Please help - gestational diabetes info needed!

[nae1709]

Hi, so I've been diagnosed with GD & been testing my levels 4 times a day for a week now. I've managed to sort out my after meal levels but I'm still getting high fasting levels, highest being 6.8. The diabetes specialist has given me another week of testing before putting on insulin if I can't get my fasting levels down. I do not want to go on insulin!!!!

So I'm hoping there are some ladies out there that can give me any tips or ideas on what I should be doing.

I've tried having a snack & not having a snack but it doesn't seem to make a difference really. My midwife suggested going for a decent walk at around 10 pm as that worked from one lady she knew. I'll be given that a try tonight.

[pinkgingham]

sometimes you just need to have it. i was like you and i cried when they told me i had to go on it. i only had to do it at night because my overnight fasting levels were too high. i am really needle phobic so pregnancy was hard for me with all the testing and stuff then i got GD and i just really was scared about having the insulin. but you know what? it really wasnt that bad. it helps that you are the one giving it to yourself because you have a bit of control. it didnt really hurt. was just like a pinch and after a while it just becomes routine.

if it means not having a big baby then you should think about that. i had a big baby even though i had insulin though but goodness knows how much bigger he could have been if i hadnt taken it. its only a couple of months, and it results in a healthier baby.

if you have to take insulin, you will be ok hun. you can do it. but whatever the outcome, good luck :hugs:

[tootiredtosleep]

You are probably doing everything you can already. I had to go on insulin because my readings were all over the place, even if I ate the same thing each day. It can't always be diet controlled.

As pinkginham said the insulin isnt that bad. Its more of a pen type thing than a needle and really easy to use. I had it first thing every morning and it helped to settle things down.

DD2 was 7 pd 15, and we were both well after the birth. The good thing was that after I left hospital I was only 2kg heavier than my prepregnancy weight!

[kimberlee]

Hi Renee,
the only other thing that seems to make a difference with my levels is the time I eat at - we usually eat super late and I never snacked after dinner - that messes with my morning levels but it sounds like you've tried everything - if it's just the one shot a day of insulin it doesn't sound too bad.
But good luck this week - I hope you figure it out.

[Lucky2b Mum]

Sorry, I don't have any tips for getting your fasting levels down.

I had insulin dependent diabetes with both my boys. Like you, I really didn't want to go onto insulin, not because of the needles (I had been on IVF for years, so needles were no problem) I just hated the idea of insulin. I tried to control my GD with diet but the levels were all over the shop. After about a week I went onto insulin and it was a relief! I didn't have to freak out about every little thing I put into my mouth any more. I know it's a scary thing to think about, but if you do need to go onto insulin it won't be as bad as you are imagining.

I hope everything goes well for you.

[jaesmummy]

Hi there. I had insulin 3 times a day in my last pregnancy (my baby is 9 months) and will have to start again soon as I'm pregnant again. The further into my pregnancy I was, the more insulin I had to have. It didn't matter what I ate - I could have 2 weetbix with no sugar in the morning and I'd still get a reading of 9 or 10. Having the insulin was actually a relief - I was really scared of having a big baby as my last one caused some grief at the birth (the GD went untreated) and my baby was three weeks early and nearly 10 pounds. I was scared of the insulin injector at first and I got my hubby to do the first one. I didn't even feel it!! After that it was easy. And the best thing..... my baby was three weeks early and 7 pounds! The birth was trauma free and I was so proud of myself for going through with it all. So it really isn't all bad. I will admit, by the last weeks of my pregnancy, I was really sick and tired of it, but I kept telling myself that the alternative was a cesarean and a big bub. That kept me motivated! Good luck with everything, keep us posted.

[nae1709]

I'd just like to say thank you to all the ladies who replied to this thread, it's helped me a lot.

I'm slowly resigning myself to the fact I will have to go on nightly insulin, at least. My fasting readings are still all over the place. Like yesterday it was only 4.8 WOO HOO but this morning it was back up to 6.6 DAMN IT!

I totally want whatever is best for our little baby girl. The only reason why I was fighting it so much was that I was so looking forward to a wonderfully natural, calm, drug free water birth. I've accepted that that is now beyond my grasps & I'm just hoping I can still have the natural, calm, drug free part of the labour.

No one seems too think our beautiful princess is going to be big which is a good sign. We have an ultrasound on Feb. 2nd to find out for sure though.

I was prepared that birth plans rarely go to plan but I wasn't prepared to have to dwell on the fact my was taken away from me so far out from the arrival of my little girl. I just hate the fact that I have another 7 odd weeks to do my own head in about it all. All I can do now is try to prepare myself mentally for the envirnoment in which I will now have to give birth.

In the end all that matters is that bub & I are healthy. I truly can't wait to meet her & see what she looks like.

[pinkgingham]

having diabetes doesnt mean you cant have as natural birth as possible. my labour was 18 hours from when i had the gel to when i had my DS. i had to be induced coz he was big, you may not need that and go into labour naturally anyways. to be honest i think my DS birth weight was also to do with the fact that DP is built like a brick **** house. and my levels were otherwise fine besides the fasting levels when i needed the insulin at night. anyways, like you i wanted as natural birth as possible and i spend most of my labour in the bath until i was fully dialated they wanted me out to monitor DS heartrate and all of that. i didnt want a water birth anyways and they werent facilitated to do it. but i didnt have any drugs for the most part of my labour but then i had some gas and later a shot of pethidine because they had to cut me to get him out and i couldnt handle the pain on gas alone. but i gave it a shot to do it without drugs and i didnt have them until just before the pushing stage. just because you get GD doesnt mean you have to have a c section either like what seems to happen with GD mothers. i had a 10lb baby with a 39 cm head that i had vaginally and i couldve went and had the c section but GD doesnt mean you will end up having one.

you can still have the natural drug free birth if you wish! just make sure you put it in your birth plan and have your support person make sure the drs and midwives follow it through. at one stage i wanted them to just give me the c section and be done with it and i didnt have a birth plan stating otherwise. only for mum and DP knowing how much i didnt want an epidural and a c section that stopped them from giving me one.

i wish you all the best of luck and think positive.

[nae1709]

So it's offical I started on insulin last night. Just a small dose right before bed.

I was expecting a lower bsl fasting reading this morning but it was still 6.5. Does anyone know if insulin takes a couple of days to work into your system or should it be almost instant?

The diabetic nurse never mentioned this to me only that the type of insulin they put me on should last about 12 hrs in my system. So plenty of time to carry overnight. I took it at 9.30 pm & did my fasting levels just prior to 7 am.

I did end with a higher than usual dinner reading 8.1. I had a white bread roll with dinner & didn't get my walk in as it was raining plus dh was at the neighbours house. I don't feel right walking at night by myself although our neighbourhood is as safe as a neighbourhood can be.

[squiglet]

Don't have any tips sorry, just wanted to send you some good luck:goodvibes: and hope it all works out.

[susmamma]

honestly, i didnt find the low level of insulin made that much difference.
the only thing that kept my levels down was excercising after meals.

i have two children (4 and 2) and so it makes it quite hard to get out and walk some days.

instead, after eating i do an upper body weights work out.
you can do this with soup cans, or hand weights. your physio at the hospital can show you excercises to to (may even provide the wieghts).

i like you, was having high morning readings.
which was a combo of things - having late snack (between 9-10pm) or eating too much at that time.

so now, i eat the late snack and do a weights work out before going to bed. also means i'm not up all night with strong braxton hicks contractions, sweating, and breathing problems (all things i notice happen when i've got a high sugar reading over night).

using your muscles makes you body make more insulin, as well as burning up the glucose in your blood from the food. so it's a double benefit excercising (or using your muscles) after a meal.

i told my diabetes ob that if i just took the lunchtime insulin, and didnt do an upper body work out (that would be shoulders, bicepts, tricepts etc) then the readings were still high.

i've just been put up to the next level of insulin at lunch, but i'm still noticing the same thing. no excercise, high reading. insulin only, high reading.

i think your best bet is to get out there and excercise, in what ever manner you can.
(i have two hand weights 1kg each, and they have saved me on so many occassions... no way i'm going to go for a walk at 10.30pm at night!)