gestational diabetes/glucometer

[shelbert6]

I just did the glucose tolerance test and the follow-up testing and was diagnosed with gestational diabetes.  I have been adhering to the diet that the dietician gave me, in general 1800 calories/day.  I opted to try the Freestyle glucometer, as I play the piano and didn't want sore fingers (not to mention I am a needle-phobic).  This is the glucometer that you can test on your forearm.  My question is, has anyone had any experience with this glucometer as far as accuracy.  I am sure I am paranoid, but my blood sugar has been well within normal limits since I have been testing.  I am sure the diet is helping, but still would feel better if I knew others had good, accurate testing experience with this model.

Thank you,
Shelly

[Danasel]

I have gestational diabetes also.  I heard that that particular glucometer is not as accurate as the ones that require you to ***** your finger.  However, rest assured that my sugar levels are also fine when I watch my diet.  If you really want to test it, eat too many carbs for one meal, and you'll see your sugar shoot up!  I thought the whole think was a crock until I tried eating exactly what I wanted on Thanksgiving.  So, the diet does indeed control the sugar levels for many of us.  Good luck!

By the way, when are you due?  I'm due 1/31.  Are you getting a couple of extra ultrasounds out of the deal?  That was the advantage of having gestational diabetes for me.  I do miss my carbs though!  

Dana

[shelbert6]

Thank you, that eased my mind.  I'm due 2/05.  And yes, just got another ultrasound.  I actually got to see her face, and my hubby was there, too.  He got so excited.  Made it seem real to him:)

The only problem I am having with this diet is that I'm hungry all of the time, but it is working.  I just take a walk to get my mind off of eating.  And I need to get the exercise, too.  Did it freak you out when you found out you had gestational diabetes?  I absolutely was beside myself.  I initially felt as though I had failed miserably.  I know that is silly, because I don't think I could have avoided this.  But you know those prego hormones, makes you feel that every crisis is the end of the world and that everything that goes wrong is your fault.

Anyway, thank you, and good luck to you, too.

Regards,
Shelly

[Danasel]

What freaked me out the most was the way my doctor's office handled it.  They made an appointment for me with a diabetes educator from the hospital, and I didn't find out until 20 minutes before I was supposed to be there.  The nurse told me that I really needed to go or they wouldn't be able to fit me in until January.  I was at work at the time, and I didn't even understand who she was sending me to see.  It all sounded so urgent that it freaked me out.  

My sugar has been good, and I won't need to go on insulin.  Another benefit is that I lost a half a pound in the past five weeks!  Does Type II diabetes run in your family.  It is prevelent on both sides of my family, so I know it was just inevitable that I was going to get it.  I was kind of surprised for some reason, though.  My mom couldn't believe I was surprised.  She said she knew I would have it.

I am surprised you're hungry all the time!  I'm not at all, but I'm not really counting calories.  I am just counting carbs.  I'm allowed 10 carbs a day.  15mg of carbs count as 1 carb.  I'm only allowed 1 carb before noon, and I need to spread my others out through the rest of the day.

The ultrasound was awesome.  We could see our little guy's face too!  We even think he looks like me.  I know it sounds crazy, but it is true!  My baby is growing normally.  He was 4 lbs. and 1 oz which was the 50th percentile.  His head to body ratio was good, and he had no extra fluid around him.  How were your results?  I get one more ultrasound on January 2!!

If you ever want to talk, feel free to e-mail me at ***@****.  It is nice to know someone who is having the same problems as I am, so we can support each other!

Dana

[mimmi]

I have been diagnosed with gestational d too. I am doing the finger ***** test and all the test come normal so far except occassional fasting one.. may be once a week,, but I dont uinderstand when I do it one after another there is a lot of didderence, for eg: int hemornig it showed 102, then I did it again it was 87. which one is accurate? Anyways, please share oyur experiences. I am glad I ofungd soemone to talk to. My due date is March 3rd. I walk a lot and am comtrolling my diet. What do you guys do to get low fasting results. For me yogurt and cheddar cheese helps for bedtime snacks, but I am getting tired of the same food.

[msklar]

I have noticed the differences also. when I went in for my glucose this time around I took my monitor with me so I could also check after one hour what my nuber was. Well I took it and it said 151 but my results came back as 129. I have read that the monitors can be as much as 20 "points" off (not sure what its called) from a vienous reading. Readings from the vein are much more accurate...If I have 2 numbers way off I will check a third time and usually it will be close to one of the previous numbers.

[Sarah80]

Are any of you overweight? I can't seem to understand one carb being healthy for anyone, even the Atkins diet allows more than that. There are complex carbs that don't make glucose go crazy, are you allowed those? Just curious.

Sarah

[Still_AndiJ]

Just FYI, we used to test on my patients ears and toes too if the fingers had gotten too calloused over time, so if testing on your finger is to hard, try one of the other areas : )


Andrea

[shelbert6]

No, I'm not overweight, but this would be the first of 4 pregnancies that I have not been.  My pre-pregnancy weight is usually 140-145 lbs and I usually weigh in the neighborhood of 200 lbs when I deliver.  But this pregnancy I have only gained 25 lbs and I am 32 weeks pregnant.  I am not on a carb-counting diet, but rather a daily limit of 1800 calories.  This entire pregnancy I have made it a point to really watch what and how much I eat, I get a great deal of exercise by walking 2 miles per day round trip to work and back.  I also drink tons of water per day, never sodas like usual, and a glass or two of juice every day.  I don't have any idea what brought this on, but I am sure that it has something to do with years of previous pregnancies and not taking great care of myself during those pregnancies.  

Shelly

[Danasel]

My fasting rate is usually good.  The only time it hasn't been, is if I ate carbs right before I went to bed.  I have been eating nuts for a snack frequently.  They're good because they fill you up, and give you lots of protein.  I had lots of trouble finding a good breakfast.  I finally put together a breakfast sandwich that is low carb.  I scramble some eggs with cheese, onions, salsa and wrap it in a flat tortilla shell.  It is quite tasty!  If you have any low-carb food ideas, let me know.  Anyone with gestational diabetes please feel free to e-mail me at ***@****.

Good luck to all!

[shelbert6]

Dana, that sounds like a good breakfast!!  My breakfast consists of an english muffin, half a banana, and a glass of lowfat milk.  They have given me guidelines to follow such as 2 starches, 1 fruit, and 1 milk for breakfast.  For lunch I get 2 starches, 3 meats, 1 fruit, 1 veggie, 1 fat, 1 milk.  No afternoon snack.  For dinner 3 starches, 3 meats, 1 fruit, 1 veggie, 3 fats.  And for the coupe de gras the evening snack consisting of 1 starch, 1 fruit, 1 milk.

Mimmi, as you can see my evening snack doesn't consist of much variety, so I have a piece of toast with fruitspread without sugar added, 1/2 banana, and a glass of lowfat milk.  Tonite I tried 3 cups of unbuttered plain popcorn instead of toast to see how that sticks with me until morning.  But even with toast and fruit spread, my fasting sugar by morning is less than 100.  As far as getting 2 different readings on your blood sugar, did you get enough blood for a sample on the 2nd try?  You might also want to do your "control" test to make sure the unit is working properly.  What time in the evening are you having your snack?  Maybe adjusting the time you have your evening snack might help.  I have been trying to have my snack before 10pm, because I go to bed around 11pm.  

Shelly

[Danasel]

The diet you're following is so different from mine.  I was told that I couldn't have any fruit before noon.  I'm only allowed one carb/starch before noon.  I'm supposed to eat 3 small meals, and three snacks a day.  1 carb for breakfast, no carb snack before lunch, 2-3 carbs for lunch, afternoon snack (could include 1 carb), 3-4 carbs for dinner, one evening snack (could include 1 carb).  I'm surprised that you don't get an afternoon snack since they always say diabetics should eat often.  It sounds like both diets work, though if our sugar is good.

The time of the evening snack makes a big difference!  I skipped my evening snack one night, then woke up about midnight hungry.  I ate a snack then and my sugar was a little over 100 in the morning.  Also, if you sleep after a meal, it makes your sugar go up.  That is why they told me only 1 carb in the morning because your sugar is less stable after a night of sleep.

[mimmi]

Thanks everybody... Today my fasting was 90. and I ate yogurt and cheese. I am so so so tired of yogurt. I will try popcorn tomorrow. Got to go to the grocery and explore now. Talk to you guys later. Take care. Are you guys using splenda on your food? I heard some horror stories here. I dont use too much but wish... I could.

[shelbert6]

OK, what's the scoop on Splenda?  I just bought a Costco box of the stuff to use on my plain oatmeal in the morning.  I haven't used it yet, so I guess I'll do some research on the stuff.  Bummer if I can't use it...cry, whine, snivel. :(

Shelly

[shelbert6]

Well, it sounds like I'm getting more to eat than you are.  So I will quit snivelling about being hungry.  Yes, so far so good.  After a rather large dinner, my BS was 106 2 hours later.  Even though it was large, I was adhering to my allotment.  I just took complete advantage of all I was allowed to see if that helped with the hunger, and it did.  I think I am just so used to snacking when I want to, it is more a matter of adjusting my habits than of true hunger.  Now, if I could get my hubby to quit eating chocolate muffins in the morning for breakfast in front of me, it would be easier and more enjoyable to sit down to my english muffin and watery milk. :)

Shelly

[shelbert6]

Go to about.com and find the link called "diabetes and Splenda".  It gives a description of the product and information about diabetics using Splenda.  Read this article and then consult with you dietician and Dr. before trying.

Shelly

[msklar]

Hi, I was told by my diatician that you should not drink juice when you are diabetic because the sugars will spike your levels. If you were to eat the fruit it has a much better affect. Something to do with the fiber slowing down the absorbtion of the sugars. Also I had gestattional diabetes with my last pregnancy , but not with this one....so your not doomed to get it everytime, in fact I know that this has happened to a couple of women I know. Part of the reason for the GD is the way the hormones in your placenta are reacting with your insulin. Since every pregnancy is different then so are the hormones, and placenta. Weight and excersize do still have some factors in it also.....Hope this helps...

[Danasel]

I don't think you are eating more than me.  Maybe I didn't explain right.  I told you how many carbs I'm allowed to have, but I can also have protein and vegetables.  I know vegetables have carbs in them, but I guess they are the kind that are ok.  When I say carbs, I guess I really mean the starches, sugars, and fruits.

[vkm75]

hi ladies,


im a new member...im diagnosed with gestational diabetes too..horrified when the do c told me... pls advise me wht diet i need to follow. got my endo appt on 29th.need to wait 10 more days...help me out guys..i reduced rice intake n carbs...just avoided all candy stuffs n sweet things... pls mail me ***@**** or post ur comments in this section.thnx. i just checked all your comments reg gest.diab.thnx .bye..

[vkm75]

hi ladies,


im a new member...im diagnosed with gestational diabetes too..horrified when the do c told me... pls advise me wht diet i need to follow. got my endo appt on 29th.need to wait 10 more days...help me out guys..i reduced rice intake n carbs...just avoided all candy stuffs n sweet things... pls mail me ***@**** or post ur comments in this section.thnx. i just checked all your comments reg gest.diab.thnx .bye..

[vlw]

PLEASE LADIES THAT HAVE GESTATIONAL DIABETES/GLUCOMETER READ THESE WORDS:
The bible says in Hosea 4:6 my people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.

The knowledge I want to pass on to you is to Please go to these web sites and read what we can do to take charge of our bodies we don't have to be sick anymore. Yes you heard me right, we don't have to be sick. There are cancels and all types of disease being healed every day just by changing our lifestyle. The Lord has place a burning desire in mind and my husbands heart to provide this knowledge to as many that will receive it.

The web sites are wwwhacres.com and www.modernmanna.com and also www.abundantlivinglifestylecenter.com. As you know  the trend now is that most major fast food resturants are giving us more options for healthier foods and this is for the most part that they are afraid of being taken to court as the tobocca industry has been and has lost. So please read the testmonies of others who have made some adjustments in what they eat to ensure a healthy bodie, to become pregnant, to be healed of many diseases. The Lord is causing this knowledge to become known because He wants His people healed. Our doctors only had maybe 1 or 2 hours of nutritional teaching. I have been leaning about natural nutrition for several years and one day when I heard of a heart attack patient that just had a triple bypass being served a fatty pork chop for dinner I knew then that even the hospital dietitions were uneducated. You see I do believe that if our doctors know some of them would informs us, but the truth is most of them are just as much in the dark as we are.

There is a doctor and her name is Dr. Lorraine Day and once you hear one of her videos you will also be convinced. She has several and the one entitled "You Can't Improve On God" is Awesome as are all the others. She will tell you how she got healed of a large cancer tumor and refused to take any treatments because she knew how toxic they were to her body.

There is a book at Hallelujah Acres by Ollin IIdol "{Pregnancy, Children, and  the Hallelujah Diet that is Awesome and a must read for anyone wanting to become pregnant. Start educating yourselves and ask God to led you to the right information and He will as He did me in order to help you and others.

Email me at: ***@**** (Virginia)

Buy a juicer and juice apple and carrot juice and drink plenty of good water, eat salads, stop the cokes, caffine drinks, coffee, and with sugar and white flour products. You body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit and we should find out what makes it work the best. If you are concern about sweets read the testmonies at Hallilujah Acres how others who had diabetes got healed and what they did. Let me warn you that most people are so medical minded that they only want a quick fix by taking a pill instead of feeding their body the right nutrition. So just pray and when you know this is of God no one can take it from you. Just ask yourself this, is eating the proper diet and changing my lifestyle going to help my body of hurt it and then as begin to heal you can decide for yourself.

God Bless,
Virgina