[ksa01]

I'm 9 weeks pregnant with my first child!!! I'm so excited.

My bs goals have now changed and what a nuissance. Pre-meal:60-80 Post-meal: 1hr<130, 2hr<110. I've increased my basal rates slightly and doubled my meal bolus in an effort to meet these goal. Overall, I'm doing pretty good, but I consistently go low (60 or less) at 2-2.5 hrs after eating if I don't have a 15-20g snack.

These lows are frustrating and scary. Before getting pregnant I rarely experience a low and when I did I was usually no lower than 65. Now I drop into the low 50's and 40's regularly. Is this normal? I've tried changing my bolus ratios, but if I take less insulin, I can't meet the post meal goals. So for now, I've decided it's better to meet the goals, plan on snacking at the 2 hr post-meal mark and test a lot to catch any lows quickly.

For those of you who were pregnant with Type 1, was your experience similar?

[duck]

Increasing your basals are making you low...Someone correct me (and I have been told this by a number of CDE's and other members here) but why would you increase your basals if your goal is lower overall blood sugar levels? Wouldn't you instead increase your bolus?

My reasoning: Basal is supposed to keep your sugar stable...IN theory, if you have a perfect basal rate, you can pass out right now and over the next 24 hours, your blood sugars will not change a bit. BUT if you increased your basal, you would go low, right?

In that line of thought, if your basal is set properly and you want to lower your average readings, you would bolus slightly more for each meal, which in turn would lower your two-hour post readings, right?

(I'm asking, I could be wrong).

[Cookie]

Originally Posted by duck

Basal is supposed to keep your sugar stable...IN theory, if you have a perfect basal rate, you can pass out right now and over the next 24 hours, your blood sugars will not change a bit.

Duck.

(Wow - that was weird, just as I typed 'Duck' I got a text from MIL to ask if we fancied coming round for tea, they're having duck!! )

Anyway.

Duck, I wish someone had explained that to me when I was first diagnosed!!!

My basal insulin is something I've really never given ANY thought to. My blood sugar has risen for 'no' reason SO many times (if not most of the time) and I've just thought it's because I'm 'odd' (no comments please) or got something wrong.

Ooh, I have a lot to work on at the moment...

[camjen1]

Originally Posted by duck

Increasing your basals are making you low...Someone correct me (and I have been told this by a number of CDE's and other members here) but why would you increase your basals if your goal is lower overall blood sugar levels? Wouldn't you instead increase your bolus?

My reasoning: Basal is supposed to keep your sugar stable...IN theory, if you have a perfect basal rate, you can pass out right now and over the next 24 hours, your blood sugars will not change a bit. BUT if you increased your basal, you would go low, right?

In that line of thought, if your basal is set properly and you want to lower your average readings, you would bolus slightly more for each meal, which in turn would lower your two-hour post readings, right?

(I'm asking, I could be wrong).

During my pregnancy I had to raise my basals a tad due to the weight gain. I don't know if she's packing any weight on now but that could be the reason why. My basals change quite often and to think of it I haven't had the same basals for longer then 6 months.

[Cinnabon]

With my pregnancy I was just like that , Real low. I passed out a few times. The Doctor's explanation was "the baby will never feel a low, but it will be affected greatly by highs" I agreed with him, but I don't believe about the baby not feeling those low blood sugars in the 40's. My baby was born healthy, no problems, except for a bit of low blood sugar, no Diabetes thank god. I was on NO insulin for about 12 hours during her birth and only went up to 211.

[nantomsuethom]

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR PREGNANCY KAREN!!

[ksa01]

Originally Posted by duck

Basal is supposed to keep your sugar stable...IN theory, if you have a perfect basal rate, you can pass out right now and over the next 24 hours, your blood sugars will not change a bit. BUT if you increased your basal, you would go low, right?

In that line of thought, if your basal is set properly and you want to lower your average readings, you would bolus slightly more for each meal, which in turn would lower your two-hour post readings, right?

(I'm asking, I could be wrong).

Duck, now that you reminded me of this, you are right. I don't think I should have increased my basal rate at all. Before being pregnant, my basals were pretty much perfect. I could skip meals and never fluctuate much, let alone go low. I haven't gained any weight yet, so it makes sense that these rates should not have changed.

I think I just panicked when I found out I was pregnant and wanted to meet to the goals. I've been afraid to experiment too much with insulin changes so I was just coping.

I've changed my basal rates back to what they were pre-pregnancy and now I'll see what happens.

Thanks for helping rational thought return, if only for the moment.

[camjen1]

Make sure your seeing a high risk OB and not just one thats capable of only taking on normal deliveries. Be prepared for the countless OB visits and tests. Something to look forward to is you will be getting numerous ultrasounds at least that is what they did for me. I had to visit a high risk OB that was located in a huge hospital about and hour and a half away from my home. I was there 2 times a week. The first visit would be a NST (non-stress test) the second visit would be for a NST and a Biophysical which is an ultrasound.

Good Luck!! Keep us posted.

[Eri's mom]

Congrats on your pregnancy!!!
Hoping everything gets under control w/ those lows!!!

[KickStart101]

Congratulations on your Pregnancy Karen.
I think the stress of being pregnant plus life in general happenings
have to do with the lows even though you are supposed to be "eating for 2".
I had many lows but managed to get most of them under control.. I had
to have my Son a month early because my sugars went crazy and I couldn't
bring them down for any length of time at the end of my pregnancy. I was in the hospital for a week, the Doc's couldn't get it down either so the Doc came in early in the morning and asked if I wanted my Baby before or after lunch? He said this is not unusual, that the sugars go out of control near the end of the pregnancy sometimes. He had told me prior to that this might happen. My Son had to have an I.V. put into the vein in the side of his head because they were giving me so much insulin. He was fine other than that. My sugars went back to normal after I delivered and I was back to my normal weight within the week.
I hope you have an Enjoyable Pregnancy and a Happy, Healthy Baby.
God Bless You Both.

[Willow]

Many congratulations Karen

[KickStart101]

My Goodness Girl: yes, lows are normal in the first and sometimnes
second tri-mester. You should eat more(you are supposed to be eating for 2, but for a Diabetic cut 1/3 off of the eating for 2)(so eat for 1 1/2 to 1 2/3 of
a helping. But you have to realize what you are comfortable with eating. If you wish to eat less than the 1 1/2 -2/3 than you will also have to lower
your fast-acting. It's okay to play around with it slightly until you feel you have it right on. It's a long haul don't be afraid to make it to your body specifications. That is what you need. If you feel that you cannot even eat more than your normal meal portion, then have a talk with your Dr.just to make sure meds., food and exercise is right. That is what they are there for. The 2nd Tri-mester should level out somewhat but your 3rd Tri-mester some women found their sugars rising for no reason as I did later on. Not a prob., just be prepared. Please try to relax and don't forget this is a Natural happening even for Diabetics. Good Luck to ya Sweetheart.......... Be Excited and have your snack if you need it. Test more often than normal, if
you were doing 6 before then do 8 -9 times through your pregnancy.
Take it Easy ........Reeeellllaaaaxxxxxxxxx.....

[ksa01]

Thanks everyone.

Things are starting to get better. I think I have my basal and bolus rates pretty much figured out for now. I stopped experiencing the extreme lows (<50) for now. For the most part, I don't go lower than 65-70. This is much better and I can deal with these lows, both physically and psychologically.

My doctors are pleased with my numbers and say everything is going well, so I'm more relaxed about everything now. It also helps that I heard the baby's heartbeat and saw it on the ultrasound. The baby was pretty much an unidentifiable blob, but you could definately see the heart beating. Amazing to say the least.

[camjen1]

Originally Posted by ksa01

Thanks everyone.

Things are starting to get better. I think I have my basal and bolus rates pretty much figured out for now. I stopped experiencing the extreme lows (<50) for now. For the most part, I don't go lower than 65-70. This is much better and I can deal with these lows, both physically and psychologically.

My doctors are pleased with my numbers and say everything is going well, so I'm more relaxed about everything now. It also helps that I heard the baby's heartbeat and saw it on the ultrasound. The baby was pretty much an unidentifiable blob, but you could definately see the heart beating. Amazing to say the least.

Heheheheh that kinda reminds me of my sister who had an ultrasound picture of her baby on the fridge but to me it looked like a lil bean. I also had a friend who had an ultrasound pic of her daughter's face and it looked identical to the father's when put side by side. It was actually kinda scary.

[Catie and Emily]

CONGRATS ON THE BABY!!!!