Sunday, December 1, 2013

Finger Prick

Well, I failed the effing glucose tolerance test…by 28 points. Dammit. They gave me two options, try to pass the 4 hour test, or start checking my glucose levels 4 times a day. I knew I would not be able to survive the 4 hour test. I know that sounds dramatic, but I wasn't feel so red hot at the two hour mark, and I really, really don't want to be the girl that passes out and goes to the ER, so I opted for my very own accucheck machine. I check my sugars 4x a day: when I first wake up (this has to be a fasting sugar meaning no food for at least 6 hours before), and one hour after breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The early morning check ruined my 2-3am snack. As I usually wake up pretty hungry about that time and either eat peanut butter and crackers that I leave by my bed, or a bowl of cereal. The after breakfast check is always higher than it's supposed to be because my go to breakfast has been a bagel and cream cheese, and chai tea with soy milk, which totals about 80gm of carbs, when I am now only allotted 30gms. The rest of the day has been fine. So I am likely right on the cusp of having "Gestational Diabetes." Super.

Gestational diabetes is one of the more common side effects of pregnancy. Basically, the placenta makes cells in the mothers body more resistant to insulin, so therefore glucose cannot get into the cells (you need insulin to get glucose in, its the gatekeeper) and your blood concentration of glucose goes up =hyperglycemia = gestational diabetes. Why do we care? Uncontrolled gestational diabetes leads to big babies, lots of sugar, lots of fat on baby, big baby to get out. It also leads to high blood pressure in mom, excessive weight gain, and can then progress to pre eclampsia where mom spills protein in the urine and it becomes dangerous for mom and baby if pregnancy continues. Sigh. So, the goal: keep the fasting glucose level (early morning one) less than 90, and the after meals glucose less than 130. I am 5 days in, and have only had 4 out of range levels. That's not bad considering I haven't completely changed my diet yet, first I wanted to experiment to see how what I was currently eating was effecting my glucose. I see my doctor Tuesday, he will review my data and from there we will see what's in store.

In other news, yesterday we spent the afternoon putting up Christmas decorations. I got my bellyuptous self up and down the step stool a couple times, and did clean the hardwood floor and do some other chores around the house. Never again. Holy mother I am in so much pain today. My low back and hips are throbbing. I barely slept last night. I also took a 20min walk yesterday, something super important now that I'm worried about blood sugars, and that didn't help the situation. Thank goodness I got the day off work today (not many patients in my unit gave me a requested low census day) because I wouldn't of made it running around at work. Today I am a couch potato. I have a feeling these next weeks are going to get very interesting in the discomfort department. Thank goodness for prenatal massages, which I get monthly, and have one tomorrow. Bless my massage therapist.

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