Gestational Diabetes - anyone have it?

Hillbilly Housewife wrote: I think I might - I have a test on Thursday.

I just can`t seem to not gain any weight.... come ON. 39 pounds in 27 weeks? Sheesh.

I drink a lot of water, eat mostly healthy - with one or 2 meals in a week that aren`t as healthy as they should be...

and since I work with a lot of nurses sometimes I have my blood sugar level checked.... and the last time it was a 6.2 after 4 hours of eating 1/2 a club sandwich.

My doctor told me that they don`t get worried until it hits about 7.5 after 2 hours.... so he`s not worried - but if it went down to 6.2 after 2 extra hours - isn`t it a safe asumption that it would have been higer than 6.2 at the 2 hour mark?



I`m confused....

so what does it mean if I have gestational diabetes? Will I have to follow a special food diet?

A&A'smommy replied: I new a girl that had to take insulin during her pregnancy because of gestational diabetes. Anyway I think it depends on how bad it is

here is what I found Gestational diabetes and treatment

jacobsmama replied: Your weight gain could very well be from gestational diabetes. Are you measuring big?? Sometimes weight gain or measuring big are some key clues. Also if the baby is just growing bigger like ahead of schedule. You test will just be a screening drinking the drink and then the blood draw if that comes back abn you will probably have to do a 3 hour test that will tell if you are diabetic with preg or not. It is a good possiblity. Thirsty alot?? Family hx diabetes?? (only asking b/c i'm nurse and ask it alot to patients lol)

IF you do have GDM then you will have to moniter your bloodsugars 2-3 times a day before and after meals and proably see a dietician to help you with the weight gain b/c a big side effect is big babies. Don't fret until you know the outcome you will be fine.

Sarah&Mackenzie replied: My cousin had that and she had to watch what she ate and had to take her blood sugar level all the time. I believe she had to take shots too, but I can't remember. I hope you don't have it. Good Luck with the test!!

DansMom replied: Yes, I had it for my whole last trimester. I don't know how to interpret the Canadian measurements for this (the US uses numbers in the hundreds---my blood sugar was not supposed to measure more than 120 two hours after eating a meal). You might have your physical symptoms for other reasons or just be borderline. I had a lot of water retention/puffiness, but not that much weight gain. The diet they put you on is basically the South Beach diet! You have to have some carbs, but not exceeding 15 grams for snack and 30 grams for a meal. You really can't have juice at all or put sugar on things. You eat more protein and complex grains for better absorption. I felt dissatisfied by food most of the time, as I'm a huge carboloader by nature. I had to test my sugar thrice daily and keep a log, turning the log into a nutritionist every Monday so that they could see how I was doing. She once threatened to put me on insulin shots, but I was able to control my sugars with diet. Exercise also helps immensely in controlling diabetes, especially timing it about an hour after eating, but I found it pretty difficult to even move toward the end.

When Daniel was born they took a blood sample immediately---basically the baby gets used to high sugar levels and can have a big dip when it's no longer being supplied umbilically. Daniel went low, for sure, but not dangerously low. They worry also about babies getting too big to deliver. Daniel was 8 pounds---certainly not small, but not a record breaker.

Try not to worry about it---just cut back on the obvious sugars like OJ and see what the test reveals. It wasn't fun, but it's definitely manageable.

danahas4monkeys replied: I had gestational diabetes with my last 3 pgs it turned into type 2 diabetes after the last baby (family history) with babies 2 and 3 i just modified my diet and that kept things in check, with baby 4 i modified diet and took meds ( he was and still is a stubborn booger) hope everything goes ok for you!

dana

Hillbilly Housewife replied: Thanks all....

I hardly ever drink pop/soda - maybe the equivalent of 2 cans in a week
I drink only natural fruit juice - and I mix it half and half with water becuase I find it too strong....
I drink skim milk
I drink about 1.5 litres of water a day, sometimes more
I drink 1 coffee, and not every day

I don't have a lot of meat, and it's not every day... I eat a lot of salads - one every day at lunch time
I eat a lot of soups - a small bowl every lunch time
I don't have big dinners - usually, the plate is the size of my hand spread out - and the food is only in the middle of it.... so it's about 5 inches across.... and it's not full - I usually have some veggies and dip with it

Breakfasts usualy consisit of 2 toast with peanut butter, or a portion of rice krispies with skim milk - sometimes with a banana, or some porridge, with a bit of cinnamon sprinkled on it.

I really don't eat badly - I have the occasional fast food meal - but relaly no more than once or twice a month.... unless we`re on the road a lot, and we haven`t been travelling a lot since the end of june...

I really don't know how much healthier I can eat!!! I control my portion sizes - I snack on fresh fruit or veggies - sometimes a yogurt or some cheese if I'm not planning on eating meat... I don't eat dessert (grapes or yogurt are considered desert at our house) and I don't eat junk like chips, ice cream or cookies - and if I do, it's only a little bit....

DansMom replied: That sounds like a very healthy diet, indeed. What you'll find (if you get diagnosed and if you see a nutritionist) is that some of the very healthy foods we eat are also high in carbohydrates, getting turned to sugar very quickly by the body. I could eat a half bagel or one slice of bread---but two would send me over. Almost all fruit would tip the scales (a half banana or a very small banana I could get away with). A granola bar contained twice the number of carbs that I was allowed for a whole meal! Rice and potatos and pasta would send my sugars through the roof, but I did very well with oatmeal. Milk is in the sugar category and will also cause problems if you drink a glass. To make up for the lost calories in reducing carbs I had to eat more protein, like meat and cheese, and mostly veggies rather than fruit. It sounds like you would only need to make a few modifications to the milk/toast/fruit quantity you eat. But we're getting ahead of ourselves---you might test and be just fine, not having to do any of this.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: I hope so.... cuz I`'m not about to 'diet'....

I do eat potatoes every day though.... lol

mommy_loves_chase replied: they just did a test on me for it mostly cause it runs big in my family as far as knowing what they limit you too i dont know because i myself dont know for sure if i have it but if you do good luck to you

Lynda836 replied: I had to get a screen for gest diab as well because of wt gain and large fundal ht measurements. I was frustrated as well over the wt gain because I didn't think I was going overboard with my eating either. You're right about not dieting. Control for gestational db sometimes requires meds, but sometimes it's just diet. In general it's just a well balanced diet...food from all food groups at your meals...so try not to worry. Even diabetics eat potatoes. The other thing you might want to consider is your activity level. Early in my preg, I pulled a muscle and couldn't exercise....that's when I ended up putting on more wt than usual. Good luck with your test...and like someone else has mentioned...if you do find you have gest db...ask you dr to book you with a dietitian. They specialize in this stuff and would have the most up to date info.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: Thanks all for the replies... I haven`t really gained any more weight since then (only 1 pound... )

and in any case - I`m resigned... I just don`t CARE. If I want ice cream, I'll have ice cream...it just means I have to get my hubby to act like a hubby should that night...

toothytracie replied: I didn't have GD but I was very close to it. They were convinced I did though b/c I came back positive for it but I had just drank a Slush from Sonic b/c I didn't know I was being tested for it that week! I tried to convience them it was that and so I would have to take the 3hr test. I was told to drink/eat stuff with Splenda in it but I know different opinions about Splenda. If your says its ok, they have a ton of stuff on the market with Splenda in it. I was very thirsty all through my pregnancy b/c of my allergies and dry mouth and so that is why I had so much sugar intake since I only drinks cokes (usually caffeine free when I was pg!) and I HATE water!

Jaime replied: Yep i recently found out that i have it, actually just posted about it, lol its not that bad and it goes away after the baby is born, more then likely they will change your diet this way you wont have to go on insulin, they just told me no sweets and alil more exercise, things have been going well, and the doctor says if my blood sugar stays where its at then no insulin for me