Gestational Diabetes

CecilB93

@mamajudec2018 same give it another week or two, the bump will be there and you'll want all the maternity shirts lol

prudence9-2

Thanks @mamajudec2018

@CecilB93 ohhh I’ll have to check that ice cream. I’m a little afraid of it though as they told me to stay away of ALL sweets. And my evening numbers haven’t been that great recently.  

mamajudec2018

@CecilB93 ok, I will try my best to be patient! 

CecilB93

@prudence9-2 maybe for an after lunch snack if those numbers are better?

So I'm starting to worry the insulin is screwing with my dinner numbers some how...which is weird because it's the last number I'd expect to be affected, but tonight was another night where I ate a meal that usually doesn't even put me close to 120 (my max) yet tonight it was 125...I'm afraid my doctor will want to add a dose of insulin to my evening meal, and I really don't want more insulin at this point...

prudence9-2

@CecilB93 I work 2 hours from home. I won’t be able to bring ice cream to work plus I do want to avoid sugar right now. 

125 is good after a meal. They want me to have below 140. (Last week I had 3 times above 140 so I’m waiting to see if they will add insulin before dinner)

and 120 is close enough to 125. It might be that you moved more on the day that you had 120. 

Do you exercise after meals? The only way I’d get 125 is if I exercise after a meal. 

CecilB93

@prudence9-2 I'm so bad about never exercising lol. I just told DH today actually that we need to do something after dinner, even if that's just a walk around the neighborhood.

I'm jealous you ladies are allowed up to 140 after meals, 120 is hard!! My OB doesn't throw a fit about my numbers by any means, even the 183 I had the other day (highest before that was maybe 159?) he didn't really point out and say "this is a problem". Obviously it is if it continues, but most of my readings are low enough that he's even said "these aren't horrendous, they're okay". My OB is having me add in a 5th reading, I'm supposed to start testing before dinner now. Mostly because my last 4 dinners have put me over 120. But...I was bad over the weekend and he knows that, so I told DH we have to eat really good the next week or so to keep my numbers mostly down so I can avoid an extra insulin dose at least for a while. I tend to be more slack about my meals on the weekends which I know is bad, but damn I like sleeping in when I can, I don't want to wake up and eat breakfast at 7:30am on a Saturday lol. I think this weekend we have so labor work planned to start renovating a bathroom, so that should help my numbers stay down!!

prudence9-2

@CecilB93 120 is strict! But for me 120 is almost impossible. I just had lunch. And did a fast walk for 20-25 min. Than climbed 6 floors and got 124! 

So for me, exercise means I can get the number below 140 (Not always though). 

you’d be surprised what even a short walk can do to your numbers. Once you see how it helps you won’t stop! 

But yeah. The early weekend breakfast are NOT fun!! 

mamajudec2018

Have you guys found restaurants and fast food places you're able to eat at? Chipotle has worked so far for me if I get a bowl with brown rice so that's been fun to be able to feel normal sometimes! Any other places I should try?

CecilB93

I'm able to do Chick Fil A! I get the 6 count grilled nugget kids meal with fries and water or Diet Coke. And Chick Fil A sauce of course! I ate it on a car trip and had a high riding since I was sitting the whole time, but even just regular walking and getting up and down from my desk at work keeps my number under 120! My high reading was 136, so you may still be okay. And I do the kids meal simply because I can barely eat the 6 nuggets, and the smallest "adult" size is 8 lol. Also a plus, it's way cheaper! I also managed a Jr Bacon Cheeseburger and Jr Fries from Wendy's with some activity after! Usually that puts me about 127-129, so still under your max number. Doing a Jr Dbl would probably be a little better with more meat.

As far as restaurants, I learned Chinese food is generally a no go for diabetics. The sauce is the issue with cornstarch in it for thickening. Panera was pretty much a no go too unless you do a salad, but I generally get tomato soup and a bread bowl, so...lol. Any sit down restaurant with a fish, chicken, or steak dish generally works. BBQ can be tricky, I get the sauce on the side to help control the amount I eat, and cole slaw generally makes it worse unfortunately. We don't eat out too much, so idk if I'm too much help lol. 

mamajudec2018

@CecilB93

Thank you for the advice! I'll have to try chick fill a!

We have tons of birthdays coming up so that means tons of birthday dinners. Not fun when you have GD and someone else in my family is pregnant so she'll be eating like a normal pregnant person and I'll be all crazy with my carbs. 

My numbers have been higher the last two days than usual so now I'm so nervous I'm hurting little boy. I'm going to try and be way more diligent about walking after meals and see if that helps!

CecilB93

@mamajudec2018 walking could definitely help!! Good luck! Hopefully it's just a couple bad days and they go back down for you.

mamajudec2018

@CecilB93 Thanks! I hope so!!

mamajudec2018

I'm not cheating at all of course but ugh this is killing me. I want all of the sweets and all of the pizza and all of the macaroni ☹️ Just needed to vent since you guys understand. 

My SIL is pregnant and ate so much pie and Oreos in front of me yesterday and I wanted to cry. Plus, my family has a billion birthdays coming up which we will go out for. It's exhausting. Cravings and hormones are brutal.

prudence9-2

@mamajudec2018 I totally know what you mean!!! There is a bakery with amazing pastries on my way home. And every day that I pass by it the smell drives me nuts. And yep, I also dream of pizza and pasta. I keep telling myself 5 more months  

CecilB93

@mamajudec2018 my diabetes educator and dietician both told me that if we were going to eat a piece of cake or some ice cream or whatever, it best to do it as the afternoon snack between lunch and dinner. Still keep the portion small of course, but I had a piece of cake the other day right after testing my lunch number and my before dinner number (because my dr just added that in) was still only 87 or something a few hours later. 

But yes to pizza and pasta, ugh I can't make either of those actually work without modifying the crap out of it.

mamajudec2018

@prudence9-2 Oh man I bet those smells are so tough! I would do anything for this baby and you're right 5 more months. But some days are a little harder than others!

@CecilB93 Ugh unfortunately I was told that if I eat cake or anything I need to build it in with my carbs at lunch or dinner. I've been searching for low carb cookie and brownie recipes but they all have artificial sweetener. Some days I just am craving sweets so bad it's hard!

I totally know what you mean about having to modify for pizza or pasta. Unless I only want one slice yuck haha! 

rcultrona

Stupid question, were you all diagnosed through the glucose test? I feel like I had a glucose test early with my first pregnancy but this time they told be it would happen between 24 and 28 weeks. So, I am curious at when you were all tested/diagnosed?

prudence9-2

@mamajudec2018 oh yeah. It’s tough. And that bakery has the best lemon bar I’ve ever had!! Mmmmmm 

@rcultrona I did the 1 hour glucose test when I was 10w 6d. And it came back as GD. I didn’t even have to take the 3-hour test...

mamajudec2018

@rcultrona I did the one hour test at 12 weeks and it was borderline over so then I did the 3 hours test the next week. Typically GD tests are done at 28 weeks but I have a family history of diabetes so they did mine early.

LLynde5

So I have been pretty good the past two weeks since i failed the 1 hr test and I managed to pass my three hour test!!!!  I have to still watch, walk and retake the three hour at 28 weeks.  I expect my body won’t be able to keep up the whole pregnancy but am relieved that I don’t have to start testing yet!!

mamajudec2018

@LLynde5 Yay! Happy for you!

CecilB93

@LLynde5 WOO!!!! So happy you're good for now at least!!

@rcultrona they made me do an early glucose test (6 effing weeks along....) because my BMI was over a certain number. That reasoning really just pissed me off. Zero family history, nothing with my first DS, basically I was tested because I'm fat apparently. Sorry, still a little bitter over it.

LLynde5

@CecilB93 I have to agree its complete bs for testing for that reason.  Their are plenty of overweight women that pass and just as many skinny seemingly healthy women that get GD.  

That being said, even though it’s so hard to maintain but I would rather know and do everything I can to protect my baby.  I wasn’t mad that I had to test early this time.  I was more upset that I know how to do this diet and my body still fail that one hour test.  all I could think was I should have had some will power and stayed on the plan after I had my DD.  

prudence9-2

I have to agree with @LLynde5. As much as GD is a pain I’m grateful they had me test early at 10w 6d. I just wish I tested earlier. 

GD in the first trimester can cause birth defects as all body parts are developing.  If something happened because I wasn’t diagnosed early enough and was going crazy over carbs I would be devastated. 

CecilB93

Yea I'm definitely happy that I'm able to get a handle on things early, but their reasoning really pissed me off. If I can convince DH to have a third I can understand testing early again, and would probably prefer it in that case.

prudence9-2

@CecilB93 I agree. Their reasoning sucks and also makes no sense. GD has nothing to do with weight.  I was less than 100 pounds before pregnancy. Yet, I got GD very early on...

rcultrona

prudence9-2 said:

@CecilB93 I agree. Their reasoning sucks and also makes no sense. GD has nothing to do with weight.  I was less than 100 pounds before pregnancy. Yet, I got GD very early on...

But what led them to test you so early? Did you have symptoms or family history?

prudence9-2

@rcultrona I think just being cautious as I’m 42.5....

mamajudec2018

My numbers are spiking so bad this past week. 17 weeks doesn't like Gestational Diabetes. I got in the 150's once and in the 160's twice. I have been consistently in the 110's and 120's. I feel like a horrible mom. I'm going to lower my carbs at lunch and dinner and pray I don't get anymore high numbers.

prudence9-2

@mamajudec2018 This was two weeks ago for me...

try to also add a walk before/after a meal. But sometimes the pregnancy hormones just go crazy and the numbers just go super high. 

CecilB93

@mamajudec2018 you're not a horrible mom! I know what you mean though, I had 4 high dinner readings in a row a couple weeks ago and felt horrible myself. My dr keeps reminding me that as I get further along, the hormones being produced are increasing and it may not be something I can control 100% on my own. Just plan to eat some meals that you know will keep your numbers low, get back on track, and you'll feel better  

mamajudec2018

@prudence9-2 I always walk for 10 minutes after my meals but that still didn't help. Yea I think my pregnancy hormones are kicking my butt. Today I'm going to walk for 15. Unfortunately I am having to get physical therapy for my hips and I still couldn't get into the doctor until Thursday (2 week wait). So walking is brutal right now.

@CecilB93 Yea I mean I definitely didn't eat different than I normally do but I guess I'm going to have to really lower my carbs. My dinner reading was great last night so I'm going to eat that for lunch and hope I break the high reading cycle.

prudence9-2

@mamajudec2018 yeah, it sometimes happen to me too. I eat less and walk more and the number is higher it’s very frustrating 

mamajudec2018

@prudence9-2 Agreed! Very frustrating!

mamajudec2018

I wanted to share a "recipe" (it's a salad so not really a recipe haha) with you guys that is good for my numbers, filling, and also doesn't feel like I'm eating boring food! 

Taco Salad:
-Lots of spinach
-Ground beef mixed with taco seasoning (I use wild tree seasoning which is a little healthier than the stuff found in the store)
-Shredded cheese
-Doritos crushed into the salad (1 serving is 11 chips... I use around 16 chips)
-Dorothy Lynch Homestyle Dressing (lots of carbs so just 2 or 3 tablespoons)

The crushed Doritos may sound weird but its seriously like heaven! We used to eat something similar to this when I was growing up and I just made it a little more gestational diabetes friendly. 

mamajudec2018

Well my numbers were 141 after lunch with the same meal I had last night minus 8 carbs. So it's for sure a lunch issue. I only at 44 carbs. Would you guys call the doctor? My next appointment isn't for over 2 more weeks. Tomorrow I'm going to eat something different for breakfast and my morning snack and see if that helps with lunch. But it's becoming a pattern now and it's freaking me out.

prudence9-2

@mamajudec2018 after a meal they want my numbers to be up to 140. So I don’t think 141 is a big deal. And same meal can have different results on different days. 

Do they monitor your numbers? I have to submit a weekly log of all the food I ate and my numbers. 

How many carbs do you aim to eat per day?  

mamajudec2018

@prudence9-2 They only check my numbers when I go in for my monthly OB appointments. I wasn't given daily carb goals, instead I was given meal carb goals. I was well below that today so I'm going to switch up my breakfast tomorrow and see if that helps my lunch numbers. I recently switched what I eat for breakfast and it coincides with my lunch numbers being way high so I'm hoping that helps. If they are high again tomorrow I think I'm going to call my OB.

prudence9-2

@mamajudec2018 I also have meal & snacks goals. But was also told to make sure I eat at least 175gr carbs a day. 

Def call your OB tomorrow, maybe they’ll offer a suggestion or a tweak to what you do... or prescribe insulin.

I take insulin at bedtime. So it helps my fasting numbers. Though in the last week I got high fasting numbers twice with the insulin

mamajudec2018

@prudence9-2 Man it's going to be hard to get 175 carbs a day. Do you count the carbs in veggies and protein too? My dietician told me not to worry about those carbs because they're so minimal but I feel like counting those carbs would be the only way I could get to 175.

Ugh I was really hoping to avoid insulin but man these hormones are no joke! I'm sorry about your fasting numbers Do you think they will have to up the insulin?