# How much did you see a diabetes specialist mw?



## Monkey (May 25, 2012)

So, erm, I seem to be pregnant. Good news, but slightly terrifying at the same time.

Called my DSN team today and within the hour had a call from the diabetes specialist mw. She wants to see me in person on Monday, to book an early scan and check how things are, and has suggested some dose adjustments based on the last few days.

How frequently were you seen by a dsmw? I didn't see one at all last time, so am pleasantly surprised by her promptness.

(and, she was really keen when I mentioned I'd got an appointment about a pump in a couple of weeks - sounds promising!)


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## Northerner (May 25, 2012)

I've never seen a dsmw (for obvious reasons ), but wanted to wish you many congratulations!


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## Twitchy (May 25, 2012)

Wow - congrats Monkey!  

I was seen by the antenatal diabetic 'specialist' team sometimes as often as every 2 weeks (until I got utterly disillusioned & managed to slip the net for 6 weeks after one particularly stupid session!  I won't start to describe it as I will only rant lol...)  From what I've seen of the eye care bit at least Birmingham seems wonderfully more switched on than my end of the woods (there was/is only one doc I trusted & one wonderful Obs who had experience & sense it seemed!).  I think they tend to be (here at least) a bit more relaxed 2nd time round - like somehow you've got enough experience now to cover every eventuality lol.  

All the best - try & rest when you can! (I know, not easy...!) xx


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## RuthieG (May 25, 2012)

I have attended the diabetes/pregnancy clinic a total of 12 times so far (30 weeks - and bearing in mind I didn't know was pregnant for first 5 weeks or so) and each time I have seen the midwives plus the diabetes Doc and quite often the Obstretician too.

It is intense!

Congratulations Monkey


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## hyper-Suze (May 25, 2012)

Yeay....CONGRATULATIONS!!

I too haven't hear of a dsmw but there again I've never experienced this before so have nothing to compare it to. 
My 2 consultants have both asked the dsn to attend not only the pump clinic appointments with me but also for them to be present at the combi ante natal clinic, so I guess that maybe as close to a dsmw I may get!

How far are you? Great news!!!


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## Monkey (May 26, 2012)

hyper-Suze said:


> Yeay....CONGRATULATIONS!!
> 
> I too haven't hear of a dsmw but there again I've never experienced this before so have nothing to compare it to.
> My 2 consultants have both asked the dsn to attend not only the pump clinic appointments with me but also for them to be present at the combi ante natal clinic, so I guess that maybe as close to a dsmw I may get!
> ...



Thanks folks, that's all very interesting. I do think Birmingham are pretty hot on care, but I know last time the dsmw was so over stretched that I missed her altogether.

I know last time (I've got a son who's 3 in September) I was seen about fortnightly, sometimes a bit more and sometimes a bit less. 

Suze, by LMP I'm 6+1 but definitely less than that. More than 5+1, I'd guess. Any idea for you?


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## hyper-Suze (May 26, 2012)

My gosh, a new born and a 3-4yr old...you can't say you'll not be busy!!

It certainly sounds like your clinics are on the ball, hope I can compare my care with yours in the weeks to come so they don't miss anything important for me!

I have no idea really, what is the +1 for? My LMP started on 12 April so I think(I'm prob wrong) that I'm starting my 6th week?


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## Monkey (May 26, 2012)

hyper-Suze said:


> My gosh, a new born and a 3-4yr old...you can't say you'll not be busy!!
> 
> It certainly sounds like your clinics are on the ball, hope I can compare my care with yours in the weeks to come so they don't miss anything important for me!
> 
> I have no idea really, what is the +1 for? My LMP started on 12 April so I think(I'm prob wrong) that I'm starting my 6th week?



As weeks+days. That's generally how it'll get written in your notes.

My LMP was 13 April, so I reckon that makes you a day ahead of my - so 6+2. 

C'll be 3y 5m, all being well - hoping that'll be a manageable age gap. Gulp!


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## hyper-Suze (May 26, 2012)

Monkey said:


> As weeks+days. That's generally how it'll get written in your notes.
> 
> My LMP was 13 April, so I reckon that makes you a day ahead of my - so 6+2.
> 
> C'll be 3y 5m, all being well - hoping that'll be a manageable age gap. Gulp!



The gap sounds a good length, I have 8yr with my brother and it was far too much! 

Obvs don't have any other children but have a very jealous and overprotective border collie so I'm not sure how he'll accept a baby...

Thanks for help with the shorthand! I'm starting to get overwhelmed with everything now, so much to learn, so much to do ...


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## Babysaurus (May 27, 2012)

Congratulations Monkey! 
In Calderdale, I am yet to properly see a diabetes specialist midwife really. There is a midwife who deals with the diabetic patients at the hospital but her knowledge seems to be pretty limited, definitely far from being _specialist_ anyway.


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## Monkey (May 29, 2012)

Well, less than a week in and I've already seen the DSMW and had an eye appointment! 

In fairness, the eye appointment was already booked but it saves me having another first trimester assessment. He was very happy, and will see me again in 3 and 6 months.

The DSMW was good too, actually. Lots of filing in of the famous orange notes, checking I'd got glucagon (it was out of date...) and writing to my gp to insist he prescribes b-ketone strips, as he refuses to usually. 

She had a look at the last week and made a couple of suggestions, but was overall happy that I know what I'm doing with dose adjusting and the like. I quite liked her approach - very much 'we know what we do about pregnancy and diabetes, but you know your own diabetes better than we do'.

Anyone found any good solutions for battling waking highs? Nothing awful (two 7.somethings and one 8.) but all after going to bed at 5.8/6.0. I already split my lantus, and upping the evening dose just meant an overnight hypo. Wondering if I ought to try slightly higher evening dose and a small snack to get round it, or if there's anything else you found that worked. 

(only other alternative seems to be a couple of units of humalog at 5am, but I don't think I can face that just yet - too weary!)


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## hyper-Suze (May 29, 2012)

wow, I'm impressed!! I have my hospital one 13th and also my GP wants me to see their midwife next friday.

I am seeing my eye person(also already booked pre-pregnancy) in 26th June but this will only be a week or so before my second trimester so I am wondering whether I need to be seen while in this trimester, a quetsion I may have to ask...

Did I read previously that your team were looking at a pump for you during pregnancy, to be honest it has been the best thing to combat my weird noctural bg's!! (although a few nights where I did have to test every 2hrs in the night!), are you any closer to one?

Are you able to run your own experiment as to when the bg's creep up by testing at different times in the night, then you can look at the variables to change?


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## Monkey (May 30, 2012)

hyper-Suze said:


> wow, I'm impressed!! I have my hospital one 13th and also my GP wants me to see their midwife next friday.
> 
> I am seeing my eye person(also already booked pre-pregnancy) in 26th June but this will only be a week or so before my second trimester so I am wondering whether I need to be seen while in this trimester, a quetsion I may have to ask...
> 
> ...



I'd reckon the 26 June will be soon enough - fairly sure that with C, I was 14 or 15w before I had screening. Worth asking tho.

Yup, I've got a pump appointment on June 20th. The noises so far have been positive, so we'll see what happens. I do need to try a few tests later than 3am, because it seems to be that bit of the night that's a problem.

Hohum! How're you feeling generally?

Weirdly, had a lovely waking of 4.6 this morning. Few more of those, please!


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## hyper-Suze (May 30, 2012)

Monkey said:


> I'd reckon the 26 June will be soon enough - fairly sure that with C, I was 14 or 15w before I had screening. Worth asking tho.
> 
> Yup, I've got a pump appointment on June 20th. The noises so far have been positive, so we'll see what happens. I do need to try a few tests later than 3am, because it seems to be that bit of the night that's a problem.
> 
> ...



OK at the moment, I am having continual lows which my doc is trying to get up on the pump but being as hypos don't harm the baby and I'm not going lower than 3-3.3's then I don't really want to raise my bg's coz I know they will then spiral higher than needed. 

In general, ok, cream crackered and feeling sick, nearly chucked up while leaving the house this morn so I have a 'sick' bag on my passenger chair...just in case! LOL!!

Having weird swollen feet by 5pm but I am figuring this isn't to do with the pregnancy as I thought swollenness is associated towards the end of the gestation? Maybe it is just the hot weather or I'm not moving around to circulate my blood enough!

Fingers crossed you get some good fasting readings, I tend to wake up in the 5's so I'm chuffed at that!


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## Monkey (May 31, 2012)

hyper-Suze said:


> OK at the moment, I am having continual lows which my doc is trying to get up on the pump but being as hypos don't harm the baby and I'm not going lower than 3-3.3's then I don't really want to raise my bg's coz I know they will then spiral higher than needed.
> 
> In general, ok, cream crackered and feeling sick, nearly chucked up while leaving the house this morn so I have a 'sick' bag on my passenger chair...just in case! LOL!!
> 
> ...



It's such a battle, isn't it?  - getting the balance between not being constantly on the verge of hypo, but not running high. I drive a fair bit too, so need to be extra careful about that.

Not sure about feet, I'd put money on weather rather than pregnancy tho. 

Had my viability scan appointment thro today, and it's June 12th. Should make me somewhere between 7 and 8 weeks, so hopefully enough to see something.


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