Struggling to get my head around it :(

[Shazzle80]

Hey folks,

I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 20 weeks....which apparently is early. I'm on 4 shots of insulin a day as well as testing my blood sugar 4 times. My hospital have been fab, however my nurse commented that she feels ill probably be diabetic forever now. Has anyone else been told this? I'm worried about the long term effects of this and want it to disappear after the birth of my daughter.

I feel completly alone, I don't know anyone else whose suffered from diabetes. I don't know what to eat and what I can't and just feel like I've had to take so much in over such a short time. Any tips on foods or general advice would be very much appreciated. Thank you so much in advance.

xx

 

[hels]

Hey Shazzle

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

I had a very similar experience and am waiting to find out where I stand. At 29 weeks I was diagnosed with diabetes, which I presumed was gestational, however from the initial diagnosis the endocrinologist told me they believed I had type 1 diabetes. I am still not sure why they were so certain of this - my GTT results were 7.4 fasting and 17.0 two hours after the glucose drink. Blood tests then showed I had anti-GAD antibodies and under active thyroid which are further indications of type 1. I was told that I probably feeling rubbish and really tired but I actually felt great throughout my pregnancy!

I had really good control throughout my pregnancy until a week before I was due to be induced when I started having hypos so I was then induced a bit earlier. I now have a lovely little boy who will be 2 weeks old tomorrow.

During pregnancy I was on 2 injections of long acting insulin (levemir) per day and 3 of short acting (novo rapid) per day. I am now just on the levemir. I have another appointment with my diabetes team in about 4 weeks time so I hope to find out more then.



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[Shazzle80]

I know I'll be closely monitored by the diabetes team but right now I'm freaked out!!

Did u manage your hypos okay when u were close to your due date? I'm a little worried about that. I'm also struggling with what I can and can't eat! So far I'm surviving on salad and veg with every meal as I daren't eat unhealthly! Though I suppose the occasional junk meal can't be that harmful can it? I already miss crisps, chocolate and sweets!!

 

[))Denise((]

Hi Shazzle
I had borderline gestational (just diet controlled) in 1992, got diagnosed with Type 2 in 2007 (although probably had it for about 5 years by then).

They will test you after you have had your baby and if this is ok, they should keep an eye on you on an annual basis. This wasn't done in my case and if it had been, then I could probably have done things to arrest the development of Type 2 as you are more likely to get Type 2 if you have had gestational.

If you can get a GAD antibody test done, then this will tell you for certain whether you have Type 1 that has developed in Pregnancy. How does the nurse know that you are Type 1 without testing you?

Good luck with the pregnancy. I was induced on my due date 'to stop the baby growing too big' - it didn't work, she was 9lb 7 1/2oz.

 

[hels]

The hypos close to my due date were a bit of a shock. I hadn't realised how quickly my blood glucose levels could change. As I said my control had been really good - morning fasting levels of 4-5 and post-meal levels of 6-7 (any differences I could account for).

One morning I had a small bowl of porridge for breakfast and 1hr later had a reading of 7.0 (usual for porridge) then an hour later I felt funny. I thought my reading was fine only an hour ago so wasn't going to test but then I did and my reading was 2.1. I drank a bottle of lucozade and ate a banana to sort myself out. I rang my diabetes team and they asked me to go into the Day Assessment Unit to monitor my baby - all was fine with him.

Over the next couple of day I was having to eat constantly to stop myself from hypo-ing. I had further monitoring and all seemed ok but they decided to bring forward inducing me.

It was scary how quickly the hypo happened. As I had only been diagnosed recently I didn't have the experience to know if this was normal or if I should change my insulin. My partner was away for work so I stayed with friends for a few days as I was worried about being home alone.

I'd recommend testing really regularly so you get to know what is happening with your body and any changes contact your diabetes team. At first I was very overwhelmed with all the information I was given about amounts of insulin to inject and what my blood glucose readings should be but I soon got o grips with it and my control was really good until things went haywire in the final week.

Try not to worry too much and try to enjoy your pregnancy. I eat quite healthily anyway but know I did even more so due to the diabetes. You will be monitored very carefully and also your baby when born.

Good luck. Xxx


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[hels]

What I'd I eat? I got a bit scared of eating for a while and stuck to what I knew most of the time.

Breakfast was when I would spike the most. I'd have 6 units of novorapid then would usually have a 2 egg omelette (with mushrooms and cheese) with maybe a half slice of granary bread or a ryvita. Or a small bowl of porridge.

Lunch and dinner I'd have 2 units of novorapid. I'd usually have meat/fish with veggies & tinned tomatoes and a very small amount of brown rice/quinoa/potato.

For snacks I'd have sunflower seeds, nuts, cheese, pepperami. If I was a bit low I'd have a belvyta biscuit.

Going out was a bit troublesome. Roast dinner was ok as long as I avoided the Yorkshire pud and only had a small amount of potato. Thai food and party food at xmas sent my readings sky high.

I swam regularly throughout my pregnancy and would test beforehand and have half a banana half an hour before then test again afterwards.

Now I'm just on the long acting insulin and am able to eat a reasonable amount of carbs again - maybe as I am breastfeeding? I am having to be mindful to eat enough as I am a couple of kilos less than my pre-pregnancy weight.


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[Sheppie84]

I got GD diagnosed at 28 weeks, had insulin til the end of pregnancy.
Got tested 6 or 8 weeks pp and am LADA/type 1.5.

I struggled with the diabetes during preg, had a planned section at 38 weeks and now have a healthy and happy 8 month old baby girl.




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