Gestational Diabetes - - Fasting Numbers out of whack

Asajenbob

Good Morning, all. I was diagnosed with GD last friday and given a at home monitor to check my sugar levels 4 times a day. The level requirements I've been given to stay within are very stricked. less the 90 first thing in the morning (fasting number) and 1 hour after starting each meal less than 120. I don't see the diatition till tomorrow but have been given basic guidelines on eating 6 times a day, 3 small meals with 3 snacks in between. My fasting numbers always start high between 110 - 129; my number after breakfast is only a few points higher then my fasting number, never back down. But my lunch and dinner seem to be great. I feel if I could get my fasting number on track, the rest would fall into place, but starting so high in the am throws everything off.

 I've tried not eating before bed, I've tried eating before bed, and I've even tried eating a snack when I wake up at like 1:30 to pee. Nothing seems to work, the fasting number is just growing. Anyone have any suggestions? Perhaps what to eat or timing of it, or something.  I do not want to have to go on insulin for this. Thanks for the help!

amandajjr

You may want to post this on the High Risk Board there are a lot of GD ladies over there with great info.

 The fasting numbers are generally the hardest to control with diet. You can try different bed time snacks. Some find a high protein snack is best and others find a carb/fat snack is better. For me 1 serving of ice cream (15g of carbs) is best. You could try eating more protein at breakfast to help your 1 hour number. A lot of people have a tough time in the a.m. with their numbers and have to eat less carbs at breakfast. Also, exercise in the evenings can sometimes help with fasting numbers. But, a lot of people need medication to help lower the fasting numbers. Good luck!

lilbit923

Your timing is off.

You should not be eating in the middle of the night. That will throw your numbers off as you've learned your body is having trouble digesting all of that sugar. Don't give it more to do when it should be resting.

When I was checking 4 times a day this was my schedule (I am on 2 times a day checking now):

Up at 5am check for fasting number
Eat at 7am
Check at 9am, eat a snack
Eat at 11am
Check at 1pm, eat a snack at 2pm
Eat at 5-6pm,
Check at 7-8pm, eat a snack before bed.

The morning should be in 2 hour intervals. After lunch you can space it out a bit but not too long. It could be what you are eating as well. If you eat yogurt, go with light yogurt not lowfat. You can eat all the sugar free jello you want. Vegetables are great, load up on those. For a meat substitute you can have cottage cheese. Before GD I was eating loads of apples and my body couldn't take it. So no more apples for me but I can have grapes (10-13 large grapes) with a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese.

Your dietician should have given a list of food exchanges, diet plan to follow, etc.

jennybeams

what are your typical meal and snack foods?  That may help better determine what's off.  Especially your dinner and evening snack.

Asajenbob

Thanks for the help.

My dinner last night was salad with tom, cheese, chicken, kalamata olives, croutons and balasimic dressing. My numbers after 1 hour were 107 which is great (I'm supposed be under 120 at one hour.) My snack last night before was Cheese and Triscuts.

The night before, i didn't have a snack before bed, however, my dinner was 5 naked buffalo wings, salad with tom, carrots, cabbage and balsamic dressing and 10 FF and my numbers after one hour were 112, again great since I'm supposed to be under 120.

 My morning number are so crazy though, after fasting between 110-127 and after breakfast they range from 132 - 136. My breakfast has been what was recommended by the diabetes counciler. 1 egg and 1 piece of toast. So, I'm guessing I should only have protein in the morning and see what that does.

 What do you ladies think?