Trying to conceive

[slayer]

Hi, I need some advice. I am trying to reduce my blood sugars so that I can try for a baby, but my sugars have been 25 at the highest. I'm finding it difficult to bring them down. I have diabetes retinopathy yet the doc refused to laser my eyes, saying I should wait to see if my control improves with an insulin pump. I had my appointment with my diabetes doctor and he has refused to put me on a pump until I start testing more than two to three times a day. At the moment, I feel the odds are against me and I will never have controlled blood sugars. Part of me wants to accept I will never have a baby and another part wants to try to conceive even with these high sugars I have been diabetic for 20 years and am nearly 33 and this is what upsets me further, what if I am infertile...

 

[jodysd6]

I have been there and felt my diabetes just wasn't manageable like other people's seemed to be, but I'm going to be honest here without testing more and really looking at what is causing the highs, looking at your dosages and what you are eating you will probably continue to see the highs. I am 30 and want to try to conceive but I have told myself I need to maintain an a1c of 6.5% or less for a year and to try and be able to maintain the pregnancy guideline levels because if I can't do that when not pregnant I can't see myself being able to do it with the added hormones/stress of pregnancy. I have had to work very hard to get my A1c down and I didn't actually think I could do it but I have even if there is still more to be done.

Some basics are do you carb count and use a basal/bolus regime? Have you tested your basal first and then tested your ratios and corrections? And if those are things you don't know about have you done a course like dafne? I started with working on testing (and logging and using the results) more then checking everything but when I still couldn't get the results I wanted I went low carb which has also helped me a lot.

 

[slayer]

Yes, I think replacing carbs with protein based foods is something I need to do. I don't understand how to check if my long acting insulin dose is correct but someone on here sent me a link so I will look at it. I have done the dafne course but struggle to carb count with certain foods.

 

[jodysd6]

I have found that reducing the carbs helped an awful lot as there was a lot less room for error with calculating doses. If you can have a read of the link as it is always best to start with a basal that works, as it makes it a lot easier to work out what is going on with meals and corrections.

 

[slayer]

Thank you and good luck to us both with conceiving!

 

[azure]

Hi @slayer

I'm moving this to the Pregnancy section for you. Have a look round there. Ther are other ladies trying/planning to conceive, some of whom are trying to get their HbA1C down too.

With respect, if you're only testing two or three times a day you're 'driving blind'. You could test more and keep a record of your results and what you eat, etc, for a few days and that might give you an idea of how to get your blood sugars down and if there are any particular times of the day when they go high.

A basal test is crucial. If you can get your basal right that'll provide a firm foundation to build on. If you need help and advice, maybe you could speak to your DSN?

An insulin pump can be great but it does take a lot of work and a lot of testing.

If you need any help with basal testing or with carb counting, then please do ask in the Type 1 section There are so many knowledgeable people here who can help.

Good luck - and good luck @jodysd6 too

 

[Patch13]

Hi slayer.

First I agree with the other posters that suggest it is best to sort out your insulin requirements first.

Despite having a good hba1c and being well controlled before pregnancy I do a lot of testing every day now I am pregnant (probably my average is about 15 blood sugar tests a day). I also find I need to constantly change my basal rates as they change regularly! I don't eat huge amounts of carbohydrates either, but space it out throughout the day to try to keep my sugar levels steadier.

If you are thinking about a pump then you also need to test more. I've really found a pump useful but it is a Lot of work to begin with and you can't get your basals and bolus correct without testing.

A really good app to have for carb counting is 'carbs and cals' and I also find having nutritional scales really useful - you have to weigh what you are eating and then enter a code and it tells you how much carbs, fat, protein etc there is in your food. I have salter ones which I have found useful.

Best of luck!

 

[wannabemammy]

My first post here!

Hi all, 31 year old diabetic ready to become a mammy except for the hba1c is too high!was at my pre pregnancy clinic today and it was 8.3%. Feeling like I'm stuck in a rut and it's never going to happen. Any words of advice for me? I'm back in my clinic in 6 weeks and would love it to be in the 7% range

 

[Mrsass]

My first post here!

Hi all, 31 year old diabetic ready to become a mammy except for the hba1c is too high!was at my pre pregnancy clinic today and it was 8.3%. Feeling like I'm stuck in a rut and it's never going to happen. Any words of advice for me? I'm back in my clinic in 6 weeks and would love it to be in the 7% range

Hi, I would follow the advice given so far in this post, test lots to see where you are going higher and if there is a pattern, count carbs, try cut down on ****** portions of the things that really spike you

 

[SamFergusson]

Good morning @slayer I hope is going well for you!
I am also on the rocky road of trying to improve my levels so I can start a family.
I tried to convince myself that I didn't want a baby as I thought it would never happen for me. But the truth is I do & I have never wanted anything more. So as many people here have advised I am taking it one day at a time. x

 

[azure]

Good luck @SamFergusson It takes a concerted effort, day after day - in fact, almost hour after hour. But once you start getting on top of your blood sugar, it does get easier Identify the problems and try to improve those areas bit by bit

 

[SamFergusson]

Thanks @azure I can see a difference already. I'm averaging around 10-15 at the moment, this time last week it was a roller coaster with average of about 18
Just taking it step by step & it's proving successful so far, thanks to everyone here

 

[Amy.W]

My first post here!

Hi all, 31 year old diabetic ready to become a mammy except for the hba1c is too high!was at my pre pregnancy clinic today and it was 8.3%. Feeling like I'm stuck in a rut and it's never going to happen. Any words of advice for me? I'm back in my clinic in 6 weeks and would love it to be in the 7% range

Remember your HbA1c will included the last 3 months so don't be to disappointed if it's not fallen loads. Mine is currently 8.1 and really want to start trying this summer. So jealous of people who can just decide and try straight away. I'll prob work hard to get levels down and then not conceive knowing my luck. However I always say to my husband my first job as a mother is to ensure my body is ready and a healthy place to grow them. It just wouldn't be right if not.

 

[Sarahkylie88]

Thanks @azure I can see a difference already. I'm averaging around 10-15 at the moment, this time last week it was a roller coaster with average of about 18
Just taking it step by step & it's proving successful so far, thanks to everyone here

Well done @SamFergusson! So pleased for you! What an improvement in a week! Keep it up X

 

[Amy.W]

Hey how is everyone getting on this week. I've gad a but of a bad day with 10s, 9s and 8s and 2 lows and none in range. Really gets me down! : (

 

[Amy.W]

My first post here!

Hi all, 31 year old diabetic ready to become a mammy except for the hba1c is too high!was at my pre pregnancy clinic today and it was 8.3%. Feeling like I'm stuck in a rut and it's never going to happen. Any words of advice for me? I'm back in my clinic in 6 weeks and would love it to be in the 7% range

Wow wannabeamammy has your HbA1c come down? That's great news.

 

[Ellie_Wilko]

I was in the exact same position 4 months ago! My hba1c was 10.4 and my nurse said unless I did something about it, a pregnancy just wouldn't be feasible. That was all the motivation I needed and 12 weeks later, my hba1c was 6.9!

I test as many times a day as I possibly can and really keep an eye on my basal dose. I found as soon as I started to keep an eye on it, I needed to increase it every few days and went from 12 units to 60 in a few months.

I do my basal in the morning and the best advice my nurse gave me was that if I was to high the following morning, increase it by a couple of units, wait 5 or so days and do the same thing again if necessary until they start to stabilise!

We've started trying this month so fingers crossed it works for us both!

 

[Amy.W]

That's fab news. I'm in a pump so change time slots of my Basel. That is an impressive drop. Did you have any side effects dropping so quickly as I was told it could be bad for your eyes?

 

[Sarahkylie88]

Ive got my go ahead from the dsn... Officially off the pill and trying to conceive!

 

[Mrsass]

Ive got my go ahead from the dsn... Officially off the pill and trying to conceive!

Fingers crossed for you my love X