As of today I am 20 weeks pregnant! Half way there! Eek!
Due to my weight and age I was tested early for Gestational Diabetes. I went in a took my first "one hour" test and a few days later I got a call from a nurse informing me that I failed my test. I was devastated. I was confused. I just didn't understand. The nurse then asked me if I knew what a BMI was. "Um, yes, of course I do." She then told me that I need to consider "a serious life-style change."
I asked her what I should do and she told me that I needed to "eat healthier". I told her what my diet was like (high protein and very little sugar and carbs) and she said I should not be eating ANY sugar (including dairy and fruit). Done and done.
I went back into the office a week later and did the dreaded "3 hour" glucose test. This involves fasting (no food OR water for 10 hours), drawing blood, drinking a super sugary drink, and then getting your blood drawn every hour for the next three hours.
About 15 minutes after drinking the drink I felt like I was going to pass out. I told the nurse and they took me into an exam room so I could lay down.
Every hour after that another nurse came in and took my blood.
After the three hours I left and went home. I was so sick for the rest of the day. That test was pretty cruel.
A few days later I went back to the doctors for my monthly appointment with my Midwife. After being weighed (I had lost 6 pounds), I was brought into an exam room by a nurse. The nurse then informed me that I had failed my "3 hour" test. I asked her what that means and she told me that I had Gestational Diabetes.
Again, I was devastated. I was confused. I just didn't understand.
I started to cry.
Then my Midwife walks in a ask me what's wrong. I told her that I had diabetes and that I didn't know what to do!
She then explained to me what was going on.
In my "one hour" test I had failed to get a blood glucose reading under 129 in the allotted hour. My reading was in the 130s. I barely failed.
The same thing happened during my "3 hour" test. I wasn't able to get my blood glucose reading under 129 in the first hour, BUT in the second and third hours my glucose readings were low and fine. What this means is that my insulin works, but it is a little slow to respond.
At this time they ordered me a blood glucose reader and told me that I would have to go to the hospital in Peoria (1.5 hours away) to meet with an expert and a Dietitian.
My Midwife also told me that I shouldn't be losing weight and to make sure I wasn't starving myself. I was a little angry when she said this to me because I was just doing what I was told. I didn't know what to eat or how much to eat. So I was eating 1300 to 1500 calories a day (I keep a food journal), which consists mostly of protein.
I was excited to talk to the expert and the Dietitian so I could get back on the right track.
I spent the next week continuing to eating super healthy and pricking my finger four times a day.
On Monday (March 27th) I drove to the Hospital in Peoria to meet with all these different people. I ended up being in the hospital for FOUR HOURS! I met with a the dietitian nurse, then I had a high risk sonogram, and then I met with two Dietitians!
I was taken by the dietitian nurse to her office where I was weighed (I lost weight again) and then she went through my medical history before we started talking about my diet and my glucose readings.
[My goal for the first three columns is 100-129 and my goal for the last column is 60-99. I was WELL under my goals for every reading except one. I wanted to test the meter so I ate a bunch of cookies and then immediately took my reading. I guess it works since my reading was 133!]
I showed her my food journal and my readings and she was very impressed. She told me that I have "manageable" Gestational Diabetes, which means I shouldn't have to take medication and that I should be able to keep it under control with just diet and exercise. She then told me that I should be eating 2200 CALORIES A DAY and that I need to gain a little weight! My jaw dropped!
Never in my life have I EVER been told I need to eat more and gain weight! I didn't even know how to comprehend this!
I then went in for my sonogram.
[It's a BOY... still]
[Super cute right foot]
[My favorite picture! Baby feet!]
[Right hand - Fist bump!]
[Baby! He is facing my spine so we couldn't get a good picture of his face. Maybe next time!]
Baby boy was VERY active during the sonogram. He kept kicking his feet and moving around. The technician had a hard time getting a few pictures but we managed in the end :-)
After my sonogram, the Doctor came in and talked to me about the size of the baby. She informed me that he is looking good and that he weighs 12 oz, which is average for this age. Everything she saw looks good and the baby is developing well!
I then went and met with the Dietitians. They first told me that my food journal was one of the best they have seen (thank you Weight Watchers for teaching me what a serving size is) and that my blood glucose numbers are looking good. We then went through a diet plan and they told me I need to eat more smart carbs and I have to eat 2200 calories a day. They informed me that carbs are essential for the baby's growth and brain development.
In the end they told me that what I was eating was great, BUT I need to add in more dairy, fruit and smart carbs.
Done and done!
[Breakfast: two eggs, a large apple, 1 cup of skim milk, string cheese and a soy sausage patty]
Due to my weight and age I was tested early for Gestational Diabetes. I went in a took my first "one hour" test and a few days later I got a call from a nurse informing me that I failed my test. I was devastated. I was confused. I just didn't understand. The nurse then asked me if I knew what a BMI was. "Um, yes, of course I do." She then told me that I need to consider "a serious life-style change."
I asked her what I should do and she told me that I needed to "eat healthier". I told her what my diet was like (high protein and very little sugar and carbs) and she said I should not be eating ANY sugar (including dairy and fruit). Done and done.
I went back into the office a week later and did the dreaded "3 hour" glucose test. This involves fasting (no food OR water for 10 hours), drawing blood, drinking a super sugary drink, and then getting your blood drawn every hour for the next three hours.
About 15 minutes after drinking the drink I felt like I was going to pass out. I told the nurse and they took me into an exam room so I could lay down.
Every hour after that another nurse came in and took my blood.
After the three hours I left and went home. I was so sick for the rest of the day. That test was pretty cruel.
A few days later I went back to the doctors for my monthly appointment with my Midwife. After being weighed (I had lost 6 pounds), I was brought into an exam room by a nurse. The nurse then informed me that I had failed my "3 hour" test. I asked her what that means and she told me that I had Gestational Diabetes.
Again, I was devastated. I was confused. I just didn't understand.
I started to cry.
Then my Midwife walks in a ask me what's wrong. I told her that I had diabetes and that I didn't know what to do!
She then explained to me what was going on.
In my "one hour" test I had failed to get a blood glucose reading under 129 in the allotted hour. My reading was in the 130s. I barely failed.
The same thing happened during my "3 hour" test. I wasn't able to get my blood glucose reading under 129 in the first hour, BUT in the second and third hours my glucose readings were low and fine. What this means is that my insulin works, but it is a little slow to respond.
At this time they ordered me a blood glucose reader and told me that I would have to go to the hospital in Peoria (1.5 hours away) to meet with an expert and a Dietitian.
My Midwife also told me that I shouldn't be losing weight and to make sure I wasn't starving myself. I was a little angry when she said this to me because I was just doing what I was told. I didn't know what to eat or how much to eat. So I was eating 1300 to 1500 calories a day (I keep a food journal), which consists mostly of protein.
I was excited to talk to the expert and the Dietitian so I could get back on the right track.
I spent the next week continuing to eating super healthy and pricking my finger four times a day.
On Monday (March 27th) I drove to the Hospital in Peoria to meet with all these different people. I ended up being in the hospital for FOUR HOURS! I met with a the dietitian nurse, then I had a high risk sonogram, and then I met with two Dietitians!
I was taken by the dietitian nurse to her office where I was weighed (I lost weight again) and then she went through my medical history before we started talking about my diet and my glucose readings.
[My goal for the first three columns is 100-129 and my goal for the last column is 60-99. I was WELL under my goals for every reading except one. I wanted to test the meter so I ate a bunch of cookies and then immediately took my reading. I guess it works since my reading was 133!]
I showed her my food journal and my readings and she was very impressed. She told me that I have "manageable" Gestational Diabetes, which means I shouldn't have to take medication and that I should be able to keep it under control with just diet and exercise. She then told me that I should be eating 2200 CALORIES A DAY and that I need to gain a little weight! My jaw dropped!
Never in my life have I EVER been told I need to eat more and gain weight! I didn't even know how to comprehend this!
I then went in for my sonogram.
[It's a BOY... still]
[Super cute right foot]
[Left foot]
[My favorite picture! Baby feet!]
[Right hand - Fist bump!]
[Baby! He is facing my spine so we couldn't get a good picture of his face. Maybe next time!]
Baby boy was VERY active during the sonogram. He kept kicking his feet and moving around. The technician had a hard time getting a few pictures but we managed in the end :-)
After my sonogram, the Doctor came in and talked to me about the size of the baby. She informed me that he is looking good and that he weighs 12 oz, which is average for this age. Everything she saw looks good and the baby is developing well!
I then went and met with the Dietitians. They first told me that my food journal was one of the best they have seen (thank you Weight Watchers for teaching me what a serving size is) and that my blood glucose numbers are looking good. We then went through a diet plan and they told me I need to eat more smart carbs and I have to eat 2200 calories a day. They informed me that carbs are essential for the baby's growth and brain development.
In the end they told me that what I was eating was great, BUT I need to add in more dairy, fruit and smart carbs.
Done and done!
[Breakfast: two eggs, a large apple, 1 cup of skim milk, string cheese and a soy sausage patty]
I know it's going to be hard to prick my finger and record my blood glucose readings four times a day for the rest of my pregnancy, BUT I am 100% on board with the program. I will do anything to make sure that I deliver a healthy and happy baby. Since I have GD I have a higher chance of developing Type II Diabetes in the future, BUT if I can manage it now and learn from all of this, then maybe I won't develop it in the future.
1 comment:
Man that sugary drink is awful! I can't imagine doing it more than once. And having to drive almost 2 hours to the hospital. You can do it! Plus, I thought your soy sausage patty was an oreo, haha.
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