Post by underwaterrhymes on Jul 27, 2015 10:01:13 GMT -5
I have it too. I didn't have it the last time and my only two risk factors were that I am over 40 and my sister had it both times (and her only risk factor was age.)
So you'll likely meet with a dietitian first, who will go over what you're currently eating and what you can eat. I had a second appointment with an RN who gave me my meter, but sometimes you get both the same day.
I was testing four times a day, but since my GD is well-managed with just diet and exercise I am now only testing twice a day.
Numbers may vary, but they want me to stay under 90 for fasting and under 120 two hours after meals.
I'm allowed 30 grams of carbs for breakfast, around 15 grams of carbs for 3 snacks a day, and 45 grams of carbs each for lunch and dinner, with a goal of 175 carbs a day.
The goal is not to avoid carbs, but to make sure you're eating the RIGHT carbs and pairing them with protein.
It really hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. I have been eating a small dish of ice cream (1/2 a cup) every night since I was diagnosed. It has a good ratio of carbs to protein and my numbers have all been stellar after eating them.
My fasting numbers (which are hard for a lot of people to manage) have all been well under 90. I've had a few higher numbers two hours after meals when I've splurged or have discovered a food that just doesn't work for me (more than a slice and a half of pizza kills me), but I haven't felt totally deprived.
You will likely have to go to weekly appointments at some point. Mine started right away, but I'm 40. I also had an additional ultrasound at around 32 weeks to check the baby's size. Nice bonus!
Also, NST (non-stress tests) started at 35 weeks for me, as well. And they're scheduling in induction between 39 and 40 weeks if I don't have this baby on my own.
Let me know if you have any questions! I promise it's not that bad once you figure out what works for you and what doesn't.
Post by underwaterrhymes on Jul 27, 2015 10:03:19 GMT -5
Oh, and the lancet won't leave any scabs at all. I prick the same finger all the time and you can't even tell I've pricked it a minute after I've tested.
Post by longtimenopost on Jul 27, 2015 10:04:44 GMT -5
I'm sorry. I had a mild case with my first pregnancy (I failed the middle 2 draws, but not by much). They had me go to a session with a diabetic educator who got me all set up with a tester and I ordered strips through a DME company. At first I had to test 5 times a day - fasting, after breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and before bed. After a couple of weeks, I got into a routine with my diet and was told I only needed to test fasting and after dinner.
I had no trouble controlling my numbers - I just had to eat more protein as by that point I was basically only eating carbs. I could eat anything I wanted and as long as I went for a 20 minute walk afterward, my numbers were fine. I stayed on the "diet" after DD1 was born and lost the baby weight pretty fast.
Post by countthestars on Jul 27, 2015 10:06:37 GMT -5
Hi! Just following since I also failed and haven't had my dietician appointment yet to find out what I'm supposed to be doing. Thanks for sharing underwaterrhymes - that is all really helpful!!
It's really a bit of a guessing game at first while you figure out what you can eat. Some things that work for one person don't work for someone else.
I can have small amount of pasta if it's with chicken and alfredo sauce, for example, but I had a chicken wrap that totally killed my numbers.
And last night I had a small glass of red wine with dinner and my numbers were FABULOUS. (87 two hours after dinner, when usually it's between 97 and 110 or so.)
I also had gestational diabetes and it was controlled with diet and exercise. I only met with the dietitian once, where she went over what I could eat and how to test my blood sugar. I had to test four times a day and email the results to the dietitian once a week, but it wasn't that bad. The lancets do not leave scabs and it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would.
I think I had one extra growth scan because of the diabetes, but otherwise there was nothing else that was extra. It did suck not being able to indulge in all my cravings, but it did help keep my weight under control during third trimester.
Hi! Just following since I also failed and haven't had my dietician appointment yet to find out what I'm supposed to be doing. Thanks for sharing underwaterrhymes - that is all really helpful!!
Hi! Just following since I also failed and haven't had my dietician appointment yet to find out what I'm supposed to be doing. Thanks for sharing underwaterrhymes - that is all really helpful!!
You too? Did you have it last time?
Getting older sucks.
no! My doctor was shocked that I have it this time. I barely failed my 1 hour and then barely failed the two middle readings in the 3 hour. I'm super bummed but hope that my numbers are easily controlled and that I can still have some sweets.
Monitoring my blood sugar for a week showed I did not have GD but did show that certain foods (mainly gluten) and not pairing carbs with protein really spiked my blood sugar. I would look into keeping a food log, monitoring your sugars and see if you can determine if certain foods should be avoided.
Post by underwaterrhymes on Jul 27, 2015 10:22:04 GMT -5
Oh, and from a weight perspective - I had gained 20 pounds this pregnancy when I was diagnosed.
I haven't gained anything since then, and actually lost a pound last week. I'm pleased that my trajectory stopped once I was diagnosed.
I was maybe 3 pounds above where I wanted to be when I got pregnant, so I'm hopeful that the baby weight will be fairly easy to lose. (I gained 26 with my first and lost the first 20 really easily. The last 6 took a bit longer.)
I have GD too! I am within a normal BMI and I am 31 so I was really "wtf" about this but have since made my peace with it.
I have to test 7x a day. 1. fasting/ right when I wake up 2. 2 hours after breakfast (then eat a snack) 3. lunch 4. 2 hours after lunch (then eat a snack) 5. dinner 6. 2 hours after dinner 7. right before bed (then eat a snack)
Readings 1,3,5,7 need to be under 90. Readings 2,4, and 6, under 115
I have to keep a food log and keep under a certain carb number, and attempt to meet a protein number (which is hard considering how few carbs I have to work with).
Once a week I go to my MFM on top of my normal OBGYN and she downloads my tester and checks my logs for any spikes and to see if they were abnormal or if it was just something I ate.
I also receive a weekly U/S and have to sit on an NST (that started at like 35 weeks).
Last week my MFM doc noticed my morning readings were creeping up (without any diet changes) so she put me on a pill at night to help that one reading.
The key is to find things you like that are low carb but have protein that you like. I was miserable for a while, but I finally found things I really enjoyed and that made it easier.
underwaterrhymes thanks for all the information! I am 39, so pretty much in the same boat with having NST tests at 35 weeks (I'm at 30 weeks now). I told myself that if I developed any other symptom during this pregnancy (high blood pressure, etc) I would do RCS so that's disappointing but I think I'd rather just know. DS was almost a week late so it was unsure if I'd go by 40 weeks anyway.
Post by estrellita on Jul 27, 2015 12:37:46 GMT -5
I had GD. I freaked out at first because I had no idea what it all meant but I felt so much better after going to the nutritionist! I agree with it being a guessing game. Certain things were fine, but for me potatoes made my blood sugar spike even if I only had a little.
One thing that really helped me was eating protein with the carbs. If I ate mostly carbs, even if they were within my range, my numbers would still be higher than if I ate some protein with that meal. Also going for a walk after eating helped a lot.
I had NSTs done from 36 weeks on. Ended up having an ultrasound done at I think 38 weeks because the NST wasn't great and they wanted to check the fluid level. Ended up being fine and they did another ultrasound 2 days before he was born. E was a normal size (7lbs 5oz) and his blood sugars were normal. I admit I totally wasn't careful about what I ate after he was born and my blood sugar went back to normal afterwards.
Oh, and from a weight perspective - I had gained 20 pounds this pregnancy when I was diagnosed.
I haven't gained anything since then, and actually lost a pound last week. I'm pleased that my trajectory stopped once I was diagnosed.
I was maybe 3 pounds above where I wanted to be when I got pregnant, so I'm hopeful that the baby weight will be fairly easy to lose. (I gained 26 with my first and lost the first 20 really easily. The last 6 took a bit longer.)
I had gained 15-20 pounds before diagnosis (hard to tell when I was being weighed in winter clothes and boots at the beginning and sun dresses and flip flops this summer), since I have been monitored I lost 9 pounds. This freaks the nurses out who do my food monitor but I get an US every week and the baby is gaining as she should so the Dr isn't concerned at all. The nurses told me to be "less restrictive" as I have the discipline to not go overboard and I think I gained a pound back in the last 1.5weeks.
My director at work told me his wife walked out of the hospital weighing less than her pre-pregnancy weight which was her one bright side to the restrictive diet. She was diagnosed REALLY early though so I don't think she ever gained much.
I have to post & run, I'll try to write a longer reply later. I had GD with both kids, even though I had zero risk factors. The dietician will go over everything with you. How to use the lancets and meter, what foods you can eat, what numbers you have to stay below.
The #1 thing I can tell you is this: remember, this is TEMPORARY. Virtually all GD goes away when the baby's born. Yes you'll have a higher risk of developing regular diabetes later in life. But in all likelihood the diabetes will be gone one the baby is born. Yes, pricking your finger hurts. Dieting while pregnant sucks. Keeping a food journal sucks. But IT IS TEMPORARY. Baby will be here before you know it!