Gestational diabetes -

[Guest guest]

Hi !

Welcome to the group. I was also diagnosed w/gestational diabetes with my

two beautiful boys, now 13 and 15. I was 32 when I had my first son. I am

now 48. I was insulin dependent for my first son for the last at 3 months

and the second the whole pregnancy. In my glucose tolerance test for my

oldest, they said they had never seen a test result so high and didn't even

bother monitoring it after the initial reading. I was probably diabetic my

whole pregnancy and just didn't know it. I was immediately put on a strict

diet and insulin. Fortunately, the hospital where I delivered had a great

program for gestational diabetes w/a nurse that was type 1 herself. She put

the fear of God in you and helped women and families understand the

ramifications of not taking care of yourself. The program supported weekly

counseling where you provided your blood sugar numbers and food intake. I

was lucky to be able to be in such a great program.

After my youngest was born, I started going to an internist that specialized

in endocrinology, specifically diabetes. They monitored my blood sugars and

saw that they never really " went down " but continued to go up. After a

couple of years of this, my doctor put me on a low dosage sulfonylrea (sp?).

This is a common type of diabetes medication that stimulates your pancreas

to make more insulin. It is prone to giving people low blood sugar

reactions if you don't eat regularly but is effective if you manage your

diet.

Over the years, my diabetes has been getting progressively worse but I

continue to try my best with my diet and exercise. My medication has

changed as well as increased. I am 5'2 " and about 115 pounds, maybe a few

more than that. But my point is that I'm not excessively overweight. I've

read that about 5% of all women w/gestational diabetes get type 2 later in

life, whether it's in a few years or when they are elderly. For me, it's in

my family history. (I am American born Chinese, ABC). I have several

cousins in my generations that are type 2 and not overweight or " bad

eaters " . My mom has a sister that is type 2 insulin dependent and my dad

has a sister that is type 2, on medication. So it's in my blood. I've also

read that minorities (blacks, hispanics, and asians) are twice as prone to

type 2 diabetes than caucasians.

One thing I wish my doctor did, as much as I like him and his progressive

approach to medicine, always giving me the latest, is that I wish he hit me

over the head with the seriousness of diabetes and that I could do more than

wait to see what happens. Unfortunately, low carb-ing was not in vogue back

then but there must have been more aggressive ways to approach diabetes than

taking pills. I continue to research what I can and do the best I can with

my diet and exercise.

You can write me privately if you want. Type 2 is quite manageable but

often a challenge with everyday temptations. But bottom line is that if you

follow a " healthy low fat, low carb " you will succeed in your fight with

diabetes. I'm not saying it's easy, I've made lots of sacrafices in

virtually eliminating fruit juices, and really minimizing high fat foods and

desserts, etc. (and I LOVE eating), but you can do it. You know you're kids

need you and you want to be there to take care of them.

Good luck.

Pam