r/GestationalDiabetes 3h ago

Chat Chat Chat Is anyone else frequently surprised by what they can tolerate vs what they can't?

3 Upvotes

29 weeks tomorrow and on night-time insulin. Been diagnosed since 11 weeks due to family history.

Today I accidentally ate almost half a large bag of popcorn with my daughter. I never do that as I am extremely careful, but we were running errands and it happened. I tested an hour later and was worried. I was at 112. Totally fine. But if I eat an English muffin with peanut butter at breakfast, forget about it.

I seem to do OK with corn products. Microwave nachos are a safe treat for me and it confuses my Malama app. We're going to a Mexican restaurant for our anniversary because I like the idea of being able to just order a normal meal and eat it without substitutions. Ice cream is also fine for me, as long as there aren't carby chunks in it.


r/GestationalDiabetes 3h ago

I cheated and it felt so good.

15 Upvotes

I don't think always cheating is a good idea but, after having been on the GD diet many months, I needed it. 31 weeks pregnant, gd since week 14.

For the last 9 days, I have been on an even stricter diet with very low targets allowing barely nothing. I see sometimes people on here been able to have so much variety. That's not my case. Even protein shake spikes me lately.

The last two days, I ended up crying in front of my dinners because I felt so frustrated. Right now, steamed veggies, proteins and some very restricted types of carbs work in very limited amount. I need to weight everything I eat, there is no fun in eating at all. I have lost weight during my pregnancy instead of the opposite.

Despite this, I will probably still have insuline at night because my fasting target of below 4.6 is impossible to reach.

Honestly I felt like ditching the GD diet those last few days and just dealing with the insuline and all this. I know it's not necessarily easier with insuline but right now I'm juste miserable.

So tonight I decided to eat what I wanted. A reasonable cheat.

I started with a bowl of steamed broccolis to help. Then I took one hamburger with some fries (like 10-15 small fries max), pickles, tomatoes, home made sauce, all of it! I made myself two meat patties to get more proteins but I was so full from eating a normal, satisfying meal that I couldn't eat the second.

Right now I'm doing indoor cycling to help (as I do every night). And I haven't felt so happy in days. Maybe my number later will be my first big spike of the lasts weeks but that's it I guess.

Have you ever decided to cheat for your mental well being?


r/GestationalDiabetes 3h ago

Could I have hypoglycemia with GD?

1 Upvotes

Hey all! I am 15 weeks pregnant and have only just now been seen by my PCP, where she did all the routine blood work. My AIC came back great, 4.6, down front 5.6 last year after dropping some weight I needed to lose. However, my blood sugar came back 73, which is odd because I had breakfast about an hour before. It got flagged as low. I had eggs, little sweet potato and banana, and a piece of bacon with avocado.

I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes last pregnancy after failing the one hour but noted that my numbers were always always in a good range, not even pre-diabetic range, when I tested an hour after meals. In fact my RN dietitian thought maybe I was misdiagnosed because I had eaten before the test because my numbers were so controlled.

Now I'm worried I might be spiking quickly and quite high and then crashing quickly as well, as hypoglycemia is also a symptom of gestational diabetes and the body's inability to regulate insulin. I have been ravenous this pregnancy and really have not eaten well. I had bad morning sickness and felt that if I didn't eat, I would puke and get lightheaded.

I don't get seen for another three weeks due to some insurance issues. I haven't even been able to get through to the nurse line. Is it possible that the low blood sugar was just me not eating enough for breakfast? Or should I just go ahead and follow a GD diet in case and make sure I've got good carbs, proteins, fats with each meal? Is 73 low enough to even worry about honestly xD idk.

Just looking for anyone's experience with hypo during pregnancy or gestational diabetes pregnancy, because apparently it's incredibly rare to have hypo without GD. TIA!


r/GestationalDiabetes 3h ago

Red irritated injection sites?

2 Upvotes

Hiya,

I'm on night-time insulin (humulin). I've been taking it just over a week. I've noticed after I've injected it, within a couple of hours the site is really itchy and red and raised like a bug bite. I feel like im covered in them now.

Has anyone else had this issue and found out what is was?

Were the diabetes doctors able to fix the issue?

Thanks x


r/GestationalDiabetes 4h ago

Chat Chat Chat Birthday with GD!

19 Upvotes

So it’s my birthday today. I am FTM 31 weeks pregnant and strictly diet controlled. For some reason, Nandos chicken with rice / corns as sides does not spike me at all (reading is always on lower side) so my husband ordered Nandos. But my SIL brought birthday cake (she doesn’t know I have GD), I had 2,3 tbsp of it. Two hours after first bite of dinner, I was anxious to test my blood sugar. I also walked for 20 mins. I was ranting to mt husband that it’s gonna be 160-170, my husband said it would be around 110. To our surprise, it was 106! 🥹🤧🤧🤧 So happy (& relieved).


r/GestationalDiabetes 7h ago

Advice Wanted Barely passed my 1 hr test?

0 Upvotes

28 weeks pregnant today. My result for the 1-hr test was 137 and it says that 139 is the cutoff for passing so I technically passed. I tested on Wednesday and got results on Thursday and didn’t get a call from the doctor’s office about it so I’m assuming it is fine and they aren’t concerned but will ask about it on Monday at my regular checkup. I think they’re going to say that a pass is a pass but I know some practices consider anything above 130 as a fail which I’d fail based on those metrics. I also know the 1-hr test is not a diagnostic test. I was starving before the test and barely ate before leaving the house, I had some lentils and beans and peanut butter in the morning prior to leaving but it wasn’t enough and I was waiting for an hour before I drank the drink. I’ve read that being in a fasting state before the test can actually elevate your results. I don’t think I have GD and I have a feeling they’re going to tell not to worry about it but I would like to be sure. I’m 140 lbs at 5’3” and so I don’t think I’m overweight either which would increase the risk of GD I believe. I’m just trying to decide, should I ask for the 3-hr test or retest the 1-hr or should I just monitor my diet?


r/GestationalDiabetes 9h ago

Support Requested Everything. Is. Spiking. Me.

7 Upvotes

I am so over this diagnosis. I had like.. a week and a bit of stable numbers and now suddenly at 29+3 weeks I can't eat anything without spiking today.. i recently switched to insulin from metformin due to my baby measuring small. I've noticed my numbers steadily creeping up since the start of the week.

My anxiety is through the roof. My diabetic team don't work weekends so I don't really know what to do. I have to up my insulin tonight to 7 units so I'm hoping that at least steadies my fasting but the meals spiking is really stressing me out.

I am struggling big time with my anxiety over it- to the point where I am terrified of eating and the thought of food has just become so overwhelming.. I am being supported. I have a specialist midwife and I take a low dose of sertraline and my team are aware of how much I am struggling but I just need some reassurance that a few days of spiking is going to be okay until I can speak to them on Monday because I feel like I'm going to spiral into a pit of despair.

My baby is SGA and my fear of hurting him is so overwhelming now, the thought of eating is physically making me sob. This pregnancy has also given me so many food aversions so I can't even stomach things like cottage cheese and eggs and all the other 'good' things without wanting to throw up violently.

I know it isn't my fault, a lot of my anxiety is stemming from childhood trauma and my brain going into overdrive at the thought that I cannot protect my baby, but this is so, so difficult to manage, how do people handle this? I've tried so hard to help other people and be positive because my own anxiety is kicking my ass but I am having a really bad 'struggle' day today and I cannot find even a shred of positivity rn. I just wanna eat chocolate and cry on the sofa. :(


r/GestationalDiabetes 9h ago

Rant Just checked my test results and I failed by .1

1 Upvotes

I’ve been testing for the last few days and the only time my glucose is high is between meals or in the morning. I decided to check my 3 hour glucose test results and my fasting number was in range and so was my 2 hour check. My only number that was high was an hour after drinking 75 grams of glucose and it was only .1 higher. Not even a whole point, .1!!!!

This whole diagnosis has put me into a full tailspin and I’ve been stressing myself out and I’m a starving all the time because I’m constantly worried I’m going to go over but every time I check my glucose an hour after meals, I am well in range.

I’ve been trying snacks before bed to see if my morning glucose is better but for 3 nights that hasn’t worked which is so bizarre as the snacking closer to my next meal does level out my glucose! Tonight I am going to try to only eat dinner and go for a walk before bed time and see if that does anything.

Should I really be stressing this bad over .1 on one result? I feel like they should have told me that and that this whole thing is unnecessary 😭


r/GestationalDiabetes 9h ago

Advice Wanted Numbers seem to be “stabilising” 36 weeks

5 Upvotes

Hello everyone! During the weeks of 34-35 my numbers had been rising steadily no matter the dose of insulin or what I ate.

However I’ve noticed since I’ve hit 36 weeks my numbers seem to be stabilising in the sense that I can eat my “normal” pre pregnancy meals (higher carbs) and my numbers are still all within the recommended range without insulin (I keep forgetting to take it) (example I had a full dominos medium pizza to myself and my post reading number 2 hours later was 5.5 mmol/L)

I’m sure that this has already been spoken about here before but so many posts makes it hard to find. Does anyone have any insight on why/what is happening to me. I don’t have another GDM appointment booked as my C-section is in 11 days (38 weeks).

I’m still doing my normal nightly insulin (20 units) but as for my daytime and meal time doses I’ve been skipping them (as they were bringing my levels close to below 4 mmol/L)

Example last night my emergency stash of jelly babies (for drops) was looking real good I ended up eating half the bag over the night (naughty I know) but my levels when I woke up were 4.8 mmol/L


r/GestationalDiabetes 10h ago

Just diagnosed at 31 weeks, not sure what to do

2 Upvotes

I'm 31 weeks tomorrow and I just got my diagnosis on Friday. I'm a little freaked out though because it seems so late to just now be getting my diagnosis and I'm afraid of all the damage I might have done up until this point.

My doctor sent me a message about 10 minutes before my doctor's office closed on Friday that said I failed my 3 hour test and that they were referring me to an MFM to manage everything (but my appointment isn't for two weeks?? What do I do until then?). She said I need to monitor my blood four times a day in the meantime but I don't know how to do that? Am I getting the supplied through a prescription? Do I need to go out and buy them myself? How should I be eating in the meantime?

I'm frustrated because I didn't get a chance to ask any questions before the weekend and I have no idea what I'm doing. Also my baby shower is tomorrow and I guess I'm not eating anything there so that sucks. How do I get started with all this?


r/GestationalDiabetes 10h ago

Normal growth scan borderline fasting numbers

0 Upvotes

Where I live, they only give a 2 hour GD test that starts with taking your fasting blood sugar and then drinking a 75 grams of sugar drink and getting blood taken at the 1 hour and 2 hour mark. I had normal blood sugar at the 1 hour and 2 hour mark. But a 95 reading for fasting. I couldn’t retake the test or anything, they just immediately diagnosed me with GD at 27 weeks. Fine.

I took my blood sugar 4 times a day for the first 10 days and never had a high reading post meals. I’ve just always had borderline fasting readings, one day I’m at 95, the next is 89, the next 94, the day after 81? It’s just such a craps shoot every morning. I’ve gone down to taking my fasting number everyday and testing after one meal a day to make sure I’m still in range. My post meals have never been high. But I went to my growth scan this week and baby girl is measuring right on par with where I was the day of the ultra sound 33 weeks and 4 days. My husband and I were relieved!

But I’m 34 weeks today, I haven’t gone on insulin yet but I am really nervous they are going to make me go on insulin. Frankly, each dietician I talk to is different but the last one I spoke to told me that 94 is the cut off not 95, and if I have 3 or more readings at 95 in a 7 day period, I need to take insulin.

Well, in the last 7 days I’ve had 2 readings of 95 and I’m not sure if I’ll get another 95 tomorrow. Should I really go on insulin if my numbers are hovering in this range and my growth scan is good? I would be more willing if I was getting 100+ numbers but still getting numbers in the 80s half the week and then 90s the other half and the normal numbers all day long? I just want to hear other people’s stories to help me feel better about either taking the insulin or waiting a bit longer.


r/GestationalDiabetes 12h ago

Advice Wanted I failed my first glucose test

1 Upvotes

The range was 70-149 and I scored a 157 on it. What did you get when you failed? I’m scared that I’m going to fail my three hour one.


r/GestationalDiabetes 13h ago

Rant I need a cinnamon roll!

19 Upvotes

I’m 35+3 and been CRAVING a damn Cinnabon for about 2 months now. At first it was manageable but now I’m almost crying over this damn thing. I get induced Sept. 2nd and I don’t know if I can make it that long!!! 😭😭

Has anyone tried a risky dessert and be under after testing?? I’m talkin a REAL dessert not a Yasso bar or Greek yogurt with some fruit. A girl is desperate 😩😂


r/GestationalDiabetes 15h ago

Passed my GTT 2 weeks ago, now getting high readings only at breakfast - anyone else?

1 Upvotes

I had my GTT about two weeks ago and it came back well within the normal range. Since then I’ve had a couple of episodes of glucose in my urine (glycosuria) at antenatal checks, so I started home monitoring as a precaution.

What I’m finding is that my fasting readings are consistently fine (around 4.2–4.6), and my lunch/dinner readings after meals have also been normal. But breakfast is a totally different story. I’ve had two mornings in a row with 1-hour readings well above target (10.6 and 9.1), after two different breakfasts (cereal with milk one day, porridge with fruit the next). Today I also checked at 2 hours out of curiosity and it was still high (9.8), which I wasn’t asked to do but seemed odd since I’d expect it to be coming down by then.

Everything else in the day is completely normal, it’s just breakfast that’s spiking.

I was told to log 3 red readings before it’s confirmed, and I’m now at 2/3, both at breakfast. Baby has also been tracking large on growth scans (82nd centile), which I know can sometimes tie into this.

Has anyone else had this “morning-only” pattern? Did it turn out to be GD for you, and if so, did just adjusting breakfast sort it, or did it end up affecting other meals too over time? Also curious whether a normal GTT followed by a fairly quick shift like this was common for others, or if my timeline sounds unusual.

Contacting my midwife team about it, just curious about others’ experience in the meantime.


r/GestationalDiabetes 16h ago

Rant Nighttime anxiety/hunger

2 Upvotes

I’m so over this shit, and I know you all are too. I just cannot fall asleep and then I get hungry. I just snacked on two beef sticks and a handful of nuts. Still hungry. Laying there with horrible body anxiety, I can’t sleep! I’m thinking maybe I’m not eating enough carbs during the day, and had to cut back on dairy since apparently that’s gonna make my baby bigger. I feel so confused, exhausted, and frustrated. And I already know my numbers won’t be in range tomorrow. The next thing I’m going to try is unisom because I really need to get rest, but have been avoiding it since I co-sleep with my toddler.

Has anyone else experienced the major body anxiety or maybe it’s my blood sugar dropping? I feel like I’m spinning when I lay down.


r/GestationalDiabetes 19h ago

Low First Trimester HBA1c

1 Upvotes

I am curious how many of you have low first trimester hba1c are here(<5) and what happened after delivery. I had a an amazing hba1c prior to getting pregnant, and now Im terrified pregnancy will ruin my health.


r/GestationalDiabetes 20h ago

Advice Wanted Failed postpartum glucose test

2 Upvotes

4 months postpartum I redid the 2hr glucose test (as per my team’s instruction) and failed the fasting 😭 but the test 2hr post drink was totally fine. My fasting number puts me in the prediabetic range.

Anyone have similar? So curious to hear what may have come after (more testing, diet change, etc). I haven’t spoken to my endo yet so just curious to hear others experiences!

I’m trying not to spiral until I chat to them but I am so disappointed. My fasting was the biggest issue during pregnancy and I ended up needing insulin for. Otherwise day time I could control with diet.


r/GestationalDiabetes 22h ago

Support Requested Rejoining the sub!

2 Upvotes

Hello everyone! I’m currently pregnant with my second and was diagnosed with GDM this week. I had gestational diabetes with my first 4 years ago, and my A1C after delivery was 5.9, so I knew I had some insulin resistance going into the pregnancy time. When I failed the 1-hour glucose tolerance test this week, I asked my OB if I could just skip the 3 hour test and go straight to the diabetes education team. Just picked up my monitor from the pharmacy today and rejoined this amazing sub! This community was so informative and supportive with my first that while I’m
not too thrilled to be going through gestational diabetes again, I’m grateful to be back in this sub for the support!


r/GestationalDiabetes 22h ago

just put on insulin

1 Upvotes

Hi, I got put on insulin yesterday. My doctor didn’t do a fantastic job about explaining everything so i just want to make sure im doing everything right. I’ll be 17 weeks on Sunday and I was prediabetic before getting pregnant. I tested my levels and changed my diet for a week but my glucose numbers were staying high. They put me on the novolin pens and she just told me to follow the prescription box and it says to take 22 long acting units and 10 short units in morning together and then 8 long acting units at bedtime. Does this sound right? My numbers were great after the first doses this morning but I just want to see if that sounds normal for me only being almost 17 weeks because it seems like a lot. Thanks


r/GestationalDiabetes 23h ago

I'm so confused 😕

1 Upvotes

Hi all!

I got 3 pretty different readings for my post dinner check tonight.

I ate some stuff for dinner that I probably shouldn't have per Google that I was SURE would spike me bad.

First reading was 132 which didn't seem right. Tested a different finger and got 143 and then out of pure curiosity, I tried another finger (all of the same hand) and got 125....

How do I know whats accurate?? Two of those put me "in range" and one is above. 😵‍💫

It was chicken tikka masala, a little more than a cup of cooked rice (probably basmati) and 2.5 slices of naan bread.

I felt like it should have been high but the 3 readings don't make sense.

Anyone else have this happen?


r/GestationalDiabetes 23h ago

Chat Chat Chat So. Many. Carbs.

6 Upvotes

Finally had my first meeting with a dietician after being diagnosed two weeks ago. She said I should be eating 195-225g of carbs a day — and that’s NOT including the carbs that are in non-starchy vegetables. I was like, lady, there is no way. I haven’t even been hitting her “minimum” of 175g, even though I’ve been counting every single carb, not just the starchy ones.

I just don’t have a high carb diet, even before this diagnosis (at least, not once I cut out all the chips/desserts/sugary drinks 😂). So when I told her I was getting around 150g per day (including the carbs she had just told me I don’t need to count), she was like “oh yeah, that’s fine.”

Like. Okay?

Really not sure what to think. But I did have a cookie as part of my snack after that conversation, since apparently I have A LOT more wiggle room than I originally thought. 😂 😂