GD Check In - 8.1.16

jbal918

Hi Ladies! Happy Monday!

How many weeks are you this week?

How are numbers this week?

How are you feeling overall?

Any rants/raves/questions?

GTKY - What would be your dream job? (Even if you work it already!)

jbal918

How many weeks are you this week?
31! Flying by!

How are numbers this week?
I started the Merformin two weeks ago and it seems to be kicking in now so pretty good.

How are you feeling overall?
Tired! And hot! Summer can be done now!

Any rants/raves/questions?
Anyone else have to do non-stress tests every week? I start that and a growth ultrasound next week!

GTKY - What would be your dream job? (Even if you work it already!)
I'm a teacher, which I love! But I would love to be a Zoologist!

Mintz1982

How many weeks are you this week? 29

How are numbers this week? I had good days and bad I had one day with 0 spikes then 2 days I couldn't get out of the 8s 

How are you feeling overall? not great not horrible my days are filled with the spins short walks and putting my feet up. My husband wants me to go to Hospital if I feel weird as he calls it again.

Any rants/raves/questions? 

GTKY - What would be your dream job? (Even if you work it already!) Stay at home momma. 

simcal18

How many weeks are you this week?  27 + 3!!!!  Hi third tri!

How are numbers this week?  Good I guess????  My target ranges are below 95 for fasting and below 140 an hour after eating.  I haven't had any readings outside of those ranges since a week ago this past Saturday (when I optimistically thought I could get away with two tacos in decent-sized corn tortillas and spiked a 142), but my fasting numbers are a bit all over the place.  Some days I'm at a 74, other days I'm at an 88-90, and it seems to have no correlation to when I wake up, what time I take the reading, or what I've eaten the day/night before.  One day two weeks ago I freaked out a bit because it was at 95 when I woke up (way higher than it's been before or since) -- but I had an early morning endocrinologist appointment an hour later, didn't eat before it, and when they checked my blood sugar there it was an 81.  So it even seems to vary on the same morning before I eat.  My post meal numbers have a decent amount of variation too, but at least I can make sense of those variations, and if I eat the same thing at the same time I usually get close to the same number.  Do anyone else's fasting numbers vary that much?

How are you feeling overall?  Overall feeling pretty good.  A little less energy since I dropped the carbs.  A little cranky occasionally that I can't have a sugary treat if I want it.  But loving feeling that I'm eating healthy, and feeling good that baby is measuring on the slightly small side of average and that my numbers look good overall.

Any rants/raves/questions?  See above re: fasting numbers variation.

GTKY - What would be your dream job? (Even if you work it already!)  I'd love to be an appellate lawyer and argue in front of the Supreme Court (I'm a lawyer but not that kind).

blessyourheartmama

@MrsB627 I think I start NSTs at week 32 and at least once a week from there on out.  I'm getting growth scans every 4 weeks as of now, but I think that's due to it being twins since my GD is non-medicated still at this point.

How many weeks are you this week?

30+1, boy/girl twins

How are numbers this week?

Good except for one spike.  I can totally attribute that to what I ate though.  I did miss several checks though, so I know MFM is going to not be happy with me for that.

How are you feeling overall?

Tired, hot, heavy.  I hope I can carry these babies to September at this rate.  My OB isn't going to let me go to October with twins.

Any rants/raves/questions?

I miss my carbs so much.  That is all.  I know it's only temporary, but I probably should eat like this forever due to PCOS, pre-diabetes, & hypothyroidism. 

GTKY - What would be your dream job? (Even if you work it already!)

College professor.

westcoastfoodie

How many weeks are you this week? 31 weeks today! 

How are numbers this week? They seem to be ok, there have been a couple strange spikes, but I have an appt tomorrow so we'll see what the doc says. @simcal18 My fasting numbers seem to be all over the place too! They're never over, so that's good, it's just odd that no matter what I eat the night before they're randomly higher here and there. 

How are you feeling overall?  Feeling hot hot hot. Other than that, fine! 

Any rants/raves/questions? None... I may have cheated a little yesterday during my shower, but not too badly. I'm pretty proud actually that I didn't cheat more lol. 

GTKY - What would be your dream job? (Even if you work it already!) I would love to write a book and have it published, but every time I start I get distracted or stuck. DH and I plan to open our own restaurants in a few years, or that's the goal! So we're working on making that dream job a reality. 

@MrsB627 I've been wondering when they'll have me start doing the NSTs, so I suppose I'll find out tomorrow at my appt! 

simcal18

Thanks @Julia70286!  It's good to know I'm not the only one whose fasting numbers vary substantially seemingly randomly.

On another note, I apparently jinxed myself with my "no spike" bragging.  I'd had a Potbelly flat for lunch twice since my GD diagnosis -- one time it brought me to a higher-but-bearable 131, and the second time it put me a little over at a 145.  I decided to chance it one more time today and walk for a little bit afterwards in the hopes that the higher number was just a fluke and the flats would remain a viable lunch option for me.  Result:  a sky-high 154.  Whoops.  Guess those are officially off the table for the next 12 weeks .  .  .

I have an appointment with my OB next Monday and my endo/nutritionist next Tuesday.  Does anybody know when they start considering insulin?  In the 3 1/2 weeks since I've been diagnosed I've had 4 or 5 readings above my "target," but all of them are directly attributable to something I ate (namely, for all except the corn tortilla taco incident, whole grain bread/flatbread).  I'll get one meal reading in the 120s-130s about once every other day, again fairly predictable based on what I ate, and the rest of my post meal readings are usually 119 or substantially below.  I am eating within or below my carb targets each meal.  None of my above-target readings were fasting (with the exception of that flukey 95 that was an 81 an hour later), and baby was measuring on the slightly small side of average at my last ultrasound a week and a half ago.  I've now accepted the fact that I need to stay away from bread (even whole-grain bread), and get my limited carbs from other sources that don't spike my BG, but unless I'd experienced those spikes in the first place, I don't know how I would know that.  

I really would like to stay off of insulin unless I need it, and I feel like now I have enough data to make it clear how to prevent the spikes I've had.  I feel like the reasonable course of action for a provider looking at my numbers would be to say "good job overall, you're clearly not tolerating bread so stay away from it and focus on other carbs instead."  But I'm worried that they're going to look at my numbers instead and say "oh, you're spiking -- time to start some insulin."  Anybody have any thoughts on which response is more likely?

simcal18

Also, can I just rant for a minute to you fellow GD ladies?  In my office, we take turns bringing in breakfast for everyone on Fridays.  It is almost always carby sugary deliciousness.  Everyone winds up taking their turn about once every three months, and I am at the beginning of the rotation.  I've been skipping breakfast attendance since I got the GD diagnosis and even a little before then because I was trying to cut down on sweets even before this.  Well now we're starting a new rotation, and I'm pissy about it because I'm supposed to bring breakfast in this month, but I won't be able to partake in breakfast for this whole three month rotation -- 1/2 the time I'll have GD and the other 1/2 I'll be out on maternity leave.  GRRRRRRR.  Why should I bring in a ton of carbs for everybody else to eat when I'm not eating?  I feel like emailing the woman who does the schedule and telling her that I'm out this cycle but then I'll feel like the office party pooping non-participatory weenie.

jbal918

@JessK1014 and @Julia70286 So this is a normal test then for GD? He didn't really explain if it was for GD or my kidney disease so I'm a bit relieved to know its seems to be a normal
test. I'm a natural worrier so I of course was worried haha

Michi1382

How many weeks are you this week?
30 tomorrow. 

How are numbers this week?
I haven't quite seen them yet because I haven't started testing yet--I have my first appointment with a nutritionist on Thursday and there they'll teach me how to read the numbers and prick my finger for the blood. I need to test 4 times a day. 
How are you feeling overall?
Anxious because I've never been through this before but physically I'm not sure how the GD actually feels, if that makes sense. 
Any rants/raves/questions?
I have a million questions lol but I'm going to go through the process and read all of your posts to learn more. 
GTKY - What would be your dream job? (Even if you work it already!)
High School Guidance Counselor! I'm on the road towards it!

ETA: Sorry this is all in bold--I'm mobile and it doesn't change sometimes!

blessyourheartmama

@MrsB627 NSTs seem to be a normal part of the last trimester with GD based on my personal experience.

jbal918

@JessK1014 and I think the growth scans as well, right? My kidney disease sometimes makes small babies and the GD makes big so maybe I'll balance out lol

UponAStar16

@simcal18 I'd say F it and bring diet breakfast for everyone. Maybe it'll give them a hint to try to do things more balanced, or at least you'll get to enjoy it when it's your turn!

westcoastfoodie

@MrsB627 This is my first, so I've never done the NST tests before, I think they are pretty standard for most pregnancies, even without GD. There was a lady in my birthing class who does them once a week and she doesn't have GD so I think it's pretty normal. Someone correct me if I'm wrong though! DH was wondering the same things and the way I put it to him is, hey, I'm TOTALLY ok with as much monitoring as they wanna do to give me a healthy baby. I wouldn't worry too much about it! 


Just a tip for everyone... It seems kinda silly to point out, but wash and thoroughly dry your hands right before you test. That way any residue from any foods you've eaten or handled won't affect the reading. I've gotten higher readings after handling and peeling fruit. 

Mintz1982

NST has not been mentioned to me either I'll ask tomorrow when I see Dietician  and next week when I see DR. I've had 1 I think in all 3 of my pregnancies with my son because he was a sleeper hated moving. 
My Dr did mention that by stubborn ox has 3 weeks to flip then I have to have an ultrasound lol my baby enjoys my left side with its head by my ribs and feet in my vagina. I could go for a NST right about now lol

jbal918

Just took my after dinner number and it's the second r wrong in a row that I'm over 120. I don't know if it's because I'm totally exhausted and not moving off the couch or what but I'm bummed bc I've been doing really well until last week and was put back on meds because of my fasting numbers. It's weird because I controlled my after meals numbers better than when not on meds!

jbal918

@Julia70286 I definitely don't mind the monitoring! Just wasn't sure if it was a GD thing. Online it says high risk but he hasn't really mentioned high risk because my kidney levels are stable but I feel like he's being extra cautious too.

simcal18

MrsB627 said:

Just took my after dinner number and it's the second r wrong in a row that I'm over 120. I don't know if it's because I'm totally exhausted and not moving off the couch or what but I'm bummed bc I've been doing really well until last week and was put back on meds because of my fasting numbers. It's weird because I controlled my after meals numbers better than when not on meds!

Sorry you're feeling frustrated.  Is that a 1 hour number or a 2 hour number?  What are your targets?

jbal918

It's my 2 hours number @simcal18. I'm going to ask at my appt tmrw why my numbers have been more back and forth on the medicine than off when I've been eating the same things still.

Michi1382

simcal18 said:

Thanks @Julia70286!  It's good to know I'm not the only one whose fasting numbers vary substantially seemingly randomly.

On another note, I apparently jinxed myself with my "no spike" bragging.  I'd had a Potbelly flat for lunch twice since my GD diagnosis -- one time it brought me to a higher-but-bearable 131, and the second time it put me a little over at a 145.  I decided to chance it one more time today and walk for a little bit afterwards in the hopes that the higher number was just a fluke and the flats would remain a viable lunch option for me.  Result:  a sky-high 154.  Whoops.  Guess those are officially off the table for the next 12 weeks .  .  .

I have an appointment with my OB next Monday and my endo/nutritionist next Tuesday.  Does anybody know when they start considering insulin?  In the 3 1/2 weeks since I've been diagnosed I've had 4 or 5 readings above my "target," but all of them are directly attributable to something I ate (namely, for all except the corn tortilla taco incident, whole grain bread/flatbread).  I'll get one meal reading in the 120s-130s about once every other day, again fairly predictable based on what I ate, and the rest of my post meal readings are usually 119 or substantially below.  I am eating within or below my carb targets each meal.  None of my above-target readings were fasting (with the exception of that flukey 95 that was an 81 an hour later), and baby was measuring on the slightly small side of average at my last ultrasound a week and a half ago.  I've now accepted the fact that I need to stay away from bread (even whole-grain bread), and get my limited carbs from other sources that don't spike my BG, but unless I'd experienced those spikes in the first place, I don't know how I would know that.  

I really would like to stay off of insulin unless I need it, and I feel like now I have enough data to make it clear how to prevent the spikes I've had.  I feel like the reasonable course of action for a provider looking at my numbers would be to say "good job overall, you're clearly not tolerating bread so stay away from it and focus on other carbs instead."  But I'm worried that they're going to look at my numbers instead and say "oh, you're spiking -- time to start some insulin."  Anybody have any thoughts on which response is more likely?

@simcal18 Do you have hypothyroidism as well? You said endo/nutritionist so I wondered if you do. I have both but haven't seen my nutritionist yet. 

simcal18

Michi1382 said:

simcal18 said:

Thanks @Julia70286!  It's good to know I'm not the only one whose fasting numbers vary substantially seemingly randomly.

On another note, I apparently jinxed myself with my "no spike" bragging.  I'd had a Potbelly flat for lunch twice since my GD diagnosis -- one time it brought me to a higher-but-bearable 131, and the second time it put me a little over at a 145.  I decided to chance it one more time today and walk for a little bit afterwards in the hopes that the higher number was just a fluke and the flats would remain a viable lunch option for me.  Result:  a sky-high 154.  Whoops.  Guess those are officially off the table for the next 12 weeks .  .  .

I have an appointment with my OB next Monday and my endo/nutritionist next Tuesday.  Does anybody know when they start considering insulin?  In the 3 1/2 weeks since I've been diagnosed I've had 4 or 5 readings above my "target," but all of them are directly attributable to something I ate (namely, for all except the corn tortilla taco incident, whole grain bread/flatbread).  I'll get one meal reading in the 120s-130s about once every other day, again fairly predictable based on what I ate, and the rest of my post meal readings are usually 119 or substantially below.  I am eating within or below my carb targets each meal.  None of my above-target readings were fasting (with the exception of that flukey 95 that was an 81 an hour later), and baby was measuring on the slightly small side of average at my last ultrasound a week and a half ago.  I've now accepted the fact that I need to stay away from bread (even whole-grain bread), and get my limited carbs from other sources that don't spike my BG, but unless I'd experienced those spikes in the first place, I don't know how I would know that.  

I really would like to stay off of insulin unless I need it, and I feel like now I have enough data to make it clear how to prevent the spikes I've had.  I feel like the reasonable course of action for a provider looking at my numbers would be to say "good job overall, you're clearly not tolerating bread so stay away from it and focus on other carbs instead."  But I'm worried that they're going to look at my numbers instead and say "oh, you're spiking -- time to start some insulin."  Anybody have any thoughts on which response is more likely?

@simcal18 Do you have hypothyroidism as well? You said endo/nutritionist so I wondered if you do. I have both but haven't seen my nutritionist yet. 

Yes, in addition to the GD, I do have some mild hypothyroidism that has been diagnosed as a side effect of the pregnancy (i.e. my thyroid was functioning fine before pregnancy and my levels would be normal if I weren't pregnant, but for pregnancy they want my thyroid functioning better than it was).  I think my practices's standard of care is to refer all GD patients to an endocrinologist regardless of whether there are thyroid issues as well, although I'm not entirely sure about that.  My endo is monitoring me for both issues.

Mintz1982

Saw Dietician today she informed me to talk to my Dr because they prefer babies of GD to be out by 38 weeks. 

jbal918

My dr upped my Metformin to 1000 in the morning and at night. Hoping this helps because I'm really trying to avoid insulin at all costs. He didn't seemed too concerned though because my numbers have been back and forth but he said it wasn't consistent so it's not alarming to him.

allisonkm2

How many weeks are you this week?
I'll be 30 weeks tomorrow.

How are numbers this week?
Don't know yet. I just found out for sure yesterday and I have my appointment with a dietitian tomorrow. I've been reading these threads a lot though and staying away from lots of carbs and sugar in the mean time.

How are you feeling overall?
A little freaked out. I'm not going to be put on any medications right now because I passed my fasting level, but I'm still worried about all of the other complications that can happen.

Any rants/raves/questions?
Tons, but I will wait until after my appointment.

GTKY - What would be your dream job? (Even if you work it already!)
The Director of HR in a major corporation. I'm still at the bottom, but hoping to work my way up.

simcal18

@allisonkm2  I'm sorry that you're dealing with this diagnosis but we're glad to have you here!  It's totally understandable to be a little freaked out.  I was diagnosed almost a month ago and there was a ton of freaking out, a lot of tears, I didn't want to tell anybody  --  pretty much I was a mess for about two weeks until I could finally get into my nutritionist and endo.  The good news is that I'm doing much better now.  The diet and BG monitoring have become routine, and I'm less stressed about complications because I know I'm getting good care and managing this well.  You'll get there too -- it's just takes a little time.

Good luck at your appointment tomorrow!  Let us know how it goes and if you have any questions.

allisonkm2

Thanks @simcal18! It went pretty well! A lot of information in a 2 hour class, so I'm still processing, but it's definitely not as bad as I thought (I didn't think I was supposed to eat fruit or bread or any types of carbs at all... shows how much I knew!) I just took my blood sugar for the first time, and I'm actually having difficulty eating enough at each meal/snack. Has anyone else experienced this? Not being hungry while pregnant?

simcal18

allisonkm2 said:

Thanks @simcal18! It went pretty well! A lot of information in a 2 hour class, so I'm still processing, but it's definitely not as bad as I thought (I didn't think I was supposed to eat fruit or bread or any types of carbs at all... shows how much I knew!) I just took my blood sugar for the first time, and I'm actually having difficulty eating enough at each meal/snack. Has anyone else experienced this? Not being hungry while pregnant?

I'm glad that your class went well!  Re: having difficulty eating enough -- I definitely have this problem too, especially with the GD plan.  I have always been what I would describe as super "carb sensitive" (so maybe it's not a shock that I have GD).  I can pack carbs away like nobody's business -- entire bags of chips, ridiculous amounts of pasta or bread, etc. etc.  But give me 4 ounces of a good steak and a cup of broccoli and I am full for hours and hours, sometimes uncomfortably so.  If I'm trying to lose weight the first thing I do is cut carbs -- I have a hell of a time losing weight if I don't limit them, but if I do, the weight just falls off.  Even now I've lost 4 pounds on the GD plan.

As for how I've dealt with not feeling like I'm always too full -- my dietitian/nutritionist basically told me that she's not going to force food down my throat, so if I'm really not feeling a snack, I can skip it.  Sometimes my "snack" is some milk mixed in with coffee.  I've found portion control to be really important during meals -- protein is super filling and our stomachs are starting to get a bit squished by our babies, so large meals really aren't that feasible (or advisable) right now.   That having been said, given that I've lost 4 pounds so far, I'm not sure that I'm the best person to provide advice on eating "enough" while having GD.  I meet with my OB Monday of next week and my endo and dietitian on Tuesday, so we'll see if they have any concerns about it.  I suspect that they won't be super concerned since I was pretty overweight to start with (so long as the baby's growth is on track of course).  If they do want me to eat more and have any tips/tricks about how to make that happen, I'll share them.

Re: the fruit and bread -- it is true that they are "allowed" and I don't want to burst your bubble, but I (and I think a lot of other ladies with GD from what I've read) have trouble with bread and some fruit.  It's weird, but some carbs may cause spikes for you while others won't, and some may work for a while and then start giving you trouble while others will always be fine.  I ate a whole grain English muffin with peanut butter for breakfast every day for the first 10 days that I had GD and was always in the low 120s an hour after.  Then one day all of a sudden I was in the 150s.  The same thing happened again the next day and other bread (even whole grain) started giving me trouble too.  So no more bread for me.  But rice and most fruits are still fine for me in moderation (except grapes for some reason), and potatoes are practically a joke -- I can eat a whole decent sized scoop of white mashed and be at 103 an hour later.  Anyway, you will figure out what foods do and do not work for you through trial and error.  I just wanted to let you know that bread seems to be a common trouble food for many with GD, and also wanted to tell you not to freak out about all carbs or think you won't be able to control your GD if one specific carb starts giving you trouble.

westcoastfoodie

@allisonkm2   I very rarely find that I'm very hungry, especially when it comes to snacking, but I know I need the fuel for the baby and it helps with not spiking. For snacks if I'm not hungry I still try to a little something, usually some cheese and a couple of strawberries or whole wheat crackers. 

Just like @simcal18 mentioned, you'll find that there are some carbs and fruits that will make you spike more than others. For me, any "empty carbs" put me in the danger zone... so white rice, white bread, baguettes, potatoes, ect. The sugar from whole grain foods are steadier so I find them to be a better choice for me and they don't make my blood sugar go crazy. Also, as far as fruit goes, fruits that are higher on the glycemic index will make your blood sugar spike more, like watermelon, pineapple, ect. For me it was a lot of research and trial and error. I have found though that I can have a half of a pizza from Pieology or PizzaRev, load it with meats and veggies, and be on track - and that makes me VERY happy

Michi1382

@simcal18 @Julia70286 Thank you so much for ALL of this information! It's really, really helpful, especially after speaking to the dietician and getting a lot of information at once. Thank you, thank you!

Edited because I hit post too soon. 

mkc3888

@simcal18 My Dr is very pro insulin.  He was going to allow me to wait another week, but says it's only a matter of times before I need it and better to start treatment sooner rather than later.  He likes fasting under 90 and post meals under 120.  When I went in today he said 30% of my numbers were above goal.  and that is his general cutoff for starting insulin.  He also gave the choice for me to choose metformin or insulin, but prefers insulin because it does not cross the placenta like metformin does and has more research.  Metformin has been used for GD only for the last ~4 years, so no long term research on the impact it has on the baby.   

How many weeks are you this week?
31+3

How are numbers this week?
I thought they were pretty good, but see above.  

How are you feeling overall?
Good most of the time.  I gagged this morning and vomited stomach bile, fun stuff.  

Any rants/raves/questions?
I'm a little bummed about having to start insulin, but if it lowers my risk of having a c-section it's ok.  I'll be taking long acting insulin once a day, so I guess that's better than having to take it before meals.  

GTKY - What would be your dream job? (Even if you work it already!)

I would love to work at the VA either in outpatient mental health or their homeless program.  

blessyourheartmama

@Michi1382 Another tip if you haven't heard it...morning time is usually a more sensitive time for blood sugar.  I've found that some things I cannot eat in the morning at all, are fine for me in the evenings. 

All, so what are your go to middle of the night GD snacks?  I keep waking up at 3-4, and I'm starving.

jbal918

@allisonkm2 I am! I weigh less now that when I got pregnant and I'm never really hungry. Between the GD and my kidney disease, I have to go for growth scans once a week starting next week and he's 4lbs already so he's definitely still gaining! I feel like as long as baby is healthy and numbers are good, I'm eating enough. If I eat too close to the carb number I spike sometimes. 

missmaehurt

How many weeks are you this week?
30 weeks

How are numbers this week?
I procrastinated and whined, then finally tested this morning. It was 77, my nurse friend said I needed to eat something lol. 

How are you feeling overall?
I still feel fine. 

Any rants/raves/questions?
I'm such a baby, I screamed super loud when I poked myself, there may have been some tears, and I had to do it twice because the strip didn't read the first time. This is definitely going to test my will, really if I wasn't pregnant I wouldn't be doing it. The only upside is my husband brought me a donut for being a good sport, my nutritionist is going to love me Thursday. 

GTKY - What would be your dream job? (Even if you work it already!)
I would love to build my photography business to be full time. Living in Michigan makes it a little difficult because not too many people are willing to brave the winter for photos, but at least I'd be able to make my own schedule and stay at home with Bean.