GD Moms

kyrwyn

We've talked about starting a thread for those of us dealing with gestational diabetes, but I thought I'd throw something up here so we could say hi and support one another.  I had my first appointment for diabetes counseling yesterday and just started testing. I think my biggest win in the past 24 hours is finding a lancet setting that doesn't make me cry. (Baby steps, right?)  I'm still feeling hugely overwhelmed, but my dietitian is wonderful and supportive and I'm hoping that together we'll be able to handle this.

I let my coworkers know, because we've been together for 5+ years and they're like my actually-supportive family. I was surprised to hear from two of my coworkers that they had experienced this, and from another that his wife had.  We have ~15 people in the company, so that's a pretty high proportion.  All of the coworkers had very positive outcomes, and one told me that having GD really helped her learn healthful eating patterns for the rest of her life.  She told me it's the best thing that could happen to me, since I'll get so much support now and it really will help me reset some patterns -- I'm not quite sure I share her optimism, but I thought I'd share it since it was so striking to me.

How it going for you? How are you feeling?  

acgonzalez22

@kyrwyn I agree with your co-worker. Having GD with DS truly made me change my eating habits and focus on being a healthy Mommy. I've been really relaxed this time around with GD because I have already been through it. One of the most important things I've learned is that it wasn't so much the things I was eating or my weight, I have PCOS and that insulin resistance is just very present during pregnancy. Point being- don't be too hard on yourselves ladies if you need medicine to help you control GD and try not to fall into the rabbit hole of thinking it it is something you did because you ate 1 too many donuts one day. 

I have to put my lancet setting on 3 for some fingers and 4 for others

elvenchick92686

I was diagnosed in my first trimester from prenatal work up at 10 weeks. I had gotten really lapse about checking it lately cause im just tired of it after 15 weeks lol. But my doctor is totally okay and actually prefers me to check it mainly for my fasting number and one other time during the day. Fast food is my big thing cause ive learned to limit what i eat and snack more except fast food lol. So far i am just diet controlled. Once my fasting stays above 110 then i will be on medicine. Im just ready for this pregnancy to be over and i have my baby girl. Its been a rough ride. My dietician was way to hard on me so i felt overwhelmed at first but my doctor made me feel better about it. 

beary67

I met with the GD specialist group with my MFM today.  I am having twins and the amount of carbs they want me to eat is crazy high based on what I've been eating (not a ton of carbs).  I was also surprised that I can still eat a lot of what I was eating before, and that they were impressed with my diet.  It sounds like I will probably need medicine, but they want to see how my numbers are after one week before deciding that for sure.

@kyrwyn I was using a 2 in the office today when they were letting me practice.  With my own machine once I got home, I tried a 2 and I got nothing.  Then I tried a 3 on my middle finger and barely any blood.  So I switched to the same finger I tested in the office and did fine with a 3.  I'm assuming I will need to use a 4 on at least my middle finger, like @acgonzalez22 said depending on the finger.  It's trial and error right now.  

We will get through this together!  I also joined a GD Support group on Facebook and I've been able to search and find good advice on food recommendations, etc.  There is even a GD meal group too, which is super helpful! 

kyrwyn

@elvenchick92686 I'm so sorry to hear your dietician was rough on you.  My first meeting with mine was very supportive and understanding, and I left feeling much more empowered (if still somewhat terrified).  If she'd been hard on me, I think I would have left even more defeated.

@acgonzalez22 Thank you, too, for the perspective! I think if I can get a couple days of good numbers under my belt, I will start feeling better.  I was really surprised to learn how insulin requirements increase during pregnancy. It wasn't something I understood before my diagnosis.  

elvenchick92686

@kyrwyn mine was hard cause i had ate mcdonalds before hand and so my reading was high and so i followed her diet like she wanted me to except cheats here and there and so some numbers were high and she tried to scare me about a big baby and this that and the third and i was starving onto of already having hypermesis and losing ao much weight before hand that i just adopted my own diet and my numbers were fine and i never went back to see her. I told my doctor about it and so he said he was just happy with all of mh numbers and liked the fact i didnt check it often so its been better. I still eat everything i did but just not as much and everything been fine. 

kyrwyn

@beary67 I brought my equipment to my meeting so I got to practice with my own lancet, and learn what worked for me.  2.5 = bruising and tears. 2.0 = no crying and enough blood (for my ring and little finger so far).  I think each device is calibrated differently.  I hope you find a good setting!  We bought a big thing of string cheese at Smart & Final yesterday, so I have it around the to pair with carbs for easy snacks when I feel overwhelmed about choices.  

If it would help anyone, I'm happy to scan and post the 7-day example meal plan I got from my dietician.   Just let me know.

beary67

@kyrwyn I would love to see your meal plan! 

kersey0208

Hey all! I was diagnosed with GD at 23 weeks. My OB decided not to do the glucose test since I have been dealing with insulin resistance and pcos for 15 years she checked my A1C and it had went up from 5.6 to 5.8 since it had been checked 6 months prior to pregnancy. She said the cut off for GD was 5.6 so she sent me to diabetic training and got me set up with a meter. My readings have been good so far and trying to track calories and carbs again. The past 15 years I would have really benefited from taking metformin however I found out as a teen I had an intolerance of it and ended up in the ER with side effects from it. I'm just worried about medication options if I do end up needing them. I have an appointment tomorrow hoping to talk more about that to ease the anxiety.  

jlemons-2

Hey ladies! I'm a second time GD mama but it has been much more challenging this time around. I'm currently on 1500 mg of Metformin and had a trial with Glyburide that didn't go too well. We will see what happens next!

whiska

Just wanted to pop in and send everyone some love!

I failed the 1-hour glucose - it was pretty high - and my 3-hour is Tuesday.  I dove into reading about glucose monitoring and have already tried to do a better job of balancing carbs (tbh my diet wasn't stellar), but can see how daunting it is and I'm so glad you'll have each other here.  Sending you all strength and happy healthy pregnancies and babies as you face this challenge!

beary67

@whiska wishing you the best on Tuesday!!  Hoping you don't join us here 

kyrwyn

@beary67 Here's the example meal plan they gave me (in spoiler tags because it's so big):

I hope it helps.

I have to file a grievance with my health insurance because they denied coverage of my test strips. They will only cover test strips that don't work with the meter they already approved (which I already picked up and paid for and can't return).  Thankfully my godbrother and a close friend are insurance agents and a health care attorney, respectively, and are going to help us with this process.  So frustrated.

@whiska Good luck on Tuesday!

beary67

@kyrwyn  thank you!!! 

That's crazy the strips got denied!!  Hopefully an appeal works!! 

thatlauragirl

I've been a little MIA lately but wanted to pop in and say hi! I was diagnosed at 19 wks so I'm on week 7 of the GD diet and so far I'm doing okay. I've only gained 3lbs this pregnancy and I think a lot of it is from eating carefully. Giving up sugar hasn't been so bad but cutting carbs has been a challenge. I'm a distance runner and carbs are second nature for me.

I'm sure you already know this but if you're having problems getting blood, make sure to keep your hands down and shake them out a bit beforehand. It definitely helps me! 

KathrynJ088

I haven't heard from my doc yet, but got an email with my 1hr glucose screen results that said 148mg (fasting screen). From basic googling, it seems I may have failed my 1hr test. Obviously my head is spinning, and I'm preparing (mentally & schedule wise, not diet wise bc I don't want to skew results) for the 3hr scan.  How common is it to fail the 1hr, but not actually have GD and pass the 3hr? What actually changes with GD, and what's the risk to baby (or babies in my case)? TIA

kyrwyn

@KathrynJ088 I have read that it's fairly common to fail the 1hr and still pass the 3hr. My dietician also explained that there is very little you can do to influence the outcome either way. GD indicates that your pancreas isn't making enough insulin to keep up with the increased demand during pregnancy, or that you have a form of insulin resistance that is making your body less efficient at using what you have, and the risk to the baby/babies is that they are exposed to extra glucose and may grow too large or have low blood sugar after birth. You would also be at an increased risk of pre eclampsia as a GD mom. It's supposed to be more common in older moms and moms of multiples or moms with a family history of diabetes. 

My health care provider sets very stringent rules for what my glucose levels should remain at for the rest of my pregnancy and they have great outcomes when GD is controlled via diet and exercise or with these and medication. 

I hope you get great news at your 3hr. But if not, we'll all stick together through it! If I've gotten anything wrong, I hope the more experienced GD moms will correct me and fill you in. 

kyrwyn

I am disappointed. My post-meal numbers are good -- I've been working really hard on following the diet and walking for 10-15 min after each meal -- but my fastings are just a little high.  The clinic is closed today, but I'll have to call in the morning and I think they'll start me on meds.  I was hoping I could do this with diet and exercise (at least for a little while), but that seems to already not be the case.

elvenchick92686

@kyrwyn i thought the same thing cause i had a few days where my fasting shot up and asked doctor about the meds and he said if it over a specific number for like a week then we would start but i still haven't hit that number yet so hopefully it will be the same for you!!!! Ive also noticed for me the less sleep i get the higher my fasting number is so i try to sleep all i can at night but i know its harder for some :-)

acgonzalez22

Make sure you're having protein in your last snack before bed. If your sugars plummit too low during the night it signals your body to release a surge of glucagon and that in turn makes your fasting number higher than it would have been. Stress and not adequate sleep can cause a spike as well. 

jlemons-2

Yes! Eat right before bed, it should help.

kyrwyn

@jlemons-2 @acgonzalez22 @elvenchick92686  Thanks for the ideas, ladies! I am definitely eating my night-time snack right before bed, but it has been so hot this weekend that I don't think I slept hugely well (even with the AC).  I'll try upping the protein in my bedtime snack and see if it helps tonight. 

kyrwyn

I talked to my clinic this morning. They think I'm doing great (!) with my meal numbers, and that I just need meds in the evening to help with fasting.  I'm going to start on glyburide insulin at bedtime (smallest dose for my weight) as soon as the prescription gets approved and filled.  

On the definite upside, I'm walking a lot more ... and that's meaning less lower back/hip ache for me.

ETA: As of lunchtime today, my healthcare provider changed their policy on oral meds for the control of GD.  Literally while they were processing my prescription... the policy changed to insulin only for blood sugar management.

beary67

I went back to see the GD specialist group today with my MFM office.  They are starting me on insulin, which I will take 4 injections a day (2 before breakfast, one before dinner and one before my evening snack).  I go back again on Monday to see how I'm doing on the dose they put me on.  They said with two placentas, my pancreas can't create enough insulin to do what it's supposed to do.  They said based on my numbers over the last week, if they started me on oral meds I would need to be on the max dose, which would allow for no wiggle room to increase my meds as my pregnancy continues to progress.  So insulin it is!  

How is everyone else doing?  

kyrwyn

@beary67 *internet hugs* I am starting my insulin today too.  I have one injection at night to start. But they told me to expect it will increase over the next 10-12 weeks.  I've been super emotional all week about it, but I'm trying to channel that into walking and meal planning where possible. (I did have a good half hour cry on Tuesday when I got home).  I did my "practice" injection this morning and it really did hurt less than my lancet -- but I am imagining it hurts throughout the day. (I know I am imagining the hurt, because when I check "where it hurts" it is not where I practiced. It's a good 4" away.)

beary67

@kyrwyn hugs to you, too!  As someone who did 3 rounds of IVF, I can tell you that the shots themselves do not hurt bad at all. The medicine I used to inject in my stomach would burn, but I don't think that will be the case with insulin at all!  With my IVF injections, I did get some minor bruising sometimes, but not all the time. And I could never remember exactly where I did my last injection unless I had a small bruise so you shouldn't have lingering pain at the injection site. Also, these needles are super small. You'll do just fine and before long you won't think
twice about the injections. Let me know how it goes tonight. Keeping you in my thoughts 

peachy13

Sorry if wrong thread to post in as I'm not a GD mom at the moment, but I just found out I failed my first one-hour glucose test. I'm going in tomorrow for the 3 hour test and am trying not to worry or be nervous. Is there anything I can do today to help with the test? I'm worried that I ate too big of a lunch before my last test which is why the numbers were high.

beary67

@peachy13 I would not prepare for the 3 hour test in any way.  Otherwise, you might skew the results and cause harm to your baby if you're not treated for GD properly. The 3 hour is fasting so just go about your day normally today and eat how you normally would. Best of luck. 

kyrwyn

@peachy13 Welcome to the thread, and I totally understand your worry.  Like @beary67 said, it's not the sort of test you want to skew or cheat.  If it makes you feel better, you can eat more protein and skip sweet treats the day before -- but my dietician/nutritionist and nurse have both said that it won't make you fake-pass if you've got GD.  The fasting period helps to control with that sort of tampering anyhow.

I was really afraid of the diet restrictions and that it would be super hard to comply with the eating/exercise rules, but that part hasn't been so bad for me.  I actually feel significantly better on their diet, even if I feel a little weird eating cheese and crackers at my desk at work at 10am.  (We all joke that I'm reliving kindergarten snack time.) And then I was really afraid of sticking my finger -- also, not as bad as advertised once the lancet is set correctly.  Now I'm super anxious about my insulin -- I'm sure you see the pattern developing.  I would say the fear and not knowing and nervousness is the worst part about GD by far.  Every time I talk with my medical team, I feel empowered to do better for myself and LO.  Hang in there! And good luck on your 3hr test.

peachy13

thank you so much @beary67 and @kyrwyn

KathrynJ088

@peachy13 I'm in the same boat, did my 3hr test this morning. Fx for both of us! 

SierraGood

I've been lurking on this thread cause I'm not sure where I stand just yet.. (Waiting on 3hr glucose test) but I completely bombed my 1hr test...  Numbers were over 150 and I hadn't eaten anything that morning... 

peachy13

@KathrynJ088 i just got my results back from the 3 hour test and everything came back fine. Hoping you get good news soon! 

Good luck to all the ladies here

KathrynJ088

Just got the call, I failed my 3hr. Funny that the pharmacy called to find out what kind of glucometer and stuff I wanted before I had the chance to call my doc back. Anywho.. I am being set up with a nutritionist and have to test 4 times a day. Maybe all this will relieve the extreme exhaustion and dizzy feelings I've been having lately! 

beary67

@KathrynJ088 hey fellow twin mama. I'm sorry you're here but it sounds like your doctor is taking care of you. As far as the exhaustion, the nutritionist told me that when your sugars are higher it can thicken your blood and make you more tired. Hopefully once everything is managed, you'll have more energy. 

kyrwyn

@KathrynJ088 I found that my energy leveled out after a few days on the recommended diet. Apparently the high/low swings really do a number on you.  The diet hasn't saved me from passing out on the couch at 930 (hubby wakes me up for my insulin shot and night time snack).  Welcome to the group... sorry you have to be here!

beary67

@kyrwyn how has your insulin been working?  My fasting numbers in the morning have been good, but my after breakfast has continued to be bad.  Lunch is also high (my doctor wants me below 120 after 1 hour).  I am supposed to call on Thursday with my numbers and they will likely add another insulin injection at lunch, too.  I just had my insulin increased yesterday, and it takes about 2 days to see a difference, so I am hoping by Thursday I'm good and don't need an increase for a bit, but who knows!  Just wanted to see how yours is going?

Are you just doing the long-acting at night? 

kyrwyn

@beary67 I saw that it was making a difference and then I got the stomach flu (or something!) and they went up again -- despite not being able to each much. I have to call today to get my insulin adjusted up, since my fasting numbers were high again today. I'm not sure if they will try to account for my stomach bug or not.  I spent yesterday morning in triage and I was scared I was reacting to the insulin poorly -- but today I found out two co-workers had the stomach flu over the weekend, so it's probably just a bug.  

I'm just on the long acting (N) at night for now. But they told me to expect that it'll get more complicated before the end.  I'm still overwhelmed and feeling a bit crazy, but I think that's mostly about being sick right now. =\ 

kyrwyn

@beary67 Yep! I just got bumped up from 18units to 20units. They said it might go down again when I'm not sick -- but not to hold my breath because I'm also 28 weeks and the going gets rougher from here.

I'm glad to hear yours is mostly working for you. I hope the new dose helps and you can avoid a lunch shot for a little longer.  

beary67

@kyrwyn oh no!  I hope you feel better soon.  I'm on N and Log now.  I take N in before bed and in the morning and take Log (fast acting) with Breakfast and Dinner.  I'm hoping the increase helps you! 

elvenchick92686

Just had a check up and i got put on medicine. He said most of symptoms are because my sugars are all over the place being up then down up then down and not really steady so hopefully this will help. I feel utterly defeated cause ive went my entire pregnancy being fine On the diet since doctors are only worried about my fasting numbers and i was so determined to not be on medicine and im on medicine. I feel like my body is failing me bit by bit between my blood pressure and my kidneys and now my sugars.