# Newbie



## chilli (Apr 3, 2010)

Hi  Im 42 years old and expecting my 4th baby, im 29 weeks pregnant but this time i have developed gestational diabetes. im so worried and upset about this. i have been given a blood glucose meter to check my bloods 3 times a day. my dr decided at the hospital in less than a week to start me on metformin.i have been on them since wednesday night and yet my bloods are still up and down. he is threatening insulin if my bloods dont improve in two weeks. i really dont want to go onto insulin. i didnt think all my blood results where all high even though they were in the normal range, the dr still ringed around them.
i have tried to change my diet but it hasnt done much good.
What im hoping if someone can tell me, how long would it take for the metformin to start working?
Plus why is my blood so much higher in the mornings? I had a growth scan wednesday and the baby is spot on for dates still. im still worried about the baby though.

Another thing i want to question with the dr is why i am asked to test 1 hour after eating? where i have heard in a lot of places it's normally 2 hours after food?


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## smile4loubie (Apr 3, 2010)

Eat less carby foods like bread/pasta/potatoes, instead swap them for things like lentils etc, also if you do have bread/pasta/rice swap them for the brown stuff or granary bread if you can.  What are your levels like if you dont mind me asking?


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## Northerner (Apr 3, 2010)

Hi chilli, welcome to the forum  I think it will take a little time for the metformin to start helping you. From what others have said here blood sugar levels can go a bit crazy when pregnant. Don't think of insulin as a 'threat' - if it helps you control your levels then it is the right thing for you. It may be that you only need it until baby is born.


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## chilli (Apr 3, 2010)

Hi
I have replaced my breads with brown and granery and also cut sugar in my drinks to sweetner. i also dont eat chocolate or cakes, dont have fitzzy drink mostly water. i have cut portions of carbs to smaller portions.i cant really cut carbs like bread and past and potato altogether as i wouldnt know what to have that goes with my meals. when i have had potatoes or pasta my levels have been fairly good, i think bread might make it worse more than anything..

i will give eg of my levels over the last few days.

before food 
breakfast, 6.9, 7.2, 6.3
before lunch 5.7, 6.4, 6.1
before dinner 5.8, 4.8, 5.3

1 hour after food
breakfast 9.6, 11.1, 10.4
lunch 6.6,  6.6,  7.7
dinner 6.9, 7.1, 7.8

Im going to experiment and try to cut down the bread see if it helps. 

the other day i had pasta bolognaise and the reading was good. yet if i have brown bread toast with marmite its high..im so confused with all this.

Thanks for your help.

chilliXX


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## Emmal31 (Apr 3, 2010)

Hi Chilli,

Firstly congratulations on the pregnancy. When did you develop gestational diabetes in the pregnancy? Good news is that your near the end now so if you do get put onto insulin then it won't be for long with any luck. Also I'd say that doing the blood sugar test hurts more than injecting insulin does - injecting seems quite frightening at first but you do get used to it very quickly. Sorry I don't know anything about metformin.

I have a 2 month old and my last couple of growth scans showed that jessica was a little bigger than she should have been but she was only 8'10 when she was born I was worried she was going to be a lot bigger than that. When she was born she had trouble with her blood sugar levels (which is normal for baby's born to diabetic women) so she was in the nnu for 3 days on a glucose drip. I did feel like a bit of a fraud being there with all the tiny premature baby's and jessica was perfectly well compared with all them. 

All those levels are really good especially the one's you've taken an hour after meal times! Your doing really well, I didn't have levels any wear near as good as those at the end of my pregnancy so you should be so pleased with yourself.  It is normal to test 2 hours post meal it's what I did whilst I was pregnant to check that my levels were coming down nicely but there must be a reason why he wants you to do it an hour after perhaps because of the metformin. I'm sure your doctor has told you this but they usually like your levels during pregnancy to be between 4-7 mmols. 

Are you going to be induced at 38 weeks? All diabetic women are induced two weeks early to reduce the risks of still births. 

Emma xx


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## chilli (Apr 3, 2010)

Hi, i saw the diabetes consultant for the first time wedesday when he put me on the meds. i saw him literally for 2 minutes. he was in such a rush, i had no information about the birth or anything.i have to go back in 2 weeks to see how the blood are going. 
How big is the risk of still birth then?
i was also wondering if anyone can give me ideas for a snack before bedtime? because i read that waking fasting bloods can be helped with a snack before bed. my waking bloods are pretty high.


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## Emmal31 (Apr 3, 2010)

He really should have taken the time to explain things to you proprely even if he was busy. I was told to have a slice of bread and a glass of milk before bed at the end of the pregnancy. Waking blood sugar levels were always the worst of the days levels mine sometimes got into the 20's. I don't know the figures about still birth's in diabetic's but were at greater risk than other women which is why they iduce us early. I think if I were in your situation I would write down everything I wanted to know to make sure that when you get into the apponitment in two weeks time you remember what you want to say. Sorry I can't be more helpful I wish I could give you adivce about lowering your waking levels but your not on insulin like me. I would definately say that your not happy with your waking levels and see what he can do about them.


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## chilli (Apr 4, 2010)

Hi, im totally confued now..unless the meds have started to kick in since wed.

I have been sensible with food and eaten as good as possible and my readings were still on the high side.
today being easter i had turkey sandwich with white bread and few crisps and even a bit of cheese cake and yet my readings were within range.

chilliXX


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