Gestational Diabetes -testing thread

gadzooks_3

We are renaming this thread as a place to talk about the test and results. There will be a new thread for talking management. Hope this is helpful to everyone.

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Today I got my results from my 2-hour glucose challenge test. I failed one portion and so I have been diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. I am struggling emotionally with the results and would value words of support if anyone is willing to offer them.

Further, as I am likely not the first, nor will I be the last, I wonder if a weekly GD check in would be desired? I have seen these on June and July BM boards, they look helpful.


 If you have been diagnosed and are willing, will you share with me how it was for you to address the diagnosis?  Was management difficult?  Did you face irrational self -judgement? (I am having some of this)

Thank you, and I truly hope I do not offend anyone with this post. I feel very raw and I am trying to balance honesty about my feelings with not putting my bullshit on others (about the self judgement that I was going to share, but decided against)

Duffgurl

I have yet to do the test but I am so sorry to hear. My SIL had it with her DS but once he was born she was fine and no longer had it. So here's to hoping it will go away. You said you failed one portion...does that mean you can redo it? To make sure of course.

gadzooks_3

I have asked to redo it, we will see. By American Diabetic Standards failing one portion is sufficient for diagnosis, but I would be reassured repeating the test.

jamiesc58

I haven't done my test yet either. My sister had GD with her ds and hers also went away once the baby was born. They just kept an extra eye on him for the first maybe 6-8 hours to make sure his sugars didn't drop too much and things like that. My friend, who gave birth 2 weeks ago, also had it. The only thing they did different for her was watch the baby to make sure she didn't get too big. Good luck to you! I will pray for you!

Car0liiine

I take my one hr test on the 13th and am really nervous because I feel like there's a good chance I will fail. I will check in and let you know what the results are. I hope managing the GD turns out to be an easy process for you! And don't feel bad, I read recently that 1 in 10 women are diagnosed. That's a lot more than I thought! 

kwilliams3402

@liljabee - I haven't had my test yet, so I can't offer words there, but I did just want to drop a note and say that I don't think you should beat yourself up over it.  Obviously, do the best you can to address any dietary issues you need to, follow the doctor's advice throughout the rest of the pregnancy, but spending time beating yourself up with what has already occurred in your pregnancy isn't worthwhile.  I've gained 25 lbs already, despite eating pretty healthy and walking daily, and I constantly battle the urge to beat myself up over it.  But, what I keep trying to tell myself is that all I can do or even come close to controlling is what happens the rest of the pregnancy.  I'll try to eat healthier, keep walking, and beyond that, God is in control.  I hope this is of some help!

SkiChic626

Don't beat yourself up over it, it's not something you did to yourself.  I personally didn't have it with DD and so far this time I don't have it based on my early glucose test.  However, my cousin had it really bad with all three of her kids.  She's a skinny mini little thing who runs and eats healthy - I am the exact opposite (i.e. I ate three donuts and a cheeseburger today - I'm usually not this bad lol - and am not an avid exerciser) and I have PCOS, which predisposes me for it, but I never got it and so far don't have it this time.  She was fine after the kids were born.  It really isn't something you can necessarily control whether you get it or not.  Good luck, I'm sure you'll be just fine!

charmedlifex3

@liljabee There is a high risk board with a bunch of great GD information. I have been told my whole life I will need to deal with gestational diabetes, (still waiting on my official glucose test) and I know I would appreciate a weekly check.

jbouey

This is my third time around with GD. I'm a pre-diabetic when not pregnant, so for me it is not a matter of if I will get GD, but when. First two times diagnoses came around now, with the glucose tolerance tests. This time I skipped that and went straight to monitoring my blood sugars. Was already an issue at the 15-16 week mark when I started. Been on oral meds at night since, to keep fasting numbers down. Having to keep an even more strict low carb diet than in the past to keep my after meal numbers under control (and stay off meds).

It's definitely an emotional roller coaster, even for me who has been through it and knows to expect it. It is super frustrating at times, but I find that the emotions pass and you figure out what works. Right now I'm actually back to the frustration, as what was working is not anymore. But my doc and I will work to make adjustments and figure it out, and I'll settle into the new routine.

Keep in mind that you are not alone, and you are not to blame for anything. It happens, not always sure why. You will do your best to keep to your plan and make sure that baby is taken care of.

mooncusp22

I too have GD. Had it with my first & was so upset when I found out. They said it was at least an 80% chance I would get it again, so I too had the matter of "when"'not "if" with this pregnancy. I did my 3hr glucose test at just 8wks pregnant & failed it already.

So far, I seemed to have it worse with DD1. I had to give myself shots of insulin. As your pregnancy progresses & placenta grows, it is harder to control. My med needs always changes but by the end I was at 6 shots a day of insulin. So far with this pregnancy I've only had to take a small pill with dinner. It's been easier this time around. Though, I've noticed the past couple of weeks my sugars getting higher even with the same diet. I will start having to up my meds I am sure (have appt this week).

After DD1 was born, it went away. I have a great chance of developing type 2 at some point. Diabetes 1 & 2 runs rampet in my family. I am normally healthy, eat balanced & work out 6x a week (I am a fitness instructor & personal
trakner!!) so, it can happen to anyone!

jmknox

I'm this close to probably having it. It is bizzare for me bc I'm not overweight, nev r have been, I've always been the active athletic type and have always tried to eat pretty healthy.  Nothing in the family.  But for some reason when I'm pregnant my body cannot regulate as well.  I take my 1 hr next Tuesday but at my last check up in April I had glucose in my urine .    I will probably fail the 1 hr ( i did with my son) and its looking like I may fail the 3 hr where I passed it last time.  Never last pregnancy did I have glucose in my urine.  So I've been trying to stay away from carbs and sweets which has really made things difficult and exercise more but with a demanding work schedule it's been hard.  I am trying to have another birth center birth and will be very sad If I risk out

No more Miss!

I had it with my first. It really helped me focus on being more healthy. I didn't have any shame in telling people or feel sorry for myself. It was just a challenge to overcome. 

I wasn't surprised when I was failed my tests at 13/14w. 

I hope to to continue to be able to regulate it through diet and exercise. Time will tell. 

Good luck mommas! 

blackistonemcgrail

I had it with my 1st , and totally beat myself up about it. I had to do lots of research and listen to lots of people tell me that it wasn't necessarily anything I did "wrong", it was just the crazy pregnancy hormones. I think my DH got crazy trying to convince crazy me that I hadn't "messed up". It took some time, but it eventually got through, and I had to just deal with it. I was able to keep good control of my sugars by diet and exercise and didn't have to do meds. 
Testing sugar 4 times per day and having extra Dr appointments wasn't fun for sure. Having to tame my sweet tooth wasn't fun either, but it kept my weight gain in check since I was eating very healthy. 
Hang in there! I'm a believer in letting yourself go through emotions and find healthy was to express them to process them. You can't get through them if you aren't even allowed to admit you have them! 

MamaKSquared

Thinking of all of you who are dealing with GD! I have my 1 hour test in 2 weeks, so hopefully all goes well!

charmedlifex3

And I just got a call from my doctor "regarding my glucose test, they would like me to come into the office."

That sounds ominous. I've been told it's a when not if were I to get pregnant, but still I was hoping.

No more Miss!

@Allisun85
Ugh! Sorry to hear it. Never the type of call you want to receive. 

Good luck! We're here if you need to vent. 

gadzooks_3

@jmknox Gestational Diabetes doesn't have to do with body size or activity levels. It is triggered by Human placental lactogen (HPL) which is secreted by the placenta. This hormone interferes with the insulin process and triggers increased glucose. It is all about the hormones.  My OB told me about it and i have been reading uo on it, it is quite fascinating! There is some data that overweight women get GD at a higher rate than "normal weight" women, but most of that rsearch does not control for PCOS, which is also an insulin related (and weight related) condition, so it is a potential confound.  Interestingly, in type 2 diabetes there is also some really fascinating data that the direction of causality may be that insulin resistance leads to weight gain not the other way around, similar data exists for PCOS so the relationship appears to be quite complex.  About 1/3 of type 2 diabetics are lifelong thin people.  

Life style changes can control GD for many women though. Good luck with your testing. I was also hoping for a birth center option.

allishally13

Just failed the 3 hr test before even starting (fasting level was too high) I would love a weekly check in for gd! My grandma, mom, and sister all had it, so I knew it was probably going to happen. But they took my A1C in March and it was perfect then, crazy how quickly things change  

Seeing my thryoid doctor today to discuss where to go from here.

Ceventa

So sorry to hear that :-( I have my test in 3 weeks, hoping it turns out OK. I know a lot of women who have gone through it and both them and baby have finished the pregnancy healthy. Just follow your docs advice and you will be fine!

acain20

I failed my 1 hour and have to go back for a 3 hour one getting poked 3 times. Hopefully I pass this one 

Neesey

I was truly shocked that I didn't have it this pregnancy as I was put on long acting insulin last time because my fasting numbers were always high. Truly a sign that every pregnancy is different. I've tried to keep some of the same rules this pregnancy even though I don't have GD. Eating every 3 hours is the hardest for me as is the bedtime snack. I'd love to hear what you gals are eating for snacks that aren't peanut butter--yuck!!

gadzooks_3

Plain yogurt, nuts, and fruit.
Cheese and fruit,
Hummus and veggies,
Fruit and nuts.

But my fasting glucose has been between 90 and 100. I have been sick though, which might be pushing them up.

charmedlifex3

I didn't *quite* fail my one hour, I was on the high end of normal, but given my history, they want me to go ahead and see a MFM and a nutritionist.

I already saw the nutritionist, who said I was eating fine, but wanted me to add in more healthy carbs.

@neesey My nutritionist suggested a small dish of pudding as a bed time snack. She said the amount of sugar is pretty low, and offset by the milk protein.

allishally13

It's very interesting to read up on for sure. I started tracking my blood glucose levels yesterday and all were normal except of course my fasting level. Which my nurse sister said is because of the placenta. Just hoping I can stay away from any medications, but we will see what the doctor says after she sees my results for this week.

Is it August yet?

No more Miss!

I find that if I keep protein in my bedtime snack it makes a big difference in my fasting glucose. 
I usually have peanut butter and milk, Greek yogurt, or ice cream (surprising!). 

If I don't have any snack or something too carby my fasting will be closer to 90. So far I've been able to keep it under 90 (since testing for 11+ weeks). My guidelines might be different though, 60-90 fasting, under 120 -2 hours post meal. 

Neesey

@Allisun85 Thanks for the pudding suggestion!  That sounds much better than the whole grain quesadillas I've been having. 

texasmama2014

Failed my 1 hour. Going back for the 3 hour Friday. Probably going to follow a GD diet or close to anyway.

So many feelings.

gadzooks_3

@texasmama2014 it does bring up all the feels.  As you may know, the 1 hour us a screening so many women who "fail" it have acceptable numbers on their 3 hour.

@Allisun85 thand for the pudding suggestion. Are you eating the sugar free kind or the real sugar kind?

charmedlifex3

@liljabee the aspartame in the sugar free triggers migraines, so normal sugar. The nutritionist also said the sugar spike and crash would be good, since it would put me to sleep - which is fine in a bedtime snack, not so great at 3pm!

No more Miss!

How's everyone doing this week? Check in?

I saw my diabetes educator for my monthly appt today. It went well. She gave me some ideas for staying full longer, adding more protein, and fats to stay satiated.

Luckily my sugars have been good except a few bad food choices. But the cravings for sugar have been raging lately. Hoping to spice things up because I've been testing for 12 weeks now. I'm in a rut on some meals. I'm not craving salads and good things anymore. Gotta keep pushing. 

allishally13

Meeting with the diabetes dietician on Friday. Still testing 4x a day, and 3 units Levemir at night to bring my fasting levels down. I get frustrated sometimes with how boring the food choices are, too, which seems to cause sugar cravings. I can't complain, though, it's only been one week... 11 more to go!

karaszoo1

Thank you for starting this thread.
 Found out this afternoon I "failed " my 1 hour, which had me crying for an hour, feeling like a failure . They did one earlier in pregnancy since I had gd with my 21 mo old and I passed, so I was hopeful I wouldnt get it this time.  Wrong. 3 hour scheduled for a week from today.
 I was hopeful that since I was keeping my weight gain very minimal (3 pds total gain at 29 weeks) that it would help me not get gd. Backstory : I'm a thicker girl normally, gained 26 pds total with my 21 mo old (which was less than the ob and mfm wanted me to gain ) managed the gd with diet alone and baby boy still ended up in the continuous  care unit on iv due to hypoglycemia :-( hoping baby girl doesn't have the same prob.
Having a very rough day after this phone call as i had myself convinced i was doing everything "right"
Sorry for my pity party paragraph

ReadyForaB

I got the call today that I too failed my one hour with a 138. I'm going for the three hour this weekend and am terrified. My doctor gave me a diet plan to follow for the three days leading up to the test. A lot of carbs and sugar! I mean, I'm no doctor and I guess I'll follow it but I would've went in a completely different direction of not given the diet plan. Fingers crossed!

gadzooks_3

karaszoo1 said:

Thank you for starting this thread.
 Found out this afternoon I "failed " my 1 hour, which had me crying for an hour, feeling like a failure . They did one earlier in pregnancy since I had gd with my 21 mo old and I passed, so I was hopeful I wouldnt get it this time.  Wrong. 3 hour scheduled for a week from today.
 I was hopeful that since I was keeping my weight gain very minimal (3 pds total gain at 29 weeks) that it would help me not get gd. Backstory : I'm a thicker girl normally, gained 26 pds total with my 21 mo old (which was less than the ob and mfm wanted me to gain ) managed the gd with diet alone and baby boy still ended up in the continuous  care unit on iv due to hypoglycemia :-( hoping baby girl doesn't have the same prob.
Having a very rough day after this phone call as i had myself convinced i was doing everything "right"
Sorry for my pity party paragraph

It is an emotional experience. Remember, the one hour is a screening not a diagnostic. A good amount of people who "fail" the one hour pass the 3 hour.

gadzooks_3

@ReadyForaB  they are having you Carbo load?  It isn't as common a practice anymore, it is supposed to prevent the 3 hour from being a shock to your system.

Car0liiine

Results from my 1 hr were posted online last night and looks like I failed. Not surprised, but definitely disappointed and anxious about what this means.
I'm kind of surprised I haven't received a call from the office. Like . . .What now? I know from reading others posts that usually they do a 3 hr test, but am I supposed to take the initiative to call and set that up? I don't have any instructions for how that one goes. My next regular appointment is scheduled for the 27th, surely they won't wait to set up the 3 hr until then?

allishally13

@Car0liiine your doctor should give you a call- otherwise, if you don't hear from them by tomorrow I would give them a call and check in. It's obviously important for yours and baby's health, if you had gd, to start getting it under control as soon as possible. Good luck!

Car0liiine

@allishally13  I went ahead and called. Gonna do the 3 hr tomorrow.

No more Miss!

Good luck to all the mommas having to take the 3 hour. 

You can do this, either way!

This is GD number 2 for me and while it's hard, baby will be worth it!!!

Mfuller76

Just got the called that I also failed my one hour test with a 152. Three hour test on Monday but with my family history of diabetes, I'm not feeling optimistic. On the bright side, I know it will force me to clean up my eating, which I've been really lenient with since I got pregnant. I just want all the carbs, all the time!

Edsilva14

I haven't had my gestational diabetes test yet (I have it next week) but I would encourage that you don't get too upset about it. I know a few pregnant women who had failed the 1 hour, and then they had gestational diabetes throughout their pregnancy and then delivered perfectly healthy baby. But reading all the feeds of this, I am going to cut back next week on eating candy bars and candy!! I get such cravings for sweets...especially in the afternoon time at work! I hope if you retake the test, you pass it better.