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High-Risk Pregnancy
Baby_Bunny_Hopeful
member
Tell me about your experience with GD
Baby_Bunny_Hopeful
member
Hey ladies... unfortunately, I'm new to the board- and was just diagnosed with GD..... I have the consult with the dietician tomorrow afternoon....
If possible, could you please share your experiences with Gestational Diabetes?? What did you have to change? What were the side effects?
Did you have to be induced early? Labor complications, etc?
TIA!!!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Tell me about your experience with GD
It varies and there are lots of girls on here with GD, so you should get some good responses.
I have lucked out, my doctor thinks the test was a fluke. For the first week, I had to test 6 times a day - waking up, 2 hours after bf, before lunch, 2 hours after lunch, before dinner and 2 hours after dinner. I also had to make a log of everything I ate during that week. At my next appt my dr reviewed my numbers and said he was shocked that they were so normal. I haven't had one high number and I haven't changed my eating at all. Granted, I ate pretty well before but I still have pasta, chocolate, cookies, etc and nothing spikes.
If your waking numbers are too high, your doctor could put you on insulin to get them lower. Waking should be under 100 and 2 hours after a meal should be under 120.
Hope that helps - ask away if you have any other questions!
I'm sorry to hear you have GD. I was diagnosed 2.5 weeks ago, and I was terrified. Fortunately my DH was at the appointment as well, because for the rest of the day, I fluctuated between being scared and crying and grumpy and snappish.
I've had my moments since then, but honestly, this isn't entirely unmanageable and it's good to know that there's something I can do to help LO (compared to, say preeclampsia, which I also have, and all I can do is rest and *hope* my BP stays low).
My experience with diet has been similar to some of the other responses you've gotten. I'm limited to a certain number of grams of carbs for each meal and each snack. The biggest changes so far have been that my daily schedule is much more strict (because I have to check my glucose levels at certain times), and of course I can no longer eat whatever I want. My levels have been pretty well controlled by diet so far, though, and there are a few surprising items on my list of snacks (ice cream in SMALL portions being one).
Remember, it's okay to:
- Be scared of needles. I am terrified of them, and checking my blood isn't fun, but it's much more manageable than I thought it would be.
- Cry and let it out when you find out. You can do something about it, sure, but it's still scary and sucky, and there's no shame in being bummed out.
- Have a tantrum now and then that you have to give up foods and freedoms at a time when they would be the most comforting. I've done this a couple of times, and while I have to fight off the guilt afterwards, I know that of course I would give ANYTHING for LO. That doesn't mean that it's not natural to wish for a piece of pizza after a hard day.
Hope all that helps, and GL! I just got a growth scan yesterday, and my Josiah is measuring perfectly normal for his age, so the things that I've done actually have helped and been for a purpose! Many of the ladies on this board are VERY knowledgeable and I'm sure you'll find plenty of help here if you need it.
Thank you so much for the support!! I can't even tell you how many tears I've shed today!! And I honestly feel so selfish about it... because it could have been MUCH worse- I mean, I'll still have a happy and healthy baby boy at the end of this.... but I can't help but be pissed off at my body for doing this to us... and upset about having to change my entire lifestyle.... and knowing that it will likely effect future pregnancies....
Well, my diet changed - I have to take insulin for my fasting numbers. I test 4 times a day by pricking my finger. I have to get NSTs 2 times a week until the baby is here, and an u/s every 4 weeks.
I had one today! Right now I will be induced the week before my due date, if the baby goes into the 90th percentile for weight, I will end up with a c/s. But as of today he is down to 66%, so yey!
It's difficult to get into, but once you start doing it, you get use to it fast.
GL!
Sorry you were diagnosed with GD. Really its not that to bad. I was upset at first and thought it was something that I had did but then realized it has to do with of your crazy hormones during pregnancy.
It was hard at first to get to use to the diet and know what you can eat and what not to eat. I have to test 4 times a day and my numbers have to be below a certain number. I do have tot ake insulin at night at bedtime to help keep my fasting number below what it should be. The best thing out of allof these it that I have been getting weekly u/s since being diagnosed at 27 weeks. Also my Dr wont induced you until 39 weeks unless of course it is absoultey neccesary.
I was so afraid of my baby being huge but at 38 weeks she was only weighing 6 and a half pounds. The Drs are happy about that and hopefully it won't cause any labour complications
Good Luck!!
Good Luck!
My experience has been fairly painless! I was pretty upset initially and followed the diet very closely. I lost some weight so I was basically told to loosen up a bit.
Then I went back to my regular diet which is healthy about 75% of the time. But I do like my desserts and sweets- just in moderation. So I added those back in, cut out juice and I have had almost no high readings.
1 growth u/s at 32/33 weeks due to measuring small and baby was in the 50th percentile.
I am still waiting for my LO to arrive and I will be 40 weeks tomorrow! So even though I have an induction date for a week from now-- it doesn't have much to do with the GD.
No idea what labor complications will be but to be honest, I am more concerned about my hemorrhoids!
Every doctor is different, apparently...
I have to test 4 times a day, and my fasting number was consistently high so i have to take a pill at night. also, for my testing i test fasting, 1 hour after my first bite of breakfast, 1 hour after my first bite of lunch, and 1 hour after my first bite of dinner (all of which have to be under 140).
I try REALLY hard to control my diet by significantly limiting my carbs, which has definitely not been easy. But, it's only for another 6 weeks or so! I go in today for an ultrasound, so we'll see how big baby is.
Oh, and I also have to do twice weekly non stress tests which are SUPER hard to schedule with my work schedule...
I was diagnosed with GD around 28 weeks. It was a big adjustment at first, but now it has become second nature. The hardest part for me was getting through all the holiday parties! I have managed my sugars with diet and exercise and did not need to be put on insulin/medication. So far I have gained 16lbs my entire pregnancy. It has been an eye opening learning experience for me by learning how many carbs are in foods! I test 4x a day - fasting, 2 hours after breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
I have a growth u/s this afternoon to check her size and my fluid levels. I've been measuring close to 2 weeks ahead since my 34 week appointment. My doctor told me they do not like to induce before 39 weeks unless necessary, but they will probably not let me go to far past my due date.
I was dx at 28 weeks. Had to modify my diet (for me, that meant adding more carbs to each meal), testing for ketones in my urine each morning and testing my blood glucose levels 4x a day. After 10 days it was determined that while all of my post-meals numbers were perfect, but fasting numbers were too high. My fasting number is supposed to be <95 and post-meal (at two hours) is to be <120.
So I started on insulin injections twice a day (6 units of Humulin each morning and night). At 32 weeks I also started going to weekly non-stress tests. At 36 weeks I needed to up my insulin dose to 8 units each day/night. Numbers have been good. Blood pressure great. Always passed the NSTs. This week, doc decided to schedule me for a induction for next week at 38 w, 4 d. Baby measured 7 lbs. 8 oz. yesterday and she wants to be sure to not let her get so big that vaginal birth may not be possible.
I am bummed. I have been hoping for a natural birth...no medical interventions or pain medications. So now the plan is to try to avoid a c-section. With the cervidil + pictocin plan I am not sure if it's realistic for me to try to avoid the epidural, but I will do my best to employ my Bradley Method techniques and see what happens.
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