GD help re: fasting #s

Gherkina

I'm really hoping that some of you can help me.  I wasn't officially diagnosed with GD but basically, with my medical & family history, they've been watching me from the start.  I failed the 1hr (barely) at 16 weeks and passed the 3hr at 17 weeks.  Now that I'm in 3rd tri and at the usual point where women would get GD, they're trying to figure out what to do with me.  Repeating the 3hr is not an option because of what happened to me last time (not enough good veins for 4 blood draws in 3 hours) so my doc had me test my numbers on a glucose meter.

Anyway, that's where the problem comes in.  Apparently, my fasting sugar is too high (past 3 were 118, 111, and 115) and I don't know what to do about it.  I saw my endocrinologist after the 118 and he wasn't too concerned because he said it was higher from my body overproducing since I was fasting.

I tried to explain this to the midwife last night and she looked at me like I was crazy (apparently she had never heard of dawn phenomenon...and I hadn't either until I started stalking the posts on this board).

So, they wanted to put me on glucophage but I'm reluctant because it's not one of the safest meds for baby.  I'm trying to avoid any "needless" meds if I can control this by diet but I'm lost.  I had read on this board that having protein before bed could help with the fasting number so last night I had crackers & peanut butter and my fasting # this morning was 115.

Please, please, please help me figure out what I could do to bring down that fasting number.  My numbers after meals aren't bad at all since I don't eat much anyway.  It's really just the fasting number that's hurting me.

I'm sorry this is so long...I'm just so frustrated and you ladies seem to be very knowledgeable and helpful.

Thanks!

leigh517

i'm sorry to say this, but sometimes the fasting number just cannot be controlled with diet.  i tried everything, and my fasting numbers would not come down, so i had to be on the glyburide.  it's the lowest possible dose and it's once a day and it's better that the baby not get too much sugar than be exposed to this medication that does not have any known side effects for the baby.  i wasn't thrilled about the idea either, but i was trying to avoid having to make myself into a human pin cushion if i could avoid i also....

good luck!

Hulahoop1234

leigh517:

i'm sorry to say this, but sometimes the fasting number just cannot be controlled with diet.  i tried everything, and my fasting numbers would not come down, so i had to be on the glyburide.  it's the lowest possible dose and it's once a day and it's better that the baby not get too much sugar than be exposed to this medication that does not have any known side effects for the baby.  i wasn't thrilled about the idea either, but i was trying to avoid having to make myself into a human pin cushion if i could avoid i also....

good luck!

 

This, but I was put on NPH insulin at night.  My Drs, like a lot of OBs, are not comfortable putting patients on Glyburide.  The insulin injections are really not bad at all, and insulin is something that your body already produces (so it is a lot different than taking a separate medication).

Kie310

It sucks but no matter what I did, I could never control the fasting number. it was always b/t 115-120. I had no choice but to move forward with help with the number.

 

GL.

Kelly-renee

How soon before you are going to bed are you eating?  How long is your fast? Like from your last snack until breakfast.

How many grams of carbs and proteins are you eating for that last snack?  

Gherkina

I know there may be nothing I can do but I have to at least know that I tried.  I go back on Tuesday and if my fasting #s aren't improved, it'll be glucophage...no mention of insulin or glyburide.

kelly-renne: the first 2 nights, I ate dinner around 6/7 and then nothing until I took my fasting # at around 6:30am.  Last night, I had dinner around 7 and then had 4 crackers with PB at 11pm, took my fasting # at 6:30 and it was just about the same.

I'm really new to this so I have no idea how many grams I should be eating for the snack.  I don't typically wake up at all in the middle of the night so I'm not able to check my #s or eat a snack then.

ToBeMrsT

I new to this, but I found this PDF doc to be really helpful before I met with the dietitian.  Pages 10-15 help with carb counts and food ideas. 

https://www.dhmc.org/dhmc-internet-upload/file_collection/gestational_diabetes_905.pdf

annierific

that sucks! i dont know how to help but i wish you lots of luck!

Kelly-renee

One more question   Are you hungry at all when you're going to bed, if you are, maybe your body is entering into starvation mode during the night?  You might want to try adding a little more protein to your evening snack, like more peanut butter or some string cheese in addition to what you're already doing.

A snack that worked really well for me was a banana and peanut butter for nighttime. Like I get a big chunk of peanut better, probably about 2 tablespoons and then eat it with the banana.  You may want to try that with 1/2 of a normal size banana though, since that's supposed to be a serving.  It actually keeps me pretty full too, unlike cheese and crackers or popcorn and cheese.

I hope you can figure it out so you won't have to take Insulin, but I would definitely research the different drug options before returning to your physician.

Gherkina

Kelly-renee:

One more question   Are you hungry at all when you're going to bed, if you are, maybe your body is entering into starvation mode during the night?  You might want to try adding a little more protein to your evening snack, like more peanut butter or some string cheese in addition to what you're already doing.

A snack that worked really well for me was a banana and peanut butter for nighttime. Like I get a big chunk of peanut better, probably about 2 tablespoons and then eat it with the banana.  You may want to try that with 1/2 of a normal size banana though, since that's supposed to be a serving.  It actually keeps me pretty full too, unlike cheese and crackers or popcorn and cheese.

I hope you can figure it out so you won't have to take Insulin, but I would definitely research the different drug options before returning to your physician.

 

Thank you so much for the suggestions.  Actually, I'm always full after dinner and don't even want dessert so I'm forcing myself to eat a snack to see if that helps.  I tried eating a serving of cashews last night with some milk but my fasting number was still higher than my post-dinner number.  Ugh, so frustrating.  I'll try more protein tonight.