GD sucks

4littlebears · October 2014

I need some uplifting words from moms who have gone on insulin before. I'm pretty sure I'll be there before long. Especially moms who've gone on insulin and given birth to babies who didn't need to go to nicu.

I'm pretty scared, and I'm afraid that once this baby's born they will have to take him or her away from me for testing and monitoring. I'm used to cuddling my babies as long as I want after birth and I don't think I'll handle this well. Thanks

4littlebears · October 2014

saiven said:

I'm only here because I saw you posted and I wanted to give you support. I'm sorry you're going through this and I'm sending you so much internet love.

Not the same situation, but I know @KnitPixy (I hope I'm right about that) is a Type I diabetic so she's on insulin, pregnant or not. Hopefully she has some advice?

Thank you @saiven! I'd love it if she does.

I know, I don't post that much. Sorry ladies, sometimes I just don't know what to say. But I'm being supportive and praying for everyone even if I don't post.

LadyXaverian · October 2014

No experience with this but hugs to you!

BookitBoo · October 2014

No experience with insulin controlled GD, but lots of thoughts and prayers!

4littlebears · October 2014

Thanks ladies

thompnia · October 2014

Why do you think you will be on insulin? It sounds like you have had previous pregnancies; were you on insulin with them?

I have GD, and have been able to manage my sugars with slight diet changes (Thank God.)

KnitPixy · October 2014

First big hugs! Second sorry for being a bit late to the party. I've been busy in the kitchen all day.

Insulin can be both a good thing and a bad thing. Definitely if you are having trouble with control through diet alone it will help. Injections take getting used to but are pretty easy to administer yourself. I don't know about other clinics but the one I go to give the GD mommas pen injectors that make injecting a bit easier than a regular needle. I don't have much experience with the tech myself as I went from manual injections about 13 years ago to an insulin pump.

The dosages for GD usually start small too. To give an example with type 1 (ie my body produces no insulin) I'm ranging between 79 to 150 units of fast acting insulin every day right now. With GD you might get 10 to 20 units to start...if not less.

As for baby going in to nicu, it can happen. I won't lie. Though in 99% of cases where LO has sugar issues it is usually resolved within 24 hrs. Basically LO can become used to higher sugars levels from your blood and they produce too much insulin to counteract that. When they are born if that is the case they can be hypoglycemic (low blood sugar). Usually a bit of extra food and a bit of time is all it takes to regulate their insulin levels.

While I can't give you a first hand good story as I'm a FTM I have known several type 1 mommas and GD mommas who haven't had any issues with LO having sugar issues after birth.

I'm always happy to chat if you need it. Feel free to PM me

4littlebears · October 2014

Thank you so much @KnitPixy‌! It sounds like as long as I can gain strict control over the sugar the baby is exposed to, they should be ok after delivery. It looks like I will be needing some help from medication. I've tried all kinds of variance in my diet @thompnia‌, and my fasting blood sugar is no longer budging below 92. I now have a growth ultrasound scheduled for Thursday. I've been under a lot of stress, but I just don't think that's what is causing it.

KnitPixy · October 2014

Don't beat yourself up over your control too much either. That's how I landed myself on stress leave. The further in to the pregnancy you get the more your placenta can interfere with your body's insulin absorption. From now til delivery there will likely be more struggles with control. So long as you are communicating with your doctors and making adjustments you will be fine.

Have they tried you on any oral meds yet? A word of warning about metformin if they do try that; it will mess with your digestive system if you don't take it with a meal! Mind you it works as a laxitive so that may be welcome :P

4littlebears · October 2014

Good to know @KnitPixy‌! She said they may try that first, but she didn't sound all that hopeful about it! So I don't know what she'll say after the growth scan. I feel like a FTM with all of this. Yikes.

KnitPixy · October 2014

Diabetes is hard... Even after 22 years I still feel like a novice sometimes. Especially with pregnancy.

I don't have much experience with oral meds myself as they are more designed to help type 2s use what I insulin they are still producing. I know that my clinic will try GD moms on orals first but I don't know the stats as to how effective they are at helping reduce resistance with GD as once again they aren't truly designed for that version of diabetes. I also know there isn't too much data on some of the newer orals as far as side effects with pregnancy. Insulin on the other hand is completely safe in pregnancy. So long as you watch out for low sugars while they are getting dosages dialed in

4littlebears · October 2014

Yes, diabetes IS hard. My brother is a type 1 too, but he knows nothing about pregnancy so I really appreciate your help. I have a better appreciation for it now though. I'm so thankful it will be over after delivery for me. But I'll do whatever it takes so that my child isn't struggling post delivery! It will truly break my heart if they have to keep him or her for observation.

honeybeee3 · October 2014

No advice or experience but I wanted to say that I'm sorry you're having a hard time and I hope you feel better soon. Sending you lots of good thoughts and internet hugs!

rainbows · October 2014

FX for you and the baby. GD is hard and just another thing to have to worry about. Sucks when there is already so much to worry about!

4littlebears · October 2014

Thank you so much ladies!

GirlWithAnchors · October 2014

I was looking for your post!

You and your baby are gunna be great! I mean luckily we live in the now where there's all kinds of help for anything our bodies put out of wack. I'm not sure what advice to offer besides trying to relax and think positive. It sucks to have even more to worry about. Much love and hugs !!

4littlebears · October 2014

Thank you @GirlWithAnchors, I hope you pass your 3 hr! And I hope they can suggest a way to stop all the fainting. I'd go stir crazy if I had to stay home all day unless I had a ride from someone else!

GirlWithAnchors · October 2014

@4littlebears‌ let us hope! Lol they just keep telling me to eat but I promise I'm always eating I'm gonna gain so much weight lmao not that I care of course but health wise wouldn't be good. Come over and I'll stick you with insulin and you can drive me around

4littlebears · October 2014

I'd love to! lol

anh1202 · October 2014

I've been diagnosed with GD since 9 weeks due to pcos..I've been on insulin since then too! I was so scared to do injections myself..and I'm a nurse! Lol! I'm still not a fan of poking myself several times a day but of course will do whatever for this baby and I's health. I try to keep carbs low and protein high but as all my doctors warned me about my insulin needs to be adjusted often. I too worry about the baby needing to go to the nicu but found much comfort in one of my education sessions... the GD coordinator at the birthing hospital said with well controlled sugars from mom that the risk to baby is no different than a baby born to a non GD mom. Obviously with any birth there's a risk but that helped calm my nerves about baby having issues with blood sugars. Good luck to you, I wish you and baby the best! :-)

4littlebears · October 2014

anh1202 said:
I've been diagnosed with GD since 9 weeks due to pcos..I've been on insulin since then too! I was so scared to do injections myself..and I'm a nurse! Lol! I'm still not a fan of poking myself several times a day but of course will do whatever for this baby and I's health. I try to keep carbs low and protein high but as all my doctors warned me about my insulin needs to be adjusted often. I too worry about the baby needing to go to the nicu but found much comfort in one of my education sessions... the GD coordinator at the birthing hospital said with well controlled sugars from mom that the risk to baby is no different than a baby born to a non GD mom. Obviously with any birth there's a risk but that helped calm my nerves about baby having issues with blood sugars. Good luck to you, I wish you and baby the best! :-)

Thank you! That's really good to hear! Do you have trouble with ketones if you don't get enough carbs? I'm trying to keep a balance between sugars and ketones too. One of them is usually 'off' for me

billieb101 · October 2014

Sorry for the late response but I wanted to share my experience with you. I had GD with my first pregnancy and was on oral meds (Glyburide I think) but allergic reactions to it so I ended up on insuline shots. It' wasn't as bad as I thought. I got used to sticking myself pretty quickly and was grateful that it helped regulate my blood sugar. As for baby having to end up in ICU, that didn't happen to with us. They did want to check her blood to make sure that she wasn't hypoglycemic but that didn't take any longer than the other regular checks they do on newborns. By the time the were done sewinge up (I had a C-section) they had her ready for me and some much needed skin to skin.

The most important thing is being able to manage your blood sugar for the rest of yr pregnancy so that baby doesn't have to produce extra insuline to manage the extra glucose (which is what causes the possible hypoglycemia after birth) and also to better manage baby weight that may cause other related problems.

I hope you pass the 3 hr so you don't have to go through any of the but I also want you to know it's not as bad as it seems from outside. Hugs!

4littlebears · October 2014

Thank you very much @billieb101‌ I really appreciate your response. It's good to hear the positive experiences. I'm hopeful I can keep this baby from being exposed to too much glucose. If I need insulin, then so be it. I just want him or her healthy!

I was diagnosed early with GD based off of a 2 hr glucose tolerance test early in my 2nd trimester because of specific risk factors I had. Apparently it was good they tested me early, because I definitely do have GD (based off of my daily finger sticks too)

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