Failed my 3 hour..... need some advice of what to expect!

So I just got the call I failed my 3 hour. My doctor didn't say anything about numbers, and he said he wasn't rushing me to start on insulin or anything, but I am scheduled now to see a dietitian and have to start using a machine to monitor my blood sugar... All this on top of my blood pressure that I monitor and am on medication for. I just feel like everything that could go wrong this pregnancy has. Pity party for one over here right now.

My DH doesn't understand at all and tells me its my fault since I eat horribly (which I don't) and not care of myself... I am only 26 weeks so it will be a long 14 weeks.

I don't get any appts. until next week, so I want to prepare myself for what to expect.

TIA!

Message edited 12/8/2011 2:28:25 PM.

Re: Failed my 3 hour..... need some advice of what to expect!

I dont have any advice that could help you since i know zero about the topic, but the thing that bothers me most is the fact that your dh is being unsupportive of you... How dare he act like that at a time when you need him the most... I'd be furious!!! I hope he "gets it" soon...

Re: Failed my 3 hour..... need some advice of what to expect!

I dont have any advice just sending you some and the 14 weeks will fly by!!!

Like the pp said thats not nice of your dh to basically be blaming you for having gd. Your stressed enough having it and failing the 3 hour and then to have him blame you on top of it is not cool. Im sorry

Re: Failed my 3 hour..... need some advice of what to expect!

No advice, just

Re: Failed my 3 hour..... need some advice of what to expect!

Posted by chmlengr


My DH doesn't understand at all and tells me its my fault since I eat horribly (which I don't) and not care of myself... I am only 26 weeks so it will be a long 14 weeks.

TIA!

Re: Failed my 3 hour..... need some advice of what to expect!

I failed my 3 hour with my 2nd pregnancy. Honestly, it was not that bad. I actually LIKED the diet and it completely helped me learn how to eat; as a matter of fact, I incorporate the idea of the eating plan into my everyday diet to this day (this was over 2 years ago). I hardly gained any weight, an added bonus. As far as the monitoring, yes it was a big pain in the butt. I hated doing it, but it just became 2nd nature. I was lucky in that my numbers were always super low, and I barely failed the glucose test, but enough to put me in the category of the gestational diabetes.

As the previous poster said, it can be controlled by diet alone. And this is NOT your fault - I workout, and even worked out while pregnant, didn't overeat and still failed the test. It has nothing to do with how you eat, it is how your body breaks down the sugar. When you're pregnant, the hormones take over, hence the reason why many women who have zero diabetic issues can get it while pregnant.

Do not worry, you will be fine! Feel free to PM if you have questions - I do not come on here very often. Good luck!!

Message edited 12/8/2011 4:48:00 PM.

Re: Failed my 3 hour..... need some advice of what to expect!

I had gestational diabetes with my pregnancy with Emily. I never needed insulin or any type of oral meds. We controlled it with diet. Of course Emily still was a 9lb 10 oz baby but ultimately my numbers were usually pretty good just according to my diet. There were times when I was bad and ate ice cream and cheesecake (hey, we took our honeymoon while we were pregnant!) and those days my numbers were higher.

They will prescribe you a glucose meter. It is a little meter that fits in the palm of your hand. You will prick the tip of your finger (you can use any finger, really you can prick almost anywehre) and take a tiny drop of blood that goes on the test strip. The meter will tell you your blood sugar.

You will do this in the AM when yo uwake up before you eat anything (fasting blood sugar level) and also about an hour after each main meal that you eat.

I believe they will want your fasting to be below 90 and your after a meal to be below 120 but don't quote me on that. I was pregnant with Emily 6.5 years ago now and I have pregnancy brain really bad now!

Anyway...i had to keep track of my 4 numbers a day on a spreadsheet that they gave me and I had to fax it to my nutritionist at the end of each month. She was always satisfied with my number ranges and OK with me continuing to control it with diet alone.

Re: Failed my 3 hour..... need some advice of what to expect!

As far as controlling it with diet, I remember that she went over a whole bunch of foods and talked about possible meal suggestions iwth me. She told me which friuts would send my blood sugar sky high and were off limits, and what kind of carbs and grains to try to choose. For example, whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, stuff like that. Limited sweets like cookies, ice cream, and when you do have a sweet for a snack try and have it with some protien as well.

Your dietician will give you an idea as far as how many carbs you should have at each meal and snack according to your caloric needs. It may be something like no more then 15 carbs for snacks, 20 for breakfast, 30-35 for lunch, and 40-45 for dinner, but everyone gets different numbers for that.

We will probably be in this gestational diabetes thing together. I am having my 1- hour on Monday but I am 99% positive that I will have it. I had it with Emily and once you've had it, it increases your odds to 80% with subsequent pregnancies. So we can bounce ideas off of eachother once I'm officially diagnoses.

Lightupourlife/Bonnie had GD and she was a helpful resourse to me when I was first pregnant and asking questions.

Let me know if you need anything, HTH!
Melissa

Re: Failed my 3 hour..... need some advice of what to expect!

Posted by BaseballWidow

Posted by chmlengr


My DH doesn't understand at all and tells me its my fault since I eat horribly (which I don't) and not care of myself... I am only 26 weeks so it will be a long 14 weeks.

TIA!

Tell DH both issues have to do with your placenta and it is not your fault! It won't be too bad, I was able to manage it with diet alone and a lot of ppl can. GL!

Re: Failed my 3 hour..... need some advice of what to expect!

Melissa,

Thank you so much, your explanations and such were just what I was looking for! My OB went over it pretty fast with me while I was on the phone, and I was still trying to digest the fact that I actually failed that I didn't really listen. I see my OB again on Tuesday to get all my Rxs and then on Thursday I see the Nutritionist. Then I go Friday back to Madonna to learn how to test and use the machine and then a week later, another appt. with the doc there to go over my first set of weekly numbers. It just seems overwhelming, so much so fast..... I am sure once it becomes routine, I will have no issues. I take my blood pressure several times a day and record that as well, and this should be too hard to do as well.

Thank you again! Good Luck to you!!

Re: Failed my 3 hour..... need some advice of what to expect!

I have GD, I was diagnosed at 30 weeks. Unfortunately I am one of the ones that could not control it with diet alone am cuurently on insulin 4 x a day. It sound like however that will not be you. As the PP's have said it becomes second nature to test your blood. I've found that using the sides of the fingers instead of the pads is better, especially if you're on a computer a lot.
Good luck ! and the next 14 weeks will fly..I thought these would be the longest 10 weeks for me and they are flying now (even with the extra shots that I have to do with insulin).

Re: Failed my 3 hour..... need some advice of what to expect!

Posted by Aubreysmommy

I have GD, I was diagnosed at 30 weeks. Unfortunately I am one of the ones that could not control it with diet alone am cuurently on insulin 4 x a day. It sound like however that will not be you. As the PP's have said it becomes second nature to test your blood. I've found that using the sides of the fingers instead of the pads is better, especially if you're on a computer a lot.
Good luck ! and the next 14 weeks will fly..I thought these would be the longest 10 weeks for me and they are flying now (even with the extra shots that I have to do with insulin).

Re: Failed my 3 hour..... need some advice of what to expect!

Posted by chmlengr

Posted by Aubreysmommy

I have GD, I was diagnosed at 30 weeks. Unfortunately I am one of the ones that could not control it with diet alone am cuurently on insulin 4 x a day. It sound like however that will not be you. As the PP's have said it becomes second nature to test your blood. I've found that using the sides of the fingers instead of the pads is better, especially if you're on a computer a lot.
Good luck ! and the next 14 weeks will fly..I thought these would be the longest 10 weeks for me and they are flying now (even with the extra shots that I have to do with insulin).

Thanks!

Did you try to control it with diet first, or did you go right to insulin shots?? I'm just wondering if I will be. I'm petrified of having to do insulin shots (and my brother has been diabetic since we were 16 so I've been around the shots and needles forever!).