Okay ladies, so tonight a friend who couldn't make it to my shower invited me out to dinner to "shower me" and celebrate. Before we got there I decided no matter what I was going to order salmon and be good. But then I saw bang bang chicken and shrimp pasta on the menu. I've craved spicy food all pregnancy, and figured it's got 2 sources of protein, so I couldn't resist. I added a side salad to eat beforehand to help fill me up. I did great with portion control even though it was so yummy I could keep eating. Then came the dessert menu, I was all set to say no, when I saw key lime pie, I also crave sour. So I ordered it, it came out and I ate a quarter of it. It was huge and so good, but I knew that was best for me and baby...just enough to satisfy my craving. As soon as I got home, I put my now happy and full butt on the treadmill, did a fast paced 2 mile walk. sure, it would have been great to come home and lay down like the non GD mamas, but this is how we gotta do things. Checked my 2 hr sugar, it was 106! Not great, of course I'd love it under 100...but I think it really speaks volumes about what some exercise can do for our bodies! I think it's important we allow ourselves a cheat meal once in awhile, in the long run I think it helps us stay on track, and probably helps us mentally deal with GD too...just follow up with exercise!!
I'm having the same problem! I eat what I'm suppose to and even with the pills my fasting numbers are always over 95. I go to a high risk doc on Monday. I really don't want to do insulin but I want baby to be okay. Someone from a diabetic class told me if I'm not eating enough carbs at night it could cause my numbers to spike because your liver will dump sugar out while you sleep. I'm just over it myself. Good luck with your numbers!
So I went swing for an hour at the local pool with my 6 year old and had popcorn for a bedtime snack, so we shall see how tomorrow's fasting is. The rest all day have been good. I'm so grateful for you all, without this group and google, I'd be lost.
I'm still really feeling down about GD... ugh! And morning numbers were over by .1 today (supposed to be 5.1 or less, was 5.2) but I fell asleep early & no snack last night DOH!
@cuphalffull - That's awesome!!! Again my numbers were over by .1 going to try harder at night to eat my snack ..,. Sometimes I'm just not hungry or too exhausted
It seems that it also varies by clinic add to what they want you to be under. I am feeling a bit better that I am figuring out how to contol this, but I'm not sure I will be able to do an hour of exercise each night. I guess we will see!
Recommendations definitely seem to vary a bit. I'm supposed to be under 90 fasting. I've seen it listed as high as 100 other places. And some doctors seem to have you test 2 hours post eating and some 1. Obviously with a different "maximum" number based on which way they want to look. I test after 1 hour, but sometimes when it's high test again after 2 to see if it's come down (it usually has) and reporting that change to my nurse on those occasions seems to make them feel the original high number is less of a concern.
Everything about GD seems to vary from doctor to doctor, from diagnosis to treatment and monitoring of baby and mom. It's very frustrating. My doctor has actually never given me parameters. I'm a nurse so I just go by numbers that I know, and set goals for myself: fasting less than 80, after meals(2 hours) less than 100. I only test twice a day per doctors orders, and get no extra testing or visits; though I did request a sizing u/s at 38 weeks, even though I know they can be wildly inaccurate. I just wish there was a set standard for numbers, what is ideal, what is high, what is low.
Since I posted last, my fasting has been on target, drinking same snacks. I think my body is trolling me!!!
Being that it's national ice cream days and almost 90 degrees, are there any ice creams/sorbet/yogurt that work with our dear old GD??
I have outshine frozen fruit bars or yogurt bars. Relatively low sugars
I looked at my averages on my meter tonight...the 30 day average has come down by a few points. Which doesn't sound like much, but to know my hard work this week is making a difference.
I've been put on glyburide. It's helping with my blood sugar levels so I can't complain. I just want this to be over with so I can eat like I used to. But if my little girl is healthy and safe, then that's the most important thing in the world!
@squigles28 - thats awesome about your overall number! I think my fasting ones are better in general...
Numbers this morning were good today 4.9 (88.2) I had a snack at bedtime (cheese & a few bites of watermelon) and 4 Metamucil caps... Yesterday was kinda lower carb in general (besides ice cream lol) I wonder if that changed anything..?
What does the Metamucil capsules do? Is that something that can help bring numbers down a little? My number have been 96-106 fasting lately and I'm struggling to get them under 95 like the doctors want. (The added fiber would not hurt me either!)
@cuphalffull - my dietician and endocrinologist both said the slow acting fibre in the capsules can bring down blood sugar - the powder not so much. I'd try it! They said no more than 5 capsules at bedtime - I'm at 3-4 per night with a lot of water.
@J0C0TX - that's great! Any side effects to the meds? They only offer insulin where I am - no meds.
Does the guilt go away?? Every time I eat something that could raise my bs, I panic and wonder if I'm putting stress on her little pancreas or if I just added to her weight in a negative way. Am I crazy?? And really it's okay to tell me I am. For breakfast today I had an apple Danish, and a cheese stick so I could balance the carbs with the protein...now I know it wasn't the healthiest option, but I was just really craving it and figured if I gave in, maybe I would be satisfied for the remained of the pregnancy. My 2 hour post meal sugar was 80- so not bad at all. But the guilt hasn't left me all day!! I literally sat there, and in my head said, okay baby girl, tomorrow mommy will not eat anything bad. The next 50 days can not go fast enough..I just want to see her and hold her and know I didn't harm her when she was depending on me.
@seamonkey4 I cried at dinner last night trying to make myself not choose what I wanted. And then I too had a good result. My husband was like really?!
I just made sure to fill up on veggies first. Just remember with extra foods high in fiber and protein can help balance it.
@karend2014 I'm gonna try the metamucil capsules. My meal time numbers have gotten a lot better but my fastings have remained a little above where they should be(95-100). Maybe it will help
@seamonkey4 - I feel the same way! I have a cheese stick with any type of treat or carb type food - always helps with my sugars... I'm far from perfect eating wise but am trying too.... Ugh so tough!
Do you guys have to get monthly growth scans? I've been getting them since 20 weeks, but have to do it at another hospital and had a terrible experience last time. I got diagnosed early and have been able to control GD with diet (yay!) but at my last scan the doctor just gave me a huge guilt trip and was saying how I'm going to need to keep getting them along with non stress tests twice a week. My normal doctor said we could hold off on those for now, but the other doctor looked at me like I was crazy when I told him that. It's not that I don't love seeing baby, and I will do whatever is best for her, but this place is over a hour away and they never even ask about my numbers and just make me feel like a failure. Is it terrible that I don't want to get them anymore? (She's been looking perfect so far at every scan, the last one she did measure a few ounces bigger than average though, but nothing serious)
@AndieTessie they do mine with my BPP at my Dr office. If it is a bad experience, maybe you can talk to your Dr about any other places to get them done. They don't know about your case except what is given to them. So no need for them to make you feel guilty.
Also, I had my protein shake last night with a protein and fiber bar before bed...my numbers were great, but it must have been too much fiber and protein at once. We ended up having to sit up in bed last night for me to fall asleep, my stomach hurt so bad!
@andietessie I go twice a week for a BPP on Monday and a NST on Thursday, and have been going since week 30, now 33 weeks. My doctors feel that it is super important to see how the baby's heart rate reacts to his movements, I've also been on insulin for about 4 weeks and was told the frequency is based on how many units I have to use a day. Last Thursday he was sleeping during my NST so I had to go to the hospital to be checked to make sure he was ok (and he was perfect) so before my test yesterday I drank regular coke and he was super active which is what they want to see. I know it's a pain In The butt to go twice a week but I look at it like this, if there is something wrong or a decrease in movement they are on top of it so that my LO is ok and healthy! That's what really matters to me so I'm willing to do whatever I have to in order to ensure he stays that way!
The only way I get an ultrasound is if I am measuring ahead of schedule - no NST, no U/S yet after the 19 week one.... I was diagnosed with GD @ 26 weeks, am now 31....diet controlled so far.... I'm getting one next week only because my placenta was near my cervix in my week 19 u/s.
Having watermelon, a cheese stick & 4 Metamucil capsules before bed- fasting numbers were 4.8! \:D/ (86.4) up about 5 times to pee though ugh!
Just diagnosed and feeling overwhelmed! I feel like it's pretty late in the game since I'm 32 +5. I go for my class Friday. They did an ultrasound yesterday because they were worried he might be small because of other issues I have. He's right on track size wise thankfully. I don't know where to even start!
I got the news today n I have GD , I'm so upset I have no clue what to do yet... I read all ur comments n I'm lost I have no idea what u guys are talking about... this is new for me... I have an appointment next Monday with a diabetes doc. Any advices will b really appreciate it
@yessirio: It varies for everyone but the basics for now til you meet with your doctor: watch what you eat. Eat every 3-4 hours but limit carb intake and pair your carbs with food high in protein and fiber. For now, i would start by reading labels and making sure that for lunch and dinner you dont go over 45g of total carbohydrates and you dont go over 30g of carbs for breakfast, midmorning snack, afternoon snack and after dinner snack. I had poor eating habits before I was diagnosed and find it such a pain to have to eat late at night to make sure my fasting glucose isn't too high. Anyway, your nutritionist/endocrinologist/nurse should be able to help you with a meal plan and how to control your levels.
Goodluck!!! Try your best to not stress about this, Stress can elevate your blood glucose levels!!!
@yessirio: It varies for everyone but the basics for now til you meet with your doctor: watch what you eat. Eat every 3-4 hours but limit carb intake and pair your carbs with food high in protein and fiber. For now, i would start by reading labels and making sure that for lunch and dinner you dont go over 45g of total carbohydrates and you dont go over 30g of carbs for breakfast, midmorning snack, afternoon snack and after dinner snack. I had poor eating habits before I was diagnosed and find it such a pain to have to eat late at night to make sure my fasting glucose isn't too high. Anyway, your nutritionist/endocrinologist/nurse should be able to help you with a meal plan and how to control your levels.
Goodluck!!! Try your best to not stress about this, Stress can elevate your blood glucose levels!!!
Hi all! Been doing ok - same issue as some others - never hungry, getting full fast ... Wish I had this problem when not preg lol!
Fasting numbers good 3 days in a row!! Watermelon/cheese stick/4metamucil caps .... Plus more protein at dinner .... Not sure it that's affecting it or a coincidence...
Exhausted and just feeling huge. How is everyone?!
Hi ladies. Had my 2 week check up and the nurse wasn't happy with my fasting numbers so I'm now on 5 units of insulin at night. Post meal insulin was fine so only at night for now. When I was first diagnosed, I was viewing having to go on insulin as a failure, however fasting blood sugar is really difficult to control. So I've accepted it.
I wanted to post in case any others were having fears about going on insulin. It's really not bad at all. The needle is teeny tiny, I don't even feel it. It makes the finger prick seem huge! So don't be nervous or worry about having to give yourself insulin. If you can do finger pricks, this is a walk in the park!
I'm hoping I can stay on nightly insulin only. My nurse said my insulin needs will peak at 36 weeks (I'm 31 now) so we will have to watch it. As others have said here, diet and exercise really can control your daily numbers. If you can't get out and walk, stairs are a terrific option. Just be sure to hold onto the hand rail!
Thanks for all the sharing and support. I love this board!
So yesterday I took the 3 hour GTT and failed! I'm frustrated but also s little confused by the results. So my fasting number was fine but as the hours went by the numbers shot up my last draw being the highest at 3 hours. Even the nurse I spoke to on the phone about the result was confused by this. She said that it could be because I don't eat sweets to begin with so my body dosent know what to do when given such a high dose of it. This makes me feel like I'm being punished for eating healthy. I eat a mostly plant based diet without a lot of refined carbs. I'm trying to look at the 4 times a day monitoring I will have to do as a good thing so I can prove that with a regular diet I'm fine. Wish me luck I hope that my theory is right that I can control this with a good meal plan!
Good luck @St3ph4ni3! The demands on our body in terms of insulin needs when we get pregnant increase up to 4x. You didn't cause your GD, your body is just not able to produce enough insulin on its own to handle the increased demand. Plus our placentas make our cells naturally insulin resistant, so it's a lot!
You can do it. After a couple weeks it becomes habit. And you have the right mind set that more exercise and food tracking is a good life habit, not just during pregnancy. And remember, it's temporary. The prize at the end is a healthy baby!
Come back often, this board offers great ideas and support.
@St3ph4ni3 ,I'm the same as you. Generally a low carb, very low sugar diet. Everything I read said eating anything less than 150g of carbs a day could create falsely high readings on the 3 hour GTT, and this is part of why the test is falling out of favor with many practitioners. My fasting sugars since I've been testing run in the 60s more often than not, and otherwise will be in the low 70s- never had a fasting over 75. My 2 hr post meal sugar checks run in the 80s...for me if its in the 90s, that's high. That being said, my dr said he does not retest for this diagnosis. But I no longer have to check 4x a day...I did that for 2 weeks and he saw I was not getting anywhere close to high. So I test 2 sugars a day, I mix it up so I get a good variety, I don't have any extra appts and no extra testing. The diagnosis made me very angry because like you I felt like I was being punished for not putting carbs and sweets in my body. It's still annoying to test. But I don't stress anymore. Other than the 2 finger sticks a day I'm being treated just like a patient without GD. Continue eating healthy and exercising. Hopefully you get good numbers and your doctor too will also treat you according to you, as opposed to just treating the GD. I also never saw a nutritionist, because after hearing what a normal meal consists of for me, it was agreed that there was nothing a nutritionist could help me with. If your numbers start coming back high, especially as you get further along...just remember this isn't anything you're doing or not doing! This is the placenta!!
Re: Anyone else struggling with Gestational Diabetes?
I'm still really feeling down about GD... ugh! And morning numbers were over by .1 today (supposed to be 5.1 or less, was 5.2) but I fell asleep early & no snack last night DOH!
Being that it's national ice cream days and almost 90 degrees, are there any ice creams/sorbet/yogurt that work with our dear old GD??
I have outshine frozen fruit bars or yogurt bars. Relatively low sugars
@squigles28 - thats awesome about your overall number! I think my fasting ones are better in general...
Numbers this morning were good today 4.9 (88.2) I had a snack at bedtime (cheese & a few bites of watermelon) and 4 Metamucil caps... Yesterday was kinda lower carb in general (besides ice cream lol) I wonder if that changed anything..?
How is everyone?
My numbers are now skewing low.
78-90 for fasting which I'm fine with
74 after breakfast, which was around 95-105 before glyburide
100 for post lunch - used to be around 118
108 for dinner - used to be around 125
I used it the last couple of nights to have a scoop of icecream before my protein at bedtime
yummy....
@J0C0TX - that's great! Any side effects to the meds? They only offer insulin where I am - no meds.
Hoping to keep my fasting numbers in range!
I just made sure to fill up on veggies first. Just remember with extra foods high in fiber and protein can help balance it.
@karend2014 I'm gonna try the metamucil capsules. My meal time numbers have gotten a lot better but my fastings have remained a little above where they should be(95-100). Maybe it will help
I'd better split those up a bit.
Having watermelon, a cheese stick & 4 Metamucil capsules before bed- fasting numbers were 4.8! \:D/ (86.4) up about 5 times to pee though ugh!
Any advices will b really appreciate it
Goodluck!!! Try your best to not stress about this, Stress can elevate your blood glucose levels!!!
Fasting numbers good 3 days in a row!! Watermelon/cheese stick/4metamucil caps .... Plus more protein at dinner .... Not sure it that's affecting it or a coincidence...
Exhausted and just feeling huge. How is everyone?!
I wanted to post in case any others were having fears about going on insulin. It's really not bad at all. The needle is teeny tiny, I don't even feel it. It makes the finger prick seem huge! So don't be nervous or worry about having to give yourself insulin. If you can do finger pricks, this is a walk in the park!
I'm hoping I can stay on nightly insulin only. My nurse said my insulin needs will peak at 36 weeks (I'm 31 now) so we will have to watch it. As others have said here, diet and exercise really can control your daily numbers. If you can't get out and walk, stairs are a terrific option. Just be sure to hold onto the hand rail!
Thanks for all the sharing and support. I love this board!
You can do it. After a couple weeks it becomes habit. And you have the right mind set that more exercise and food tracking is a good life habit, not just during pregnancy. And remember, it's temporary. The prize at the end is a healthy baby!
Come back often, this board offers great ideas and support.