Early Pregnancy Help

[Jennifer86]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the board but hoping you might be able to offer some advice. I'm 10 weeks pregnant. My HBa1C was 28 before I became pregnant and now is about 29. My control is generally pretty good and 50% of the time I'm seeing consistent sugar levels through out the course of the day. The rest of the time however I am suffering from extreme lows. im worried about the inconsistent levels as my sugars dip and then go up to the higher end of normal beforw often dipping again. from the dips. I'm also worried about the few episodes of hypers that I have had. The highest my sugars have reached is 9 - 10. This is happening once or twice a week and I manage to catch them and bring my levels down again to normal levels within an hour. However I know hypers are really dangerous for the baby and I'm worried about the impact both the dips and the hypers will be having. I'm also not sure how low sugars can affect the baby.

After suffering a missed miscarriage in August, which I'm sure was related to poor control, I'm extremely worried this time around. Any help would be really appreciated.

 

[grovesy]

Welcome.

 

[trophywench]

Hi Jennifer - what an excellent name we have!

First - many congratulations, and my very good wishes that everything will go well this time.

You are going to learn to juggle insulin and meals and snacks fairly constantly until you actually give birth I'm afraid as bodily and the necessary hormone changes happen - and each person and each pregnancy for them, is different - so no-one can say 'You must do this, or that' for you.

Sounds to me like your insulin doses must be too high generally since you wouldn't get 'extreme' lows otherwise. OTOH - why would you then soar, as you ask? What have your specialist team suggested when you discussed this with them and what have you so far tried either with their advice or without?

 

[Jennifer86]

Thanks Jenny 🙂. So far, my specialist team have asked me to lower my basal insulin by a unit, which I've done. It has limited my lows being quite as extreme but has also resulted in my sugars coming down less quickly after I've eaten. After breakfast I've seen more frequent numbers in the 8s an hour after I've eaten rather than 6s as I was before.

 

[trophywench]

Sugars not reducing quickly enough after eating - you could try bolusing upfront so it hits the carbs sooner - or you might need to up your insulin to carb ratio a bit (a half unit pen helps) - either or both can be used ad hoc, whenever needed !

 

[Ljc]

Hi Jennifer, Welcome. I just wanted to say Congratulations.

 

[Redkite]

I think the first trimester you're at higher risk of hypos, especially if you have any "morning sickness". Your Hba1c is low even for a person without diabetes, and a rise to 9 or 10mmol once a week is also better glycaemic control than most people with a working pancreas.... so really you can afford to relax your control slightly in order to avoid severe hypos. Try taking your meal insulin a few minutes earlier to avoid a post meal spike.

 

[Cleo]

Hello and welcome

Congratulations with your pregnancy!
I agree with red kite - you can def afford to relax your control a bit without increasing any risk of diabetic complications affecting your pregnancy.

I have a 3 yr old and a 6 month old - I know type 1 and pregancy is incredibly hard, we worry, we feel guilty, frustrated etc but I think running *slightly* higher (still within normal range) would help you avoid the problems you're having. In both my pregnancies my hba1c was around 38 and my babies are fine.

Also, how's your hypo awareness ? I remember mine being quite poor during pregancy which is another reason we should be careful and avoid hypos when we can 🙂

Good luck !