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Insulin levels in pregnancy

Stephanie.F

Well-Known Member
Messages
54
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I'm 8 and a half weeks pregnant and a type 1 diabetic, I've had two hospital appointments so far and the doctors are saying my levels need to be around 5.5 pre meal and 7.0 two hours after meal, the levels need to be around this to avoid complications with the baby's growth and development.
My levels are around 6-9mmol throughout the day, I've had one nurse say it's fine as they are not in double figures and my overall control is good but then I've had another nurse telling me to up my insulin so I am within the guideline, I usual have 9 units morning and evening and I was told to up to one unit so I did but my levels seem to have not changed so this morning I uped them again to 11 units and they are still not changing! I don't know wether to just keep uping the doseage until I'm within guide line levels or what! I obviously want the best levels I can get for me and the baby but different doctors tell me to worry about it and others tell me not to and my levels are fine and it's starting to stress me out has anyone else gone through this?
 
Hi Stephanie.F
just bumping your post and tagging some lovely ladies who may be able to offer some support
@azure , @tigger
 
Hi. Congratulations on the pregnancy!

Do you have a nurse you usually have at diabetes appointments that you could talk to? I contacted my DSN / pump nurse and she was very helpful. It did mean I needed to write all my results down so she could have a look at them.

I am aiming to keep in the guidelines and hate my sugar being high, although today I seem to be getting lots of lows - my sugar levels are changing quite quickly and it can be hard to keep up!

I have had to put up both my basal and change my carb ratios to keep my sugar levels on target.
 
Hi @Stephanie.F

Control in pregnancy does have to be very tight, and the targets are very strict. So, numbers you'd be happy with when you're not pregnant, are often not quite tight enough for pregnancy.

Have you had a read of this?:

https://www.jdrf.org.uk/news/latest...ncy-toolkit-for-uk-women-with-type-1-diabetes

The targets I was given were less than 5.8 first thing in the morning; less than 5.8 before meals; less than 7.8 two hours after meals, ideally 6.8 or less after meals. I was told that 4s and 5s were better than 6s and 7s.

You're aimimg for as close to non-diabetic levels as possible. And yes, it's very hard work! I'd also say that it's impossible to get perfect levels all the time, but get as many good ones as you can.

With such strict control, hypos are common. Also, early in pregnancy hypos happen a lot too so be prepared and carry glucose or Lucozade. I kept some Lucozde by my bed and often had to have some early on.

As the pregnancy progresses, you become more resistant to insulin and doses may have to be increased a lot.

So basically the doctors are right!

Please feel free to ask any other questions you like here, and congratulations on your pregnancy!
 
Thanks everyone, my bloods are great after lunch and are within the guidelines even the mornings are good but 2 hours after my breakfast they are in the 9's does this mean I need more insulin in the morning? It's the only time of day I get a spike no matter what I eat for breakfast it's always up there, in on humalog mix 25 and inject 11 units before breakfast and 11 units before dinner x
 
Hi stephanie
what are you having for your breakfast ?
depending on what you are eating and drinking it may be possible to lessen the spike.

it might be possible to control the spike a bit better by eating a few minutes longer after injecting
(for example eating 30 minutes after injecting instead of 15 minutes)
 

I've tried everything toast, cereal croissant, fruit and it's just always spikes higher, my insulin is one I have to inject when I eat I may try that tomorrow morning though thank you for the advice
 
ok -- a brekkie that may slow down the spike is a continental type
hard boiled eggs , some cheese and some cold meat along with 1 piece of toast
or scrambled eggs with some diced up ham in along with 1 piece of toast

an omelette with chopped up spring onion and some cheese or ham
and again -- you guessed it 1 piece of toast

what i am trying to achieve with this breakfast is a reduction in the carb value but an increase in the protein and fat which should lower the spike a bit and hopefully leave you full and in good shape BG wise 3-4 hours post meal


remember to test test test

edit -- see you are injecting with your breakfast -- try a 15 minute delay to start -- small steps at a time
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Thank you for the advice it worked, I had scrambled egg on one slice of toast this morning and my bloods have stayed between 5-7 all day thank you for all the advice
 
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