Any type 1 diabetics??

LilMills

I'm a type one diabetic and currently pregnant with my second child, 29 weeks. I control my diabetes very well but I had complications with my previous child and it would just be nice to have someone to relate to. I don't know any other type 1 diabetics and I feel extremely misunderstood on a daily basis by my family, friends and the general public. Even my doctors!!

AlisonandMark

I have type 1 too and am expecting my first.  I know there are several other type 1's around here as well... I find their support very helpful!!

MommaDall

Me!  I'm due in September with my 3rd.  

LilMills

Good to know I'm not alone here! I know there are a lot of GD and T2D but I feel like they can't relate to me. What has your recent a1cs been?? Any complications yet or with previous pregnancies??

My son is 14 months old and when I was pregnant with him my A1C was on average 5.7 to 6.4 so I was well controlled. However, I developed pre eclampsia and had to have an emergency c section at 35 weeks. He had low BS seizures at birth and had a hole on his heart but he has since grown out of it. Healthy as ever now :-)

I'm 29 weeks now with a little girl and praying I don't have the same complications.

kks4471

I'm T1, and have started to research info because we're going to TTC starting next month.  My A1C was 6.2 in mid July, so I have the "go ahead" from my endo.  I actually have an appt tomorrow with my OB, to discuss my nerves lol.  I will say, having the CCM has saved my life, what a difference that makes!

smiller5308

T1 here too! I'm 8 weeks with my first. Last A1c was 7. I'm seeing a high risk OB and my regular OB. I send in weekly blood sugars to the high risk doc and they make adjustments to my pump as needed. I've had a couple of highs and its hard not to worry each time if its hurting the baby but my Dr. assured me that one high will not do damage. I'm also reading a very helpful book called "Balancing Pregnancy with Pre-Existing Diabetes" by Cheryl Alkon. There's also a pregnancy board on the TypeOneNation.org site that is helpful. GL!

Barihoop

Me! 4w4d with my first. I'm trying to stay calm, but it's so hard not to think about being high risk, especially with my recent nighttime hyperglycemias. I am really anxious to make it past the first trimester, I think I will be much more relaxed when I know the risk has gone way down. Glad to know there are other T1s here to talk to about all of this. I am new here, but was on the TN app on Facebook before they shut it down.

LilMills

Yay! There's a bunch of us!! Lol. It's funny that there is like five but I consider that to be a lot lol

Pregnancy is definitely a million times harder during pregnancy but I busy my ass and do as good as I can. I literally just started my dexcom g4 sensor today so I'm anxious to see how much it helps. I LOVE being able to look down anytime I want (which is a lot) and know my little girl is safe in there. I also started the Medtronic insulin pump a few months ago which is also a lifesaver :-)

Only issue I have had this pregnancy so far was the first trimester morning sickness. I would eat and take insulin for it and then throw it up so I would panic about the active insulin in my system but I couldn't keep anything down! Omg it was terrible. I was literally sucking on sugar cubes daily So glad that's over with and no complications yet and she's measuring perfect!! Almost 30 weeks :-)

Barihoop

I haven't gotten morning sickness yet, but I am dreading it. Fingers crossed I'm in the minority that gets to skip that whole mess. Panicked sucking on sugar cubes sounds like a nightmare.

ETA: I am also on the Medtronic pump and Dexcom G4. Having a cgm is a lifesaver, especially during pregnancy.

Barihoop

This may be a silly question, but did you girls get a GTT?

I'm seeing an RE for now (we did IUI due to PCOS and DH's low morphology), and they won't send me to the OB until at least 8w (maybe later). Then the OB will first tell me when to see the HROB. So I haven't been able to discuss any of my questions with an OB yet (super frustrating!).

The RE's NP seemed unsure of whether or not I would get a GTT, and I cannot for the life of me understand why I would need one. Clearly I am glucose intolerant.

LilMills

What is a GTT?? regardless of my diabetes I have never been considered "high risk" by my OB. she says its because my sugars are so well controlled. Only precautions they took for me was NST that start at 32 weeks and a fetal echocardiogram at 24 weeks. (I'm now 30) it bugged me with my first pregnancy but this time I'm kind of glad they don't. I see my endo every other week and talk on the phone every three days so I have the care I need. I don't really trust anyone but my endo with my diabetes. It's crazy that I can't even trust most medical staff. The majority seem to be so uneducated. I overheard one of my OBs telling their PA last week that I was a type 2 diabetic. It's extremely frustrating.

Barihoop

LilMills said:

What is a GTT?? regardless of my diabetes I have never been considered "high risk" by my OB. she says its because my sugars are so well controlled. Only precautions they took for me was NST that start at 32 weeks and a fetal echocardiogram at 24 weeks. (I'm now 30) it bugged me with my first pregnancy but this time I'm kind of glad they don't. I see my endo every other week and talk on the phone every three days so I have the care I need. I don't really trust anyone but my endo with my diabetes. It's crazy that I can't even trust most medical staff. The majority seem to be so uneducated. I overheard one of my OBs telling their PA last week that I was a type 2 diabetic. It's extremely frustrating.

I'm high risk because of not only the diabetes (mine is also in excellent control), but also clotting disorders, PCOS and hypothyroidism. So I will definitely need to see a HROB.

GTT is the glucose tolerance test, to check for GD. Again, I can't imagine why I'd need it, but the NP said the OB will tell me whether she wants it done. It just seemed weird to me.

LilMills

Oh yeah that is weird! I have never had one done. They have never even required me to get glucose testing in my blood work. They've always crossed that part out. Hmmm. Wonder what benefit there would be??

kbrodie06

Me. I am on an Insulin pump. Pregnant with #2. My a1c was 6.0 in June. I am now at 10w5days. My numbers are high but I am trying to get them lower. I am working with a diabetes specialist and perinatal. First child I was hospitalized at about 31 weeks with pre e. Daughter was born at 36w3d. She had a low BS and was fed right away. I had multiple problems. Ugh. I am hoping this goes better. Terrified actually of it not going any better. Good luck everyone and I am around to chat, here or on email. is there a high risk facebook page?

Kristin

Kristin @ eventstbykristin.com

LilMills

I put them on my hip. Kind of like my lower back. Hard to explain but honestly I just pinch around with my fingers and as soon as I find a somewhat "fatty" area (lol) I put the infusion site there. I have tried my thigh and I HATED it. With how much I'm peeing pulling my pants up and down eventually ripped it out in like 2 days lol plus my 15 month old thinks its a toy so it has to be hidden :-)

My continuous glucose monitor however goes in my belly though. Dexcom said I have to put it there and it's not as difficult as the pump because It goes in sideways.

Barihoop

AMK1981 said:

Barihoop said:

What is a GTT?? regardless of my diabetes I have never been considered "high risk" by my OB. she says its because my sugars are so well controlled. Only precautions they took for me was NST that start at 32 weeks and a fetal echocardiogram at 24 weeks. (I'm now 30) it bugged me with my first pregnancy but this time I'm kind of glad they don't. I see my endo every other week and talk on the phone every three days so I have the care I need. I don't really trust anyone but my endo with my diabetes. It's crazy that I can't even trust most medical staff. The majority seem to be so uneducated. I overheard one of my OBs telling their PA last week that I was a type 2 diabetic. It's extremely frustrating.

I'm high risk because of not only the diabetes (mine is also in excellent control), but also clotting disorders, PCOS and hypothyroidism. So I will definitely need to see a HROB. GTT is the glucose tolerance test, to check for GD. Again, I can't imagine why I'd need it, but the NP said the OB will tell me whether she wants it done. It just seemed weird to me.

You shouldn't be having a GTT test as far as I know... Being T1, you can't develop GD.  After all... We can't me more diabetic then we already are LOL.    At least we don't need to drink the awful stuff that goes with the GTT, I hear it's unpleasant Good Luck!

Yeah, I definitely thought it was weird. Asked the RE about it today and she said she didn't see the need, either. Finally, having diabetes actually comes with an advantage! haha

Barihoop

LilMills said:

I put them on my hip. Kind of like my lower back. Hard to explain but honestly I just pinch around with my fingers and as soon as I find a somewhat "fatty" area (lol) I put the infusion site there. I have tried my thigh and I HATED it. With how much I'm peeing pulling my pants up and down eventually ripped it out in like 2 days lol plus my 15 month old thinks its a toy so it has to be hidden :-) My continuous glucose monitor however goes in my belly though. Dexcom said I have to put it there and it's not as difficult as the pump because It goes in sideways.

Dexcom "says" that, but I alternate mine between my belly and upper butt and the accuracy is the same.

My infusion set for the pump goes in sideways, too. I was actually thinking the straight one might be easier for pregnancy, especially if hubby has to do it eventually. But I'm guessing from your comment that you disagree? That's good to know.

katenpaul

Hello ladies! I have been T1 since August 2002. I did shots for 6months before switching to the insulin pen for another 6months in preparation for the Medtronic pump. Many years later, I have had several pumps (some that malfunctioned) and have been using a Dexcom CGM for 3-4 years. Currently I use the Dexcom G4 and the Animus Ping, both of which are awesome! I am 31.4 weeks pregnant with my first.

I love having the support of other pregnant T1's but am not great about getting on the forums. I can help you ladies out in another way too... I've been a Labor and Delivery nurse for two years at a high risk hospital, so my OB knowledge when it comes to that stuff is pretty good! Let me know if you have questions and I would love to help ease your fears if I can.

Barihoop: your thought process is exactly correct! The only reason you would need a Glucose Tolerance Test is to check for insulin resistance between 24-28weeks... guess what, we all know you have it! People tell me all the time "you're so lucky you don't have to drink that stuff," well sure, there is no need to drink the nasty sugar cola, but for the GDM moms who "fail" their test, they learn how to do what we Type 1's have been doing the entire pregnancy.

AMK1981: I had the same question because prior to getting pregnant I ALWAYS used my belly, rotating around of course. I was still able to use my belly until it got tighter, somewhere around 19 weeks I think. The sticker would start peeling sooner because of being attached to a round surface. I started putting the infusion sites on my love handles and that works well, just be mindful of your underwear line! Above or below that or else it will be uncomfortable from the friction/pressure. I have the Dexcom G4 too and have been putting those more on my butt. They work the same as when on my belly. What Dexcom doesn't tell you is that you can trick the receiver into thinking you've changed out to a new sensor after 7days. As long as the transmitter has been supplying reliable information, is not irritated, and the sticker is still pretty well on there, leave it. End your sensor then immediately start a new one. This will buy you a few more days but with better information from the get go!

munchease247

Hi! Type 1 for 20yrs...on pump and CGM. Just delivered my second baby 4 wks ago at 38 wks! I was told to put my infusion sites on my sides or anywhere but my belly after 24 weeks! We should start a private Facebook page!

meganjohnson06

Yay I'm so excited to meet other pregnant women with T1D! I'm currently 32w4d with my first. When I got pregnant my a1c was 5.8, in April it was 5.3 (my BS were constantly running low during the first trimester) and in July it was 5.5. I've been on the Minimed pump basically since I found out I had diabetes in 2003. I used to use Minimed's CGM but switched to the Dexcom G4 in February after my endo suggested it. It is soooo much more reliable than my Minimed CGM. For those who aren't familiar with it, the best part about it are the trending arrows. You can look at it and see what your BS is and what it's doing. It will show arrows going up, down, slightly up, slightly down, and straight across. It's nice because if you test and your BS is 100 you probably wouldn't correct but if you saw it was trending low you may eat a small snack to keep it normal.

I also read the book "Balancing Pregnancy with Pre-Existing Diabetes" and found it very helpful. Unlike the suggestions in the book, I eat a variety of foods (they suggest eating the same thing for breakfast once you know what your BS does so you can stay pretty accurate). With the CGM you can easily see how your body reacts to something and make adjustments. For example, this week I've been eating reduced sugar instant oatmeal in the morning and my BS sky rockets about an hour afterwards, and then comes back down. To mitigate this, I tried "super-bolusing" this morning and that leveled my BS out! Basically you take 80% of your basal rates for the next 2 hours and add that to your meal bolus. Then you decrease your basal setting on your pump to 20% for 2 hours (since you took the extra insulin with your meal bolus). To put some numbers to it, my basal rate in the morning is 2.55 so I took 80% of that times 2 (for 2 hours) and got 4.08 units. I added 4.1 units (I rounded 4.08 to 4.1) to my meal bolus my pump calculated for me.  I find that super-bolusing works really well with Mexican food too!

I had to initially decrease my pump rates when I found out I was pregnant, and they returned to normal at about 17 weeks. Then around 23 weeks they needed some tweaking to fix some highs I was having. I increased the rates again at 28 weeks and again at 32 weeks. Pre-pregnancy I was using about 50-55 units of Novolog a day. Now I'm using about 110-120 units a day. My insulin-to-carb ratio is now 1-3 which is insane! I eat a small snack and have to give myself 5 units of insulin for it which is crazy to me but it is what it is!

I'm considered high-risk because of my T1D so I've been getting extra ultrasounds with the maternal-fetal doctor and fetal echos done.  I will start the NST next week and get another growth scan done. At 29 weeks he was measuring in the 79th percentile at approximately 3 lbs 8 oz.

I feel really blessed to have had an easy pregnancy thus far. I never had any morning sickness, but I have gained about 37 lbs total so far (I'm about 5'10" so I'm not a tiny woman to begin with lol). I thought this was mostly due to my diabetes but I met another T1D expecting twins, who was due when I am, and she had gained the same amount of weight so there goes that theory.

Let me know if I can help you ladies along the way! It's nice to know you're not alone in this journey!

mfarmer0811

Hello ladies! I'm type 1 for 10 years, on the pump and CGM. I'm currently 7w4days with my first! My last A1c was in July and it was 6.0, the lowest it's ever been! 
I'm starting to get frustrated with my Dr.'s office, because the only one that has been talking with me and wanting to see my numbers is the nutritionist. No offense to her, but I really don't think she knows a whole lot about keeping a diabetic in control. I would much rather be talking with an actual doctor. I have been doing my own adjusting of my pump for a while now. It seems to be working, my A1c went from 7.1 to 6.0 this past April to July. 

Back to the nutritionist, when I met with her a couple of weeks ago, she told me to never ever ever drink juice. Except, that when I'm low, that's what I drink sometimes to get me up. She just seems to be over the top cautious, and that just stresses me out, because I need someone who is cautious, but realistic at the same time! 

I'm really sad because my old endo. quit to stay home with her kids, and I loved her, mainly for the fact that she was a type 1 diabetic too, so she really got me! 

So, here are my fears, I'm scared to have a baby that is overweight, I'm scared to have a c-section, I'm scared the baby will be born with low blood sugars. 

katenpaul

mfarmer0811 I think your concerns are the same for every T1DM who is TTC or expecting. Even myself, and I am a labor and delivery nurse who cares for a LOT of high risk babies! Keep in mind every hospital will have slightly different protocols but where I work, an infant born to a mother on insulin (T1 or GDM) will have a blood sugar checked at 30min, 1hr, and 2hr while in labor and delivery. Once moved to the postpartum rooms, they continue checking every 3hrs for the first 24hrs of life. If the child is symptomatic (shaky) we check sooner. A newborn is considered low with a reading less than 40. Depending on the number, they let you do skin to skin contact (this actually is very helpful to keep BG stable for babies!) and try to breastfeed. If it's really low, formula is the way to go. I am all about trying to exclusively breastfeed with my daughter, but I am also being realistic that she may require a little help in the beginning.

Your fear for a big baby is valid too. This puts the baby at greater risk for complications if your sugars are high throughout pregnancy and would be very likely to have issues with low BG after birth. Big babies put the mother at risk too for several things to include the need for a c/section. You are so early in your pregnancy and have a great start with your A1c of 6.0, it sounds to me like you are doing everything that you can to have a normal, healthy pregnancy. Good Job

Your nutritionist, is she also a CDE? Mine is and I find her insight to be extremely helpful! I love my Endo but he seems to be rushed a lot whereas my CDE/RD will talk with me for an hour, reviewing my blood sugars and food log, telling me her suggestions and then sending comments to my Endo for approval. She is so very supportive and constantly tells me that I am doing everything right... I had a string of days where after meals (it didn't matter which one) my BG would be over 250 around 28weeks. She said that "you're doing a phenomenal job, sometimes the issue is you just need more insulin." Her calm reassurance was just what I needed (and some additional basal/carb ratio changes) to get through that patch of placenta hormones. My endo had responded that "it must be your carb counting is off." Find a team that works for you. I agree with her on the juice though... in the morning you are the most insulin resistant and juice would put me over the edge causing me to battle with my sugars for the rest of the day. I will be 32weeks tomorrow. For breakfast my ICR is 1:4, I bolus and then wait 60min before eating only 40g carb. This combo works for me now, but at 8 weeks I would be crashing and burning if I tried that!