Advice please!

[Rooie]

Hi, I have gestational diabetes and have been struggling to keep my sugars down. I'm on the maximum dose of metformin and eatting hardly anything but it doesn't seem to help. I'm constantly hungry, tired and fed up. My consultant and diabetic midwife had a huge row at my last appointment and the consultant said I'm not trying hard enough. My midwife prescribed me metformin against his wishes and has increased it since because my levels are still high. What else can I do to keep them low? I can't even eat a single slice of wholemeal/granary bread. I don't know how much longer I can keep up this diet. I see the consultant on Wednesday again and I'm petrified of being shouted at again.
Thanks

 

[catherinecherub]

Hi @Rooie and welcome to the forum.

I am sorry you are having such difficulties with your meals and with the lack of empathy from the professional involved. A pregnancy should be a happy time rather than you dreading your next appointment. If they had their row in front of you then, had it been me, I would have reported them.

Perhaps if you let us know what you are eating then we may be able to help you. What are your targets for 1hr. and 2hr. readings?

 

[Rooie]

Thanks for replying. I have to say I can't fault my midwife she is being supportive but the consultant is new and won't listen to her or me. My 1 hour post meal has to be under 7.8. Some examples of things that have pushed it over are a single weetabix with soya milk, a chicken and salad wrap, a salmon sandwich, soup and a small brown roll, 3 tbs tomato and sausage pasta with salad. I've been trying to bulk meals out with veg and managed to keep it below for lunch today by having one tbs of couscous with salad and chicken but just over an hour later im starving.

 

[lessci]

Try cutting out the starchy carbs all together, but increase your fat intake, eggs for breakfast, chicken with the skin and salad for lunch lose the pasta and replace with hard cheese or a piece of meat, nuts for a snack

 

[Scimama]

Hi @Rooie have a look at the lowcarb diet advice on this site, a lot of diabetics, myself included, control our blood sugar levels by controlling our carb intake.

It does take a lot of getting used to eating low carb high/healthy fat as we are so used to lots of carbs and low fat.

How many weeks are you? Looking ahead to after you have had your baby, ensure your midwife checks your blood sugar levels have returned to "normal".

Ask if you need any help there are lots of experienced diabetics on the site that can offer dietary advise on what works for them in terms of getting lower readings and keeping them low. If you post in the general diet/food section you will get more replies than in gestational diabetes section.

 

[Neanie]

Hi That doesn't sound good, you can't cut carbs out too much as you will get ketones which are far more dangerous when pregnant, ask your midwife to check your urine for them. I had this is my last pregnancy but consultant was actually really nice and said please don't starve yourself thats not good for you or baby, eat normally but healthy cut out all the ****** sugars. Some people have to have medication to control and it doesn't matter what you eat, I am one of those. Hopefully you will get better support when you go back next time xx

 

[Rooie]

Thanks Neanie, I have had my consultant changed thankfully 2 the same one as my 1st pregnancy and the 1st thing he did was double my medication and let me have a chat with the dietician. I'm now snacking every hour and having small meals and feeling much better. Carbs r no longer off the menu apart from 1st thing in the morning. The dietician seems 2 think that eatting them 1st thing was causing them 2 shot up and then I was fighting a loosing battle 4 the rest of the day. My levels r definitely better now and I'm happier.

 

[Neanie]

That makes sense as its the pregnancy hormones that block the natural insulin and they are always strongest in the morning, it's a bit of trial and error to start with, good luck xx