Weekly GD Check In - 8/25

Lilwatz

Hello Ladies!  I figure as the tests are all coming back around now, it's as good a time as any to start a GD Check In.  I know I am having an emotional time with it, so I figure at the very least it will help me to chat it out on the board with some of you.

How did your last week go?

Any tips or tricks to share?

Vents/Complaints/Upcoming Appts/AWs:

Lilwatz

How did your last week go?  Until this morning, I was a rock star--every level in range.  My fasting this morning was high (100, the cutoff for me is 90).

Any tips or tricks to share?  Not really yet.  I've been all about water, caffeine free tea and caffeine free diet coke.  Seems to be working...maybe...

Vents/Complaints/Upcoming Appts/AWs:  Sigh.  I have been pretty emotion-free the majority of this pregnancy until the GD came around.  Cried when I failed the one hour.  Cried when I got the GD diagnosis.  Cried this morning when my fasting blood draw was high.  I cry because my baby is at risk.  I cry because I am at risk for type 2 diabetes later.  I cry because I go see my endocrinologist Wednesday with my first week of blood draw numbers and am worried that if I fail one or two I will have to go on yet another medication daily.

Dumbgurl04

Just found out Friday that I have GD so I'm glad there are others to connect with.

How did your last week go:  It was good until they called me on Friday and told me I failed the 3 hour.  It kind of brought me down and it took a lot of time to process the news.  They said they would call me back today to let me know about a class I can go to and learn more about diet and ways to get through this. 

Any Tips or tricks to share? Nope FTM here so not really sure what it's like put excited to see what others have to say

Vents/Complaints/Upcoming Appts/AWs: I have an appointment this Thursday with my OB so hopefully more info will help relax me.  My vent/Complaint is completely sill but might be good to get it out.  I hate that this happen I know I have no control over getting GD but it just sucks to have another thing to deal with and I really hate that I have to start pricking my finger 4 times a day!!! (I know so many worse things could happen to me and my LO and worse things going on in the world so that's why I said it was silly to vent about but I'm glad I was able to say it.....somewhere......)

Lilwatz

@Dumbgurl04 Not silly!  I feel the same way!  I have days where I think, if this is it, it's not the worst by far that could be wrong right now.  But other days where I think this sucks so bad.    Hang in there!  I think we'll find our rhythms with this.

Lilwatz

@moon&back I love the Kind+ bars too!  And I have a 2 hour timer on my phone that I set after I finish eating each meal.  Great minds!!!  

turtles7

Lilwatz said:

@moon&back I love the Kind+ bars too!  And I have a 2 hour timer on my phone that I set after I finish eating each meal.  Great minds!!!  

I've been told to test 2 hours after the start of your meal. Just curious what everyone else is doing.

turtles7

How did your last week go? Good until Thursday. I tested over the range for dinner after eating my usual "safe" meal. Shrugged it off because it was two points higher than the range but then I tested high after my usual lunch! Was really concerned the dr was going to recommend meds at my appointment yesterday. She advised I would need to be over 50% of the time with my very close numbers. Hearing that is a huge relief.

Any tips or tricks to share? Found nature valley protein bars with chocolate that's 14 g of carbs. I eat that as my dessert or sugar fee pudding with fat free whip cream. Helps satisfy my sweet tooth.

Vents/Complaints/Upcoming Appts/AWs: I'm trying to think positive since now that I have to eat healthy I'm not gaining a lot of weight. So it's going to be a lot easier to lose my pregnancy weight. But I want to eat freakin cake!!!!

Lilwatz

turtles7 said:

@moon&back I love the Kind+ bars too!  And I have a 2 hour timer on my phone that I set after I finish eating each meal.  Great minds!!!  

I've been told to test 2 hours after the start of your meal. Just curious what everyone else is doing.

Ooo, I've been doing it after the last bite.  Interesting.  I need to ask my doctor (appt tomorrow).

Lilwatz

turtles7 said:

How did your last week go? Good until Thursday. I tested over the range for dinner after eating my usual "safe" meal. Shrugged it off because it was two points higher than the range but then I tested high after my usual lunch! Was really concerned the dr was going to recommend meds at my appointment yesterday. She advised I would need to be over 50% of the time with my very close numbers. Hearing that is a huge relief. Any tips or tricks to share? Found nature valley protein bars with chocolate that's 14 g of carbs. I eat that as my dessert or sugar fee pudding with fat free whip cream. Helps satisfy my sweet tooth. Vents/Complaints/Upcoming Appts/AWs: I'm trying to think positive since now that I have to eat healthy I'm not gaining a lot of weight. So it's going to be a lot easier to lose my pregnancy weight. But I want to eat freakin cake!!!!

I do sugar-free Jello with Cool Whip Free!  YUM!

turtles7

Lilwatz said:

turtles7 said:

Lilwatz said:

@moon&back I love the Kind+ bars too!  And I have a 2 hour timer on my phone that I set after I finish eating each meal.  Great minds!!!  

I've been told to test 2 hours after the start of your meal. Just curious what everyone else is doing.

Ooo, I've been doing it after the last bite.  Interesting.  I need to ask my doctor (appt tomorrow).

Well I hope you are right because it would be a lot easier to test. I can never remember when I start to eat. Also sometimes I takes me awhile to finish eating, leaving me an hour before i need to test again. Makes me believe that's the reason why my levels are high sometimes.

MrsTuna08

Thanks for starting this check-in!  I know there are some ladies with GD/diabetes on the high risk check-in, but as I anticipate being a diet controlled GD lady (based on my good fasting and 3 hour pp, but failed 1 and 2 hour pp blood glucose) I didn't feel that high risk was totally appropriate for me at this time.

How did your last week go?

I found out yesterday that I failed my 3 hour test, so not that awesome.  Although I feel that I can handle the diagnosis, I'm pretty ticked off that my usually healthy body is punking out on me in this way.  

Any tips or tricks to share?

When I was monitoring my weight, I used to use My Fitness Pal as a way to track calories, carbs, protein, fat, fiber and sugar.  I found it really helpful to see what I was eating in the hard numbers, plus the program (which is free) made it really easy to keep track on my phone app or my laptop.  I plan on using it now that I will have to be watching my nutrient intake again and I don't want to have to do the math.

Vents/Complaints/Upcoming Appts/AWs:

I have my first GD class on Wednesday - I'm an RD, so I could actually teach the class (diabetes is not my specialty, however).  I have to go for insurance purposes.  Oh well, at least it's only 2 hours.  

missnacholover

Hey guys!  Not a GDer but I wanted to throw out a tip/some info.  Fat content affects insulin absorption.  So if you're eating something like pizza or (fatty) burgers, your 2 hour numbers may be higher than if you're eating something with the same carb content, but lower fat.    When I have pizza, I know it doesn't affect me until hours later. 

Lilwatz

missnacholover said:

Hey guys!  Not a GDer but I wanted to throw out a tip/some info.  Fat content affects insulin absorption.  So if you're eating something like pizza or (fatty) burgers, your 2 hour numbers may be higher than if you're eating something with the same carb content, but lower fat.    When I have pizza, I know it doesn't affect me until hours later. 

Thank you!  (Also, please feel free to check in here weekly if you want!!!  I can rename it to GD and Type 1 check in if you'd like)  

I went to Brazilian Steakhouse on Sunday night and ate my little meat lovers heart out.  My 2 hour draw was fine, but my morning fasting was high (my only high number so far! 100 when 90 is the cut off).  My husband thinks it is because of the fat in the meat taking longer to break down, but he is not a doctor.    Your tip seems to back up that it could have affected things!

missnacholover

Lilwatz said:

missnacholover said:

Hey guys!  Not a GDer but I wanted to throw out a tip/some info.  Fat content affects insulin absorption.  So if you're eating something like pizza or (fatty) burgers, your 2 hour numbers may be higher than if you're eating something with the same carb content, but lower fat.    When I have pizza, I know it doesn't affect me until hours later. 

Thank you!  (Also, please feel free to check in here weekly if you want!!!  I can rename it to GD and Type 1 check in if you'd like)  

I went to Brazilian Steakhouse on Sunday night and ate my little meat lovers heart out.  My 2 hour draw was fine, but my morning fasting was high (my only high number so far! 100 when 90 is the cut off).  My husband thinks it is because of the fat in the meat taking longer to break down, but he is not a doctor.    Your tip seems to back up that it could have affected things!

Yup, could be.  And 100 is a good number in my book!

Also, one thing to keep in mind, glucometers have a 20% error rate.  So if you test at 100 you could really be 90.  (Or 110, but we'll just pretend it only errors in our favor).

You ladies are all doing great!!

Lilwatz

missnacholover said:

Lilwatz said:

missnacholover said:

Hey guys!  Not a GDer but I wanted to throw out a tip/some info.  Fat content affects insulin absorption.  So if you're eating something like pizza or (fatty) burgers, your 2 hour numbers may be higher than if you're eating something with the same carb content, but lower fat.    When I have pizza, I know it doesn't affect me until hours later. 

Thank you!  (Also, please feel free to check in here weekly if you want!!!  I can rename it to GD and Type 1 check in if you'd like)  

I went to Brazilian Steakhouse on Sunday night and ate my little meat lovers heart out.  My 2 hour draw was fine, but my morning fasting was high (my only high number so far! 100 when 90 is the cut off).  My husband thinks it is because of the fat in the meat taking longer to break down, but he is not a doctor.    Your tip seems to back up that it could have affected things!

Yup, could be.  And 100 is a good number in my book!

Also, one thing to keep in mind, glucometers have a 20% error rate.  So if you test at 100 you could really be 90.  (Or 110, but we'll just pretend it only errors in our favor).

You ladies are all doing great!!

That makes me feel a little better.  I might have cried a little when I got the bad reading.  

My endocrinologist told me that if I did not get the fasting numbers in range I'd need to go on the medicine and I was hoping to go to the appt tomorrow with AWESOME numbers.  And the rest are all awesome so it should be fine.  

Loopyseven

I had GD with my first, and just found out I have it again last week.  My doctor told me to start following the diet and we'd talk more at my 28 week appointment, so I haven't started the blood checks yet.  I was diet controlled with very few issues last time.  

I remember crying with my diagnosis last time and feeling like I'd personally failed at pregnancy or something.  It took a little bit to mentally accept that it's just a reaction and there's nothing I could have done to prevent it.  I was told I had a 50-60% chance this time, so I really wasn't surprised.  

How did your last week go?  Getting started with the diet is hard.  It's been 5 days and I'm sick of salad already.  It's harder with a toddler trying to share his crackers with me too.  And breakfast is really hard.  I need to do some food prep so I have grab and go stuff that's not carb based for the mornings.  

Any tips or tricks to share?  Google paleo recipes that are by nature low/no carbs and then you can adjust/sub for sugar content from there.  I've tried a few recipes from paleomg.com and they've all turned out really well.  
I was never on a super complicated diet.  They told me if I took my normal sized plate 1/2 should be vegetable and leafy greens, 1/4 lean protein, and 1/4 complex carbs/starchy vegetables (whole grain breads, potatoes, corn, etc).  Following that motto worked well for me.
Snacks I like to do trail mix with nuts, m&m's and craisins.  Just enough sweet to satisfy my sweet tooth.  And a couple of crackers with cheese and salami/summer sausage is usually good too.  
Pairing things properly helps too.  I was able to do low sugar oatmeal as long as I ate it with breakfast meet or a Babybel cheese (the meat combo gave me better numbers than the cheese combo) which was a nice change from eggs all the time.  I also made my own smoothies from strawberries, greek yogurt, a dash of cinnamon (which helps stabilize blood sugar) and a squirt of agave sweetener.

Vents/Complaints/Upcoming Appts/AWs:  Ugh... 13 more weeks of this seems like forever.  Or maybe 12.  My OB said since I've already had a successful induction (induced at 40 weeks with #1 due to GD) she'd go as early as 39 weeks to induce this time if I wanted.  So we'll see.

babysis013

I just got my failed test news today.  Still processing it but wanted to check in.

Tempi

Checking in as well. I just got the "likely that it is GD" news on Tuesday. I have to go for the class next week, and then a followup with the doctor the week after. I'm 29 w now, so I appreciate all the food tips! My MW said the numbers were fairly close so hopefully we can do a diet control.

actres

I am lurking from another group but I wanted to pass on some ideas that have worked for me with food. I found a recipe for a peanut butter/greek yogurt dip that you can use on fruit or possibly even graham crackers if that works for you. I usually eat my apples with it.

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1/4 cup peanut butter (I use natural)

Thats it. Mix it together and it is super yummy! I had GD with my previous pregnancy and early tested with this one and have it again. You can do this ladies!   Also making eggs in the microwave is super easy. If you do one egg it takes about 30-40 seconds and voila egg in a cup and you can put it with your toast or whatever you may be having that morning. It is easier than sitting there trying to cook up some eggs in a pan. Also pricking your finger on the sides instead of directly on the "pads" may help with them not hurting while you are typing or doing daily chores. Remember that sometimes your numbers can be off if you have something on your hands.....if you get a crazy number....wash your hands and try again. It could have been something like that. Good Luck!