Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Re-entering the world of finger-pricking and low GI diets



Bad news. I have gestational diabetes...again. I didn't have it with my first two pregnancies but did have it last time when I was pregnant with Rosie. I'm putting it down to my advanced age. Almost forty and it feels like my body is starting to shut up shop already.

So it's back to three times daily finger pricks to check my blood sugars and eating low GI foods to try to avoid having to have insulin. Last time it seemed to take ages for them to get back to me with my test results so by the time I knew I had GD I was only on the diet for a couple of weeks before Rosie made her early arrival. This time they called me within 24 hours of having the test. Much better service. And so now I am officially a "high-risk" pregnancy. I have to see the doctors each time I go to the antenatal clinic now. And I am off to visit the diabetes educator and dietitian on Monday.

Even worse news is that last night I made a cherry ripe slice. The one with the biscuit base, cherry coconut condensed milk filling and chocolate icing on top. Probably a no-no on a low GI diet but I think I might eat some of it anyway. Kind of like the last meal for a condemned man...

10 comments:

simone r said...

That cherry ripe slice looks very good.

Deb L said...

Oh, I'm mourning with you. I had gestational diabetes for two out of three pregnancies. Why I didn't get it for the kid in the middle...who knows! Anyway, the longest one was the last one. They tested me at 20 weeks and I failed. It was a long 5 months of low-GI food.

Sarah said...

I hope the new eating plan goes alright, though it sounds as though you've had a little practice.

Glad to hear you're going to enjoy a bit of that slice first though...it looks delicious!

Karen said...

Probably time to confess that the photo isn't actually the slice I made. But mine looks almost as good as that. I had a piece for dessert after a tortellini pasta with tomato sauce so when it comes time to do the finger prick in a couple of hours I am not expecting a great result....
I'll start the diet tomorrow :)

Karen said...

And hope all is well with you Sarah and that you get through your GTT without any problems...
Deb, five months!....I'm glad I don't have to do it for that long. Although I seem to remember the improved eating habits last time did make me feel much healthier for the few weeks I followed them... :)

Deb L said...

Yes, and I vowed I'd try to stick to a better gi diet afterwards. *Ahem* Can't say three years down the track that I've done that. Although, Mum and Dad stay with us for about a month each year and Dad is diabetic so I do go on an low-GI diet once a year. Neither Dad nor I are your typical body-shapes for type-2 diabetes. My dad was a committed exerciser and very fit and trim before his diagnosis (still at the gym 4 days a week). We just come from a long line of dodgy pancreases. So I think I ought to be working harder on keep my GI low and not giving my poor old pancreas too much stress in the hope that it will hold out longer. Must get back on the wagon...

Karen said...

I had the same thoughts after I had Rosie, Deb....but it was hard to stay motivated. But now I know my risk is probably up to 50% of getting type 2 diabetes later on I might have to be a bit stronger than I have been in the past... :)

Wendy said...

When are you due, Karen?

I didn't have GD, but I had Gestational Thrombocytopenia. Low platelets. Didn't earn me a special diet, just three c-sections, lots and lots of blood tests and a whopping 20 day stay in a Japanese hospital around the birth of my second child. Pregnancy isn't that fun with all these extra things tagged onto it. I hope it all works out okay, Karen.

Jenny said...

You poor thing. What a pain.

Memoirs of Me & Mine said...

Good luck!
www.rebeccabany.com