# Wanting to start a family, a little scared though



## Smit (Sep 18, 2009)

Hi, I am new to the site, often came on and read and finally decided to join. I have been type 1 diabetic for 25 years. I recently got married and we hope to start a family soon. The diabetic clinic have been asking me for the past few years to consider it. I am just worried about it all. Can anyone offer advise to pre pregnancy. How low was your blood levels? Was it hard to control? So many question. Thanks x x x


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## Steff (Sep 18, 2009)

hi there smit here is an old thread for you to look through x

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=2794&highlight=scared+pregnancy


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## Smit (Sep 20, 2009)

Thanks Steff, I will have a little look x x


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## Steff (Sep 20, 2009)

no problems smit.


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## Emmal31 (Sep 21, 2009)

Hi Smit,
I know how you feel, when I was diagnosed and they talked about how good your levels have to be before and during pregnancy I said i'll never be able to get those levels so i'll never be able to have children unless I adopt or something I got really quite scared about the whole situation I don't think the way I was talked to about diabetes and pregnancy was done very well. 

What has your Hba1c been like recently if you don't mind me asking. I was told i should be 6.5% before and during pregnancy. My blood sugar levels weren't that good before I found out i was pregnant but with testing my blood sugar more frequently and correction doses where needed and upping my lantus a couple of units I've managed to get it down to 6.4% which is the best level it's been since diagnosis. 

Found that from one week to the next I have had to change my lantus recently but it's not been too bad trying to keep on top of those rising sugar levels. I had one day a week ago where it was above 10 all day and I had to keep correcting but as soon as the latus had kicked in a couple of days later after upping it they were down in the 5's again. 

Good luck I hope that ramble helped a little if you've got any questions just ask and i'll try and help if I can 

Emma x


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## Smit (Sep 21, 2009)

Hi Emma,
Its so nice to speak to someone who understands. I have been diabetic 25 years this year. Nearly all my life. My hba1c runs from between 6.8 to 7.5. The last one been 7.3 i think. I have a hospital appointment in two weeks and been doing loads of exercise so hoping it's come down. The hospital said they were happy for us to try at 7, as really struggle when i get into the 6's. I hypo none stop and get hypo unawareness after a while. But want it to be a low as possible, before we go ahead. It's such a pain but does need to be thought out.

How are you getting on?


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## Twitchy (Sep 21, 2009)

Hi Smit!

I've had T1 for 30 yrs now, & was 28 when I had my son.  I'm currently 12 weeks pregnant and the two have been fairly different so far.  The advice your hospital have given you re  HbA1c sounds about the same as mine offered me...I would also recommend a booklet by diabetes uk, catchily titled something like "diabetes & pregnancy"... costs ?4 but very useful even before you start trying to conceive.    It tells you about things like the big dose of folic acid that diabetes need (ideally) to take for at least 3 months before trying to conceive...I went armed with my copy to the GP first time round, which was useful! (Saved a bit of arguing)

I'll tell you a little about my experiences so far...not meaning to scare or worry, just there are some things it might be useful to be aware of in advance!  Firstly, I have found that a diabetic pregnancy is darn hard work...although that might just be my dodgy body!  The only way I can maintain halfway decent levels whilst pregnant is by a fascist approach to diabetes - lots & lots of testing (4 times a day, if only!!) lots of correctives etc.  The first trimester can be difficult especially with morning sickness & the strains of pregnancy making smooth control a bit  more challenging... (this time round I had ketones for the first time since I was a teenager - very scary!).  I had really hoped to be on an insulin pump this time round to make control more precise (esp as I had dawn phenomenon prior to conceiving!) but we got pregnant a bit quicker than expected...and so I'm not allowed to go on a pump now in case I sue apparently...so what with lots of hypos & corrections, I've already put on 2 kilos, doh...So if you want a pump, get settled on one a good while before you want to start trying! 

With baby number 1 I was amazed that whilst in hospital I could not get food that I could carb count readily for main meals (eg the "diabetic meals" that you can get everywhere else in the hospital!), instead the trolley that they wheeled over to the maternity hospital daily had things like cottage pie etc, which I found hard to carb count - not normally an issue except the obstetrician had asked me to be especially careful carb counting so he could tell when/if my placenta started to fail (because my insulin reqts would plummet) & he deliver the baby promptly... so check out the food situation at your hospital well in advance! (I was admitted at 33 weeks!)

Anyway, although it was (& is again!) hard work, the results are well worth it - we have a lovely little boy (who was born at 34wks, not that you'd know it now!).  He's a wonderful incentive to keep on top of things again this time.  If you ever want to pm me please feel free...sorry I've rambled on!

All the best,

Twitchy


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## Emmal31 (Sep 30, 2009)

Smit said:


> Hi Emma,
> Its so nice to speak to someone who understands. I have been diabetic 25 years this year. Nearly all my life. My hba1c runs from between 6.8 to 7.5. The last one been 7.3 i think. I have a hospital appointment in two weeks and been doing loads of exercise so hoping it's come down. The hospital said they were happy for us to try at 7, as really struggle when i get into the 6's. I hypo none stop and get hypo unawareness after a while. But want it to be a low as possible, before we go ahead. It's such a pain but does need to be thought out.
> 
> How are you getting on?



Wow that's a long time I'm relatively a newbie to this diabetes lark I've only been diabetic since jan 08.That's good that your hospital team sound supportive and have said to you to try at a hba1c of 7. My last hba1c before getting pregnant was 6.9 and so far there have been no problems with the pregnancy i just had another hba1c and it's down to 6.4 now which is good and i'm really happy with that level. When is your next review/appointment are you seen every 3 months or so? 

Emma x


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## Smit (Oct 1, 2009)

Hi Emma,
Yeah had diabetes forever, or it feels like that sometimes lol. I get seen every 3 months at the hospital. They tried to see me every 6 but i prefer to be seen every 3, just incase. I've just found out i have been accepted on the Dafne course, so fingers crossed that will sort my levels. Hubby and I are thinking of just starting to try instead of waiting till next year. I'll keep you posted on the development.

How are you getting on?


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## Emmal31 (Oct 2, 2009)

Smit said:


> Hi Emma,
> Yeah had diabetes forever, or it feels like that sometimes lol. I get seen every 3 months at the hospital. They tried to see me every 6 but i prefer to be seen every 3, just incase. I've just found out i have been accepted on the Dafne course, so fingers crossed that will sort my levels. Hubby and I are thinking of just starting to try instead of waiting till next year. I'll keep you posted on the development.
> 
> How are you getting on?



Hi Smit,

That's brilliant news on the dafne course I did a similar course in jan this year which helped me a lot I'm glad i did it otherwise I don't think i'd be doing as well as I am now without that help and education. That's good that they see you every 3 months to keep on top of things. If they've given you the go ahead anyway then I think you should go for it fingers crossed that you've got some good news for us all soon 

Things aren't going so well with me my ratio's don't seem to be working anymore i'm getting quite down about it I had a blood sugar of 13 last night for no reason what so ever 

Emma x


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## Steff (Oct 4, 2009)

hi Smit congrats on being accepted on the DAFNE course x


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## Smit (Oct 5, 2009)

Thanks, really looking forward to trying it out and seeing if it can help me lower my sugars. Roll on January. x


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