PSA...Moms with GD.....
As I near the end of this journey, I am thankful for the rigorous care of my OBs. From 9 weeks on, they have monitored my blood sugars and adjusted my insulin (If I did not do it, they called me wanting them). From 26 weeks on, I have seen them anywhere from once a week to twice a week for NSTs, AFIs, etc. Most of my family and friends thought I was nuts for not questioning their care. I am set for a scheduled c-section this Friday and hopeful that it will go well with the baby's blood sugars.
On the otherhand, I have a dear friend who was due 3 weeks after me. She had gestational diabetes as well and did not track her blood sugars and her OB did not seem as worried. Her numbers, when she did track them, were off the charts. It was not until she ran into issues with IUGR and the placenta breaking down at 33 weeks that she started to question her care and advocate for the same tests I had. Well at 35 weeks, this week, they rushed her in for an emergency c-section because the baby had severe IUGR and was now in distress. He is now in the NICU for breathing problems.
I know GD is a pain, but if it is not managed with diligence your baby can run into some serious issues. If your OB wants to put you on meds, it will be okay. If he/she wants to see you and monitor you a lot, it should not be a problem. GD can pose more issues than just a big baby. I was shocked when my OBs told me that as I was questioning their care.
Re: PSA...Moms with GD.....
Thank you for sharing...I have GD and am tracking my sugars. They put me on medication but it is making me sick and after some research I am coming off it and going to back to diet and exercise. My midwife told me I was doing great and she wanted to see me in two days but she was out and I had to see a doctor who look at my sugars when I first started monitoring and didn't know how to eat right. She ignored 3 weeks of good sugars and put me on this med.
My DH is committed to helping me stay healthy and is always helping me by cooking soups and stir frys that keep me in healthy blood sugar. I feel like sometimes these docs use meds a little too much and too fast instead of looking at natural options.
But, I appreciate your warning and encouragement because I have to have all that monitoring too!
Hello, and good luck with your c-sect on Friday! best wishes to you and LO for a safe and happy birthday!
I was just diagnosed w/ GD today, and will be getting the phone call to schedule my appointment with the diabetic counselor to show me how to do the testing, etc. I want to be the best advocate for my own care though, and so I want to be prepared for any testing that I should ask for, signs/ symptoms to watch out for, etc. You seemed to have a great grasp about what was going on, and what should be going on with your care. Being so new to this, I was wondering if you could explain a bit more about all the tests and things that you've had to go through (or at least what the names of the tests are since I couldn't find them in the glossary), and whether those were GD related, or if they were related to another complication that you may have been having.
TIA!
Heather
Not a problem. It has become such a normal part of my life that I did not know what I am going to do on Sat. I think I am going to go through OB withdraws.
The key with GD is not to limit your carbs so much that you are hungry and you are not gaining weight unless you are overweight to beging with. With DD#1, I was on a Atkins style diet to keep my blood sugars in check and was miserable. I think a diabetic counselor is a excellent route if he/she can teach you how to follow the diet. She taught be how to eat this time around so even with carb counting I still needed insulin, but I was okay with it.
With my OB, I had to fax or call in my blood sugars twice weekly. If I did not, they called me. Each time they would make a decision around my meds for the. I took Glyburide, Metformin and then had to switch to insulin at around 24 weeks. I thought it was a pain at first and even questioned it as I did not need to do this with my previous OB.
At around 26 weeks, I started a every other week visit to check for signs of Pre-eclampsia (also higher risk for mom's with GD) and glucose in my urine. At 32 weeks, I started twice weekly visits with my OBs for Non-Stress Tests, Fluid Checks via u/s (AFI) and appointments with my OBs. Mothers with GD can have excess fluid sometimes, but they did not seem to worry about it as much as placental function. It is a practice of 4 OBs and I saw them so much at this rate that I do not care who delivers me....They know me by now and are freaky consistent with my care.
If you monitor you blood sugars and follow a reasonable diet you should be okay. Do not starve yourself of carbs like I did in my previous pregnancy. Most importantly ask lots of questions! Good luck to you and remember it is not the end of the world. I have now gone through this twice and while it was devastating at first, I am thankful we screen for GD as from what my family doctor babies born to uncontrolled GD can be sick babies. I hope this helps, but feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all the wonderful advice. I really appreciate it!