Insulin (Starting and stopping)

Hi @NaijaChick, You do realise that the BGs you quote are quite high and may well account for your tiredness?
Are you aware of what BSLs are acceptable for you and a baby?
You need to see your doctor pronto.
If you truly value your health and were considering a child seriously you would not be doing what you are doing at present.

Hi @NaijaChick

Yes you could start insulin therapy and then stop if certain criteria where met - assuming you have enough insulin production yourself.
Are you working with a diabetes team regarding attempted pregnancy? And regarding changing your metformin dose? Is it just metformin you take and what else do you do to control numbers?

NaijaChick said:

Good day all,

Please bear with me as I right this as I’m currently on an extended blood sugar high.

I have been back to regularly checking my blood sugars x 7 times daily as I am suffering from tiredness and a high feeling. I have noticed that my Waking bloods are around 15 and creeping to 19 during the day. My diet is different as my appetite is not there.

I’m currently taking 2mg of Metformin in the evening and have upped my dose in the past week from 500mg. I was offered insulin last year when I was getting highs of 9 as I was trying for a baby and I still am. just wanted to know if I could started insulin could I stop if I get my BG done???

Please help.

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Oof, that's high... And not a very safe level to be at. Not for a potential baby, at this point, and not for you. Can I ask what you're eating? Practically all carbs turn to glucose once ingested, so it could well be you could get your numbers down sufficiently by cutting out starchy and sugary foods. Besides the obvious straight sugars, that'd mean cutting out potatoes, pasta, rice, fruit, corn and cereals, plus anything wheat/oat based. Stick with meat, fish, poultry, above-ground veggies/leafy greens, butter, full fat greek yoghurt, nuts, extra dark chocolate, cheeses, eggs, olives, that kind of thing. And the rare exceptions to the fruit rules: all berries, starfruit, avocado and tomatoes.

If you are trying for a baby, get in touch with your team, they'll be able to tell you what HbA1c to aim for pre-conception and how to keep it low. And maybe get some preconception vitamins/minerals sorted. But I think just a change in diet could work miracles for you, also for the fatigue. Just please, try to get those numbers down. It's not surprising you're tired and woozy, and those levels do damage to just about everything in your body, from nerve endings to eyes, bloodvessels, kidneys, what have you. If you're pregnant with high bloodsugars that would be bad for a baby too. They'd grow way too fast for one thing, making a c-section before the due date more than likely, and it'd be at risk for complications too.)

Not to scare you or anything, but... Those numbers are worrying. Prengancy pending or not. Please take care of yourself. Maybe read The Diabetes Code by Dr. jason Fung, or dietdoctor.com to see what could work for you to get your numbers down to safe levels. For conception and for you.

Be well, and good luck on everything!
Jo
PS: insulin doesn't have to be forever, to answer your initial question. But you really have to tackle those numbers, not just while getting pregnant and during the pregnancy. Just saying that out of concern. My numbers used to resemble yours. My muscles'd be so weak I'd drop our cat, or my knees would buckle out of nowhere. You don't want that happening when you're holding a little one. Take care of mum-to-be first.

Hi @NaijaChick I went through gestational about 11 years ago now - it was picked up at 23 weeks and I went straight onto insulin, I have no idea how high my levels were but it changed everything about the pregnancy for me, so birthing plan went out the window, diet became key and so did my management as I had to keep good control, the end game was daughter induced at 37 weeks, finally came out after an emergency cesarean, high birth weight but fortunately healthy.

The important part about conceiving is improving your chances of conception and maintaining a healthy pregnancy with no complications, hence why control is so important and getting those high blood glucose levels down, have a read through NICE which is very useful for those wishing to conceive :https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng3

Hope your doctor sorts you out and you do get insulin therapy as it is so important for both your health and your chances of becoming a mum - best wishes J

Here's the relevant information regarding blood glucose targets from NICE:

Target blood glucose and HbA1c levels in the preconception period
1.1.16Agree individualised targets for self‑monitoring of blood glucose with women who have diabetes and are planning to become pregnant, taking into account the risk of hypoglycaemia. [2008]

1.1.17Advise women with diabetes who are planning to become pregnant to aim for the same capillary plasma glucose target ranges as recommended for all people with type 1 diabetes:

• a fasting plasma glucose level of 5–7 mmol/litre on waking and
  
  
• a plasma glucose level of 4–7 mmol/litre before meals at other times of the day.
  

For more information, see the section on blood glucose targets in the NICE guideline on type 1 diabetes. [new 2015]

1.1.18Advise women with diabetes who are planning to become pregnant to aim to keep their HbA1c level[1]below 48 mmol/mol (6.5%), if this is achievable without causing problematic hypoglycaemia. [new 2015]

1.1.19Reassure women that any reduction in HbA1c level towards the target of 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) is likely to reduce the risk of congenital malformations in the baby. [new 2015]

1.1.20Strongly advise women with diabetes whose HbA1c level is above 86 mmol/mol (10%) not to get pregnant because of the associated risks (see recommendation 1.1.2). [2015]