Gestational diabetes

Re: Gestational diabetes

• ellief_0926 member

  September 2022

  @jelliebeen27  I can totally relate to your post! When they told me I failed the first test, I was in disbelief….then I was pissed!   I was a runner and we eat relatively healthy compared to the typical American diet.  I think I remember you saying you were a weight lifter?? So yeah - I’m sure you were shocked/annoyed as well!!  A potential GD diagnosis adds so much stress on top of everything else you’re dealing with!!

  
  

  Just like you said- there’s nothing you could have done differently.  For some, it’s a glitch in genetics, hormones, etc.  You probably fall into that bucket.  After I failed, I did a deep dive into medical journals to read more about it.  Here’s an article I found helpful, although basically will tell you the same thing, but with more science:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6274679/

  
  

  If you have to do finger sticks, know that it’s not the worst thing, just a little inconvenient.  Push for a glucose monitor if your insurance will cover it - that would make that whole process way easier!  

  
  

  They ended up ruling me out after a couple weeks of testing.  Although my results are higher than usual, they still are falling into the “normal” range.  This may happen with you, although if your result was super high they may just assume you have it.  I would keep an eye on other side effects that the doctors don’t mention…I found myself getting really weird about food, sometimes not eating enough, and was also super stressed all the time.   In my opinion, these things could potentially have just as bad of an impact as GD. 

  
  

  Sorry for the novel, just know that I feel your frustration!!  If you end up having it, I hope you and some of the other women can form a support group to vent about how f-ing stressful it is!!!!

  
  

  
  

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• jelliebeen27 member

  September 2022 edited September 2022

  @ellief_0926 so it’s been 3 days of me testing 4 times each day. Every number has been in the 90s except a few that were 110. My fasting number has been 95. I did give up my one soda a day. And I haven’t had any sweet (which I never really have anyway). I tested eating bread today and it didn’t raise my number at all. As a powerlifter who’s still working out it’s really tough to not have carbs and I’m finding myself feeling so weak. I’m so curious what the doctor will say next Friday. I can’t believe my number was so bad during the glucose test and now it seems normal. Either there was a mistake or the tiny changes I made make that much of a difference. This is crazy. And I appreciate talking to a fellow athlete who understands my feelings on all this. 

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• ellief_0926 member

  September 2022

  Interesting!  So when the doctor reviewed my 2 weeks of testing data, she said what they’re looking for is 30%+ of results being out of range (guessing your dr will have a similar diagnosis standard).   I had some weird spikes here and there up to 170 (out of normal range us 140), but typically stayed in the normal range day to day.  It’s interesting that your fasting number may be a little high (below 90 is the normal range) but when you eat your numbers stay low (I had the opposite issue).  I was starting to limit carbs too and I was starving.  Make sure to mix plenty of protein and fat with the carbs.  And a light to moderate walk after meals helps.  I’ve heard that a high intensity workout after meals can actually have a worse effect in some people.  

  
  

  Also, I read that giving insulin is pretty rare unless the GD is super bad.  So even if you have it, chances are they will tell you to monitor diet and exercise…which you’re already doing!! 🤷‍♀️

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• mindless09 member

  October 2022

  I failed the first and half my 3hr tests so I'm checking my blood sugar 4x a day. It was a lot for me at first then I was ok and now I'm just ready to be done with it all. I'm reading that it's because the pancreas can't keep up with the demand of the pregnancy. Most of my numbers are ok even if I eat spaghetti but my fasting numbers are high about half the time. This has been going on for about a month and if my fasting numbers keep staying high then I might have to take a medication. My first pregnancy with my daughter was fine for me health wise but with this lil boy, I have hypothyroid, anemia, and now gestational diabetes. I'm afraid of what else is next 😑 8 more weeks.

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• ellief_0926 member

  October 2022

  @mindless09. Ugh - so sorry you’re dealing with all of that!  Sounds like a rough go this time around!  😕.   The anemia thing was killing me too during the second trimester.  The iron supplements have finally caught up after about 4 weeks of taking them.  Hope yours catch up soon and you start feeling like you have more energy!  Hang in there!!

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• mahalove108 member

  October 2022 edited October 2022

  Thyroid issues make you more likely to have gestational diabetes, which feels like an unfair piling on.   There's so much stigma against fat people and so much judgment about other people's health that getting gestational diabetes feels like it comes with an unnecessary layer of judgment or fear of judgment (aka: I'm not overweight, why do I have it?).  I failed my first test and have my second test tomorrow.  No matter what happens in the second test I'm going to act as if I have it just to be on the safe side.  I bought a glucose monitor and my blood sugar throughout the day is well below the range, but my fasting blood sugar has been high (95 to 105).  I have an autoimmune thyroid disorder from before I got pregnant.  I'm reading an amazing book Real Food for Gestational Diabetes that I'm hoping will help me get my fasting blood sugar under control.  Anyhow, best of luck to all of us mommas who have or may have gd!

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• talldecafcappuccino member

  October 2022

  I've been struggling with this a bit too. It was a bit of a mental struggle because we noticed an unexplained, significant, weight gain before testing me for diabetes. It through me a loop but we got it figured out. My day time ranges are finally pretty good thanks to tons of protein but we would like my fasting number to be a bit lower. I'm going to try taking a walk after dinner and see if that helps.  

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