# Been diagnosed with gestational Diabetes



## sweetna786 (Jul 8, 2022)

Hi everyone I’ve just been told I have gestational diabetes. Feeling sad about it to be honest. Also I feel I have a good diet in general. I’m not sure what caused it. Could it be possible there’s a mix up at the hospital?


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## Drummer (Jul 8, 2022)

Many of us - particularly type 2s - had been on what is called a 'good diet' but we have no ability to deal with carbohydrates in the quantity outlined. Changing to more protein and fat turned things around for us.
I am constantly told how bad it is to eat meat, fish cheese and eggs - yet without them I would be doomed to ever increasing illness and decay.


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## sweetna786 (Jul 8, 2022)

Drummer said:


> Many of us - particularly type 2s - had been on what is called a 'good diet' but we have no ability to deal with carbohydrates in the quantity outlined. Changing to more protein and fat turned things around for us.
> I am constantly told how bad it is to eat meat, fish cheese and eggs - yet without them I would be doomed to ever increasing illness and decay.


I’ve been told to have more vegetables and salad and have healthy carbs. So instead of white potato have sweet potato and instead of white bread have wholemeal or seed bread. I have started to work towards this but I don’t feel like I have diabetes. I don’t have no symptoms. I feel maybe they got it wrong.


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## Drummer (Jul 8, 2022)

sweetna786 said:


> I’ve been told to have more vegetables and salad and have healthy carbs. So instead of white potato have sweet potato and instead of white bread have wholemeal or seed bread. I have started to work towards this but I don’t feel like I have diabetes. I don’t have no symptoms. I feel maybe they got it wrong.


I can't see how that advice would be guaranteed to help you - 'healthy' carbs - according to my testing, are still carbs and have almost exactly the same ability to increase glucose levels. Sweet potatoes actually have more carbs than the ordinary ones.
I eat what I think of as healthy carbs, but they are low carb, green salad, a tomato, celery, beetroot with coleslaw some grated cheese and boiled eggs will be dinner tonight. 
It might be more effective in your case to reduce intake of those heavy carb foods and replace them with lower ones - I set a limit of 10 percent carbohydrate content for all foods. I was a full blown type 2 at diagnosis though, and have controlled it with diet only since then. If you test your blood glucose levels after eating and try to keep your level 2 hours after starting to eat to a normal level, if that is what you have ben advised by the HCP dealing with your diabetes.


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## sweetna786 (Jul 8, 2022)

Drummer said:


> I can't see how that advice would be guaranteed to help you - 'healthy' carbs - according to my testing, are still carbs and have almost exactly the same ability to increase glucose levels. Sweet potatoes actually have more carbs than the ordinary ones.
> I eat what I think of as healthy carbs, but they are low carb, green salad, a tomato, celery, beetroot with coleslaw some grated cheese and boiled eggs will be dinner tonight.
> It might be more effective in your case to reduce intake of those heavy carb foods and replace them with lower ones - I set a limit of 10 percent carbohydrate content for all foods. I was a full blown type 2 at diagnosis though, and have controlled it with diet only since then. If you test your blood glucose levels after eating and try to keep your level 2 hours after starting to eat to a normal level, if that is what you have ben advised by the HCP dealing with your diabetes.


Thanks I will definitely try and do that. I only found out yesterday. So will take me a while to figure out what I need to change. I just checked my sugar level 1 hour after eating and it’s 2.3. So now it has gone low. Is that something to worry about? Seems pretty low


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## Leadinglights (Jul 8, 2022)

sweetna786 said:


> Thanks I will definitely try and do that. I only found out yesterday. So will take me a while to figure out what I need to change. I just checked my sugar level 1 hour after eating and it’s 2.3. So now it has gone low. Is that something to worry about? Seems pretty low


That does seem very low and would usually be thought of as low blood glucose (hypo) in somebody taking insulin. the normal range to expect would be 4-7mmol/l before meals and less that 8.5 mmol/l 2 hours after meals so your level is really too low for comfort so you should eat something with some carbs, a small can of full sugar coke or orange juice to bring your level up quickly and then have a cracker with some cheese. 
I would be worth taking to your diabetic nurse or midwife if you get such low level again.


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## Drummer (Jul 8, 2022)

sweetna786 said:


> Thanks I will definitely try and do that. I only found out yesterday. So will take me a while to figure out what I need to change. I just checked my sugar level 1 hour after eating and it’s 2.3. So now it has gone low. Is that something to worry about? Seems pretty low


Indeed it is low - so you have a meter and test strips to check your blood - and the lancet too.


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## trophywench (Jul 8, 2022)

How many months or weeks pregnant are you?


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## sweetna786 (Jul 8, 2022)

Leadinglights said:


> That does seem very low and would usually be thought of as low blood glucose (hypo) in somebody taking insulin. the normal range to expect would be 4-7mmol/l before meals and less that 8.5 mmol/l 2 hours after meals so your level is really too low for comfort so you should eat something with some carbs, a small can of full sugar coke or orange juice to bring your level up quickly and then have a cracker with some cheese.
> I would be worth taking to your diabetic nurse or midwife if you get such low level again.


Yes I thought so. Thank you. I will contact them tomorrow if it happens again. I have this app where I record my data and the diabetes team has access to the record.


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## Inka (Jul 8, 2022)

sweetna786 said:


> I’ve been told to have more vegetables and salad and have healthy carbs. So instead of white potato have sweet potato and instead of white bread have wholemeal or seed bread. I have started to work towards this but I don’t feel like I have diabetes. I don’t have no symptoms. I feel maybe they got it wrong.



Do you know the result of the test that got you diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes? The number has been lowered recently so it picks up more cases.

How often are you testing your blood sugar? You mention sweet potato, etc, have you seen a dietician or just been given leaflets? There’s nothing wrong with sweet potato and it’s more blood sugar friendly than white potato. Have you been given an idea of how many carbs to eat a day?


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## Inka (Jul 8, 2022)

Drummer said:


> Many of us - particularly type 2s - had been on what is called a 'good diet' but we have no ability to deal with carbohydrates in the quantity outlined. Changing to more protein and fat turned things around for us.
> I am constantly told how bad it is to eat meat, fish cheese and eggs - yet without them I would be doomed to ever increasing illness and decay.



Illness and decay? Stop scare-mongering about carbs. I’m sure @sweetna786 ’s pregnancy team know more than you about the appropriate diet.


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## sweetna786 (Jul 8, 2022)

Inka said:


> Illness and decay? Stop scare-mongering about carbs. I’m sure @sweetna786 ’s pregnancy team know more than you about the appropriate diet.


Thanks. Yes they have discuses diet plans and what to avoid and how to portion control.


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## sweetna786 (Jul 8, 2022)

Inka said:


> Do you know the result of the test that got you diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes? The number has been lowered recently so it picks up more cases.
> 
> How often are you testing your blood sugar? You mention sweet potato, etc, have you seen a dietician or just been given leaflets? There’s nothing wrong with sweet potato and it’s more blood sugar friendly than white potato. Have you been given an idea of how many carbs to eat a day?


I don’t know the exact figure. I think it was 8.0 but then after was 7.3 then 5 and now 2.3. I have to check 4 times daily. Once before breakfast. Then an hour after breakfast lunch and dinner.  Yes a handful of carbs rest veg and salad and protein


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## Drummer (Jul 9, 2022)

Inka said:


> Illness and decay? Stop scare-mongering about carbs. I’m sure @sweetna786 ’s pregnancy team know more than you about the appropriate diet.


I describe getting off the high carb diet as like coming up for air - I was pretty miserable and not doing very well at all by the time I was diagnosed. 

Having had two babies and a couple more pregnancies I know very well the difference between being pregnant the first time and eating unrestricted low carb foods and feeling marvellous, and the other times.

The test meter will be a really useful thing for sweetna to be able to check how foods affect her - but that oddly low reading is very puzzling - if eating the diet as advised - to see 5 and then 2.3 really needs to be reported and discussed because they are unexpected


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## sweetna786 (Jul 9, 2022)

Drummer said:


> I describe getting off the high carb diet as like coming up for air - I was pretty miserable and not doing very well at all by the time I was diagnosed.
> 
> Having had two babies and a couple more pregnancies I know very well the difference between being pregnant the first time and eating unrestricted low carb foods and feeling marvellous, and the other times.
> 
> The test meter will be a really useful thing for sweetna to be able to check how foods affect her - but that oddly low reading is very puzzling - if eating the diet as advised - to see 5 and then 2.3 really needs to be reported and discussed because they are unexpected


It is a difficult time to be honest but I will get through it. I will speak with the diabetes team and discuss why this has happened. And how to control it I guess. Xx


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## Drummer (Jul 9, 2022)

sweetna786 said:


> It is a difficult time to be honest but I will get through it. I will speak with the diabetes team and discuss why this has happened. And how to control it I guess. Xx


At least they found out for you, so you know there is something to be dealt with.
The 1980s was not exactly the dark ages, but I never had anything but a urine dip test - even much later at diagnosis with a Hba1c of 91, I never had any indication of sugar in the urine in over a month of testing. 
Even with pre - eclampsia, I was supposed to eat more carbs so my advice to avoid any sort of potato or bread comes from bitter experience. I do hope all goes well for you.


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## sweetna786 (Jul 9, 2022)

Drummer said:


> At least they found out for you, so you know there is something to be dealt with.
> The 1980s was not exactly the dark ages, but I never had anything but a urine dip test - even much later at diagnosis with a Hba1c of 91, I never had any indication of sugar in the urine in over a month of testing.
> Even with pre - eclampsia, I was supposed to eat more carbs so my advice to avoid any sort of potato or bread comes from bitter experience. I do hope all goes well for you.


Yes that’s true things are a lot more advanced and now I can manage it which is a good thing. Thank you. I hope so too.


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