12-24 weeks pregnant (part 4)

euronorris · 9 February 2016 at 10:44AM

Khal - Try not to worry. Everything I've read about gestational diabetes says that it's very manageable, and women who are already diabetic get pregnant and have healthy babies all the time.

Like you said, gotta try and keep that blood pressure down.

Good luck with the scan today, and appointment tomorrow. I'm sure it will be fine, and tomorrow's apt will hopefully give you some more answers and guidance on how to move forward. (HUGS)

AFM, I rested yesterday and am back at work today. I only sit at a desk anyway, and would stress out about my workload if sat at home. I've decided to get a home BP monitor at lunchtime so I can keep an eye on it every couple of days. My office is moving on Friday, and I'll be walking to and from the new place so I'll be getting some gentle exercise every day as well, which I read is good for reducing blood pressure.

Positive thinking and all that. I hope everyone else is doing OK xx

pigpen · 9 February 2016 at 11:12AM

khal327 wrote: »

Hey guys

I know i shouldnt be in this forum but i dont know which one to move on to. Im 27 weeks and just a couple days ago i found out i have gestational diabetes. I cant stop crying and i am so scared. I do understand its my hormones but everytime i see my readings above 7.8 i just start crying and now really worried about my blood pressure too. My pregnancy has been so smooth up to now. Maybe im still in shock as im not overweight and have no family history either. I know being asian has a risk. I have a scan tomorrow (i pray everything is normal) and i have my 3hr appointment with dietician day after. I have been trying to search the web for the right things to eat but keep going round in circles:sad:

7.8 is a perfectly average reading, are you testing before you eat? usually you start to feel hungry at about 5.. anything under 9 is normal and under 4 is low and you need food, if you test about 20 minutes after eating you may be about 12 but it will drop as soon as the insulin kicks in.. if it gets to high teens that is when it becomes an issue!! If blood sugar gets high (15+) or you are unwell you need to check for ketones as well.. these are present in everyone first thing in a morning because the liver produces them when it keeps your blood sugar stable over night.. They usually give you urine sticks for this.. its not scary it is just finding a routine that works for you!

I've dealt with my sons diabetes for 5 years and it is perfectly managable and as has already been pointed out people with diabetes have babies all the time.. you will be having monthly scans to check baby isn't getting big and they will induce if necessary.. there really is absolutely nothing to worry about.. just be careful with your eating habits... but really noone should be eating a huge gateaux

and it will all be fine.. it is just the initial shock and you will soon settle into a routine and it will become normal.

As for 'right things to eat' ... food is the right thing to eat! .. avoid sugary things, cake, sweets, and what we call crazy carbs.. pasta and pizza... send your blood sugar very high very quick then we get a big crash.. foods like brown bread, whole grain cereals are best, they have less sugar but slow release carbs so you dont get the high and crash. All veggies are good.. fruits have fructose which is of course sugar so you need to be mindful with those. I have a fabulous app on my phone called 'carbs and cals' it tells you how many carbs are in a portion of many foods, including sweets and mini eggs (my fave pic!) it is excellent and has been our life saver!

If I can help in any way please shout.. but you will be absolutely fine.. this is daily life for thousands of people and for many it won't ever go away.

I cant believe they sent you away with so little information!!

Try this site.. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Enjoy-food/Food-and-diabetes/I-have-gestational-diabetes/

And I'm unwell yet again.. sore throat and a wibbly tummy.. I spent the night on the loo where the cat sneezed in my eye.. then the toddler sneezed in my other eye when I got back in bed.. I do think I should just be shot to put me out of my misery lol.. When OH gets back from college he is on dinner duty and I'm off to bed.. I feel dreadful.

khal327 · 10 February 2016 at 9:16AM

wow pigpen thank you so much for taking time out to write all that out. I feel much better today. I have to test 4 times a day, morning , 1hr after breakfast, 1hr after lunch and 1hr after dinner. My original reading after i drank the glucose mixture was 8.9, which is why they want me to start monitoring it. The fasting one was 4.8 which was fine. I have been doing my readings for past couple days and the highest has been 9.0 when i ate jacket patato, beans n cheese (no butter). Im starting to understand the crazy carbs. Im struggling to find what fruits are good for you. I was told pears are too sugary for me. If you could help me out that would be great. I really appreciate your time. Thanks
Btw hope you are feeling better today. You made me chuckle about your cat:rotfl:

Euronorris and moneypenny21 thanks for your comments. The more people i speak to, someone always knows someone who has had gestational diabetes. It does terrify me if i need to go on to tablets or insulin. This definitely came as a shock to me but feeling better today. I was concerned i wasnt able to get my diet right and I would stop eating and have a really small baby. But thats why i am going to a dietician on Thursday. Atleast i wont have loads of weight to shift after i have given birth. Being a ftm i always wanted to try natural birth but if its not meant to be it will never happen i guess.
Euronorris my mum has high blood pressure and takes recordings at home. She does 3 at one time to get a average reading. I think she does it every few days just to keep a eye on it but she is also on tablets. If you have time try n go to aqua aerobics. That is suppose to be really calming. Im going to look in to it myself.

euronorris · 10 February 2016 at 9:30AM

Thanks Khal. I'm glad you're feeling a bit better about things today also.

I got my home BP monitor, and it was still elevated last night, but is back in the normal range this morning. So am hoping it stays that way.

pigpen · 10 February 2016 at 9:31AM

I don't quite understand why they have you testing an hour after meals .. that is when your blood sugar will be at its highest..

A fasting blood of 4.8 is perfectly normal (for reference I checked mine .. 4.7 having not eaten since 11pm it is 4.2 when I tested last time many months ago).. I wouldn't say you had any kind of diabetes based on those results.. 9.0 an hour after eating a jacket potato with beans is perfect.. just where it should be.. (butter is carb free so fine .. beans however have 15.5g of carbs per 100g thats 1/4 of a big tin.. so a full tin would be 62g)

A fasting blood of over 10 would indicate diabetes.. 4.8 is absolutely spot on. I'd be asking for a second opinion from someone who actually knows what they are talking about!

Plus gestational diabetes doesnt usually occur until after 28 weeks which is why they don't test until 24 weeks as a general rule.

OMG... I'm so boring haha.. is this what my life has come to.. knowing how many carbs are in baked beans and what blood glucose readings should be?

pigpen · 10 February 2016 at 9:45AM

a small pear (100g approx) is 10g of carbs .. by comparison grapes are 15g per 100g.. many people use these to treat a hypo! .. bananas are also around 15g per 100g.. pears are one of the better fruits you can eat.. you really need to speak to someone who knows what they are talking about because you have been give an absolute pile of rubbish advice!

I did just double check those quantities on my app.. don't want to be misleading you unlike the medical staff!
( I highly recommend the app .. http://www.carbsandcals.com/ there is a book too but obviously that doesnt get daily updates!)

fruit wise..

apple 100g weight ~ 11g carbs
banana 100g ~ 15
grapes 100g ~ 15g
pear 100g ~ 10g
pineapple 100g ~ 10g
orange/satsuma 100g ~ 6g
mango 100g ~ 15g
strawberries 100g ~ 6g

I'm more than happy to look up other stuff if you want.. it takes seconds!

rinroo · 10 February 2016 at 10:03AM

Morning,

Just had a call from the midwife asking me to go to the antenatal clinic as they need to repeat my blood work apparently it has come back inconclusive? I also have a high white blood cell count. I refuse to google what it means.

I'm seeing the midwife for my 16 week app a week today so I've managed to convince them to let my midwife retake the blood.

Feeling more like my normal self as the week progresses.

good_vibes · 10 February 2016 at 10:43AM

Hi ladies,
Had my Consultant appointment at last yesterday at last. Got there and ended up seeing 2!!
Of them a endocrine Consultant because of my recent thyroid test that has come back as hypothyroidism. Was a bit shock as never had a problem. I was started on thyroxine by the IVF clinic back in Aug last year. Not because my levels were high (2.9), because they like the levels to be on the lower end for treatment.
Was advised by the IVF clinic to have all the way through treatment and pregnancy.
They came back yesterday a 4.5!!!!

The Consultant asked me if I had been feeling extremely tired or put on loads of weight.
Said I had been feel about the same and it's difficult to tell because doing shift work (nights/days) I always feel tired. I have had no weight gain, in fact I have lost weight.
I explained I had lost nearly 3 stone since July last year due to slimming world and for treatment (I still follow slimming world, the midwife is happy with this).
Beause of this he wants a glucose tolerance test and has increase my hypothyroidism.
Cue more tests and appointments. Which I am glad am being seen to at last. Was referred in Dec.
Baby had no look in and no checks, they seemed happy as is.

No Bump here just still looks like I had a good Christmas. Think I am getting flutters.
17W 6D

pigpen · 10 February 2016 at 11:44AM

rinroo high white count means you may have just been ill or be fighting off an infection.. it doesnt mean anything bad at all!... just that your body is doing what it is supposed to be doing! Inconclusive may also mean they dropped it on the floor or it clotted or was unusable for some of the tests they were doing for some other reason.. it is very rarely bad news when you get called backed for these things.

euronorris · 10 February 2016 at 1:46PM

Cor, we're all going through it at the moment with extra tests etc. I'm so glad we have each other to talk to about it and support each other.

Rinroo, as Pigpen said, white blood cells usually indicate an infection. Most likely culprit in pregnancy is a UTI, so I wouldn't worry. Easily and quickly treated

12-24 weeks pregnant (part 4)

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