just found out i am pregnant terrified regarding diabetes as control is not perfect please help

[LemonTree]

Hi Debbie, your team will be able to advise but it sounds like you could be taking took much long acting insulin. They will probably get you to reduce it and take more insulin for meals.

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[Picci]

Hi Debbie, the reason you peak 2 hours post meals is due to the kind of carbs you're consuming. You are having the right dose of rapid if your blood returns to normal 4/5 hours later, but that little pesky spike is only from the type of carbs you're eating.
I know for a fact I can eat 20 carbs composed of protein and salad items and my bg 2 hours later will remain more or less the same as I was pre meal, and I won't drop into danger zone 4/5 hors later.
Now if I eat a 20 carbs sandwich, have the same insulin etc I guarantee I will spike two hours later, then drop back to normal 4/5 hours later.
Try it, you will see. Good luck. Christine


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[Moaney]

Hiya,
Just read over ur last post!! If it makes u feel any better I am exactly the same high a couple of hours after meal but lately been getting my bloods around 5/6 before next meal. Apparently that's what they want to c, I was told that the fast acting takes 2-4 hours to fully take affect on what u've eaten, so if u r high 2 hours after meal it's only because ur insulin may not have hit it's peak & is still working away on the last meal u've had. I was told to try & not let the high bother me, and only use a correction dose with my next meal, so if I was high at my next meal then take 1 unit, which will drop 2 in my blood sugar, so if I was 18 4 eg at next meal, I'd take 5 units to drop my blood to around 8 & whatever extra I feel I need to cover meal. It's hard but I'm starting to get there. I've had constant highs since they've starting adjusting my insulin. Carb counting isn't easy, I'm guessing how much to take with meals cuz they haven't yet agreed a ratio of insulin vs carbs 4 me yet!! It's not fun, specially since we're not worrying about ourselves.....!!!


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[Debbie Riggs]

I'm finding all these posts so helpful and reassuring! It's so difficult to make the right choices.

I'm trying to keep a food diary along with monitoring my bloods to start identifying what foods are making me high. Also cut down on carbs, which 12 years ago I was encouraged to eat as a type 1!!

I'm still a long way away from knowing my ratios and I think these will vary over the day as I seem to need a lot more NR in the morning. I'm confident that my lantus is right now as my 3am test seem to be consistent.

I have to say these posts and comments are so much help. My routine visits to the clinic are now every 18 months and are pretty standard unless you have "issues"! This has made really aware of some things I want to ask about and hopefully not only get ready to have a baby but to look after myself better!


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[Picci]

Great Debbie! I kept a huge desk top diary which I logged food/bgs/insulin!! You sound like you're doing all the right things. You will need to start increasing insulin gradually, and by 38 weeks you'll be on huge amounts. Enjoy being pregnant, I know I certainly did. Christine


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[K8tie_x]

It's great reading all these posts I really struggled with my first child as I had no diabetic pregnant people to talk with and found it so stressful that there was no one who really understood what I was going through on top of the usual pregnancy problems. First pregnancy for me was unexpected and I had a hba1c of 13% (was going through a rebellious in denial about my diabetes phase), as soon as I found out I knuckled down immediately and got really good hba1cs throughout but with ALOT of hard work and lots of hypos. I had my daughter at 37 weeks due to size with a section after a failed induction and she was 7lbs 10oz, she was a typical chubby diabetic baby as the drs would say but she's now a happy healthy 4 year old and bappgot baby number 2 on board. However this time my hba1c was 8% when I conceived however I would have wanted it lower but I didn't think I could pregnant at the time as I wasn't having proper periods. I've not had my hba1c done again since then but I'm sure it will have come down as I'm really focused in my bloods.
My big problem though is that spike in blood sugars after meals but I think it's very hard to get your bloods down after 1 hour when your short acting insulin is peaking at around 2-3 hours. So I don't beat myself up too much and my team focus on my pre meal blood sugars. I have made lots of reductions in my insulin through this pregnancy but first time round my ratios went up to 7:1 for some of my meals so just be prepared. Not sure if you've heard of the mySugr app it's free and I've found it amazing for recording my readings, carb portions, what I've eaten and what insulin I've had. I just print it out and take it to clinic every week where they sit and look and decide what to change. I can't emphasise how important being aware of your carbohydrate intake is in controlling your bloods, there's a brilliant book called Carbs and cals they also have an app where it shows you all different foods and different amounts and what they contain. I'm quite clued up now but it's been a godsend for me to always have that handy, I would have never got my diabetes under control without it!
I've just started with a pump though yesterday so it's been like starting again for me but I'm already loving not having to do proper injections 7-8 times a day. Fingers crossed my bloods keep getting better too!

I'm guessing you already know they don't usually let you go past 38 weeks when your diabetic as the risk of stillbirth is a lot higher past that point (something to do with the placenta not working properly). If there's anything I can do to help or if you want to chat it'd be nice to speak to someone going through similar things to me. Also it's so important to get your eyes screened as things can deteriorate quickly so problems are best caught early. Good luck with your pregnancy x

 

[Debbie Riggs]

Thanks k8tie really great to hear about other peoples stories and experiences. I've just read "think like a pancreas" and that has helped me understand hugely what is going on with post meal spikes.

I will definately look onto that app you suggest as I feel the more I know the better prepared I will be (for pregnancy at least).

Let me know how you find the pump as this is something I would consider short term, the injections and testing don't bother me but if it gives better control then worth a shot!


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[K8tie_x]

With the app you can set all your target ranges so blood sugars are all colour coded which helps when you need to make changes as it highlights the problem areas and you can really see what's going on. Sometimes I think I know the patterns but when I look at my weekly readings its different to what I'd thought so I definitely think making good records is important.

I got offered a pump before when I was struggling as said the same as you it'd only be short term as got no issues with testing and needles, but they don't let you have one on them terms its got to be done with a hell of a lot of work before they let you have one as they are so expensive to get and maintain you have to show your serious. Ive done alot alot of research before the pump and read nothing but successful stories and with the problems ive been having and trying to get the best control to avoid pribkems this pregnancy i decided to give it a go. I only started mine yesterday and regret not changing before, I used to have my basal morning and night but found my needs for the dose were different throughout the day and with the pump I can have a different basal dose hourly. Also because my insulin is being administered slowly through the day my bodies responding so much better and I'm needing a lot less. I love it already and know that when I figure out these slight changes I need to make with my basal rates its going to stabilise my bloods so much better and get rid of the hypos that I'd be constantly chasing with my manual injections. Anything I can help you with just let me know