Weekly GD Check In!

DreadGamerWife · July 2014

This weekly check-in is for anyone with Gestational Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, or other blood sugar issues during pregnancy. If this is your first time posting, please let us know with a short intro.

New to GD? Check here for a quick reference guide. https://community.babycenter.com/post/a46582366/new_to_gd_quick_reference

Check In: How is the diet going? Any challenges that we can help out with? Any new recipes/ successes that you want to share? Rant/Vent about the lack of ice cream?

QOTW: Now that we are approaching the 3^rd trimester (if not already there), anything you wish you did during the 2^nd trimester (and didn’t do)?

DreadGamerWife · July 2014

Well, they uped my overnight insulin again and still no change. But I was able to check my numbers over night (1:30 am) and it was the same as when I woke up this morning - 103. I am to send in my numbers to the nurse again on Thursday, so I wonder what they are going to do now.

Last night we tried some interesting pasta we found at Costco. It was made with black beans instead of standard pasta flour. Wasn't bad - had a slight nutty flavor but it showed to be much lower in carbs per 2 oz serving than regular pasta.

I wish we had done more "couple" activities. In April, I sent DH a list of possible short outings in the area that I thought would be fun to do this summer. Haven't done a single one of them - and some of them were originally his idea. I may try to still do one or two of them in August (things like restaurants or such).

Heartwood0519 · July 2014

Check In: I haven't checked in here in a few weeks, but everything seems to be going well. My morning numbers keep climbing, which made me feel guilty, but my A1C was 5.3, so that's all good!

I made the best diabetic friendly dinner last night! Grilled chicken seasoned with a little sea salt. Once it's done cooking, top it with minced garlic and a small amount of brown sugar and let that melt. A also made Parmesan zucchini slices to go with it. I sliced up zucchini, mixed it up with a little butter and some salt and pepper and stuck it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. For the last 5-10 minutes, put parm cheese on top. It was SO good!

QOTW: Not diabetes related, but I'm freaking out about how much time we have left for it just to be my husband and I. I'm trying to come up with things we can do to get the most out of our alone time before our lives totally change.

lrobi13 · July 2014

Well my glyburide dose might not be enough. it worked great the first two days and now my number are out of range again.

Last night I made carb-friendly chicken enchiladas and I did a prenatal barre dvd. It seems as if nothing is helping. On the plus side, I really haven't been having a hard time giving up the junk food. it is surprising to me but also a huge relief.

I have had a couple of meltdowns if we don't have a dinner planned and DH asked what we are having. I am not on gd diet autopilot and sometimes I really get tired of thinking about what I can eat.

I am bummed we didn't get to travel to visit my friend in DC. We were all set to go but DH's grandfather died 2 days before our trip. So my next time flying will be after this baby is here. Other than that I didn't really have anything I felt I missed out on. I am kinda a bum and love hanging out at my house!

MagentaMouse · July 2014

This isn't my first time posting here, but it's been a while, so I'll just re-intro. I was overweight (BMI was 29) with DD (2 years ago) and I was diagnosed with GD at 26 weeks. I was shocked. I got my BMI down to normal and I figured that would fix things, but it didn't. Since my miscarriage in October, I've been watching my numbers. A1C was 5.2 in October 2013, 5.1 in January '14, and 4.6 in April (thanks, tiny fetus!). I haven't had it rechecked but I'm planning to do that next week for a reference point to when I had it done last time I was dxed with GD. Basically, I'm golden with the diet and I know how to manage this monster, but my real obstacle is getting over the anxiety that comes with the 70% likelihood that I'll end up with T2 in my early 30s. Being in the medical field, all I hear all day is how diabetes is a death sentence...I'm determined to prove that wrong with tight management.

Anyway, they say GD is worse with each subsequent baby and I'm hoping that I escaped that trend...but it's definitely borderline. Since I've been checking my numbers all along, my doc finally wrote me some glyburide and I get to skip out on the stupid GTT. I'm scared/annoyed because I'm 30 lbs lighter than I was when pregnant with DD and my numbers are more or less the same. Fastings recently crept into the high 80s and most of my 2-hr postprandials are 90-100 with about 20% of them around 120 or higher.

I've discovered that if I do just 30 min on the elliptical at lunch time, my numbers for the rest of the day are about 20 points lower than they would have been without the exercise. Yay! I didn't exercise at all with DD because I was afraid of abrupting...so paranoid. Glad I got over that.

Just a bone to pick with Dreamfields pasta - F them. They've apparently done studies and they say it affects people's blood sugar the same way regular pasta does, and I'm starting to believe it. It worked well for me in my last pregnancy and up until about January, and then it started spiking me to 180 at 1 hour. Now I can't eat it without spiking. It makes NO sense! But whatever, no more pasta for me.

Sorry that was so long! I really appreciate these weekly check-ins and it's so helpful to be part of this community when dealing with something like this. Thanks, ladies!!!

Here's some cheese for your time.

Heartwood0519 · July 2014

MagentaMouse said:

This isn't my first time posting here, but it's been a while, so I'll just re-intro. I was overweight (BMI was 29) with DD (2 years ago) and I was diagnosed with GD at 26 weeks. I was shocked. I got my BMI down to normal and I figured that would fix things, but it didn't. Since my miscarriage in October, I've been watching my numbers. A1C was 5.2 in October 2013, 5.1 in January '14, and 4.6 in April (thanks, tiny fetus!). I haven't had it rechecked but I'm planning to do that next week for a reference point to when I had it done last time I was dxed with GD. Basically, I'm golden with the diet and I know how to manage this monster, but my real obstacle is getting over the anxiety that comes with the 70% likelihood that I'll end up with T2 in my early 30s. Being in the medical field, all I hear all day is how diabetes is a death sentence...I'm determined to prove that wrong with tight management.

Anyway, they say GD is worse with each subsequent baby and I'm hoping that I escaped that trend...but it's definitely borderline. Since I've been checking my numbers all along, my doc finally wrote me some glyburide and I get to skip out on the stupid GTT. I'm scared/annoyed because I'm 30 lbs lighter than I was when pregnant with DD and my numbers are more or less the same. Fastings recently crept into the high 80s and most of my 2-hr postprandials are 90-100 with about 20% of them around 120 or higher.

I've discovered that if I do just 30 min on the elliptical at lunch time, my numbers for the rest of the day are about 20 points lower than they would have been without the exercise. Yay! I didn't exercise at all with DD because I was afraid of abrupting...so paranoid. Glad I got over that.

Just a bone to pick with Dreamfields pasta - F them. They've apparently done studies and they say it affects people's blood sugar the same way regular pasta does, and I'm starting to believe it. It worked well for me in my last pregnancy and up until about January, and then it started spiking me to 180 at 1 hour. Now I can't eat it without spiking. It makes NO sense! But whatever, no more pasta for me.

Sorry that was so long! I really appreciate these weekly check-ins and it's so helpful to be part of this community when dealing with something like this. Thanks, ladies!!!

Here's some cheese for your time.

I tried it once and my blood sugar was SO high afterwards. Never again.

MrsMac613 · July 2014

I'm doing pretty well on the diet. Lately I have been extremely stressed which I think has caused high numbers here and there. My numbers most of the time are within range. At my last growth scan baby was only in the 54th percentile. They was also a lot of confusion recently between my OB and MFM as the OB skipped the 3 hr test after my 1 hr screening came back at 196 and also never did A1C1 bloodwork on me. Hopefully at my appointments this week they will have everything figured out.

I also still haven't gained any weight. I'm currently 4 lbs under my pre-pregnancy weight.

In the 2nd trimester I wish I had taken more belly shots and filled in the weekly baby journals that I have.

MrsL2B · July 2014

Dreamfields sucks. I get mung bean pasta from Whole Foods, and it thankfully doesn't give me crazy spikes.

I'm now sending in my blood glucose logs twice a week to try to get and keep my insulin dosage just right. I'm a little annoyed at how overly cautious my MFM is about giving me too much insulin and having me experiences hypos from it when I was regularly having crazy lows (and not-so-great highs) on glyburide. I hated that pill and I'm irritated that it took them so long to switch me to insulin. I even told my (Type 1!) OB at my first appointment that I wanted to start on insulin right away and that I was against switching from metformin to glyburide, and she tried to scare me off that idea by telling me that I'd have to be monitored in the hospital while they adjusted my insulin dose and then refused to prescribe anything besides the glyburide. Why is getting good care for diabetes so difficult?

I'm starting to get super nervous about what's going to happen when I'm in L&D as a diabetic patient. I have a mile-long list of questions that I'm going to ask at my next couple of OB & MFM appointments and at our hospital tour this weekend. I plan on being obnoxiously assertive about my care for the rest of this pregnancy. I guess that's the thing I wish I'd done more of in my previous trimesters.

Food: I'm having a Chinese-inspired (soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil) coleslaw with shredded chicken breast mixed in for a few meals this week. It's very satisfying to have while I watch my husband eat his way through cartons and cartons of kung pao and lo mein.

jfburning · July 2014

Thanks for posting this check-in thread, ladies! I am 28 weeks and just found out today I have the diabeetus. I am waiting for a call from the specialist to make an appointment. Bummed that I have to wave goodbye to ice cream.

One thing that I wish I would have done was exercise more like I said I was going to. Although I have only gained 6 lbs this whole pregnancy, I feel like my thighs are out of control these days.

DreadGamerWife · July 2014

@jfburning - actually, you can still eat some ice cream. About 1/2 cup of regular ice cream is one of my standard night time snacks (along with some peanut butter). You just have to be careful of how much of it you eat (and if you are like me, ban Ben and Jerry's as I can easily eat significantly more than that in one sitting).

jfburning · July 2014

@DreadGamerWife Thanks! I didn't care much for ice cream until I got pregnant, but I only eat about 1/2 a cup already when I allow myself to have some. Thank you! I can't wait to get in and talk to the specialist about all of this. Did any of you have an ultrasound when you initially went in to talk about GB?

DreadGamerWife · July 2014

Ice cream and plain animal crackers are main sweets that I allow myself right now. I find it easier to just avoid everything else rather than try to figure out how small a piece of cake/brownies I can eat.

I get ultrasounds every three weeks currently (growth checks). If you are going to an MFM about the GD, they will probably want to do a growth check as well.

lrobi13 · July 2014

My reg ob has not done any utlrasounds following my gd dx. I do have an appointment with the specialist next Thursday so I am hoping that we get a growth scan and sneak peak then.

I have not had any "sweet treats" since my dx because my numbers are already so high

eta: sweet not sweat, that is gross

Sockgnome78 · July 2014

Well depending on how the dietician likes my lunch time numbers I might be going Glyburide. I will find out today.
Diet has been going okay. I had a lot of pasta yesterday. So my fasting nun era were good this morning. Other wise I am doing good. I have gained 2 lbs since my last monthly check up. Which is much better then me still losing weight.

GTKY : DH and I's 10 year anniversary is coming up in September. I was telling him that I would like to go somewhere and it be our last one as just the two of us. He knows that I am slowing down with walk in and get tired easy. So we wants to wait until a little more time passes. Which looking at it we should have it already booked or at least doing it now. So maybe we should have done something sooner. But anytime that I get to spend with him now is great too.

Heartwood0519 · July 2014

I've been eating Reese's ice cream "bars" for dessert at nights. There are only 22g of carbs in them and they are very satisfying.

DreadGamerWife · July 2014

@Heartwood0519 Those are evil looking - I don't think I could keep DH from eating them all. Some of the other monthly GD boards talk about the snickers ice cream bars as nighttime snacks.

DreadGamerWife · July 2014

Does anyone have any ideas for a non fruit, non bread-y based breakfast? Doesn't have to be traditional breakfast food - I am just running out of foods to try for breakfast that sound at all appealing.

MagentaMouse · July 2014

DreadGamerWife, one of my favorite breakfasts is one of these low-carb tortillas (I can only usually find them at WalMart, ugh) with melted cheese. My favorite for this is Land O Lakes white American cheese. I mean, it's totally a quesadilla, but it's still good for breakfast.

...Though I usually also eat a bit of fruit with it.

ETA: OMG, I can't believe I didn't mention this - Snickers bars don't spike me! I think there's something magical about them, cuz despite the fact that they're nearly all sugar, there's something low-glycemic about them. I've been known to eat them for breakfast.

Heartwood0519 · July 2014

DreadGamerWife said:

@Heartwood0519 Those are evil looking - I don't think I could keep DH from eating them all. Some of the other monthly GD boards talk about the snickers ice cream bars as nighttime snacks.

They are delicious! My husband has to keep himself in check on them, too!

DreadGamerWife said:

Does anyone have any ideas for a non fruit, non bread-y based breakfast? Doesn't have to be traditional breakfast food - I am just running out of foods to try for breakfast that sound at all appealing.

Eggs? Cottage cheese?

I made egg muffins that were pretty good and they kept in the fridge for a week, so I had a nice breakfast all week. Put any type of meat in the bottom of your muffin tin, scramble up some eggs with green onions, pour over the meat, top with shredded cheese and bake.

lrobi13 · July 2014

MagentaMouse said:

ETA: OMG, I can't believe I didn't mention this - Snickers bars don't spike me! I think there's something magical about them, cuz despite the fact that they're nearly all sugar, there's something low-glycemic about them. I've been known to eat them for breakfast.

Say what!??? I am scared to try it but that is fascinating!

MrsL2B · July 2014

Some of the lower carb ice creams are ok, too, as long as you avoid anything with maltitol as an ingredient. Unless you want to spend the night with intestinal cramps, super smelly gas, and diarrhea.

I bake a lot of my own cookies and brownies with almond and coconut flours, and I use xylitol and stevia as my primary sweeteners, so I can control the carbohydrate content of my desserts a little better. Portion control with prepackaged cookies is way too much of a challenge for me! Although there's no replicating oreos.

Sockgnome78 · July 2014

Well an update. Just got a call from the dietitan and I am going on Glyburide at lunch time.

So I will start those either tomorrow or Thursday. I was trying to avoid it at all cost. I am not a big breakfast eater. So she would like me to try and eat something small even and still do Glyburide with lunch time.

Does anyone have any quick breakfast ideas? I am NOT an egg eater unless they are in something. (IE: French toast, pancakes, ect.) Not a big milk person either.

TIA

lrobi13 · July 2014

I have been eating an English muffin with some I can't believe its not butter and a slice of Canadian bacon.

MrsL2B · July 2014

I've been doing a little pb&j on a high-fiber English muffin for breakfast after my workouts. But if I'm going for something lower carb, I like Greek yogurt with the pb&j mixed in. I also buy chicken breakfast sausage links and have a couple of those if I need something more substantial.

MrsMac613 · July 2014

I like a slice of cinnamon sugar toast with butter and some microwaveable sausage for my quick breakfast days. Also half a bagel thin with cream cheese, again with breakfast meat and/or eggs.

ss265 · July 2014

Just got back from my OB appointment and even though I passed the 1 hour test at 24 weeks, based on my recent random blood sugar readings, she thinks I have GD and that I just developed it later.

Time to start following the diet religiously (I had been loosely following it) and testing my blood sugars 4 times a day. (

Snickers ice cream bars were a regular post dinner snack for me with DS1 when I had GD and they didn't affect my fasting numbers the next morning. I think the peanuts and the fat helped.

And my go-to fast breakfast is Fage Greek yogurt - I can usually mix some or most of the fruit in (don't get the honey flavor - too many carbs) and still have good sugar numbers afterwards. In fact, that was the only breakfast I could eat without spiking my sugars. I discovered it when I had GD with DS1 and Greek yogurt has been my breakfast for the last two years, I love the stuff!

ss265 · July 2014

Oh and did I mention that we are having a dessert party this weekend to celebrate my birthday? Perfect timing!

Justabean3 · July 2014

Man you guys talk about sweets

I look at it and it goes up

I had 2 squares on a Hersey bar, 168
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream - 194
1 cup sugar free frozen yogurt 136
Sugar free Popsicles is about all I can get away with

I have tried other stuff and feel drunk from high blood sugar. I sweat, so tired I can't stay awake and feel awful

Boo

Breakfast, I do low sugar oatmeal with soy or skim milk

Heartwood0519 · July 2014

starla487 said:

Double posting - I self adjusted my basal rates yesterday because my fastings were crap. Woke up today at 85! Woo hoo! :-bd

YAY!!

I did that a few days ago because my fastings were 150 or higher and now I'm below 120. I still need it lower, but I end up crashing hard around 10 or 11am.

Heartwood0519 · July 2014

starla487 said:

Heartwood0519 said:

starla487 said:

Double posting - I self adjusted my basal rates yesterday because my fastings were crap. Woke up today at 85! Woo hoo! :-bd

YAY!!

I did that a few days ago because my fastings were 150 or higher and now I'm below 120. I still need it lower, but I end up crashing hard around 10 or 11am.

Do you have a 9 am or 10 am basal rate change? Can you add one?

I don't right now. I can't tell if it's my basal rate or my breakfast bolus. I'm sending my numbers in to my endo today, so hopefully she'll be able to make a good recommendation. Although, last time I was having fastings in the 180s and she recommended my basal be adjusted by .05 units. Um, yeah, that did nothing.. hence my self adjustment!

megaddie · July 2014

Hi,
Can I join this check in? I'm 28 weeks today and was just diagnosed after my three hour test today. I'm kind of scared, mostly because my pregnancy is already marked as high risk due to my age and previous losses...my dad had diabetes and actually passed away due to severe complications arising from his condition (multiple amputations, septicemia). I'm not surprised I have it due to my family history, but it scares me and I could use the support! I just want this little guy to be healthy!

Sockgnome78 · July 2014

Welcome @magaddie. Sorry to hear about your dad and your losses.

It is scary at first. Once you get it down, you will have no problem.

Please let us know if you need anything.

megaddie · July 2014

Thanks! Will I be getting a meter and have to do the finger pricks, or are there new fangled ways of doing things these days? My parents woukd test my blood sugar every now and again when I was little and I hated that thing!

lrobi13 · July 2014

@megaddie‌ . I was recently diagnosed with gestational diabetes. The lancets have very fine needles and the meters take less blood
It was an adjustment for me and my numbers still aren't great but knowing that me and my baby are being closely monitored is kinda a relief.

They ladies here are great and have lots of stories and tips.

megaddie · July 2014

Good to know that the technology has improved on that front!

I have been having horrible sweaty hot flashes the last few weeks--I feel super hot, but my husband says my face and neck are cold and clammy--at any rate, I am drenched. I notice it particularly after having honey greek yogurt from Trader Joe's or orange juice. In fact, two times that I drank juice in the morning, I fell asleep--like groggy drugged sleep-- after (and missed World Cup games!). I've been sleeping a lot these last couple of weeks--at first I thought it was because school was out (teacher) and I was catching up, but now I am wondering if these new delightful traits are reactions to my blood sugar. Wouldn't surprise me.

I ate a 1/2 a baked chicken breast tonight, some broccoli, and a 1/2 cup of brown rice and I feel soooo stuffed. Part of the challenge of this is going to be eating because I rarely feel hungry lately or want anything.

MrsL2B · July 2014

@megaddie‌ Welcome! I agree with pp that the finger sticks are no big deal. I get really groggy when my blood sugar is high. It's not pleasant!

DreadGamerWife · July 2014

@megaddie I also feel bad/tired when my sugar is dropping significantly. Not necessarily going into hypo, but if it was too high and dropping down to normal ranges makes me feel horrible as well.

Sockgnome78 · July 2014

@MRSclark08 I hope this person will pay attention to it and do something for you.

Today is my first day of Glybruride 2.5 and I am a little nervous about taking it. Not sure if I will have an allergic reaction to it. (Nothing as of yet) and what it will do to my numbers.

Now to just try and go through my day like it is a normal day. AHHHHH!

DreadGamerWife · July 2014

I send in my numbers twice a week to my MFM's nurse. Starting tonight, I am going up to 18 units of insulin overnight (they keep increasing it by 4 units each check in as so far, the insulin hasn't done a darn thing to bring the numbers down).

I did check my numbers when I woke up overnight and they aren't that different than my morning fasting numbers. I was almost hoping that they were....

@MRSclarke08 - I can't imagine the MFM not paying attention to your numbers, especially if there is trend of them being high.

lrobi13 · July 2014

@MRSclarke08 and @sockgnome. I have been on glyburide for a week and haven't seen a big change in my numbers and haven't felt any different. Hopefully it works better you ladies.

I think 2.5 is not enough to help me. I don't see the MFM until next Thursday for the first time. I did fax my ob my numbers yesterday but so far no word. My numbers have ben terrible for the last couple of days and I am so frustrated.

MagentaMouse · July 2014

Guys, how long does glyburide last for you? I've read things that say it supposedly has a 10-hour half-life, but recent studies say it could be as low as 2-4 hours. My fastings have been creeping into the 90s and my doc gave me a prescription for it. So I took 2.5 mg yesterday morning, and I crashed over and over throughout the day, and then my fasting today was 77 (not that I'm complaining, but...). I was constantly running in the 50s-60s and I felt like death, with no numbers in the 3-digit range. And I'm one of the ones who needs a max glyburide dose + a ton of insulin by the end. I just don't get it. I didn't take it today and my numbers have been good, so I think I'll just hold off until they start to creep. Anybody else having a very different experience with a second pregnancy, or just a weird experience with glyburide overall?

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