May GD Discussion/Support

hellmanpartyof5 · May 2019

Hey ladies! I hope you are all doing well.

How are you feeling about things?

Any referrals, appointments, ultrasounds or updates?

What is (or is not) working for you (diet, exercise, medication, etc.)

Questions?

hellmanpartyof5 · May 2019

How are you feeling about things? Honestly this week I’ve really been struggling with my levels. We’ve had to increase my insulin several times and it’s just not helping. We’ve lowered my carb intake and I’ve been trying to stay as active as possible. I’ve been having dizzy spells and just been light headed in general. My ob is somewhat concerned but not terribly. I’m worried I may be showing signs of preeclampsia again.

Appointments? I have an appointment next week to go over my numbers and discuss a new approach to management.

What is (or isn’t) working for you? Nothing seems to be working at this time. I’m feeling pretty helpless.

Questions? None. I’m just frustrated.

cb123391 · May 2019

How are you feeling about things? I have been testing and watching since 10 weeks so I'm over it at this point and just wish I could eat something that I actually crave 😂

Any referrals, appointments, ultrasounds or updates? I need to schedule another appt with the endocrinologist, I have an US again in two weeks.

What is (or is not) working for you (diet, exercise, medication, etc.) I have been on insulin and it gets increased weekly.. last week it was increased twice, and I submitted my numbers today and assume they will increase me again based upon my levels. I am at 30 carbs per meal and 10-15 per snack.

Questions? Not at the moment

mamanbebe · May 2019

@hellmanpartyof5 I am so sorry you are struggling right now

If you're open to it, I've found some really amazing resources in reading the book Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. It's an easy read but she talks through the ins and outs of GD, explains traditional GD diet approach, how different women experience different levels of sensitivity to carbs and suggestions for meal plans based on such, + exercises and other simple tweaks that can help improve numbers. It also still supports use of medication, insulin, etc. I've had to stick to a really low-carb, small portions diet and I felt pretty sad about everything at first but now I'm starting to find things that work and my numbers are steadily getting closer to normal.

@cb123391 I feel you on the cravings and I'm only a month in! All I want is like pancakes and pastries.

How are you feeling about things? I'm doing ok this week because I am seeing some progress in my numbers. I indulged lightly a couple times over the weekend while we were on vacation and since I've been back I've been able to keep things in the 80s-90s, which is bizarre.

Any referrals, appointments, ultrasounds or updates? I have my first appt with my new midwives today and they will be referring me to a perinatologist/MFM.

What is (or is not) working for you (diet, exercise, medication, etc.) Something is working but I'm not sure what it is yet. I've started drinking a small amount of decaf espresso in the morning. I noticed when I had some decaf coffee over the weekend with a carby breakfast my numbers were not terrible, and I've since read that it can encourage improved insulin response. I've also been taking a tablespoon of flaxseed oil after each meal, because unsaturated fats can supposedly help slow the glucose response (and I need the calories). Otherwise I've been sticking to low carb, goal of 15g per meal or fewer, trying to keep protein, fats and green veggies in domination and then my treat each day is a Yasso frozen greek yogurt bar after my postprandial reading in the evening.

Questions? Has anyone noticed a difference with exercise? No matter how strenuous or length of walk I take, it doesn't seem to improve my postprandials at all.

cb123391 · May 2019

@mamanbebe I haven't noticed much of a difference after exercise but my gd has been very uncontrolled and shows no rhyme or reason this time around. I eat the same things pretty much daily and one day I'm fine, the next I'm actually on the low side and then another I'm way over goal. It's very frustrating! I'm glad that yours has been more in check and I understand the sweet cravings! I have wanted a strawberry milkshake or sundae this entire pregnancy 😂

leylea89 · May 2019

I’m not sure if I go here yet but I’ve been luring and following your guys’ discussion. I had my gd test today at 28 weeks. Last pregnancy the 1 hour made me ill but this time I feel fine. I actually feel energetic. I’m afraid it’s a false sense of security. Did any of you feel great after the glucose test and still fail?

cb123391 · May 2019

@leylea89 I never felt I'll after mine but more so just not right and all of the symptoms I have now when my blood sugar is high. I hope you get good results back!

hellmanpartyof5 · May 2019

@leylea89 I went in knowing I was going to fail. I failed last pregnancy and most women tend to repeat with additional pregnancies. I felt fine after my testing, but it gave me a little bit of false hope feeling fine.

leylea89 · May 2019

Yeah waiting until Monday or Tuesday’s gonna drive me nuts. GD is really serious and I want to treat it as such if that’s the case but it’s hard not knowing. Thanks for the experiences ladies.

mamanbebe · May 2019

@leylea89 if you’re worried you can start the diet ahead of time. Start by looking up glycemic index of foods you are looking to eat and keep them in the low-moderate range in smaller portions. Eat every 2-3 hours, lots of healthy nonstarchy veggies and most protein sources are great, unsaturated fats are good, grains, fruits, saturated fats, added sugars should be limited to very small amounts.

cb123391 · May 2019

There will be certain foods that trigger your BS too. Others you'll have no problems with. I can eat a banana and be alright, pasta on occasion but a half serving of Cheerios... Forget it. It's confusing at times and frustrating but if you do have GD you'll adspt and learn quickly!

hellmanpartyof5 · May 2019

I’ve noticed my hands are brushing much easier now that I’m on insulin. They don’t hurt, and they’re not bruised where I do my pricks. But the backs of my hands and knuckles are discolored like they’re bruised and they don’t seem to be going away. I brought it up to my ob and endo but neither of them actually addressed it when I brought it up.

cb123391 · May 2019

@hellmanpartyof5 mine are the same way! They were extremely dry and flaky too, which is unusual for me, and my Endo told me that it is a common side effect of diabetes. I put cocoa butter on Everytime they are washed and now they're pretty much just discolored. I also have nerve damage in my finger tips on each hand.. the thumb, pointer and middle. It is an intense burning sensation that feels like I was cutting hot peppers and didn't rinxe my hands well enough after. I was told that wont subside after pregnancy.

cb123391 · May 2019

So, I reported my numbers again this morning and they're keeping my meal time insulin the same but adding an additional 20 units of a nighttime insulin that lasts 24 hours. Really hoping this does the trick.

lunardaydreaming · May 2019

I'm feeling okay about everything. This week (32) has been more of a struggle than last or the week before- I feel like I can't eat another piece of cheese or look at another egg lol. I am a vegetarian. My fasting numbers have all been good, and I have only been out of range once when I knew I was going to be and only by 5mg/dLs. I feel very fortunate that I am able to regulate without insulin at this point. I'm noticing that this week was extremely stressful at work for me, and my numbers were WAY higher than previous weeks!

cb123391 · May 2019

@lunardaydreaming I am a vegetarian for the most part too! I have been trying to incorporate meat into my diet 1-2 times a week though. I'm glad you're able to control your numbers for the most part! My numbers were always higher on weekdays compared to weekends to the point where they were going to give me different doses of insulin for the weekends lol.

lattepanda · May 2019

How are you feeling about things?
NGL, when I first heard the GD diagnosis I was livid. I got a bit of a guilt trip about eating poorly, gaining too much pregnancy weight (right now I'm 16lbs of weight gain at 32 weeks), and a lecture about how my diet harms the baby. It made me feel like a bad mother and the kid isn't even out yet!

I met with a dietician (who yelled at the doctor for trying to shame me into eating better when my diet wasn't bad to begin with) and came up with a plan to count carbs. The amount they wanted me to eat was more than what i had been consuming, so I was pretty confused. After a week or so of tracking my BS I figured out that I can keep the levels low by cutting out gluten.

Since then I've had it totally under control with diet and exercise and feel very lucky, but also annoyed that I got judged so hard as being fat or eating poorly.

I also found out that women carrying Asian or half Asian children are way more likely to be diagnosed with GD which no one ever discussed with me.

Any referrals, appointments, ultrasounds or updates?
I already had been seeing a MFM and having more than normal visits due to my own medical history, so they didn't add too much. They are watching him with ultrasounds and his size is totally normal.

What is (or is not) working for you (diet, exercise, medication, etc.)
Luckily I can manage this with exercise, counting carbs, and avoiding gluten.
I did notice that when I'm stressed, running on zero sleep, or having stomach issues the blood sugar shoots up higher than normal.

Questions? How's everyone's fingers holding up? I've had to up the needle depth already from all the dang testing.

mamanbebe · May 2019

@lattepanda I can't believe your doctor shamed you

That is so terrible. I hope they have the oneness to act in a more compassionate manner going forward. I'm glad you were able to figure things out with tweaks to your diet though.

Have you tried exfoliating with a pumice stone on your fingers? I do this weekly and it's definitely helped out a lot. I also switched to a different glucose meter -- there's an app I use to log my food/numbers called mySugr and for $49/mo they send you a free Accu-Check meter that uploads numbers wirelessly, takes considerably less blood + they send you an unlimited amount of test strip refills at no cost. It worked out to be cheaper than what I was paying w/ insurance and the meter is a lot gentler on my fingers.

lattepanda · May 2019

Thank you for the suggestion that actually sounds amazing! The test trips are so crazy expensive that the ability to get them an unlimited amount is awesome!

Thank you so much!

hellmanpartyof5 · May 2019

Currently feeling defeated. I had an allergic reaction to one of my insulin’s so I had to switch to another. I’ve been using a sample pen from my endo’s office and went to get the actual script filled today, insurance won’t cover it. We can’t afford it right now, but can in a few days so I’m going to see about getting another sample pen tomorrow. I cried the entire way back from the pharmacy because I just felt so embarrassed and like I’m letting my baby down. We’re having trouble regulating my sugars again and I’ve been eliminating things almost daily from my diet. I plan on arguing with insurance in the morning since they’re currently closed. Luckily I have enough for today and tomorrow so I’ll be ok. I’m just so upset and all these raging hormones don’t help.

mamanbebe · May 2019

@hellmanpartyof5 I'm sorry you're having such a hard time right now. I wonder, would it be helpful for different posters to list some meals that have turned good postprandial and fasting numbers?

cb123391 · May 2019

@hellmanpartyof5 I'm sorry you're dealing with that. Don't be embarrassed, it's a shame that insulin costs so much! My insurance also denied coverage of my nighttime insulin but my Endo had a team of people at her office fighting with them, so I didn't have to deal with the stress, and they ended up covering it. Hopefully it works out that way for you too! As far as your numbers being elevated, try to keep your stress levels down. If you're working maybe you could take some time off before baby is here to help?

Editing as my DS wouldn't allow me to complete my point 😂 gotta love tired, heat exhausted three year olds!

Anyways, my levels have been more controlled now that I take multiple insulins but my Endo did notice a trend that my breakfast levels (which gave me the biggest problem) was always ok during the weekend but high during the week days. I never attributed it to anything then realized that I ate more carbs during the weekends than weekdays. After being placed on medical leave for other reasons my levels have been more consistent. I take 28 units of insulin a day now so I'm sure if has more to do with finding the right dosages and such but still.

hellmanpartyof5 · May 2019

I went and bought a GD cook book and have been limiting my carbs as low as we can go (20g/ meal). They think my placenta is really over reacting over night and they’ve decided to try another insulin to see if I respond better to that. I’m lucky that my endo team has been fighting for my ins over my insulin for me and have provided samples to help me for now. But it’s still just another thing to stress over- although I’m trying not to think about it much.

cb123391 · May 2019

Has anyone else only struggled with their levels mainly after a certain meal each day? I'm struggling with my breakfast levels even after all of the insulin, a meal that fits all of my requirements and I'm just getting so frustrated! My Endo said that's completely normal but I can't find a way to control it and with time ticking I want everything to be under control. My DS was born with low BS and had to be given formula to raise it, which kept him in the special nursery away from me for longer.. I had a CS so I couldn't get up to see him. With having twins who will already come early I want one less thing to worry about

mamanbebe · May 2019

@cb123391 I read that the placenta really ramps up in the morning, which can cause heightened glucose levels after eating. I have issues with a lot of benign things like greek yogurt. Do you eat eggs? I've been doing chicken sausage, an egg and 1 piece of sprouted grain toast w/ butter in the morning, which has given me a postprandial range usually between 90-100 vs 115-120 from greek yogurt. I wonder if maybe a higher protein breakfast might help? Also, taking raw, refrigerated flaxseed oil with your meal can help slow down glucose reaction because of the high unsaturated fats.

cb123391 · May 2019

@mamanbebe thanks for the advice! I do not eat eggs but I do make sure that I incorporate a fair amount of protein especially with breakfast. Typically I eat around 15-20 carbs for breakfast and that seems to be overdoing it.. but some mornings I'm fine? I think it's more so based upon the hormones at this point but I wish I had better control.. especially being the natural control freak that I am! Lol

mamanbebe · May 2019

@cb123391 I feel you on that, when so many pregnancy changes are out of our control at this point, it makes it so much harder to deal with GD on top of everything else. I hope you are able to find something that works well for you soon

BeatboxBaby · May 2019

Question for you guys. I found I had GD about a month ago and so far haven't had to do insulin. However I've noticed my numbers starting to get harder to control. Any suggestions on fasting numbers? It doesn't seem to matter if I eat a snack or what it is, the number is always diff. I ate this tiny ice cream cone two nights in a row and my number was in the 80s and then one other time I had it, it was like 103. I thought it was a good snack at first but guess not. I've tried string cheese also and it's hit or miss. Do you think my doc would start insulin based off just fasting numbers?

mamanbebe · May 2019

@BeatboxBaby what did you eat for dinner those two days? Also, are you scrubbing your hands before your morning read?

catebn824 · May 2019

@BeatboxBaby I had the same issue with my fasting numbers, and I was pretty consistent with the diet - they tried me two weeks without insulin, changing up my bedtime snack, and I tried to be as consistent as possible with my sleep schedule. Still, I only had 1-2 days a week in the “normal” range, and the dr said they like to see at least 3. That said they did put me on insulin purely because of my fasting numbers, and I will say as stressful as it was at first everything has completely leveled out since then!

BeatboxBaby · May 2019

@mamanbebe honestly I can't remember what my dinners were because my numbers were fine after I didn't track then. I have been washing my hands before doing the fasting ones as well.

@catebn824 glad to hear it gets a little easier. I just got back from the doctor and now I'm gonna be on insulin at night time for my fasting numbers. I'm definitely very scared and nervous to try to give myself a shot. The doc wasn't happy about my lunch numbers either and made me feel really guilty about my diet. She said she would give it another week and then if they aren't under control I would have to do insulin 4 times a day. I def don't want that. Did they give you the option of doing the pill medication instead of injections? When I asked about it she said the shot insulin was more effective so they only give that :t

mamanbebe · May 2019

@BeatboxBaby There are a lot of different factors that can affect your numbers, including stress, how much sleep you got, allergies, hydration, how active you were that day, what you ate earlier in the day, and even just an error of the glucose meter on occasion. Have you seen a nutritionist yet? Also, from what I've read on meds vs insulin, insulin is more effective in helping the body do what it needs to do with the excess sugars, medication isn't guaranteed to work and can sometimes only be temporarily helpful, leading to the need for insulin later.

BeatboxBaby · May 2019

@mamanbebe fair enough. I'll let ya know how my first insulin shot goes tonight! I just hate how crazy different and how easy the numbers can change even when doing and eating similar things! I saw a dietitian at the very start just to teach me how to eat and take blood sugar levels and such.

catebn824 · May 2019

@beatboxbaby oh no! I live in Cali and they are very good here about immediately referring you to a nutritionist when you have GD, so my very first appointment with them they talked me through what I like to eat, my schedule, etc. so that really helped. They also had me practice giving myself the shot, but I promise after a few days it does get easier. I just have a lot of stretch marks and they told me to avoid them, so that limits the amount of space I have 😅 all my GD appts are with the nutritionists/special GD program actually, they just give my obgyn reports.

Also re: the pills, I wasn’t given the option as the hospital system I’m with doesn’t believe they are safe...something along the lines of the pills not being proven to pass to the baby whereas insulin doesn’t? Something like that!

BeatboxBaby · June 2019

@catebn824 yeah the shot wasn't as painful as I was anticipating. I was probably more nervous leading up to it lol. It stung a bit after and kinda hurt to lay on that leg but I'm sure it'll get easier over time. I was surprised my fasting level wasn't a lot lower though. It was 93 which is under the limit but I just figured the insulin would drop it more.

mamanbebe · June 2019

I accidentally posted this in the Randoms thread, but I just read a great piece today that explains a lot about unstable levels at this point:

32 – 36 weeks, the toughest time for most
https://www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/32-36-weeks/

catebn824 · June 2019

@BeatboxBaby ooo the leg?? They have me do it right in the stomach 🙈 the dr had told me it would take about 2 days to see a change...I was around 90 for 2 days and then dropped to 78! I’m usually in the 80s for fasting now and low 100s for breakfast.

catebn824 · June 2019

@mamanbebe that was helpful! I’ve also just realized that for me, yams and sweet potatoes are NOT interchangeable. The yams throw my sugars so out of whack! My poor husband is going to be eating A LOT of them for a while now...

BeatboxBaby · June 2019

@mamanbebe that was a good read! I know my doc had mentioned about it being progressional, but I didn't realize there were time frames of it being worse. Also is it common to test again after a high reading? I've always just accepted it was high except once when my reading was like 360 and I figured it was a bad strip (which it was)!

@catebn824 yeah my doc told me to rotate between my legs (it's like a fatty part a little lower from your hips) and stomach! Today my number was 93. I didn't know it would take a few days though so thanks..I'll have to keep seeing!

mamanbebe · June 2019

@BeatboxBaby I am glad that was helpful

I definitely rewash my hands and retest when I have spikes just in case I have any food residue on my hands, which has happened a few times.

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