Gestational Diabetes

tally26

I couldn't find any threads on this, and after my 3 hr glucose test this morning, not sleeping and not eating for like 12 hours, I was diagnosed with it. I had 2 elevated results, and now I'm considered high risk. I have to go pick up diabetic supplies, go to a class tomorrow, schedule a growth scan to make sure the baby doesn't get too big, and I'm totally overwhelmed  
Who has experienced this? It feels like I'm never getting any good news!

babybro218

Thanks for starting this @tally26 I think there was a thread a long time ago, but I haven’t been able to find it either. I also Think there will be more of us now that we’re in the 3rd tri.

i’ve Been able to monitor my day time levels with diet and exercise (although I’ve already cried at the thought of eating any more eggs, cheese, and chicken), but my fasting levels are consistently over 100. I was Officially transferred to MFM today and start insulin shots tonight.  I also Found out about the additional monitoring today and I’m feeling totally overwhelmed.

tally26

Thanks, @babybro218 for the info. Eggs.... can't wait My numbers were only slightly over what is considered diabetic, and it feels like the doctors are being overly cautious. Better safe than sorry though. Hopefully, just a change in diet will work for me. I honestly haven't had much interest in anything but carbs for the past few months!

spb27

I had it with my first (not my second) and now I have again with this pregnancy. I haven’t started testing because the pharmacy keeps messing up my prescription and I don’t have everything yet. For my first, I was able to control my numbers with diet. I’m struggling to figure out what to bring for snacks. I’m working longer hours than I was last time so I have to remember to pack enough stuff to last. 

clc515

Thanks for starting the thread! I got diagnosed back at week 22 (31 weeks now) so been more active in FB groups than here since not many other people had it at the time. I feel you on all those things running through your head! To stay sane, I keep telling myself that this is how I should be eating anyways (3 small meals, 3 snacks, more protein/fiber, less processed carbs). It's still an adjustment! 

Plus, if your doctors are like mine, they'll look at trends and averages versus one offs. Stress and being sick can affect numbers. Sometimes you can eat the exact same thing as the day before and it'll look off, but it's cuz you forgot to wash your hands before testing! It can be very frustrating but hopefully over time you'll get the hang of it.

@spb27 Easy snack ideas: nature valley protein granola bars are pretty good, hard boiled eggs, greek yogurt, almonds, string cheese. I have protein bars in like every bag I own!

babybro218

@spb27 +1 for protein bars and string cheese. I also pack an apple with all natural (no sugar added) peanut butter, sliced cucumbers with hummus or guac (the single serve packets are terrible for the environment, but highly convenient), and yogurt with nuts. 

Did my first shot of out of insulin last night and still had a fasting number of 103 this morning. I’m on a super low dose, so I’m wondering if it takes the body a few days to adjust or they need to raise my dose. Will check in with the Dr in a few days.

ahalix

I just found out I have Gestational Diabetes yesterday

So naturally, I'm craving decadent chocolate cake. haha!

I did a grocery shopping run today and got a variety of fresh fruits (small red pears, cutie oranges, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries,) fresh veggies (head of lettuce, red onion, cucumbers, roma tomatoes, zucchini, cauliflower, avocado,) some 100 calorie snack packs, granola bars, string cheese, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat tortillas, a big thing of ground turkey, and some lean beef that was on sale.

Because I spent the time shopping, cleaning out my fridge, taking care of my pets (hubby is out of state for work for a few weeks,) putting away groceries, prepping my work meals, and cleaning up, I didn't have time to eat before work and have been famished! Within the first 4 hours of work, I'd already munched on a greek yogurt, a granola bar, a salad, a small glass of milk, and two 18oz bottles of water and still felt hungry. haha!

While out, I did check to see how much it would be to pick up my prescribed glucometer (spelling?) and it was $160 co-pay! I'm hoping it's okay to get a cheap one, because I don't feel justified in spending that kind of money on a device I'll only need for a couple of months.

hudson202

^^my Dr. Told the pharmacy to fill the prescription eith the cheapest one my insurance would cover. And it was like $16, and has been working fine!


I have been put on glyburide, and so far so good, things are trending the right way, but still not 100% perfect. 

spb27

@ahalix Due to some mess up between the pharmacy and my insurance company, I’m paying out of pocket right now for one which they said would be $25 so there are definitely ones for cheaper. You just have to make sure that the strips and lancets are compatible with the meter. 

ahalix

@spb27 Good to know! thanks for the info

babybro218

I think we finally found the right insulin dose! Fasting numbers were down and I even ate some bread with dinner last night and numbers were ok! 

hudson202

^^I'm glad it's working. When they were adjusting mine it definitely took a few days for things to settle down. 

My question is - was everyone told they need to eat a bedtime snack? I talked to 3 separate nutritionists who said I needed to do this, but I can't figure out anything that I want to eat right before bed that won't negatively affect my am numbers that also won't give me terrible heart burn, and isn't something that I need to cook (because at that point I'm way too tired)

babybro218

hudson202 said:

^^I'm glad it's working. When they were adjusting mine it definitely took a few days for things to settle down. 

My question is - was everyone told they need to eat a bedtime snack? I talked to 3 separate nutritionists who said I needed to do this, but I can't figure out anything that I want to eat right before bed that won't negatively affect my am numbers that also won't give me terrible heart burn, and isn't something that I need to cook (because at that point I'm way too tired)

Yes! They told me the same thing. I’ve been eating a string cheese stick before bed (literally forcing myself to eat it). It’s the most bland cheese I could Think of. 

I had has the same problem with heartburn getting worse when i has to adjust my diet (carbs can be wonderfully bland). I told The Dr and they gave me a prescription for Prilosec, which has made a HUGE difference! 

ETA: I may have spoken too soon. My fasting number was so high this morning

clc515

Yes they told me to have a bedtime snack. But I tried the last 3 nights w/o one besides my gummy vitamins (about 9 carbs total) and I've had the best morning numbers so far (w/ metformin). I'll ask them tomorrow just how necessary they are. When I was on glyburide I could have a bowl of cereal as my night time snack, but not with the metformin :-\ 

So I go to MFM so often I go through a rotation of doctors. On Friday was a new one I hadn't met yet, and he was okay with me staying on metformin for now and not going to insulin, hooray. For now, lol. 

spb27

I was told to have a bedtime snack as well and that it would help with my fasting numbers. I often eat dinner kind of late so I don’t always have a snack. I’m usually ok on the heartburn so I’m not sure my snacks will help but I’ve eaten some tortilla chips and salsa and nuts and crackers. Since I just got my meter, I don’t have too much info on how it’s affecting my numbers. 

babybro218

Anyone have any favorite/go-to meals?  I bring my lunch to work every day and I feel like I am eating the same thing all of the time (yogurts, apple with PB, roasted chicken with a veggie, or a turkey burger with cheese and spinach).  I can't imagine 2 more months of this monotony. 

clc515

Whats your carb count for lunch? They want me to stay under 60 so that's my fav meal of the day haha. Dinner is 45 and everything else is 30.

For eating out: chick fil a cobb salad, double cheeseburger (no fries), 1 chalupa and 1 hard taco from taco bell, egg drop soup and/or beef and broccoli w/ brown rice (like 1/2C), Italian wedding soup from Wegmans, grilled salmon w/ double salad from whole foods (I'm sure this is easy to make, too), kabobs and about half a cup of rice. 

When I get to cook: 1 chicken quesadilla, chili w/ fewer beans, more burgers lol (the martin's potato rolls slider size are 15g carbs so i can have 2), taco soup, BLT on wheat w/ side of veggies, ground turkey stuffed bell peppers (I use a bit of brown rice in it, though I've seen people sub quinoa), omelets/fritattas, kodiak power cake waffle with whipped cream and some fried eggs, fajitas (1 tortilla, I eat mostly the meat and veggies). 

babybro218

Thanks, @clc515!  You gave some great ideas!  I think I will be making kabobs for dinner tonight!  I've only had bread  or rice on special occasions   I don't have to count carbs, but I have to match servings (1 serving of protein or fat for every serving of a starch, technically, but that doesn't always work, so I go 2:1).  

hudson202

I make a pot of chili (No beans) and a pot of tortilla soup every weekend and just alternate bringing them for lunch. I do a lot of omlettes, tacos, and sandwiches for dinner. I do larabars, cliff bars, or balanced breaks for snacks.

I only get 30 carbs per meal and 15 per snack.

My Dr. Did tell me though that it will feel really boring, because once you find what works for you, you basically eat the same thing every day.

babybro218

@hudson202 Every.Single.Day.

clc515

Also if you're on FB, there's a closed group called Gestational Diabetes Support Group. A lot of questions can get repetitive as new members come in, but it's been great for food ideas and questions. Plus seeing the sugar baby announcements are so cute. As always with online forums, though, I wouldn't necessarily trust 100% of the recommendations on how to lower sugars without consulting a doctor. 

ahalix

Anybody else noticing seemingly low blood sugar levels? I'm doing my checks x4 a day, and my fasting (before breakfast) is consistently less than 60, and even when eating something like icecream and snacks, my 2hrs after meals number is between 79-116. I feel like if I'm eating sugary things my level should be higher?

mooses77

@ahalix I would definately talk to your doctor about the numbers. Are you on any meds? I had gastric bypass so failed the test but my numbers are good. Fasting is 70-85, 1 hour after meals 85-125 depending on what I ate. I also usually sick if I have sugar

babybro218

We were invited to a friend's house for dinner tonight.  They know I'm pregnant, but I didn't tell them about GD, because I didn't want to be a pain.  I'm a little nervous about what I will be able to eat and may sneak some cheese or a protein bar in my purse.

mooses77

@babybro218 can you eat a snack first then just eat what you can at dinner? I do that a lot with my in-laws. 

clc515

@ahalix What range are you supposed to be in? Under 60 seems really low for fasting, so definitely call doctor. The other #s look okay depending on when you test. For me, I need to be under 120 at 2 hours and my after meal numbers are anywhere from 82 to 120 depending on what I ate. 

@babybro218 Good idea to bring cheese/protein bar. I'm with you - I don't tell most people about the GD, and just find a way around it. I added a lot of meat in the noodle dish my mom made the other night, and just said I had a late lunch as to why I didn't get 2nds. Filipinos love to show love through food, so this season will be interesting lol. 

hudson202

^agreed, I have found every time I tell someone they have 100s of questions that I don't know the answer to, so it's easier to just not tell them.

I'm seeing my in-laws this weekend, so we'll see if I can manage through not having to tell them.

tally26

@ahalix , I think below 60 is definitely low. I'm not sure if you are sending your numbers to your doctor for review once a week like I do? My fasting numbers are always somewhere in the 70s or 80s.

@hudson202 , I have found the same to be true. I was chatting on Facebook with an old family friend, and when I mentioned GD they stopped replying...
My husband had to Google it as well.

I find myself in in total shock at all the carbs that seem to be in EVERYTHING since this diagnosis.

hudson202

What are people doing to work out? I haven't been doing much, and probably need to change that. I know it would definitely help my daily blood sugar numbers.

babybro218

My numbers are so inconsistent. I eat almost the same thing every day and my fasting numbers are above 95 every other day and my dinner numbers have been over 120 every other day. I am so afraid this LO is going to have to go to the NICU for low glucose  

hudson202

^this is me too. Ill be fine for a few days, and then randomly get a fasting number thats really high

babybro218

@hudson202 And then my numbers were great today. It’s so frustrating! I hope your visit with your ILs went well!  I also spent the last 24 hrs with my in-laws (dinner w Friends was cancelled due to snow), and I managed not to tell them, but it wasn’t easy. There was a lot of “No fries and no bun with your burger?! Look at you being so healthy!” And “Try this French toast covered with fruit and maple syrup. It’s delicious!” And the hardest was, “I’m not hungry. I just want a snack. Will you please split a muffin with me?”  

babymnsmomma

@hudson202 I've been trying to do 2 miles on the elliptical or treadmill at least 3-5 days/week. I also try to do light weights and squats because they are supposed to help during labor? I really don't have the energy for much especially with the SPD but I find that I feel better when I do something..

ahalix

I haven't yet contacted my doctor about my levels, as I'm going in on the 28th and figured I would have enough tracking by then to give them a full picture, but It's definitely concerning me how low my numbers are, even when eating sugary foods...So I'm going to write to them today. For instance, today I woke up to a fasting number of 71. Not bad. but I made a point of eating a big meal before bed since I know that number gets too low. I had to run some errands and get myself to work within a short timeframe, so I didn't have time for a sit down breakfast and instead ate: two reeese cups, a tall glass of whole milk, a bit of a chocolate cupcake, and had a cup of coffee with vanilla creamer over a 4.5 hr period. I must have burned right through those while rushing to complete errands and start work, because my level was only 63 when I checked at the end of the 4.5 hrs.

hudson202

^lol, sorry I'm no help with this problem. I'm on the other end of the spectrum where my numbers are always borderline high even following the diet exactly.

babybro218

@ahalix are you just controlling with diet?  You may not have to be too strict (totally jealous of that, btw).

My numbers are still fluctuating.  If I have the slightest bit more of carbs, my numbers spike, and my fasting numbers are still high every other day, even if I eat perfectly the day before.  I went to the OB today and they raised my insulin another 2u (at 9 now).  I'm hoping this helps.   

VENTING: We went to a holiday party for kids and, like an idiot, I didn't bring a snack with me.  The lunch table was filled with candy, soft pretzels, pizza, and sandwiches, and one tiny plate of cut up veggies.  DH caught me staring at a plate of half eaten cookies left in front of me by a 5 year old, looking like I was about to cry yesterday.  By the time I got home I was so tired, hangry, and frustrated I just ate a protein bar and went to sleep.  Tonight we are going out to dinner with friends to a really high-end sushi restaurant (I said the choice was ok months ago, thinking I would be able to have rolls with cooked fish).  Not only will I not be able to eat the amazing sushi, but I won't be able to have anything with rice either.  There is a good chance DH will catch me staring at a plate of sushi with the same look I had yesterday when confronted with the half eaten cookies.

mooses77

My numbers seem to only be affected by sugar which sucks because I have a sweet tooth. I'm trying to do better to keep my numbers steady

@ahalix I have the problem if I eat sugar my numbers will go up but drop quickly which isn't good either. You might need to check more often 

jessilee15

babybro218 said:

@ahalix are you just controlling with diet?  You may not have to be too strict (totally jealous of that, btw).

My numbers are still fluctuating.  If I have the slightest bit more of carbs, my numbers spike, and my fasting numbers are still high every other day, even if I eat perfectly the day before.  I went to the OB today and they raised my insulin another 2u (at 9 now).  I'm hoping this helps.   

VENTING: We went to a holiday party for kids and, like an idiot, I didn't bring a snack with me.  The lunch table was filled with candy, soft pretzels, pizza, and sandwiches, and one tiny plate of cut up veggies.  DH caught me staring at a plate of half eaten cookies left in front of me by a 5 year old, looking like I was about to cry yesterday.  By the time I got home I was so tired, hangry, and frustrated I just ate a protein bar and went to sleep.  Tonight we are going out to dinner with friends to a really high-end sushi restaurant (I said the choice was ok months ago, thinking I would be able to have rolls with cooked fish).  Not only will I not be able to eat the amazing sushi, but I won't be able to have anything with rice either.  There is a good chance DH will catch me staring at a plate of sushi with the same look I had yesterday when confronted with the half eaten cookies.

I eat sushi will pregnant. Even the raw stuff. You are highly unlikely to get any food poisoning from it
- my OB said his wife ate it throughout her pregnancy and he didn’t have an issue with it; it’s more of an extra cautious thing. If I were you, I would get a big seaweed salad, all the sashimi I wanted, and you can probably get away a half cup of rice (about one roll)

hudson202

I'll admit that I've gotten more lax with all of the food "rules" too. I just feel like there is a breaking point, where if you have to watch every single carb that goes into your mouth, you shouldnt also have to watch out for a medium rare steak or lunchmeat 

LadyMillil

I just got my Christmas package from my mom and she included her usual stocking stuffers of Toberlones, mini eggs and Hershey kisses. She knows I have GD and that sugary stuff makes my blood sugar spike.

clc515

@LadyMillil Save it for after you deliver and then feast!

I took a "cheat meal" over the weekend and way overindulged at a family lunch. Totally felt it because it's the first time my sugar dropped into the 60s (I'm normally in mid-80s-low100s after meals). Gonna spend the week being extra good to get myself back in the routine.