Gestational Diabetes

[Dawn]

I had gestational diabetes with my last son and was put on the put on a diabetic diet which included a bag of peanut m & m's at night and a pill I believe called glucaphage or something along that line (it's been 4 years ago). I am afraid I will have gestational diabetes with this child since I know I am INsulin Resistant.

I am curious and please excuse my ignorance, but do diabetics follow the same Atkins program or is there a special Atkins program for diabetics?

Dawn

[Coop2004]

It's one and the same diet, Dawn.

The medication, glucophage (also referred to as metformin) is the best medication you can be on. It was also recommended by Dr. A.

Best wishes and keep us informed!!

:hug :hug

Linda

[Dawn]

Linda, thank you soooo much! Now looking back on what I was eating on the Amercian Diabetes Association diet, I can understand why I was having such a hard time with my blood sugar. I was eating regular bread and candy and refined sugar and everything else that is bad in this world! LOL I wonder how it would ever help someone regulate their blood sugar.

Dawn

[Coop2004]

Linda, thank you soooo much! Now looking back on what I was eating on the Amercian Diabetes Association diet, I can understand why I was having such a hard time with my blood sugar. I was eating regular bread and candy and refined sugar and everything else that is bad in this world! LOL I wonder how it would ever help someone regulate their blood sugar.

Dawn

Amazing, isn't it, Dawn!!

Linda

[canuck]

ya Dawn, same same as they say in Thailand.....glucophage......did it do the trick before???......alot now use insulin an can now use a puffer and no injections, key is too keep weight down and baby weight down,( normal) if bg ride a tad high baby will be bigger and bigger babies with moms with diabetes have more risk to become diabetic, they also don’t get as good oxygen flow due to high bg, according to latest research.

Is glucophage ok for preg, thought it wasn’t and that’s why most moms go on insulin, at least around here they do, did you read about glocophage????Is it ok in first trimester, most arnt????I didn’t look it up, just wondering out loud????

My nieces all go on insulin when preg so have normal bg, insulin is a normal hormone we all make,and less risk to unborn, are the BG normal now, you may want to get a meter and check every morning and two hs after eat rather than just wait and go for a test, as they can show normal in am when go to doctor and can miss it.

Lots of health complications to unborn when mom has hi bg and lots of post natal problems for babies of moms with high bg so try as hard as can to keep bg under 6.1 that’s about 110.

Keep us informed and boy goodonya for being proactive.

You may find now too with lesser body weight that you wont get it, I would stay low carb and not induction, but using tons of veg, salads, fruits, etc etc.........I mean who needs breads and cakes and pasta, as soon as I ate off program when I was in Cambodia I ballooned up ten lbs quick quick quick….how many varbs per day is doc suggesting, I know if they tell you AD diet its about 300 to 400 gr a day.OUCH!!!

If don’t want to do Atkins……. as you know it ……….can read the diabetic book he has out and do it, it much more general(oatmeal every day) and could give you higher bg though as its for people at normal weight.
:hug

[RunAwayMichelle]

I follow the same Atkins plan without any modification. I am on extended induction and when I'm not cheating my blood sugar is under excellent control with less medication then before Atkins.

My doctor would prefer I followed a glycemic index diet but I'm not willing to try something new when this is working.

If you are worried about your blood sugar I suggest you get a glucometer. You can get them from most drugstores if you watch for a sale you can usually get them for very pretty cheap. I've seen $65.00 glucometers on sale for $15 or less. They put them on sale to get you to buy the test strips which are about $1 each :yikes But you can test your blood sugar yourself and make sure you are in the normal range. Big drugstores may also have a diabetic trainer who will teach you how to use the device and how to interpret the readings.

I hope this helps a little. I also hope your time on the WOL will prevent diabetes with this baby.

[canuck]

Dawn talk to your doc as aktins also reports that women with this tendancy can sometimes prevent it with about 30m of vit b 6, that is also known to sotp morning sickness, but talk to doc first before taking any drug or vit.
Also about 20 to 40 % become diabetic later in life and so try avoid it all costs.

[Dawn]

I will be tested for Gestational Diabetes at five months during my second trimester. I was a "test patient" for glucophage and its use in pregnancy! I was monitored very closely and had blood taken ALL THE TIME! LOL It did help with my blood sugar levels, though I did struggle with level in the mornings for some reason. The rest of the day was fine, but mornings were bad. Exercise also seemed to help.

Part of my deciding to lose this weight is because I knew if I didn't I would have type 2 diabetes.

I will ask about the B6. Thanks so much!

Dawn

[2big4mysize]

Dawn since you have been Atkinsing for over a yr you should have improved your insulin and should have cured your insulin resistance while eating low carb. SInc eyou are doing a low carb preg you should be able to avoid gestational diabetus. But good thing the doc is ontop of your program. I really wish all our preg mommies to be were doiung as well controlling their eating as you.

[canuck]

well I have always found being part of a study you get the best medical care as are followed up more closely so that’s a 'good thing'.....they use puffer insulin for many yrs now in the metabolic clinic I go too for preg mommies alot,ya I agree with 2big, it may not even be an issue anymore. Atkins says birth control pills and pregnancy depletes body of b6, it decreases nausea, risk of diabetes and hi blood pressure of preeclampsia, we used it when I was pregnant 27 yr ago for morning sickness. :wave

[2Bthin]

I had gestational diabetes during my last pregnancy four years ago. The dr. had me on insulin, told me you couldn't take glucophage while pregnant. I ended up weighing about 20 lbs. less than when I got pregnant. I kept losing weight, so they kept increasing my calories and carbs and then would have to increase my insulin to keep blood sugar down. I was taking 3 shots a day by the end of my pregnancy. Half the time the docs there were afraid the baby would be too big because of the diabetes and half the time they thought he was going to be to small because I wasn't gaining any weight. The last two months they had me going in 3 times a week to check his size and the amount of amniotic fluid by ultrasound. We both ended up just fine and he weighed just under 8 lbs.