Return to normal after gestational diabetes

[sandyhandz]

I wasn't sure after delivering my baby if my diabetes was going to go away. But surprisingly, right after delivery, my blood sugars are back in the acceptable range without any insulin. I had been taking 14 NPH am/10NPH pm with sliding scale humalog (~1unit for every 5 carbs). Seemed like a lot of insulin to me! But now I'm on NOTHING!

I actually think it's just in remission. After a high carb load (75 g of sugary stuff) my sugars may get up to 160's. Not good, but before, my sugars would have been sky high.

My question is... to other Moms who have gone thru this, have you taken orals? My doc wanted to prescribe Prandia for high carb meals. After lurking on this site, it seems I'd be better off just taking prn humalog instead?? What is your take on this?

[traymore]

I had gestational diabetes with all three of my daughters and I was diabetes free for the past 12 years. Last week I learned that I now have type 2 diabetes and I am now taking oral medication. Hopefully you will be ok for a few years.

[princesslinda]

A good friend of mine had gestational diabetes and took insulin during her pregnancy. After delivery, things stabilized and she is on no meds. She watches her carbs and keeps her weight down. The baby just celebrated her 1 year wedding anniversary, so she's managed for many years (22) not to develop T2. Hopefully if you're diligent about your diet and watch you're weight, you'll do fine.

[mg_2204]

3 pregnancies, 3 gestational diabetes. The last pregnancy on insulin. I always came back to normal numbers after the delivery except for my last one. I stayed in what they called the 'grey area' for a year. Unfortunately I didn't have a great doctor so I don't know what was my A1C back then, I don't know what he considered 'a bit high', as a matter of fact I was told very little. Only that it was diabetes, that's it. I was put on Diamicron and I kept fainting. I had hypos all the time.

I managed a little more than 10 years on diet alone. Now I'm on Metformin.

[cuori]

i had gestational diabetes with both of my boys. was on tons of insulin and metformin at that time. each time after i had the kid my numbers were back down to normal no matter what i ate. i was diagnosed as a type 2 exactly 11 years to the day of my youngest being born.
my doctor told me that most women who are gestational diabetic end up being pre-diabetic or type 2 within 15 years or less. weather true or not i dont know. maybe he was just trying to make me feel better he is very kind..lol

[turtle72]

i had gestational diabetes with both of my boys. was on tons of insulin and metformin at that time. each time after i had the kid my numbers were back down to normal no matter what i ate. i was diagnosed as a type 2 exactly 11 years to the day of my youngest being born.
my doctor told me that most women who are gestational diabetic end up being pre-diabetic or type 2 within 15 years or less. weather true or not i dont know. maybe he was just trying to make me feel better he is very kind..lol


You was given Metformin whilst pregnant?

I was on Metformin for a couple of months at the beginning of the year and I've recently been taken off of it and put on insulin only, but when I first went onto Metformin I was told that I must inform them as soon as I thought I was pregnant or wanted to get pregnent as Metformin is very harmful to the baby :confused:

[Tvro]

I developed diabetes in my 5th month. The Dr.'s first thought it was gestational diabetes. My blood sugars never did return to normal , and in the 21 years since the birth of my son I have been on insulin. My Dr. thinks that I was probably pre diabetic before my pregnancy. Any one else diagnosed with type 1 while pregnant ?

[amyjo29]

I developed GD and my sugars did not return to normal. I was most likely pre diabetic before my pregnancy

[BrendaK]

I developed diabetes in my 5th month. The Dr.'s first thought it was gestational diabetes. My blood sugars never did return to normal , and in the 21 years since the birth of my son I have been on insulin. My Dr. thinks that I was probably pre diabetic before my pregnancy. Any one else diagnosed with type 1 while pregnant ?

Well, I wasn't diagnosed w/type 1 while pregnant, but I think my gestational diabetes was "unmasking" a predisposition to type 1. With baby #1 I was put on insulin way too late at 32 weeks. With baby #2, I was on a TON of insulin starting at 20 weeks. Everyone said that it pointed to type 2, but hindsight is 20/20. My son developed type 1 at 9 months old and I have been diagnosed with type 1 at age 30, just 2 months ago. It's been almost 4 years since I've been pregnant. I just think it's really interesting I had such severe gestational diabetes, then went on to develop type 1, not type 2.

I forgot to say that my sugars returned to normal right after delivery with both pregnancies. Though my fastings did stay a tad bit high (in the low 100's) since baby #2.

[ladytaz]

21 years ago right about this time of year, in the 5th month of my third, and last pregnancy I was diagnosed with GD. Back then, as far as I know, we weren't given insulin, let alone any oral meds (also as far as I know, taking Metformin during pregnancy is a HUGE NO NO!!). I controlled it with diet. We also didn't have home meters to test with! Instead, I had to go to the hospital every two weeks to be tested. And then in the last month every week. It actually ended up being almost TWO months, because my daughter was 3 weeks late!

That was fun, lemme tell ya!! Be at hospital, 30 miles away, at 8 am. Fasting. After 3 or 4 tries (I gots me some deep, rolly polly veins. Difficult to get blood outta me) get all my blood drawn out of me (or so it seemed! LOL) eat a specific meal of pb and grape jelly, a banana and 8oz of milk. (SAME meal every time - and for breakfast, no less! eW) Two hours later, get all my blood drawn out of me again. I did this for FIVE months!!!

Once I gave birth to my daughter, my BG was back to normal they said. But I was to keep a watch on my BG, since I'd had GD, the risk of Diabetes later in life was greatly increased. During my pregnancy, I learned that Diabetes runs on my dad's side of the family, like wildfire!!

So, finally, seven and a half years later, (Aug. 93) I was tested again. (yea, I didn't listen and keep a check on it) Fasting OGTT of 140. Told I was "Borderline Diabetic" what they NOW call "Pre-Diabetes. These days, that would be considered Diabetes. Period. I was again told to keep a watch on my BG. Get tested every year. yea, ok. in one ear out the other, basically! I already knew that I would eventually have D. It was just a matter of time. Though, I didn't know then, what I know now about D!

Fast forward another 7 years, Fall of 2002, I decide to purchase myself a glucose meter, and began randomly testing my BG. Usually three or four times a day for a few days in a row, then go for some time and then do that again. My BG was consistently over 200, 300 even! I knew then, that I was Diabetic. But still, I didn't do anything about it. Again, I didn't know then what I know now.

Aug 2005, while in the ER for Kidney Stones, I was finally "formally" diagnosed. Fasting BG of 355! NO OGTT, just straight up fasting test. THEN I began to research and began learning what I NOW know!! HOW I don't have any complications is BEYOND me!! The Good Lord must have seen fit that I keep all my stuffs is all I can say! ;)

I started out on oral meds. Then about 18 months in, that wasn't cutting it anymore, and was started on insulin. Been on insulin now for six and a half months.

So, WHEN did I actually "cross the Diabetes line"? Who truly knows, since between 1993 and 2005 the determining numbers have changed. If we go by todays' standards, well then way back in 1993 I was already Diabetic, and I essentially went at least 12 years undiagnosed and untreated.

[srpkinja]

Hi Sandy!
Keep on checking your BG DAILY, for months! I was on Actrapid and Insulatard, a total of 68 U/day by the end of pregnancy, and 30 minutes after the delivery my BG was OK and it stayed OK for few days w/o insulin. At home I kept on logging my BGs for a week or two, and since it was fine I tought it was all over and I gave up on diets and all that! 5 months later my A1c is 8.5 and i'm back on insulin. Sometimes it doesn't come back, but just be be careful and measure!!!
best of luck,
Srpkinja

[lorilei]

I nkow this is an old post, but i am new to this forum and have "enjoyed?" reading it. At last! Three kids..2 borderline GD, last one lucky enough to have HTN and GD..on sliding scale...went right down each time...except last time 2 mos later..still tired and foggy..now 1.5 and watching the clock tick. My friend also dx'd type 1 after GD. All you GD's keep checking..fatigue and weight loss are not always new mommyhood.

[candiwv]

Please keep checking sugars and get an a1c every year after GD. I developed GD with my 3 rd child in 2006. I was able to control it with diet and exercise alone.

Fast forward to Feb. of 2009, I ended up in a diabetic coma and DKA. My BG was 888 and an a1c of 17.3. I almost died and was in CICU for 7 days. The weird thing is that I have my a1c checked every year and they were normal last year. But Type 1 has a history of coming on fast. So be sure to check BS at least once a month.

[Ategeler]

I was originally diagnosed with GD first pregnancy-diet restricted only. Second pregnancy on insulin at 16 wks since they figured out I had positive GAD antibodies. Both times my blood sugars went back to normal immediately after giving birth. However, 2 years after second pregnancy I started long acting insulin since my BG are now starting to show upward climb. The pregnancy just unmasked what was already lurking there!

[Mothernature]

Almost 5 years after a GD pregnancy, I was Dx'd with type 2. My AC1 was 11.3 and BS was 455.

I was sent to the ER the night after my diagnosis. I tested very high for ketones. I was borderline ketosis and rehyderated.

I kick myself for not watching my diet (I gained the 40 pds back I lost during the pregnancy) and not testing at all post pregnancy. I am not all that mad at me. I was recently told with my family history of Diabetes, I was pretty much damed to have this disease.

[sridder]

I had gestational diabetes with the last 2 pregnancies. My sons were born in 93 and 94. The gestational diabetes went away completely. I didn't take any meds after the births. I did keep my glucometer and check my BG levels from time to time for the first few years but everything seemed fine. In April (14 years after youngest was born) I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I've read and been told that gestational diabetes often means that you will get Type 2 later in life. I've also read with diet and exercise you can "keep it away" for awhile.