Gestational Diabetes

xokateox · December 2015

So, it's official, I've been diagnosed with GD. Uhg. I searched the board and didn't see any Feb '16 posts on this, but I figure a few of us ladies must have it right? Thought this might be a good place to commiserate, share diet ideas, treatment plans, and maybe make each other feel better about poking ourselves with needles and missing out on Christmas cookies!

My first appointment to deal with this isn't til Tuesday. My OB office has me going to a specialist. I meet with a midwife first to go over diet and how to test my blood, and then a week later I go in for a growth scan and then to talk to a doctor. Then, i guess it's regular appointments to check in? I really don't have too much information at this point. All I know is that I have to seriously reduce/ cut out CARBS and SUGAR. And these are my all time favorite things! So, I'm super bummed about that. Especially during the holidays where there are treats lurking everywhere! My office is full of candy and cookies from clients and fellow coworkers. It's adding insult to injury for sure. I guess on the bright side- the restricted diet is a healthy diet, so it's what I should be doing anyways to keep me and baby healthy. But I can't help but fee a little screwed I guess...

But really, I've had a pretty decent pregnancy so far its only 2 more months of this. I/ we can do this!

brushesnbrunch · December 2015

Once you get used to your restricted diet, it's not hard to maintain. You just have to find what works for you. I've found that I can't do fruit in the morning, but as long as I'm consistent with snacks throughout the day and my water intake, my numbers will be low throughout the day.

I decided to make it an adventure for me and really step outside the box with my meals. Try foods I'd never had before and really play around with it.

xokateox · December 2015

Great point about trying new things @brushesnbrunch ! I've been googling meal and snack ideas and there are some pretty yummy looking options that I might not normally eat otherwise, so I'm kind of looking forward to that. Do you have any sugar at all- like an odd piece of chocolate or whatever or did you find you had to cut it out completely?

shupertj09 · December 2015

STM here and this is the second time around with GD. I was diagnosed this time at 17 weeks (they tested early because of my GD with DD). It's really not that bad IMO. Sugar free candy and Jiff whipped spread kills a lot of my sugar cravings. I take Glyburide at night because my fasting sugars were high....and honestly if you want a cookie at a Christmas party have one just not 10 and not one every single day or every week even.

On thanksgiving I had a small piece of pie, and for DD birthday I had a small piece of cake neither made my sugar insane but again I don't do it everyday. Just remember this is short term, and our babies are totally worth it.

brushesnbrunch · December 2015

the diabetic counselor told me to not even worry about sugar content - just focus on the carb and fiber counts. Since my numbers were so low, they upped my carb limit for meals to 70g, and if the fiber amount is 5g+, you can deduct that from the carb amount.

I don't eat a lot of sweets anyway, but when I do, I try to make sure it's natural sugars, i.e. fruit, and add a protein with it, example fruit and cheese (which is no carbs!).

If I know that I'm eating something that will make my levels raise, I make sure that I'm pretty active afterwards as that's really the only way to lower your blood sugar. If there are days that I just fail at it in general (and that's happened), I try to let get discouraged and there's always tomorrow. The only test I've really had so far was Thanksgiving, and while I didn't completely omit everything I love (seriously, carbs are my favorite food), I just did tiny portions of it...I was a little high, but surprisingly it wasn't as bad as I was anticipating.

ETA: the only things I've really completely cut out of my diet is rice and most potato dishes. I'm taking a break from eggs as well because I got SO SICK of them the first few weeks after my dx.

xokateox · December 2015

Thanks ladies. Ok, what I'm sensing here is extreme moderation, if that makes sense, is kinda the norm in dealing with this. I threw out most of my candy today but left one or two things in case my numbers aren't so bad and based on what my doctor says. And I will try to figure out some kind if exercise regimen. I wanted to do prenatal yoga anyways. I'm wondering if it's enough. Maybe just add some stair climbing and brisk walking every day. I'm going to do a grocery store trip this weekend and stock up on some healthy stuff!

kwinsor85 · December 2015

I was diagnosed at 13 weeks and am currently 31 weeks. I have managed levels with my diet (really just watching carb content and when I notice a food spikes my sugar I cut it out of my list of approved foods) Make sure you keep up on water intskr...and I can tell you that if you praxtice Yoga daily it really is great exercise for it. I did yoga in my first semester at college and it helped greatly with the numbers, but more than that it helped with physical pain in my back and legs and helped with emotional/stress issues (which FYI stress and other ailments can raise your blood sugar as well). I have lost 30 lbs during this pregnancy die to having to change my diet because of the GD and my doctor is so proud of me!

ALight996 · December 2015

Diagnosed gestational at 28 weeks. I had an extremely rough go at the test felt sick and had a terrible person drawing blood. It was painful and she had to do more pokes than necessary. Left giant bruises. Needless to say I was highly stressed.
Dr office notified me I failed almost a week after the test, mailed me script for Meter and supplies 4 days after that. Then a issue with the way the script was written caused 2 day delay getting filled. Its been complete chaos. Im angry, ashamed and embarrassed that I have this. On top of that I'm terrified to poke myself. Sorry I need to vent. I changed my diet the day I found out. I'll start measuring sugar tomorrow I'm hating every second of what was a smooth pregnancy.

xokateox · December 2015

Oh gosh, that sounds terrible, I'm sorry. My test was tough but at least the woman taking blood was good. Still left weird bruises though. My doctor told me the results the next day and then they sent me to a specialist to tell me what to do a couple days after that. Waiting that long would be hard, I'd be frustrated as well. Today was my first full day tracking my sugar. It's not as bad as I thought! Yeah, the poking kinda sucks but it just hurts for a second and we should get used to a little pain, right? It will toughen us up and make us stronger women! My husband is pretty impressed I can do it, cuz he has a major needle phobia. So it's nice looking like a badass. Last night I had a pasta dinner because it was a pre-planned prix fix birthday dinner out for a friend so had no choice of what I could order. After the pasta my levels were high and even this morning were still whacked. But today I followed the diet and my numbers were perfect, and I didn't even really deny myself that much. So, it is doable, and I even had a cookie with lunch. But I declined all the other various Christmas treats offered at work today, and I'm healthier for it. Next week I see the high risk doctor to learn about what this will mean for my delivery plan, and we'll see how the levels look as I make adjustments. It's actually kind of interesting to take your levels, like a science experiment!

xokateox · December 2015

Oh, and I meant to say, don't be embarrassed about this! It's relatively common and there's nothing you did to get it. It just happens unfortunately sometimes. Yeah, it sucks, but it really could be worse. I understand what you are saying for sure, believe me, I miss my perfect pregnancy, but it's important to stay positive and know how lucky we also are for having a manageable issue and probably very healthy babies. Good luck with your testing tomorrow. You can do it!

caitj86 · December 2015

I was also diagnosed with GD and I was freaking out at first. I have a strong needle phobia (have even passed out getting blood drawn before). So having to stick myself to test really had me in a state of panic. Ir definitely has not been as bad as I thought and my husband has been extremely supportive which has helped. I also LOVE carbs and sweets so I thought i would have to cut it all out completely. I have found that just watching what I eat is keeping my numbers low. I have been experimenting with some foods and just cut them out if it makes my numbers too high. I also have found that eating throughout the day works best for me. I probably eat every 2 1/2 to 3 hours. I do every now and then partake in cookies and other sweets but i only have one and that seems to satisfy my cravings. With this it really is everything in moderation. I did not have a very healthy diet beforehand so I am embracing that this is the kick in the butt I needed to eat healthier. And if this is the worse thing I have to deal with in my pregnancy I will consider myself very lucky.

starsinnight · December 2015

I'm sitting at the lab office now, 4 attempts now to diagnose GD. I screened positive a few weeks ago at 28 weeks. The first try failed because my veins were dehydrated & the nurse couldn't do it so I needed a special lab office. Then they turned me away last week to do the 3 hour test since they were closing early, so here I am. Nervously waiting for my last blood draw over 3 hours-- tired and hungry. It's like they want to torture us....

I'm worried because I have had low blood sugar before years ago so wondering if I'm predisposed for GD, as my grandmother had diabetes too. I've tried eating healthier just in case since 2 weeks ago, limiting sugar intake and replacing sweets with fruit whenever I can. My dr explained it well so that I wouldn't feel guilty, it's not that we like sweets & sugar more but that our kidneys when pregnant can't absorb the glucose as well. So it kind of is out of our hands I think for whether we have it.

Good luck to you all. In a weird way, it's great that this scare has helped us refocus on health.

VMonte · December 2015

I was also diagnosed with GD. Biggest modification for me was spreading out the carbs through the day. They have me eating 6 times a day, 3 meals 3 snacks. 30 carbs for each and at lunch and dinner 45 carbs. And I blood test 4 times a day. My during the day sugars are fine, but I'm also on overnight insulin because they want my fasting sugar below 90. All that is being handled by an endocrinologist I was referred to. But it has increased my OBGYN visits to twice a week for baby nonstress tests since I'm considered to be insulin dependant and my docs are concerned about the increased risk thay poses with baby size and the placenta. Upside I get to see my baby twice a week! Downside - I hate needles! But this is my 3rd week with all the sticks and I'm getting used to it.

Good luck to everyone!

beharrington · December 2015

Since I've done Weight Watchers on and off for years, switching to the GD diet wasn't too bad even if overwhelming at first. I won't lie, I was not eating super healthy during the second trimester. I was too exhausted and just had DH bring home fast food most nights. I did learn that I was (with the exception of dinners) eating mostly the right stuff just at the wrong time of day. After the first week of 4x a day testing, my doctor allowed me to switch to once a day because my numbers were all within range. He even told me (in front of my husband) that if I wanted a slice of cake at a party to have the slice of cake, that occasional straying from the diet wouldn't hurt the baby or me.

I now have weekly visits though and the non-stress tests (first one tomorrow).

It was hard this past week to stay on track but I think I've done pretty well and have even lost some weight over the two weeks I've been tracking my diet (I was overweight pre-pregnancy so losing weight isn't a problem).

Want a personalized experience?

Gestational Diabetes

Re: Gestational Diabetes

Choose Another Board

Search Boards