Gestational diabetes ladies - a question

[mabillon]

How often is your doctor having you check your blood sugar? Did s/he prescribe certain times of day?

Mine asked me to do it 4x a day (2hrs after meal) but I somehow interpreted it as after each meal plus one more. Dumb but I got no written instructions and didn't realize that I should be taking notes until halfway through my appt.

Now I'm low on my $$$ test strips (because I also had a lot of trouble before I started to use a tourniquet) and while I'll be calling for more specific guidance, I'd live to hear about other people's schedules. My endo is hard to reach so I'm also debating switching practices but that's a whole 'nother story!

[silv3rlining]

Typically you'll do your fasting blood sugar (first thing in the morning before you eat anything) and then whatever your doctor wants (in your case 2 hours after breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

[silv3rlining]

Also want to add that they should have sent you for diabetic counseling of some sort. This is where they will give you a "meal plan," such as how many carbs to have at each meal/snack, how to use your meter, examples of foods to eat/avoid, and a guide to how many carb servings different foods have.

With DS my OB had me test 6x/day. Fasting, 2 hours after meals and before lunch/dinner.

[laurenlou83]

I do a fasting draw first thing in the morning. I then test 1hr post all 3 meals.
I would test first thing in the morning and then 2hr post each meal, making that your 4x a day.

[laurenlou83]

I also agree with silv3rlining.... you should have some type of counseling appt. I met with a dietician who helped a lot with it all. I would call your Dr and ask about it.

[mabillon]

Apr 8, 2015 17:03:59 GMT -5 silv3rlining said:

Also want to add that they should have sent you for diabetic counseling of some sort. This is where they will give you a "meal plan," such as how many carbs to have at each meal/snack, how to use your meter, examples of foods to eat/avoid, and a guide to how many carb servings different foods have.

With DS my OB had me test 6x/day. Fasting, 2 hours after meals and before lunch/dinner.

Yeah, chalk this up to another reason I don't care for my doctor. I'm going to a class on Monday but that's over 3 weeks since my diagnosis! I asked when I made the doctor's appt about a nutritionist so I could get a head start on scheduling that, getting a referral from my PCP, etc and was put off (like, was deliberately told not to "jump ahead"). Then of course I can't do the first class offered because my referral isn't ready and have to wait for the next. Sigh.

Luckily, I've read up a LOT online and my numbers have been very good when I'm sticking to the diet (I tried some ice cream one night and learned that was NO GOOD, even a little bit after tons of protein).

Thanks to all for the helpful answers!

[sapphyre0702]

I do fasting and then two hours after breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

[santoki77]

This is what they first did in the hospital: 2am, 8am, then 2 hrs after each meal...they then put me on a long lasting insulin shot at 10p, and while they were working out the dosage, I still had the 5 checks. Now that the night dosage has been figured out, no more 2am check they did, however, add short acting shots before every meal now too but they keep reminding me that it's a good thing, showing that my placenta is working and still providing nutrients to little Elliott

[ladysif]

Yup, what they said.

My doctor seems to put the most significance on my fasting, so I'd make sure to start doing that right away when you wake up in the a.m. before eating or drinking anything if you're not. I'm allowed to do 1 or 2 hours after a meal, I just have to document if it is a 1 hour 2 hour.

[gilder40]

I test fasting and two hours after meals. For fasting, my dietician wants me to do it within 5 min of waking up. She told me your liver starts releasing sugar when you start getting active, and it can affect your fasting numbers. She also said the fasting reading is important because it is solely determined by your insulin production and has nothing to do with your diet. That's the first indicator something could be becoming more of a problem. For me, if my fasting numbers become consistenly higher than 95, then they would look at insulin. My after meal numbers should be consistently below 120.

[mabillon]

These fasting responses are interesting gilder40 and ladysif. I specifically asked my doctor and he said it wasn't that important and I should "keep it real". I end up doing it fairly early, within 20 min of getting up though. When I was measuring again pre breakfast though, I could easily see the impact that just walking from my parking space to work made. I'll make and effort to test earlier too.

My OB reviewed my numbers today and was happy. She had heard similar complaints about my endo but said I could do whatever bit it didn't seem, to her, like I was at risk for needing insulin or more intervention The endo also gave the ok to use generic test strips and drugstore meter until I can refill my script. I guess that's the best I can do for now.

[mabillon]

These fasting responses are interesting gilder40 and ladysif. I specifically asked my doctor and he said it wasn't that important and I should "keep it real". I end up doing it fairly early, within 20 min of getting up though. When I was measuring again pre breakfast though, I could easily see the impact that just walking from my parking space to work made. I'll make and effort to test earlier too.

My OB reviewed my numbers today and was happy. She had heard similar complaints about my endo but said I could do whatever bit it didn't seem, to her, like I was at risk for needing insulin or more intervention The endo also gave the ok to use generic test strips and drugstore meter until I can refill my script. I guess that's the best I can do for now.

[mabillon]

These fasting responses are interesting gilder40 and ladysif. I specifically asked my doctor and he said it wasn't that important and I should "keep it real". I end up doing it fairly early, within 20 min of getting up though. When I was measuring again pre breakfast though, I could easily see the impact that just walking from my parking space to work made. I'll make and effort to test earlier too.

My OB reviewed my numbers today and was happy. She had heard similar complaints about my endo but said I could do whatever bit it didn't seem, to her, like I was at risk for needing insulin or more intervention The endo also gave the ok to use generic test strips and drugstore meter until I can refill my script. I guess that's the best I can do for now.

[mabillon]

These fasting responses are interesting gilder40 and ladysif. I specifically asked my doctor and he said it wasn't that important and I should "keep it real". I end up doing it fairly early, within 20 min of getting up though. When I was measuring again pre breakfast though, I could easily see the impact that just walking from my parking space to work made. I'll make and effort to test earlier too.

My OB reviewed my numbers today and was happy. She had heard similar complaints about my endo but said I could do whatever bit it didn't seem, to her, like I was at risk for needing insulin or more intervention The endo also gave the ok to use generic test strips and drugstore meter until I can refill my script. I guess that's the best I can do for now.

[ladysif]

mabillon, my doc used the same reasoning as gilder40 - if my fastings were to get out of control, it could mean I need insulin because my body would be unable to regulate the sugars with diet alone.

At my nutrition class, the RN was familiar with everyone's type of insurance and what would be best covered. Some testing supply companies offer an extra discount if your insurance coverage isn't great, to bring the cost down, so definitely ask about that if they're not forthcoming and your supplies are expensive. Last time, the testing kit came with a card that guaranteed the supplies for like $20/month at most if my insurance had cost more than that; I would have just given that card to the pharmacist as well when picking up the script.