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Just found out I’m pregnant

B

BlueBerry11

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi everyone,

I have type 1 diabetes and I’ve just found out I’m pregnant. I’m terrified of anything going wrong.

This is my second pregnancy, but was diagnosed with diabetes during my first pregnancy at 35 weeks (gestational, then type 2 after birth, then type 1 the following year).

I’m on the Omnipod 5, but really struggling to get my levels in the pregnancy range.

Anyone have any advice?
 
Firstly, congratulations BlueBerry.

Have you been referred to the specialist diabetes team (the name evades me right now) who will look after you during your pregnancy? If not, it makes sense to seek them out - probably at your local clinic/hospital. As I understand it, there's nothing scary happens there. You are just monitored a bit more closely than the normie-Mums-to-be.

In early pregnancy your hormones can be all over the place, making control a bit more challenging than usual.

Bottom line is though; Don't panic! It solves nothing and the adrenalin just adds as extra something to the mix you are already handling. (Easy for me to say, I know.)

I'm not T1, not a pumper and I have never been pregnant, but I'm sure there will be lots of folks with valuable insight along before too long.
 
Thank you

I’ve only just found out today, so have emailed my diabetes team but haven’t heard back yet. I happen to have an appointment scheduled with my consultant in a couple of weeks anyway, so that’s lucky I suppose!

I suppose I’m worried as I was very well controlled up until a couple of months ago. No idea what happened but it’s just not working, and the pregnancy hormones on top are really making it difficult. I’m not really hitting the pregnancy targets and I don’t want to harm the baby or myself.

Fingers crossed I can get some more advice from my consultant or midwives soon

Thank you again for your reply!
 
Hello @BlueBerry11
Just tagging some T1 mums to see if they can offer insights.
@EllieM , @Juicyj, are you able to advise, please?
Sorry if I missed anyone.
 
Congratulations.
 

Accepting my previously mentioned caveats about my total lack of T1 or pregnancy experience, but looking to hit T1 pregnancy targets from day 1 is probably a bit overly optimistic. Maybe now you know you have additional hormone challenges in play you can be a bit kinder to yourself.

One thing I will say is I've been here a while, and have seen many young women arrive, in a flap because or oftentimes unexpected pregnancies. All had your concerns for themselves and their babies. I have not witnessed anyone go on to have a baby damaged by Mum's sub-optimal control.

To be clear, I'm not saying "don't bother looking after your bloods". I'm certainly not, but be a bit kind to yourself and take the support you are offered at clinic, and on here. There's nothing quite like lived experience.
 
Thank you, I appreciate this. I reckon you’re right!
 
Congratulations.

Firstly do not panic, stress doesn’t help you or baby neither does ruminating on past few months control, it is what it is.

Going forward you will be closely monitored by your team so reviewing ratios with them and getting support is vital as you navigate forward. Honestly we cannot do anything else, your body is undergoing a lot of change and hormones are the culprit, you can only do your best which is what we all strive to do.

Let us know how your pregnancy goes and try to enjoy it as much as you can, it’s a time of nurture so wishing you well x
 
Thank you, I will check in
 
Firstly Big Congratulations @BlueBerry11

I absolutely relate - it’s being told you’re high risk that set me off - but just take one day at a time and remember that it’s not going to be forever, enjoy the pregnancy (I know that’s so much easier said than done )

My oldest is now 20yrs old and middle is 16yrs and youngest 13yrs - there were no CGM or pumps available but I closely monitored and took multiple daily injections - fingers were like pincushions BUT it took me through three healthy pregnancies and gave me three healthy babies

Listen to your body - don’t panic with the insulin levels increasing - this is normal (I was taking up to four times my pre-pregnant doses at the end of mine)

By my 3rd baby, the Diabetic Maternity Team, who you will see very frequently especially at the last trimester, more scans etc (amazingly patient & kind people) asked for my records/notebooks in which I’d recordered all my doses and sugars etc as an example of good management so I must have done something right even though at the time it was tough and I was worried about keeping the baby healthy but like I said previously, it does come to an end once the baby is born

Forgot to mention I was diagnosed T1 in 1997 and first child was born in 2004 and I wasn’t always the best controlled before that - consultant had said to me to “get myself in control” if I wanted babies but that wasn’t on my agenda as single and partying BTW, firstborn was unplanned pregnancy

Please let us know how you’re doing and any questions, please don’t hesitate
You’ve got this
 
Hi
Congratulations.
Im type 1 but my wife isn't and we have a boy now 25 who is not diabetic.
My sister is type 1 and has a boy now 26 who is not diabetic.

There were no cgms when my sister was pregnant and she is now 60 and in good shape.
My sister and i have 107 years of diabetes between us.

The future is bright in my humble opinion.

I wish you well

Tony
 
Thank you so much for your kind words, that’s really reassuring. The last couple days have been a little better, although still not completely hitting the targets.

I’m so happy to be expecting and so terrified. I think as my first pregnancy was filled with stress from the diabetes diagnosis towards the end, that’s possibly all flooding back too.

I’ve been quite scared of hypos since experiencing some scary ones just after diagnosis, so that isn’t helping. Reading about increased insulin sensitivity in the next couple weeks isn’t helping my stress levels!
 
I thought I’d post a quick update as everyone on here has been so lovely!

I’m now 21 weeks and baby is looking happy and healthy! The team are pleased with my blood sugars and I’m hitting about 75% in the tight range. I have yet to experience the insulin resistance phase though so we will see how that goes!
 
I found out two weeks ago I am pregnant and averaging sugar levels of around 8.3. I have severe anxiety around hypos and currently 5 weeks 3 days pregnant; when does the insulin sensitivity come? I am already quite insulin resistant going from 1:9 carb ratio to 1:7 in a week, when does this change? I have sometimes heard 6 weeks but I am absolutely petrified of going low; I work at home most of the time but alone so no one is here to help if needed. Thank you
 
I haven't been pregnant with diabetes but I offer sympathy and hugs. Pregnancy brings enough worries anyway without the extra complications. Are you getting any support for the anxiety? Is there anything you do to relax, whether formal mindful exercises or just a hobby? Just chatting online may be enough to help you through it. Others with more experience will no doubt post here soon.
 
Hi @CharMon, congratulations!

I totally empathise with you. I hate hypos and used to have a really bad fear of them. I actually had some therapy before getting pregnant which has been very helpful, especially emdr was useful.

I think insulin sensitivity tends to be somewhere between 6 weeks and 20 weeks. However I was still very resistant at 6 weeks and had some hypos between 9-20 weeks. None were unmanageable and I got more comfortable with them as time went on.

I’m on the ypso pump and I think that really helped. It being a closed loop, it will suspend insulin delivery, so even when you have a hypo it tends to be a bit more gradual with plenty of time to act.

Are you on a pump at the moment? And have you been seen by your diabetes team yet? I’ve found them very helpful during pregnancy.

I personally love the ypsopump for pregnancy, but will say that the Omnipod 5 is far better at preventing hypos. If your fear is really bad it might be worth exploring going on the Omnipod 5 just for that.

Good luck and if you have any questions I will do my best to try and answer them.
 
Thanks so much BlueBerry11! I've had quite a lot of CBT because I randomly had 40+ episodes of high ketones over 18 months (after an infection.. very strange) and that came with fear of ketones and also hypos. This was about 3 years ago now though.
I'm 6 weeks+2 at the moment, (had my first scan yesterday and everything was good!) I keep a really close eye every 30 mins or so on my sugars so hoping I can catch a hypo, that's helpful though.

I start on the ypso pump tomorrow as it is the only pregnancy approved pump which I am super nervous about; but I have been on Omnipod for a year now and got used to that - both closed loop!

My diabetes team looks at my data every few days so call me twice a week which I am so grateful for.
 
That’s really good to hear! And don’t worry about starting the ypso! I was nervous too but they’ll probably start you slightly higher and it’s pretty conservative at first!

It’s also great your team are keeping such a close eye on you! Sounds like you’ll be absolutely fine
 
Thank you! Hope you’re doing well with yours too!
 
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