Rando driveby - my 2nd rodeo with GD started at 7 weeks this time. Hang in there, ladies. To those that are wondering if your limits are different based on your results - no. Just different doctors/nutritionists go with slightly different limits. Mine told me to stay below 90 for morning fasting numbers. If I creep to 95 for 4 days in a row, I should go in and see them immediately. I've been seeing them every 4 weeks and will continue at the same pace til we're done at 36 weeks. For meals - for my 1st pregnancy, I had the option of testing at 1 hr - 130 or 2 hrs - 120. This time around, they said the rules have changed a bit, it's just 1 hr. But I'm never able to test at 1hr due to being at work and full day of meetings, so 1.5 hrs or 2 hrs is fine too. I don't test at every meal, I get to skip one per day.
As for those worried about an induction - if you're not on meds, you probably won't be induced at 39 weeks. Again, this advice is also very OB-dependent. I never had an induction planned or needed to have all the extra testing toward the end because my GD was under control with diet and exercise alone with my 1st kiddo, he naturally came at 38 weeks and was not big at all - 6lb 7oz only. My OB told me back then if GD is managed with diet alone, there is no difference (to her) between me and a non GD patient, only that the baby will be monitored after birth for glucose.
Oatmeal - you can totally have steel cut oat, but it's best to pair it with some protein and extra fiber to slow down the carbs absorption.
Peanut butter at night tends to help my morning fasting number. Overnight our glucose levels dip and could lead to higher numbers in the morning.
I hope I don't seem like a creepy rando... I sometimes come in to see what people talk about, but I never really post cos I don't have the time. Good luck, everyone
@AliceAlice could you maybe not be a rando and become regular? Lol. You had some GREAT advice and I kind of like you. First time drive-by had impressed me.
@madamerwin I've been using Myfitnesspal, also. As long as it gets the job done.
Also, I found out that my daily morning meal of Honey Bunches of Oats is AWFUL on my body. :sadface:
And we have like 2 more boxes of it left, I think.
I failed my glucose test yesterday so collected my blood sugar monitor this morning & have a diabetes clinic appointment next tuesday & will see all manner of consultants & dietician people at this appointment. currently researching low gi meals which are all looking rather unappetising!
Yeah, saying a flat out no oats just seemed odd to me. I'm not a dietitian but I've done a fair amount of homework on nutrition in the past and feel like I can maneuver my way through the right diet for me. Plus with the readings I get I'll be able to figure out what's right. So for the first few weeks I'll leave out the oatmeal just to get a feel for my numbers but I can totally see myself having some once I know how my body is reacting to what.
I was tracking with MyFitnessPal and I was going to use a diabetes app once I started testing but I just got really annoyed and down about tracking everything. So I've just been thinking about what I'm going to eat for the meal or snack, watching portions, and reading labels. I've found a few things that I thought would be ok but don't do well for me and I either do something different or avoid it. And I've had a little bit of a few "bad" things and been ok. Most of the time if I have a high number I can look back and say yes, that was a poor carb decision. But also sometimes my numbers just don't make sense.
To the bolded - me too! Like, I have had the exact same breakfast the past few mornings - literally exactly the same (two eggs w/low-fat cheese, one piece of whole wheat toast). Yesterday and the day before, my one hour post-meal number was around 90. Today, it was 108. My MW said it's normal to fluctuate, but it's annoying not to be able to predict it especially when you eat the same damn thing every day.
Yes, exactly!!! It makes me mad when it doesn't make sense!
@LilyASF42 - oatmeal works for me to some extent, but I'd get super hungry. A lot of this has more to do with portion sizes and the ratio of fiber & protein vs carbs. Throwing in berries and almond slices could work. I usually do an egg too for the extra protein.
@Janefelicity - meals don't have to be unappetizing I've survived a total of 31 weeks of GD diet already between 2 pregnancies and I can tell you I eat pretty well. You just gotta love your meats!!! As an example, I went to a teriyaki joint for lunch yesterday, I had spicy teriyaki chicken and a salad with sesame dressing with a couple bites of brown rice. It was super yummy. Last night I had meat sauce (with diced veggies) stuffed peppers and half a double fiber whole wheat bread with garlic butter. Those were very satisfying meals and my after meal numbers didn't spike at all. You can totally do it. Leave your sinful food for snack time and keep to a small portion, pair with some protein/fiber.
+1 to what @AliceAlice said about meals... You just have to be creative and watch portion sizes! Last night I had about 2/3 of one serving of pasta (Ronzoni SmartTaste), plus 5 oz chicken breast and 1.5 cups roasted brussels sprouts with diced bacon, topped with 1 oz goat cheese and a sprinkle of parmesan. It was delicious, and my numbers didn't spike AT ALL. I have also learned that my body handles carbs waaaay better later in the day than in the AM, so I save less-healthy snacks for later in the day/evening. You will also learn what works for you and what doesn't - I know that for me, brown rice spikes my blood sugar faster than the same amount of pasta, so if I eat brown rice, I have to really limit it. Bulking meals up with veggies, you hardly notice that there are less carbs on your plate!
@AliceAlice agreed it wouldn't be filling enough for me for my main breakfast but for the mid-morning snack with berries and nuts (which I haven't been having a mid-morning snack) it would work out well. We'll see how it goes. I was kind of unimpressed with my nutritionist for a few reasons but when I brought up things like fiber content she just didn't really think it was worth talking about and just focused on the number of carbs. I dunno, like I said before, I'm not a nutritionist but I've done a good amount of nutrition reading and keeping track of my micro and macro nutrients in the past where I feel like I have a good handle on what I need to do (just haven't been doing it in recent years because, well, life :-p)
@LilyASF42. Weird that the nutritionist didn't push fiber. Mine told me to load half my plate with fiber, the rest split between protein and carbs. Keep the carbs to 45g at most. Usually that's way too much food for me if I'm keeping the ratio, so I only do 30g at each meal and 30 at snacks. Double fiber wheat bread is where it's at. It totally makes a difference for me.
Ladies, how long after switching your diet did it take for your numbers to lower to normal levels? I'm only on day 2 but wanted to hear your experiences. I'm particularly concerned about fasting numbers. They are dropping, but not enough yet.
Ladies, how long after switching your diet did it take for your numbers to lower to normal levels? I'm only on day 2 but wanted to hear your experiences. I'm particularly concerned about fasting numbers. They are dropping, but not enough yet.
I can't actually answer your question, because I changed my diet about a week before I got my glucose monitor, so my numbers didn't really change once I started testing... But I DO know that exercise can affect your numbers a good deal (even the fasting number), and it takes many days of regular exercise (ideally 30+ minutes of moderate activity) before you begin to see the effects. What are your fasting numbers at, if you don't mind me asking?
Ive only been taking readings since yesterday @Gretchypoo but my pre meal levels have been rubbish so far! Especially my pre breakfast ones. Its really disheartening when you see the levels & theyre higher than what they need to be
@madamerwin part of my problem was that I was not eating for a long part of the day. I was not eating breakfast until about 10AM and not eating after dinner (which was around 6PM.) That was making my bloodsugar skyrocket. So now I'm eating breakfast at 7:30 AM and having an evening snack between 9:30 and 10:30pm. I'm also trying to exercise. So 2 nights ago I went to Target and walked aisles for 30 min. Last night I put up Christmas decorations which I counted as "exercise" because I had to go up the stairs several times and move furniture. It also involved a lot of squatting, etc. I also took a 20 min walk earlier in the day.
pre diet/ exercise change fasting average : 131 (125-139) Day 1 fasting: 118 Day 2 (today) fasting: 138
I need that number to go below 95. My post-meal numbers are a little high but not bad at all-- I can adjust my eating to get those down. Fasting is my concern. Those are way high.
@gretchypoo - what's your late night snack? I can't say much because I have trouble with my post meal numbers not my fasting typically. But maybe a higher protein snack?
@gretchypoo - what's your late night snack? I can't say much because I have trouble with my post meal numbers not my fasting typically. But maybe a higher protein snack?
The first night I did a sargento balanced break pack. It has nuts, cheese and some dried cranberries. Then last night I did 1oz cheese and some whole wheat crackers. I thought about doing some cottage cheese tonight with just 2 or 3 crackers? The problem is, too much dairy gives me heartburn and I'm worried about the sugar in my peanut butter.
@Gretchypoo I think that's really weird that your numbers are that high with what you're eating. Is your after dinner number ok? Maybe try eating your snack earlier? I don't have much advice because I don't know a lot about it. Maybe give it a little more time, write down what you have for dinner and evening snack and talk to someone about it. Your doc or the nutritionist might have some ideas. I'm sorry
@Gretchypoo Sorry you are having trouble getting your fasting numbers down - that is super frustrating. Definitely experiment with your late-night snacks. It sounds insane, but I have read in other places that people eat ice cream before bed and it helps with their numbers! (Not necessarily advocating this, but just pointing out that different snacks work for different people.) My fasting # is higher when I eat a super high protein snack with no/few carbs before bed - but if I eat a snack high in complex carbs with a little protein, it's always a little lower. I have also heard that a fiber supplement before bed can help.
The only other thing I would suggest is trying for at LEAST 30 minutes of constant, moderate exercise (not rigorous enough to be out of breath, but enough to break a sweat) in the evening, after dinner. That's what my nutritionist recommended. You don't want to overdo the exercise, but the more consistent you can be, the more it can help w/your numbers.
Thanks all, I'm going to fiddle with it but if I think I'm also going to email the dietitian tomorrow. She gave me her number and email and said to contact her anytime with questions. I just wanted to make sure it isn't too early to see a difference.
I got my meter today so tomorrow I will start recording my numbers. I think it will help me feel more at ease knowing if I'm too high. The unknown was starting to get to me a bit.
@gretchypoo - yeah, back to your original question I've always seen results instantly when I change my diet, there's no lag period. So if your numbers aren't making sense I think you should reach out. Your snacks sound perfect to me.
@gretchypoo - yeah, back to your original question I've always seen results instantly when I change my diet, there's no lag period. So if your numbers aren't making sense I think you should reach out. Your snacks sound perfect to me.
Thats super helpful, thank you! I will email my dietitian first thing tomorrow morning.
IME fasting is the hardest to control and the most important. I am a little surprised they haven't put you on meds yet. I would definitely contact them asap.
When you've been married this long, you need a ticker to remind you.
IME fasting is the hardest to control and the most important. I am a little surprised they haven't put you on meds yet. I would definitely contact them asap.
I was talking to my provider about the difference between the guidelines for GD that women are given.
she said that they use the California Study called "California Diabetes and Pregnancy Program Sweet Sucess".
they want my fasting below 90 and my after meals 1 hours below 130.
She said some doctors use the guidelines from a different organization (I forget which, something group of physicians) which use a fasting below 95 and an after meals 1 hour as under 140.
When you've been married this long, you need a ticker to remind you.
Anyone having to set up their biophysical profiles? I had GD with my first and with this one I was diagnosed with it at 16 weeks. My first was diet controlled but this one I am on 2.5mg of glyburide so things are different. I have to have them Two times a week starting at 32 weeks. Everything has been great with the little guy so far except the GD. I just didn't have to do the biophysical ultrasound with my last one so I'm wondering how common it is.
my extra monitoring last time was similar to this time (I am AMA this time also). It's regular NST and measuring u/s. I think once a week, might be twice a week NST close to the end.
When you've been married this long, you need a ticker to remind you.
I've never had it called a biophysical ultrasound, but I had an extra u/s at 28w and if I stay diet controlled I'll have another at 34w ordered by my MFM because of the GD. If I go on meds or have a change in BP, they want to see me back at 32w for an ultrasound.
I had an ultrasound at 30+4 last thursday, baby was measuring big so was then sent for gtt & diagnosed. Ill have another scan in 3 weeks time to check on her growth & discuss options about how to deliver based on this.
Does anyone have any good breakfast recomendations that i can have when i get into work? I usually have toast (seeded or wholewheat) & banana but my readings are always high both pre breakfast & an hour post eating. The readings here seem to be different to what most of you have mentioned so im not really sure how they compare but im supposed to be between 3.5 & 5.5 pre meals and under 8 an hour post meals but my breakfast ones have not been within the required limits at all in the 3 days ive been monitoring so far. I usually dont eat until i get into work in the morning (about 8:30ish) as i take a while to get going and eating straight away after getting up makes me feel a bit queasy.
Does anyone have any good breakfast recomendations that i can have when i get into work? I usually have toast (seeded or wholewheat) & banana but my readings are always high both pre breakfast & an hour post eating. The readings here seem to be different to what most of you have mentioned so im not really sure how they compare but im supposed to be between 3.5 & 5.5 pre meals and under 8 an hour post meals but my breakfast ones have not been within the required limits at all in the 3 days ive been monitoring so far. I usually dont eat until i get into work in the morning (about 8:30ish) as i take a while to get going and eating straight away after getting up makes me feel a bit queasy.
Yeah toast (even wholewheat) and banana is all just carbs which turns into sugar. I would bring hard boil egg to work, should be easy enough to eat and pack and get your protein.
I just started my blood sugar meter this morning and I'm not feeling great about it. Fasting reading should be below 5.3 and I was at 6. One hour after breakfast should be below 7.8 and I was 8.8. I had steel cut oats with a few raspberries so now I think I have to drop the raspberries. Im really hoping I hit my targets as the day goes on.
@Janefelicity +1 to adding protein. I always eat two scrambled eggs and a piece of whole wheat toast for breakfast, and I pretty much always read around 100 (5.5) post-meal. Maybe you can bring a hardboiled egg and some cheese to eat with your toast? Also - in people with GD, fasting numbers usually continue to rise until you eat, so even though it make you feel queasy, I would highly recommend checking your fasting numbers and eating right when you get up. The longer you wait to eat, the higher they can be.
@Knottie32616390 - First off, you should change your username to something more recognizable if you're going to stick around! As for your breakfast, it's pretty much all carbs. Definitely add some protein, and probably cut some of the carbs (either drop the raspberries or have a smaller portion of oats). My nutritionist said it's really important to have protein with your carbs, and though steel cut oats have a little protein, it's not enough. She also said most people with GD are more sensitive to carbs in the mornings, so you may need to be extra cautious about carb intake early in the day. I know this is true for me - one piece of toast with my eggs in the AM gives me a reading of around 100 (5.5) one hour post-meal, yet for dinner I can easily have 2-3 servings of carbs and get a lower reading than that. It's all about figuring out how your body in particular reacts to things.
I dont know how you feel about preservatives, but I'm lazy AF in the mornings and eat a jimmy dean lite sandwich. Every morning. The egg white, turkey sausage and cheese on a muffin takes 2.5 minutes to heat up and usually keeps my numbers in the low 100s. I tried cooking myself the same thing fresh but I am just not a morning person.
+1 to eating ASAP after taking your fasting number. I was told to try to eat within an hour of waking.
I was also told no fruit before noon because your metabolism is sluggish in the morning and will have a hard time breaking down those sugars.
And lastly +100 to protein. I have to have some sort of protein with every single meal. No amount of fiber is enough to combat my carbs. I would not even consider oatmeal in the AM without eggs or sausage. And don't punish yourself by just eating less carbs. Eat the carbs, just get a better partner for them than fruit.
IME fasting is the hardest to control and the most important. I am a little surprised they haven't put you on meds yet. I would definitely contact them asap.
I just started 2 days ago............
I understand. but really even with drastic diet and exercise changes, fasting isn't going to move THAT much and it gets worse until 36 weeks. so IMO (and I am not a medical person, just experienced) I would have expected you to start on meds right away. my fasting was around 100 at my test and I knew I'd be put on meds immediately, and I was.
it's not your fault. nothing you did other didn't do. it's simply a hormonal reaction by your body.
When you've been married this long, you need a ticker to remind you.
IME fasting is the hardest to control and the most important. I am a little surprised they haven't put you on meds yet. I would definitely contact them asap.
I just started 2 days ago............
I understand. but really even with drastic diet and exercise changes, fasting isn't going to move THAT much and it gets worse until 36 weeks. so IMO (and I am not a medical person, just experienced) I would have expected you to start on meds right away. my fasting was around 100 at my test and I knew I'd be put on meds immediately, and I was.
it's not your fault. nothing you did other didn't do. it's simply a hormonal reaction by your body.
@Gretchypoo I agree it would be a good idea to call your doctor... Mine told me that if I had fasting numbers over the threshold (95) more than once, I should call them between appointments. They would probably like to know that your numbers are so high ASAP.
Re: Gestational Diabetes
@madamerwin I've been using Myfitnesspal, also. As long as it gets the job done.
Also, I found out that my daily morning meal of Honey Bunches of Oats is AWFUL on my body. :sadface:
And we have like 2 more boxes of it left, I think.
so collected my blood sugar monitor this morning & have a diabetes clinic appointment next tuesday & will see all manner of consultants & dietician people at this appointment.
currently researching low gi meals which are all looking rather unappetising!
Yeah, saying a flat out no oats just seemed odd to me. I'm not a dietitian but I've done a fair amount of homework on nutrition in the past and feel like I can maneuver my way through the right diet for me. Plus with the readings I get I'll be able to figure out what's right. So for the first few weeks I'll leave out the oatmeal just to get a feel for my numbers but I can totally see myself having some once I know how my body is reacting to what.
Welcome rando @AliceAlice! Stick around! ;-)
Yes, exactly!!! It makes me mad when it doesn't make sense!
Married: 9/2013
Love my LEO!!
TTC #1: 9/2015
BFP: 2/1/16 MC 2/8/16 @ 5wks
BFP: 5/22/16 RAINBOW BABY
EDD: 1/30/2017 *IT'S A GIRL!!!!*
Kirsten Grace 1/20/17
Does anyone remember what number they failed their one hour with?
@Janefelicity - meals don't have to be unappetizing
Married to my Soul Mate since 09/06/09
pre diet/ exercise change fasting average : 131 (125-139)
Day 1 fasting: 118
Day 2 (today) fasting: 138
I need that number to go below 95. My post-meal numbers are a little high but not bad at all-- I can adjust my eating to get those down. Fasting is my concern. Those are way high.
Married: 9/2013
Love my LEO!!
TTC #1: 9/2015
BFP: 2/1/16 MC 2/8/16 @ 5wks
BFP: 5/22/16 RAINBOW BABY
EDD: 1/30/2017 *IT'S A GIRL!!!!*
Kirsten Grace 1/20/17
The only other thing I would suggest is trying for at LEAST 30 minutes of constant, moderate exercise (not rigorous enough to be out of breath, but enough to break a sweat) in the evening, after dinner. That's what my nutritionist recommended. You don't want to overdo the exercise, but the more consistent you can be, the more it can help w/your numbers.
I think it will help me feel more at ease knowing if I'm too high. The unknown was starting to get to me a bit.
When you've been married this long, you need a ticker to remind you.
Baby Boy M - 08/01/2013
Expecting Baby Bean February 2017
she said that they use the California Study called "California Diabetes and Pregnancy Program Sweet Sucess".
they want my fasting below 90 and my after meals 1 hours below 130.
She said some doctors use the guidelines from a different organization (I forget which, something group of physicians) which use a fasting below 95 and an after meals 1 hour as under 140.
When you've been married this long, you need a ticker to remind you.
Baby Boy M - 08/01/2013
Expecting Baby Bean February 2017
Samuel Jacob
Due 2/16/17
When you've been married this long, you need a ticker to remind you.
Baby Boy M - 08/01/2013
Expecting Baby Bean February 2017
to check on her growth & discuss options about how to deliver based on this.
The readings here seem to be different to what most of you have mentioned so im not really sure how they compare but im supposed to be between 3.5 & 5.5 pre meals and under 8 an hour post meals but my breakfast ones have not been within the required limits at all in the 3 days ive been monitoring so far.
I usually dont eat until i get into work in the morning (about 8:30ish) as i take a while to get going and eating straight away after getting up makes me feel a bit queasy.
Married to my Soul Mate since 09/06/09
Married: 9/2013
Love my LEO!!
TTC #1: 9/2015
BFP: 2/1/16 MC 2/8/16 @ 5wks
BFP: 5/22/16 RAINBOW BABY
EDD: 1/30/2017 *IT'S A GIRL!!!!*
Kirsten Grace 1/20/17
+1 to skiingstark's egg, maybe swap it for the banana or the toast.
Married: 10/10
EDD: 8/27/16 MMC 1/16
Rainbow Boy: 2/04/17
TTC: 4/18 BFP: 1/2/19
EDD: 9/6/19
Fasting reading should be below 5.3 and I was at 6. One hour after breakfast should be below 7.8 and I was 8.8. I had steel cut oats with a few raspberries so now I think I have to drop the raspberries.
Im really hoping I hit my targets as the day goes on.
@Knottie32616390 - First off, you should change your username to something more recognizable if you're going to stick around! As for your breakfast, it's pretty much all carbs. Definitely add some protein, and probably cut some of the carbs (either drop the raspberries or have a smaller portion of oats). My nutritionist said it's really important to have protein with your carbs, and though steel cut oats have a little protein, it's not enough. She also said most people with GD are more sensitive to carbs in the mornings, so you may need to be extra cautious about carb intake early in the day. I know this is true for me - one piece of toast with my eggs in the AM gives me a reading of around 100 (5.5) one hour post-meal, yet for dinner I can easily have 2-3 servings of carbs and get a lower reading than that. It's all about figuring out how your body in particular reacts to things.
+1 to eating ASAP after taking your fasting number. I was told to try to eat within an hour of waking.
I was also told no fruit before noon because your metabolism is sluggish in the morning and will have a hard time breaking down those sugars.
And lastly +100 to protein. I have to have some sort of protein with every single meal. No amount of fiber is enough to combat my carbs. I would not even consider oatmeal in the AM without eggs or sausage. And don't punish yourself by just eating less carbs. Eat the carbs, just get a better partner for them than fruit.
it's not your fault. nothing you did other didn't do. it's simply a hormonal reaction by your body.
When you've been married this long, you need a ticker to remind you.
Baby Boy M - 08/01/2013
Expecting Baby Bean February 2017