Gestational Diabetes - Castro Valley,CA

L.
My step daughter had gestational diabetes with her last pregnancy. (Josiah is now 2 years old and was a very healthy baby at birth) We had a nutional blood anyalisis done and consulted with a doctor who was into health prevention. The first thing she had her get was OptiFlora a probiotic and had her increase her protein intake. There were a few other things she recommended, especially regarding diet, lots of greens, no tacos, stuff like that. But the bottom line was the next blood test she no longer had the gestational diabetes.

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All the best,
J.

I have a 4 month old and had gestational diabetes while pregnant. I had a pretty extreme case as I had to test my blood sugars daily and also had to take medication to lower my glucose levels. I never felt bad when I ate sugars/carbs, I don't think there is any correlation between feeling sick after eating such things, and having G.D.

The placenta is what makes a woman diabetic during the pregnancy. It really strains the body and forces your own body to keep sugar in your system longer in order to make it accessible to your fetus. So it's good to keep track of your sugar when you are pregnant even if you are not diabetic. I remained diabetic after my pregnancy (and no, I did not have it prior to pregnancy, but I did have PCOS which made GD that resolved to diabetes a very high likelihood.) My baby was born at 38 weeks and was 6 lbs 13.4 oz, 18.5 inches long. Her father is Chinese, so she was normal sized for a baby in his family and she was small for my family.

FYI, everyone in my "Sweet Expectations" pregnancy group reported feeling tired and cranky after eating sugar, although we were told by the nutritionist that this was weird. You should only feel really "sick" when your blood sugar gets too low. However, the two times my blood sugar got really low, I only felt sick once. I always felt more tired and crabby after eating too many carbs. Counting carbs is the way to go during pregnancy. If it's too little, you can always eat more, but what I'm about to outline is for GD.

I still eat this way most of the time:

My meal plan from my GD pregnancy

Breakfast 30g of carb (this was roughly 1 piece of high fiber toast with butter or cream cheese)and a small apple. I also usually ate a poached egg. If I had oatmeal, that was all my carbs for the breakfast, because I would put some nonfat milk in it. Milk has carbs. One serving of carbohydrate is usually 15g of carb.

snacks 2 hours after eating: turkey & cheese roll ups with fruit= 15g of carb or a half sandwich or half a whole wheat pita with cream cheese dip.

Lunch: 30g of carb. This was about 1 tablespoon of Hummus and carrots or 1/3 cup of beans and 1/3 cup of rice. I'd also eat steak or chicken and have a salad.

I tried to make my snacks that weren't main meals my "treat" times. I realized that I could have haagen dazs chocolate chocolate chip every so often, so that satisfied my chocolate urge (and taught me portion control for those little pints. One pint should last 8 servings at 15g snacks. It also had chocolate, fats and protein.) Sometimes I'd just have yogurt or a bowl of cherries.

I also found out which fast food items I could eat: mcd's double cheeseburger has only 30g of carbs, and 2 corn tortilla tacos from taco bell have exactly 30g of carb.

Dinner was similar to lunch, but you could have 45g of carb. So I could have more rice or beans or actually go out. However, if went to greek or mexican food, I skipped the rice altogether and asked for a box and put half the hummus or beans in right away and concentrated on eating mostly the protein and veggies.

If you're on insulin when you are prego, they make you eat a late night snack. It's good even if you're not because your liver kicks out more sugar when you are sleeping and GD women are always highest in the A.M. because the body interprets that stuff as "fasting". So eating a protein/sugar/fiber/fat snack before you actually brush your teeth and hit the bed is good for all pregnant women, as it keeps your blood sugar more stable. High fiber crackers and cheese is good; glass of milk and an oatmeal cookie is good; green salad with jicama and chopped chicken with a yogurt dressing is good; carrots and hummus or turkey cheese rollups are good as well.

I also liked eating natural peanut butter on apples, mayo with, artichokes and the weight watchers zero point soup with buttered high fiber toast.

The best way to eat a food that has carbohydrate is to mix it with fat and fiber or protein, it slows the blood sugar. All low glycemic index meals are combinations.

Anyway, portion control is always good, and keeping your sugar down is smart no matter how "normal" your pregnancy is.

good luck, congrats, and take care!!

I have never experienced gestational diabetes, but as a doula and student midwife I just want to encourage you to listen to your instincts. You are an experienced mom on your fourth pregnancy and although every pregnancy is different, no one knows your body as well as you do. If your intuition is talking to you, please listen. Our bodies and babies know so much! Cutting sugar and carbs and adding protein is a safe healthy diet for you and baby. If your dr and nurse won't listen consider talking to a nutritionist, some midwives will also do a diet and nutrition consultation. When I was apprenticing all of our clients kept a diet log for a week or so and brought it to an appointment for analysis to make sure they were getting everything they needed to feel great and grow healthy babies. It also was a great way to come up with new ideas to satisfy any cravings or areas where a mom may be lacking because of intolerances, sensitivities or concerns. Regardless of what blood test say (or don't say) maybe cutting sugar, carbs, etc., is what this baby needs. Congratulations and good luck. I hope you can ease your worries and enjoy this amazing time. Take care!

I had GD with both of my pregancies. My testings were not very high but I did feel tired after each meal. The sugar was higher toward the due date. Oatmeal (not those instant with high sugar content) is good for breakfast. Eating that does not yield high number for me. One thing that really help me was 15 minutes walk (outside or on the treadmill). From experience, it brings the sugar level down by 20 to 30. You will have to say good bye to pizza, rice, cereal, soda, fruit juice, cake, and soup for another 2 months. Protein, green vegies, al dente whole grain pasta, water, and nuts are your good friends right now :)
Good luck

T.

Demand a retest. In the mean time, eat less sugar. Better to be safe than sorry. It's a small price to pay for the gift you receive in return.

I am 4 weeks away from having baby #4. My doctor said I didn't need to do the DB test since I have no history and am having a c-section. Shortly after that I really started noticing I felt sick and tired, just over all ill after any suger and became worried about the sypmtoms being related to Diabetes. I have been able to link this to not enough water intake. I was also swelling a little bit, eye's burning. Talking to my doctor about this I discovered I wasn't drinking enough water. It's made all the difference although inconvient (SP?) ,Having to go to the bathroom all the time. Do you know that a womens body replaces the amniotic fluid every 3 hours?!!. When I learned that on the discovery health channels series Body In Numbers, I really started paying attention to this. The baby will get the fluid it needs from you one way or another which if your not drinking enough means it will start to effect your internal organs. Thus I believe that was making me sick from any suger and lack of water. Best wishes to you, R.

I think you should mention your condition and tell your doctor regarding the delay time when you were doing the glucose test.
I know it is the pain in the butt to do the 3 hrs. glucose testing again, but it's for the safety of your unborn baby. Best Wishes. Congrats to your new addition.

You need to go back and demand that they give you the test. It shouldn't matter how busy they are. The health of your baby, your health and piece of mind should be what matters.

Call the LAB today.

You'll feel better.
M.

Hi L.,

I am Type II Diabetic, and have had 4 children. I agree with the previous posting that you should see a nutritionist. A nutritionist can really tailor a meal plan that your body needs. We at times are our best medical help, because our bodies give off signals when things are off, even more so during pregnancy. A Diabetic eating plan is very healthy but, it too needs refining. Especially when you're finding your self sensitive to sugars and carbs, and everything we fuel our bodies has carbohydrates, or is converted into carbohydrates. It's important to have a nutritionist sit down and teach you what are the best sources of carbohydrates, and proteins for your body. It's not as general as the reccomended plan suggests. Their are fruits that are low sugar fruits (strawberries,blueberries,raspberries and blackberries)that's just naming a few of many. There are complex carbohydrates that your body needs such as potatoes (red, gold, sweet and/or yams, brown rice,couscous whole grain breads, whole grain wheat pasta, all of which break down slowly in your blood stream (not simple ones like crackers, tortillas,cereals, cookies,chips,etc. I learned that even though this is what the American Diabetes Association reccomended as their eating plan, it still had to be fine tuned for me personally. My body responded differently to foods that were listed as ok to eat for diabetics. It was comforting to know that I didn't have to give up carbs (which is not a healthy choice, and you don't have to) I just needed to choose better ones to fuel my body and my babies! It's worth the trip, it's worth getting to enjoy a healthy eating life style while your pregnant, and it's worth getting to enjoy your food and not be tormented by it! A little tweeking and changing, and I guarantee you and your baby will be happily eating again, and liking it! Notice I said don't cut out carbs all together? You do want to seriously lower and monitor extra sugar(simple carbs), which includes any and all sugary or processed foods, drinks. Whole foods are always best, and juices should be skipped all together, unless it's light! I hope this helps, and I hope you make an appointment to talk with a nutritionist. My last pregnancy was twins, and it was a roller coaster ride! Being a high risk pregnancy patient because of Diabetes and multiples caused me to realize early on that I had to listen to my body and my health care team all the way...with me trusting my instincts and my body, and their co-operation along the way, I gave birth to two beautiful and healthy little boys! Good luck, and let me know how you do along the way. I just know you're going to feel better, becasue I know I sure did!

A little about me:
I am a happily married stay at home mama to 4 beautiful boys ages 9,6, and twins that are 4. We are a homeschooling family, and I love having my boys with me during this critical time of learning in their lives! I love seeing them blossom, and I love being there for them with one on one attention!

Hi L..

I had gestational diabetes with all my pregnancies. It didn't matter if I ate sugar or not, I felt horrible and tired all the time. I don't think that your labs would be much affected by a 15 minute wait. The results aren't changed that much, usually. Plus, your other readings would have indicated diabetes if you did have it. I agree with the other posters that you should eat as if you did have diabetes. Lots of salads and fresh veggies, with some grilled chicken for protien is excellent. Snack on an ounce of hard cheese and a few wheat crackers. Drink lots and lots of water. When you eat fresh fruit, eat some protien with it and that might help you to feel better after the carb. I have to say that with each pregnancy I felt worse and that may have to do with age. I was 40 when I delivered my last one. It was a stuggle to get through the pregnancy, but my son is perfectly healthy and happy. (and by the way, even with gestational diabetes, my sons were only 6 pounders!) If you do have gestational diabetes, your baby can still be very healthy and you will feel much better after delivery. For your own peace of mind, insist you be tested again, but I think eating well will help your baby to be healthy at birth.

Please call the office nurse and tell her how you are feeling, so that you may be checked out again. Your body is telling you something, especially since you have had previous pregnancies that did not leave you feeling this way at 7 months. The lab work should be repeated, and you should look at your diet closely to make certain that you are getting the right balance of fat/carb/proteins. Good luck and keep us posted!

L.,

I have not had this problem but I wouldn't be surprised if your results were compromised because of the delay. I would call doctor today and make sure he has all of the info. Meanwhile, can you google symptoms of the condition and see what the recommendations are? Take care of yourself!

L.

L.,
Why don't you follow the diet recommendation for someone who DOES have GB? It will make you feel better. If your levels were fine after the hour mark then you wouldn't need insulin anyway even if you were slightly high. They would put you on a special diet. Follow that diet until your baby is born.
Good Luck,
D.

I had it during my last two pregnancies. My levels we way off, even if they drew blood a little late. But even still it was totally controlled by changing my diet much to everyone's surprise.

If I were you I'd go in for nutrition counseling. The biggies are staying away from milk & yogurts, fruits, except avacados, less "white" stuff, like bread, rice, potatoes, etc. More whole grains, like brown rice, true whole wheat bread. And as many veggies as you'd like. Nuts make great snacks. I found I was actually being urged to eat more that normal, but it was healtier as well, given all the veggies.

My last child was just shy of 10 pounds, so if you're feeling as you are, definitely get the counseling!

I am a type 1 diabetic and am 34 weks pregnant with my second child....I can tell you if your blood sugar level was elevated at all, it wouldn't drop significantly in 15 minutes. But it couldn't hurt to repeat the test. I can sympathize with not feeling well after eating sugar, refined or otherwise. Even with fruit and carbs, your body turns that into sugar and has to work a lot harder to break it down. I would request your doctor give you a glucometer so you can check your sugars, especially 2 hours after each meal and fasting in the a.m. That should tell you where you are and how it's affecting your baby. Fasting sugars I am told, should be around 60-80 and after meals below 120.
Good luck with everything and hope you feel better!
G.

L.-
I had GD with both of my pregnancies, for my girl in 2006 and now in July for my son. I think you should call your nurse ASAP and tell her about the delay and how you feel. Also, if you're stressing about it and you happen to have GD, stress raises your gloucose levels. I don't want to scare you, but it's about your baby right now, he/she will be the only affected one if your gloucose is not under control. I wish you nothing but good health and I hope your levels are normal like the lab said.

Hi L.,
You got a lot of responses so I hope you read this one!
I had the same exact symptoms - especially the feeling ill! I gained a ton of weight, really early - my doc said I looked fine. I had one spike in a test and did the 3 hour. I never got GD, but I was borderline, so they made me do an hour test every two weeks.
Here's the weird part for me...I was sooooo sick. Just felt horrible all the time, I went on the diabetic diet and *snap* after day three of sugar detox I felt GREAT! I was already 7 mo so I only had a little left to go, but if I had known that all I had to do was cut out sugar and that took the "morning" sickness away I would have paid $1000 for that info!
I couldn't eat fruit either, or else about an hour later -boom- sick on the couch, headache, stomach ache felt miserable and just ill.
I haven't met anyone else who felt the same. It's kinda cool to know that there really is a connection to the sugar and sick in someone else.
My baby is fine, he was large and still is. He is not diabetic at all.
By the way I freaked when I found out I had to do the diabetic diet...but I only gained 10lbs in the last trimester so that was a plus. I did a ton of reading and I found that women who breastfeed after having GD are way less as likely to get Diabetes later...there is something about bf that helps the body correct. Very cool.
Don't worry about the delayed draw. It makes very little difference. Honestly team with a nutritionist and go on a diabetic diet for the next few months and you and baby will have nothing to fear.
My favorite breakfast was a fried egg, 1 slice of cheese on whole grain toast, with a little hot sauce. It was filling and a really good way to start the day.

The main thing about your diet is to keep a balance of protein and carb. Always have protein with your meals, cheese, meat, dairy, beans...whatevery you can to keep the protien/carb ratio.

Good luck. And thanks for the post. It may sound crazy but I am so glad that I was not the only one to notice the illness with sugar. People looked at me like I was kookoo.
good luck.
feel free to email me if you have any questions! I can also give you my phone # if you need an ear.

I'm sorry to hear that. Looks like we both have 2 months to go....i took the 1 hour test and it came back a little elevated and was told to take the three hour test. Upon doing so two of my results came back slighty high and i met with a nutritionist and a nurse to show me how to check my blood sugar levels. With the new diet, I feel soooo much better. I didn't realize but I too was feeling tired and not great after certain sugars, carbs etc. There are very specific things you can do as far as your diet and the way/times you eat. One thing is that in the morning....do not consume and milk, yogurt, or fruit products. These contain high sugars and your metabolism is not running up to speed in the am to break it down. It raises your blood sugars high which affects the baby if done consistantly....protein and one carb preferred. Stay away from juice of any kind. Lots of sugars. Eat 3 meals and 3 small snacks a day all 3 hours apart. This keeps levels at a constant average level, opposed from high or low.

I too am was concerned about the size of my baby at this point and have asked my doctor. She advised me that she will measure the height of my uterus and if bigger than average we may go for an ultrasound to get a more accurate read on how big the baby is at this point. There is tons of damage that can occur with a baby that is too large for delivery....I'm sure you know that.

There is a ton more you can do to maintain a healthy diet so you can ensure that the baby does not get too big. Let me know if you want more information...

Hi L.,
I had gestational diabetes with my son. I was on the borderline of having it but I was still put on a restricted diet which helped a lot, once I got used to it. If you have concerns about your sugar intake, I would consult with a dietician, usually they have one through your medical practice. They can help you plan how many calories per day you should intake and how to manage the sugars. I discovered there are sugars in many things I wasn't aware of and that balancing what I ate at each meal was important, as was eating at regular intervals. I basically had 3 meals and 3 snacks a day, every 2-3 hours and did not eat after my evening snack. You should be able to solicit this information with or without the test coming back positive. If it's not positive then the dietician will probably not make a really restrictive diet, and it will help you to feel better. You'll have more information to make a decision about your diet. I also looked up "gestational diabetes diet" online and saw this link: http://chinese-school.netfirms.com/diabetes-gestational-d.... Hopefully this helps! Take care of yourself.

A.

Dear L.,
I had major issues during my pregnancy. I won't get into that. But, I was gaining weight like crazy and there just was no stopping me. I was the size at 3 months that I was when I gave birth to my daughter, full term. They sent me to the hospital lab to do the glucose tests and I really freaked out because they gave me that stuff to drink and it put me to sleep. They literally had to wake me up to get me to drink and take my blood draws. I thought...."This is a horrible sign...oh no....on top of everything else, please don't let me have gestational diabetes." I was so worried and upset because it seemed I literally couldn't handle the sugar. It seemed like a very bad sign.
But, to my amazement, it was a signal that my body WAS able to process the sugar. The lab and my doctor weren't concerned at all because my body did what it was supposed to do. It dealt with the sugar intake and a side affect was making me that tired.
Believe me....it seemed so backwards to me that I questioned it a bunch of times.
I never had diabetes and my son was born perfectly healthy.
I had a friend who had G.D. during both of her pregnancies, but she was pre-disposed as she was over-weight to begin with. I don't mean by just a little. And, sugar made her go crazy. She was bouncing off the walls.
She had to take insulin shots and have C-sections for both births. She decided not to put herself through that again and had her tubes tied. Even with all of that, her kids were born perfectly healthy....no diabetes.
You should talk to your doctor though, if even eating fruit makes you sleepy. It could be that your body is working too hard in the other direction. I don't know.
But, from what I know and experienced, being tired from sugar is not a sign of diabetes. Especially if your tests came out okay.
Best of wishes!

I had GD with my last pregnancy and will be testing again on Thurs for my current pregnancy. Have you asked your doctor to maybe do a 3 hour glucose test? I have to follow a strict diet and eat protiens whenever I eat fruits or carbs. If I eat fruit, carbs or dairy by themselves, I can feel my blood sugars get high. It is not really a nausea, just a yucky feeling. If you are corncerned, I would continue to pursue further testing with your doctor. Uncontrolled GD can affect the baby. Good luck and hope you enjoy a happy, healthy rest of your pregnancy.

I was fine with my first pregnancey and felt fine in the second until I was diagnosed wit gestational diabeties. Even times when I tested high, I usually felt okay. There were a few times I felt somewhat light-headed, so I tested and my levels were high. No cereal in the morning (which killed me)eating fruit instead of drinking fruit juice, using splenda instead of sugar, less carbs more protein and having more healthy snacks (like nuts, cheese, fruit, or yogart) throughout the day is what my dietician recommended to me. And of course drink lots of water. Honestly, I don't think 15 min would make much difference. I was required to document everything I ate and test my blood sugar level 4 times a day. If your levels were high, the 15 min would not have made a huge difference. Doctors say G.D. can cause babies to be large. I was told to stop gaining weight in my 7th month (what?) and my baby was going to be over 9lbs. based on measurements. Staying on the diet through delivery, I actually lost 6 lbs. myself. At birth my 2nd son weighed the same as my first son 7lbs 13 oz. They had me believing I was going to have this ginormous baby. As mothers we are naturally concerned and sometimes quite scared during pregnancy. Remember pregnancies are all different. Just because you feel different with this one versus your others doesn't mean something is wrong. If you still feel uneasy, then talk to your doctor. Hope all goes well.

Hi-
I had gestational diabetes (my daughter is now 3 1/2 months old). I never felt bad, even on the rare occasion that I did have sugar (cake at my shower etc.). I did the glucose test...many times(two 1-hr tests, then two 3-hr tests and just recently a 2-hr test to make sure the diabetes has not returned after giving birth), the blood draw was not always exactly on time, sometimes 5-10 min. late.
The only reason I knew something was wrong was because of the tests, I never felt bad (other than the regular pregancy pains/problems etc.). If you are worried though, go ahead and cut out the sugar, it can't hurt! Also, eat a snack or a meal every 3 hours and when you have carbs or fruit, make sure to have a little protein too.

I hope this helps.

Hi L.,

I had gestational diabetes - and to tell you the truth, I really don't think 15 minutes would have made that much of a difference in your sugar levels. Usually people with gestational diabetes aren't able to break down the sugars as easily, so 15 minutes wouldn't have been enough time for your sugar counts to be "normal" if you are in fact diabetic. If you are concerned about certain food that make you feel bad, just watch what you eat... Or eat smaller quantities of those foods. Good luck!

dear L.,
i had gestational diabetes while pregnant with my twins at age 40. it was the worst feeling in the world to be told that i could endanger my babies if i didn't watch what i ate. i was put on a diet! no cereal, bread, fruit...and of course no sweets what-so-ever. i did all that and my numbers where still too high. i ended up having to give myself insulin shots four times a day...ugh! it was painful and horrible.
the point of my story is: if they say you don't have it...be glad that you don't!!! hopefully, you are too far into your pregnancy to have any complications from it and i think the doctor would have been able to tell if the baby was getting too big or having any problems. you are probably having to take lots of tests because of your age...i was high risk, too. if certain foods make you feel bad, just don't eat them. stick with proteins...i'm sure you'll be fine. it could be that you are just borderline and that's why some food make you feel bad. good luck to you and your growing family!
by the way...i had two healthy babies! yeah!
your pal, L. s.

How did you feel at the time of the test. After they gave you the glucose did you start to feel sick then too? I had GD with my last pregnancy and I had taken the glucose and my husband (who had gone with me) left to do an errand and I started to feel sick. I thought I was going to pass out and was so sorry I had told him it was ok to leave. A couple days later they called me and told me I had GD. It was only a couple of points out of the range but didn't matter, I couldn't control it with diet and had to go on insulin for the rest of my pregnancy. I was also on a special diet that limited my carbs. It is best not to eat cereal for breakfast. They had me eating 5-6 times a day varying my carb grams throughout the day. Breakfast 20g, snack 15g, lunch 30g, snack 15g,dinner 40g and snack before bed 40g (for some reason I had to have a larger amount of carbs before bed) and this was good carbs like fruit. Low sugar stuff. Anyway you've gotten alot of advise but I would insist with your doctor that you get another test and then tell the lab tech what happened last time. Keep your own timer and a few minutes before you are due to have your blood drawn go up to the counter/receptionist and tell them that you need to have your blood drawn now because it is time sensitive. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Hi L.
I had Gestational Diabetes as did several of my family members and I had a professional career in Health Education before I had children and became a full-time Mom.

I don't want to alarm you at all, but I encourage you to be better safe than sorry. Regardless of what that one lab test shows, it is good that you're paying attention to how you're feeling when you eat sugars/carbs and how large you already are. I would suggest that you eat as if you have diabetes. It is a very healthy meal plan. Examples include: avoid regular sodas entirely, limit any juices to three servings per day (only 4 oz per serving), drink plenty of water. Avoid sugar. If you eat other carbs like whole fruit, three per day is fine (not all at one time). Rice, potatoes, beans, bread is also three servings per day (a serving size is about 1/2 cup or 1 slice). Veggies are great and there really is no limit. Protein is fine too - usually three servings per day. Moderation is the key.

There is also something called "sugar swings" where sometimes your sugar is really high and sometimes it is really low. It is hard to diagnose this, but you usually know that you just don't feel right. It is helpful to keep meals small and frequent to balance this.

I don't know if I helped you. But I hope the rest of your pregnancy goes smoothly. And congratulations on your new little one. What a blessing!

Hi! I had gestational diabetes w/ both my pregnancies and was diagnosed very early (family history) so never ate refined sugar, not sure how that would feel. But, I do know that when I took the tests they were VERY insistent that at the end of my hour (I also did the 3 hour test - so at the end of every hour for 3 hours) that I cut to the front of the line and get tested immediately. They told me that even if they were w/ a patient, that they would stop what they were doing and draw my blood.