants my fasting numbers under 105. He said it's just the number he's chosen. If 97 is too high, what is your doc looking for? Also, make sure you have a minimum of 8 hours after your snack, otherwise it's not really a fasting number. I can't remember who mentioned that to me - someone on here or my sister who has type 2 - but it's made a difference in my numbers.

Oh, and to both of you: Following the GD diet that the nutritionist will give you won't be enough. The recommended GD is too high in carbs to control GD. I'm not sure if it's a conspiracy to get us on meds or it's a difference in education that they get in school.
 
#29 · (Edited)
It us frustrating, and I feel like a failure too. My husband tells me I'm not, somim passing that sentiment onto you nineteen plums. Our bodies just don't know how to do this. I refuse to believe I'm high risk. My doc wants to do biophysical files every week starting in two weeks. I am going to call on Monday and ask for the meds since my fasting glucose won't stay below 122. It fluctuates between 97, which she says is too high, and 122. I refuse to let anything happen to my babe. I worked too long and hard to get her. I've tried to go no carb at night for dinner and snack, only to wake up to fasting levels @122.
Good luck, we can fight this, we have too.
 
#33 ·
I'm borderline this time, I think. I had an appointment last week and she asked what I had for breakfast (my usual smoothie and a not usual egg burrito) and how long ago it was (about an hour and a half by then) and my number was 141. She said I could come and do the glucola test, or I could take home a meter and keep a food log and check my sugars seven times a day (fasting, and one and two hours after every meal). I chose to take home the meter. They wanted fasting under 90, one-hour under 120, and two-hour under 100. About half of my numbers in every category are out of range, but not overly so, except for tonight's pizza at 164 and 146. Oof. I have one strip left so I'll test my fasting tomorrow morning and then text her tomorrow afternoon to see where to go from here.
 
#34 ·
Harmony, I think you and I are in a similar position - I got a meter because I'm allergic to corn, but my numbers are similar - my midwife said they wanted the two hour to be under 120 - and most of mine are.... A few were 122. One was much higher - no clue why.

Anyone have suggestions for getting enough blood for the meter? I think I need to get larger guage lancets.

I'm also concerned that this will risk me out of a home birth... But if I can control it with diet, I'm not sure why it should? I can't see any studies that show a risk of baby's blood sugar dropping at birth, if the GD is well controlled?
 
#35 ·
Harmony, I think you and I are in a similar position - I got a meter because I'm allergic to corn, but my numbers are similar - my midwife said they wanted the two hour to be under 120 - and most of mine are.... A few were 122. One was much higher - no clue why.

Anyone have suggestions for getting enough blood for the meter? I think I need to get larger guage lancets.

I'm also concerned that this will risk me out of a home birth... But if I can control it with diet, I'm not sure why it should? I can't see any studies that show a risk of baby's blood sugar dropping at birth, if the GD is well controlled?
If it's diet controlled you should be able to birth at home.

Run your hand under warm water before you prick your finger. That should help.
 
#36 ·
I passed my one hour with flying colors this time, which I was very relieved about, since last time I came within two points of needing to do the 3 hr (and it looks like by some of your doctors' standards I would not have passed at all). This time, being older and having two babies baking I was pretty sure I would fail at least the 1 hour.
Maybe this is common knowledge to all of you, but the piece of advice my midwife gave me after the (almost) bad test during my first pregnancy was to go for a walk after every meal to help regulate my sugars. I could feel the difference in my body's ability to deal with sugar when I did that, so even though I don't have the evidence in numbers I am a firm believer, and try to do that now whenever I have something high in sugar (pregnant or not - I have a strong family history of type 2 diabetes which doesn't seem to be mitigated by healthy weight and eating - eek!).
 
#37 ·
Thanks, usuallycurious! I do think that my icy office is part of the problem -baby makes me feel not as cold, at least!

It's hard for me to walk after every meal, but I agree that its good.
 
#39 ·
My 1 hour was 136, and apparently this time last year would have been a pass, but this year is considered a fail. :/

I refused the three hour and went right to testing 4 times a day. Which was very evident I do not have GD because my highest number has been 122, with the next highest 107, and the rest under 100 (after 1 hour of eating)

Really makes me wonder how I could even get that 136 reading, and then I remember they made me drink 100g of sugar....that's why ;)
 
#40 ·
I'm still not sure if I actually have a diagnosis or not, but my midwife did want me to keep checking. I was away for a wedding all weekend, and even though I was usually eating with my (type II) diabetic dad, people kept encouraging me to eat stuff that I knew I shouldn't :( I've dieted to lose weight before, so I know myself well that way - I know I'll go bonkers if I can't have any treats, but I can have just a tiny bit of treat and call it good! Hard at a restaurant, though - I can't throw food out, either!

So, I had a weekend of not great numbers. But I'm honestly not even sure what the goal here is? I know that you said that doc didn't even know @UsuallyCurious, but it's really frustrating. I'm only supposed to check at 2 hours. If I eat sugary things, the 2 hour is usually fine. If I eat lots of protein, fat and complex carbs, it's high. I'm used to approaching this from a hypoglycemia management standpoint - sugar will spike me up and down, protein & fat will give me a nice, friendly, arc (though too much fat has other issues). Am I totally off base? I get that if one is insulin resistant, that spike up will last a lot longer, but mine doesn't seem to? I feel like I could "game the system" by just eating enough sugar to spike up and down by 2 hours later, but I obviously would rather take care of myself and my little girl - I'm just not sure what that means!
 
#41 ·
I'm still not sure if I actually have a diagnosis or not, but my midwife did want me to keep checking. I was away for a wedding all weekend, and even though I was usually eating with my (type II) diabetic dad, people kept encouraging me to eat stuff that I knew I shouldn't :( I've dieted to lose weight before, so I know myself well that way - I know I'll go bonkers if I can't have any treats, but I can have just a tiny bit of treat and call it good! Hard at a restaurant, though - I can't throw food out, either!

So, I had a weekend of not great numbers. But I'm honestly not even sure what the goal here is? I know that you said that doc didn't even know @UsuallyCurious, but it's really frustrating. I'm only supposed to check at 2 hours. If I eat sugary things, the 2 hour is usually fine. If I eat lots of protein, fat and complex carbs, it's high. I'm used to approaching this from a hypoglycemia management standpoint - sugar will spike me up and down, protein & fat will give me a nice, friendly, arc (though too much fat has other issues). Am I totally off base? I get that if one is insulin resistant, that spike up will last a lot longer, but mine doesn't seem to? I feel like I could "game the system" by just eating enough sugar to spike up and down by 2 hours later, but I obviously would rather take care of myself and my little girl - I'm just not sure what that means!
That is really, really strange. Maybe you are eating too many complex carbs? Portion size has a lot to do with it. If I go by the portion size of brown rice my numbers sky rocket!
 
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