I passed 3 of the 4 blood tests today. The nurse told me I probably failed the one because I didn't prepare my body properly for the test. Instead of upping my carbohydrates before the test, I avoided them. The doctor didn't give me that information before the test. I didn't know! Anyway, because I failed 1 of the tests and with my increased risk of diabetes with my pcos, she decided I need to be treated for gestational diabetes anyway. I know its better to be safe than sorry, but I can't help but wonder if everything would have been fine had I prepared my bodily properly for the test! I cried like a baby in the office. The nurse didn't seem to understand my frustration. I now have to check my blood sugar several times a day every day from now on and attend diabetes and nutritional counciling next week.
Despite all my anxiety over this, I know that the doctor is looking out for me and my baby and that I will benefit from the nutritional counciling. And bottom line, the baby is fine right now and we want to keep him that way. The news was just so upsetting to hear.

Stephanie
So glad that you are in better spirits. Please let us know how the appt goes with the nutritionist on Thrusday.

Also, if your blood sugars stay pretty stable, your OB may let you start spacing out your finger sticks. At one point, I was allowed to stick only once a day and I rotated through which time period I was checking. That made life much nicer for a while.

Thanks for all the good wishes and kind words from everyone. I am feeling better about it all today. I have the ONE TOUCH ULTRA on order. I should get it this week. Still not happy about having to check my blood throughout the day, but maybe this one won't be as bad since you can use it on your arm too. I go see the nutritionist Thursday afternoon. Maybe she can remotivate me to take better care of myself for the long haul. I'll get to have another ultrasound this month to measure the growth of the baby. At least I'll get to see my little Matthew Lane again! I'm officially in the 3rd trimester this week. Not much farther now. Boy do I have a lot to do before the big day!

Stephanie,

The diet and exercise recommended for diabetics is really what most of us should be doing anyway, so it really cannot hurt to treat the GD and get a head-start on a healthy post-pregnancy lifestyle. I know it's not fun, though, so I hope you're doing OK.

Have you tried one of the new testers that requires a smaller blood sample (and therefore has a smaller poker?) I think some of them let you take blood from your arms instead of your fingers.

Good luck!

Stephanie: I had GD with my last baby. It was probably the best thing that happened to me, because then I go that extra special care that made sure my son and I made it through the nine month journey healthy and wonderfully safe. GD is a precursor or can be to diabetes later in life. They may just be helping you if that should happen. Poking your finger is NOT fun, I will agree with that. But knowing how much you want this baby to be healthy and you to be able to care for him/her, a few pokes is not a big deal, don't you think? I have to do mine four times a day...and I don't get the joy of holding a baby at the end. A diabetic diet is not that much different that probably what you are eating now if you are following KD's plan.
And the nutritional information that you get will only add to what you already know about taking care of yourself. Girl, you are heads ahead of where most moms with PCOS and GD start at.

Bottom line: A healthy mom and a healthy baby.
Isn't that what it is all about?

I KNOW how crazy making all these tests can be. I ended with a really high risk pregnancy and all the dr. and nurses can kind of drive you nuts if you let them. They say one sentence off the cuff like, "You should have carb loaded" and it can send you in a tail spin. It may be that her statement isn't even true... (My MIL is a nurse and speaking of studies... she isn't always up to date on the latest info... Health care professionals are just like the rest of us... MIL is in LOVE with SB diet and will tell a person all kinds of info that she read there... It doesn't matter if the info isn't 100% accurate...)

So just process the facts about your health and preganacy and then cope with that and don't worry about the MANY "If you could have...." or "You should have..." or "If you would have..."

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Originally posted by sautequeen:
I now have to check my blood sugar several times a day every day from now on and attend diabetes and nutritional counciling next week.

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I think this could end up being a really positive thing.

Gestational Diabetes (Mayo Clinic) increases your chances of developing type 2 diabetes so additional info to keep you and the baby healthy can be helpful.

I had to do injections every three hours when I was preg. (heprin for blood clots... not diabetes...). Just do what you gotta due (blood testing wise) and stay focused on the fact that you have a healthy baby.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: GoingSkiing,

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Originally posted by sautequeen:
The doctor didn't give me that information before the test. I didn't know!

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This kind of thing makes me nuts!!! When you think of the money you (or your insurance company) is paying for this testing and to think that some of it was WASTED because your doctor neglected to give you this one very important piece of information, it is certainly very frustrating. It happens all the time, though.

I can't tell you how many times, just THIS year, I have talked to people about a medical procedure or medical condition and found that others were told different things by their doctors than I was by mine. A friend of mine who was only diagnosed with hypothyroidism in the past 5 years knew something about contraindications that I didn't, and I've had hypothyroidism for 20+ years! And I go to what is supposed to be one of the leading endocrinologists in the DC area...so you just never know.

Like others have said, the GD diet and counselling can only be beneficial to you and the baby, yet I completely understand your frustration at having to do this (esp. the frequent glucose testing) when they're not CERTAIN that you really need to.

Can't they do the test again in a week, so you don't have to go through all that blood testing for the rest of your pregnancy?

I have pcos and went through a healhty preg.
I think that the support and the diabetic diet will be VERY helpful to you and baby. This is not anything you did wrong. You are doing GREAT and this will help you to feel better and to keep baby healhty throughout the pregnancy.
This is an opportunity to learn more about a diet that works best for those of us with PCOS. I think it will help you long past pregnancy.
I know that you were really upset, but this can simply be a tool and it does not have to interfere with how you enjoy the pregnancy.
Sending loads of support and love.
Take care, rest and get lots of support.

Steph

I'm sorry that things did not turn out well with your test results. : ( I know that it can be very distressing to hear that something isn't "normal" during a pregnancy.

It is my understanding that you are supposed to fast before the tests so I'm not sure that carb loading prior to the fast would have made a difference.

I was also very borderline with my tests (also failed 1 of the 4 and the others were all fine) but in the end, as my daughter grew, the GD got worse.

I found that the nutritional counseling was super helpful and the GD diet very manageable. I never got hungry as I was eating every 3 hours and it gave me some very good tools to use in the weight loss arsenal after the baby was born. As a result of being on the GD diet for my pregnancy, I ended up only gaining 9 pounds. Because I was so overweight to start, that was a good thing for me. Right after my dd was born, I ended up 25 pounds lighter than I had started out my pg. (So there is an up side to being on a GD diet!).

I think the worst part of the whole thing is the finger sticks (and for me, I ended up having to do insulin shots because I developed "pre-dawn syndrome" (I had high fasting blood sugar levels first thing in the morning). The rest was easy!

The other positive side (at least from my perspective) is that I was seen more by the OB so I had the ongoing reassurance that everything was progressing well with the baby. I felt good with the extra level of care.

The good news in all of this is that you will be monitored, you caught it early and you will do what you need to do to take very good care of your little one.

You will both be fine! Problems arise when you don't know that there's an issue.

Hugs
Brie

I'm so sorry to hear that, Stephanie! Can't they do the test again at some point, so you don't have to go through all that blood testing for the rest of your pregnancy? Seems to me that would make more sense, especially if the doctor thinks you didn't pass just because of the carbs. I'll be thinking about you and sending good vibes your way.