Gestational Diabetes and Diabetes

There are thousands of people who do not know they are diabetic. I am glad you are seeing the doctor. When I had gestational diabetes I refused the insolin. I changed my diet and scared the hell out of the doctors. My blood sugar dropped and I lost 50 lbs in 3 months. I eat only fruits and vegetables. I am not suppose to eat grains and animal by products. I now have proof why. It does increase my blood sugar. I hope that the doctors advise, diet and exercise will help you. Maybe the fatigue is a lot of things rolled into one. I know I feel like I get nothing done which adds to my feeling fatigued.

Dear Michelle,

Hi! I had GD too. I have read stories about people who had diabetes prior to pregnancy and didn't know it, but that wasn't my case. I would guess that if you did have diabetes prior to the pregnancy, it is a mild case of Type 2. Do you still have your meter from when you were pregnant? Take your morning fasting blood sugar at home tomorrow. That will help reassure you. If you are under 85, you're in the clear. If you are in the 85-110 range, you are borderline. Above that, not so good. When you go to the doctor, they will order bloodwork. He/she might want you to wait for fasting bloodwork so that they can do cholesterol and other things at the same time. The big test is the Hemoglobin A1C test. You must get this done. This will make it very clear. This test shows a picture of what your bloodsugar levels have been like over the last 4-6 weeks. Glucose binds with the hemoglobin in your red bloodcells. Red blood cells have a life span of approximately 4-6 weeks, so as they die off and are replaced, you can see changes in this number over time. Under 5 is very good, over 7 means you are diabetic.

I am not diabetic, but I find that my bloodsugar is very sensitive. I recommend a good multi-vitamin, a chromium supplement (Vitamin Shoppe's Chromum GTF -- glucose tolerance factor) and 250 mg of Alpha Lipoic Acid daily will help your body use its glucose better naturally. Also, exercise, especially right after eating, is good for blood sugar levels (do I do this? no. Do I know that I should? yes...)

You were probably told this by your OB, but people who get GD are 50% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life, so getting a hemoglobin A1C every year in addition to the other regular blood work is a good idea.

Good luck!

Hi Michelle,
Congratulations on being a M.! I had gestational diabetes and have not been diagnosed with diabetes since then but it is something that I have been following because my Dad and my grandfather are both diabetic so I have needed to understand what is good for my Dad to eat when he visits me.
There are many things that can result in exhausted - do ask about having your thyroid tested (hypothyroid can result in wanting to sleep more and feeling tired).
Do consider what you are eating - whole grains versus white bread...fruits, veggies, plenty of fluids, protein. One of my daughters is hypothyroid and we've had her working with a local nutrition counselor and endocronologist.
Know that you are not alone in being the M. of a small child and feeling tired - its a big job!
As your schedule permits, figure out if you can get some exercise - walking, local park district class or whatever you can do for your body.

C. L
M. of 3, yoga teacher

100 is within normal range.
You could be a diabetic, but without extensive testing I would not even consider that possibility.

Ask the Dr. to do a fasting blood sugar on you. Don't eat before you go, not even a cup of coffee. Also ask for a hemoglobin A 1C---that gives the Dr. a picture of your blood sugars in the past week or so, and average so to speak.

You may be tired for many various reasons. Are you eating well? Are you eating foods that provide energy, or just filling the "pie hole"? Are you avoiding caffeine, alcohol, fatty food, and nicotine? Are you exercising at all?
Do you get enough time for YOU?
Are you getting enough iron rich foods and b vitamins?

There are many signs of diabetes, fatigue, excessive thirst, frequent infections, sores and cuts that don't heal, do you have any of these symptoms?

Perhaps a lifestyle change is in order if they rule out diabetes. More you time, better foods, more exercise--

I too had gestational diabetes. I feared getting my follow up test after my daughter was born, but I continued to test my blood sugar like I had while I had the gestational diabetes. It remained in a "normal" range, so I had confidence that the diabetes had left. After my doctor's appt., I was confirmed diabetes free. Not even in the "pre-diabetes" range. I am often more tired now then I was before I was pregnant, so don't panic. If you are feeling tired, it could be that you have a one year old. They are exhausting! I am sure that your test with your doctor will give you the reassurance that you need. Good luck, and take care of yourself. Eat well, exercise, get plenty of sleep....The more rest you get, the lower your risk for diabetes. Go ahead and nap when your son does...it's for your health :)

Ask them to check your thyroid level. I also had gestational diabetes and then a few months later found out I had thyroid problems and that was the cause of my extreme fatigue. I think thyroid and diabetes are somehow correlated.

Actually 100 is pretty good. Your blood sugar should be somewhere between 90 and 120. I had gestational diabetes. First pregnancy I controlled it with diet and actually lost weight while pregnant. Second pregnancy, I was on insulin, Also lost weight. My last child was born when I was 29. I am 44 now. Got type 2 diabetes when I turned 40. the way you're feeling could be because of diabetes but could be any number of things actually. I suggest you make an appointment with your Dr. and explain how you've been feeling and let the Dr. Run some tests to figure it out. No reason to stress over it. Just ask your Dr. Good Luck!

i hope this isn't out of line..but..have u taken a pregnancy test? sounds to me like the symptoms are similar. just a thought! take care and good luck!

I don't know how you could have been diabetic before and never known. I would think there would have been some inkling to it, feeling sick (like you do now) or something. HOWEVER, my SIL had gestational diabetes... that never went away. She is now a full blown diabetic, requiring insulin and medicine every day. I would get yourself checked again.

Hi Michelle,

I was a gestational diabetic as well and I demanded a post pregnancy Oral glucose test due to a family history of diabetes. If you aren't feeling well and have ANY doubts, I would demand the follow up test as well.

The standard non pregnancy test is a fasting 2 hour test where they draw your blood three times.

yes you could have been diabetic before you had your son. typically a person has diabetes 10 years before it is diagnosed. another explination is your body has converted due to the trauma and stress it takes to manage a baby and a house. I've been diabetic since i was 22 and am now 41. i went blind for a short time due to retinopathy from not taking the disease seriously. so now my mission is to let eveyone know to take care of themselves and test your sugar regularly. if you get nowhere with your doc have him refer you to an endocrinologist (dr. specializing in diabetes). and if you are not diabetic now the chances of you converting because you have had gestational is significant. best wishes to you and please take care of you

I second the low iron idea. Are you taking a multivitamin? Talk to your doc about this and ask what amount of iron supplement you might need. It can make the world of difference.

If you've had gestational diabetes, your chance of becoming diabetic later is very high. My pregnance was ten years ago, but they test me for diabetes often. It also runs in my family, with grandfather and father having been diabetic.

You may not have had it prior to pregnancy, but you could have it after. Or you could get it years later. Check with your doctor.

You may be anemic now. Have your doctor check your iron (hemoglobin) - that is more likely to be making you tired, and can happen from losing too much blood.

God Bless!
T.

It's very possible that you always had it and never knew. If you weren't tested for it, how would you? Diabetics can have a 100 depending on what they've eaten. I'm sure you still have your tester and strips..you can still test yourself (even if they are expired, they still generally work). And you can start eating like you were taught when you had gestational diabetes to see if you feel better for the next few days until you see the doctor and see if your numbers go down doing that.
Good luck!

Michelle-

You might also want to have your thyroid checked. It's very common in women to have hypo thryroid - which causes fatigue, metabolic slowdown, etc. I mention it as I am hypo, my M. is hypo and a girlfriend was just diagnosed. It's regulated by taking medication daily. Something else to consider if diabetes is ruled out.

Good luck