Hi ladies,
I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes last week and my OB has decided that because of all of my "issues" (GD, MTHFR, and donor embryos - which I don't think are huge in themselves...) he wants to take every precaution and is sending me to an MFM tomorrow morning. I was freaked out by being labeled as "high risk" but I'm trying to get past the label and remember I'll be getting even better care now with the co-management by an MFM. I've already been to a nutritionist and have been following the diet for a week. My numbers are not great even with diet changed. Ugh.
So a couple of questions for you all...
For those of you seeing an MFM for anything, how has your experience been? Is anyone going to one for Gestational Diabetes and if so, what was your first appointment and follow up appointments like?
And last, does anyone know where I can find a forum or thread for GD support? Holy moly it's overwhelming and frustrating not seeing my numbers be good no matter how hard I try! I tried the High Risk board but it looks like other ladies are asking the same because there doesn't appear to be one created.
Thanks!
Re: Questions about MFMs and/or Gestational Diabetes
I'm not happy about the reasons why I have to see the MFM (cervical issues, blood clotting disorder) but I definitely feel more confident knowing I'm in the hands of a specialist. The office was smaller and the staff and attention is much more like my RE's than my OBGYNs.
Me: 32, DH: 34 / TTC since February 2011 / SA: all normal, HSG: all clear! / on Lovenox for anticardiolipid antibodies
4 IUIs with Clomid, Letrozole, and Menopur. All BFN.
9/12: lap / hysteroscopy: found and removed mild endometriosis, cervical polyp, and 2 para-tubular cysts
5/13 IVF #1: Follistim, Menopur, Ganirelix, 10R/4M/4F, ET of 2, 5 cell and 4 cell, no frosties = BFN
12/13 IVF #2 = November / December 2013. Microdose Lupron Protocol: 15R/6M/6F, Froze all 6 due to high E2 and P4
FET 1: Jan 22, 2014 of one 4AB blast and one 3BB blast (3 blasts on ice!)
BFP on HPT 4dp5dt, Beta #1 9dp5dt: 310, Beta #2 11dp5dt: 899
First u/s on 2/17/14: TWINS!!!!! both w/HBs of 114 at 6w3d, HBs 150 and 152 at 7w5d
5/27/2014: Team purple!!!! EDD 10/10/2014 /
Baby Boy 4lbs 1oz, 17 inches
Baby Girl 3lbs 5oz, 16 inches
Some things that worked for me (but I know everyone is different) were: 1) peanut butter! If I ate peanut butter with a meal- it brought my numbers down, especially at breakfast. 2) chicken or beef tacos were oddly my lowest numbers. (Homemade with hard shells)
3) sweet potatoes (half) killed my numbers...4) chicken nuggets, soup and a salad from CHick fil a gave me lower numbers than when I baked chicken and had it with veggies- go figure! GD makes no sense at times. I'll look through my food diary to check for more, if you need it!
If you need anything let me know.
If it makes you feel better, sometimes my numbers were high and sometimes I just couldn't control a craving (especially when people left cookies in our break room) and my baby was actually on the small side and the GD didn't seem to affect him. And don't feel bad if you can't control it with diet- it's nothing you are doing wrong.
Good luck!!! Oh, also, going for a walk after a meal really helped too!
Jan-March '13 3 IUIs Clomid + Trigger = BFN
He's Here! Arrived 4/15/14!!!!
September 2015 - FET with remaining embryos
Twins! EDD: 6/14/15
PAIF/SAIF Everyone welcome!
This pregnancy I see one for being 36, though my eggs are only 32! They've again given me growth ultrasounds to make sure baby is on track. They checked cervix length as well.
I think you will be very happy with an MFM. They'll keep an even closer eye on you. It's like having two different teams take care of you. Nothing wrong there!
@PhillyJ33 Thank you so much for replying! My mornings are hands down THE WORST. I don't have fasting levels below 109 EVER. And then no matter what I have for breakfast, they spike as high as 160s 1hr after and then 140-150 2 hr. It makes no sense. Then lunch I'm golden and dinner can be iffy. But because my fasting numbers suck, I'm pretty sure I'm insulin-bound. Oh well, I'll do whatever it takes! I find my appetite sucks, probably in-part due to the GD but mornings I can barely tolerate eating anything. I found a shake recipe for GD that one lady recommended with 8oz whole milk, 2 tbl whey protein, 1tbl peanutbutter, and 1tsp coconut oil and I chug it. My numbers still spike. Grr! Do you have any tips for just getting a "meal" down in the morning? I'm majorly struggling. Thanks again for responding and so glad to hear your LO is doing well.
************ Signature/Ticker Warning ************
Me (32) DH (36) - Finding our way to baby #1
Me: POF/DOR - AMH <0.16, heterozygous c677t MTHFR, insulin resistant and gluten intolerant
DH: Severe MFI
12/2/11 - IUI #1- BFN
8/1/12 - IVF #1 - Zero response from max stims (600iu intramuscularly)
My ovaries are just for decoration
12/6/12 - Adopted five embryos that had been frozen for over ten years!
2/11/13 - DEmbryo FET #1 Thawed four, sadly two didn't survive. Transferred two beautiful blasts.
2/16/13 - First BFP of my life @ 6dp5dt! EDD 10/30/13
3/27/13 - After beta and u/s hell, no heartbeat ever detected. D&C at 9w1d.
6/5/13 - Adopted four new embryos that had been frozen for seven years!
9/12/13 - DEmbryo FET #2. Thawed and transferred two beautiful blasts
9/17/13 - BFP @ 5dp6dt! EDD 05/31/14
9/29/13 - m/c @ 5w1d.
11/19/13 - DEmbryo FET #3. Thawed and transferred one blast from each batch. Wow!
11/23/13 - BFP @ 4dp6dt! EDD 8/7/13
Beta #1 @ 13dp6dt - 522 Beta #2 @ 16dp6dt - 1373
6w5d ultrasound showed one perfect baby with a beautiful heartbeat of 134bpm!
Snowflake baby is a girl!
Our beautiful Snowflake girl arrived on July 22, 2014!
My embryo adoption blog: Wishing on a Snowflake
***signature & ticker warning***
Me: 30 ~ Stage IV Endo ~ AMH .38 ~ AFC 8
AMH .97 as of 4/2012! ~ AMH 1.63 as of 4/2013!?!
Him: 29 ~ perfect swimmers
Laparotomy w/partial oophorectomy 8/2009 to remove cysts/endo.
Stopped BCP 4/2010.
Multiple clomid rounds from 11/2010 to 6/2011. ~ All BFN
IUI w/clomid 7/2011. IUI w/clomid & injectables 11/2011 & 1/2012. ~ All BFN
IVF:EPP 5/2012 ~ (4R, 3M, 2F w/ICSI). Both embryos txfrd. ~ BFN
BCP to manage endo from 10/2012 to 12/2012.
FET w/donor embryos #1: 10/2013 Cancelled
FET w/donor embryos #1.2: 11/2013 ~ ET of 2 beautiful blasts on 11/27.
Beta 1: 503(12dp5dt) Beta 2: 1035(14dpt) Beta 3: 3001(16dpt) Beta 4: 8503(19dpt)
Twins with an EDD of 8/15/14! Team Purple
G&B born 6/30/14 at 33w3d via emergency c/s.
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IVF/FET #1 - BFP!!
CJW 6/15/2014
DX - PCOS 2004
FET #2 - scheduled for 11/24/15
I struggled with the after breakfast levels and then I found that half an English muffin with peanut butter and a glass of fat-free milk or a cheese stick made my numbers below my cut off. Later on, I ate a whole English muffin with peanut butter! I rarely ate anything else because my numbers always were high if I did- bizarre.
As far as the fasting, as I mentioned I struggled so not sure you want my advice but I would have a yogurt or milk and a cheese stick around. 8 hours before I tested. Sometimes I had ice cream- and my numbers didn't change no matter which I ate, to be honest!
I found GD to be frustrating but once you find a meal that works- stick with it! It will be over soon enough
Jan-March '13 3 IUIs Clomid + Trigger = BFN
He's Here! Arrived 4/15/14!!!!
September 2015 - FET with remaining embryos
Twins! EDD: 6/14/15
PAIF/SAIF Everyone welcome!
For me, the first 20 or so weeks were easy. Since around 22 weeks, I have had to increase insulin a few times and I know my ratios will keep going up. I do end up eating the same things a lot, because I already know how many carbs/how much insulin to take.
Breakfast is hard...I am supposed to limit to 30 grams of card and usually end up with Greek yogurt or oatmeal with peanut butter in it. For a treat I have a bagel thin with peanut butter. I eat a ton of peanut butter for the protein.
12/2011: Finished chemo
5/2013: Cleared for DE IVF
11/13: DEgg IVF#1
8/5/14: Grace was born!