Going through pre conception phase....

[Cleo]

Hello all
I'm new to the forum so thought I'd introduce myself....
I am a 36 T1 (diagnosed aged 19, in 1995). The reason I am here is because I'm currently going through the delightful pre conception phase (started in Nov 2012) so hoping to talk to some of you and to learn a bit about how the journey was for you.....
Overall I am ok with things, but it can get slightly frustrating when the BGs dont behave the way you want them to!!. I have been advised to bring myself down to below 6.5, I was 6.8 in Jan 2013, and then 7.3 in March 2013 😡 My next appointment is in May so I'm taking each day as it comes and just trying to do my best. I went on a recent DAFNE course so I'm carb counting, doing corrections and recording every single thing. The frustrating thing was that two consultants who I saw in march said that I should have been given the green light in January, as 6.8 was good enough. Oh well....I'm sure I'll get there.....just conscious about my age as I am no longer 21! 🙂
look forward to hearing and learning from all you wise ladies!

 

[Lauras87]

Hello & welcome to the forum.

I can't help but my consultant says hba1c of 7 to start a family (I need a man first) & it has to stay that for 6 month + before I'd get the green light. (I'm usually under 7 but I suppose the stress of perfect bloods won't help)

I hope your next app goes well.

It's so annoying you can't just do it as nature intends

 

[Cleo]

Thanks Laura....yes it can be frustrating when you cant just get on with it!, but I'll just keep it at and hopefully that will be reflected in my HbA1C.....

 

[trophywench]

Hiya!

Have they prescribed the high-dose folic acid?

 

[rachelha]

Hi Cleo, 6.5 sounds like a very strict level to reach before being given the go ahead. Imthink it is normally under 7. I was given the go ahead at 7.4 with my first pregnancy as I had a lot of problems with hypos.
Waiting to be given the go ahead to start trying is so frustrating, it drove me mad. Try not to worry about your age, i know easier said than done. I had my first child at 36 and am now pregnant with the second at almost 39!
There is a brilliant facebook group for diabetics mums to be called The Sugar Mummy It is a closed group sonyou can post whatever you like without needing to worry about friends/OH reading it.

 

[Cleo]

Hi !
No they havent prescribed the folic acid yet - I have asked about it but (although no one has given me a direct / "unambiguous" answer) I think their policy is to give the green light and the folic acid at the same time. I did ask a DSN about it and she said that because of the way its absorbed in the body it doesnt make a difference if I am on it for 2 weeks before I fall pregnant or if Im on it for 6 months before I fall pregnant.....however, to me that doesnt make sense as they say that you should be on it for 3 months before trying!
Any thoughts?

 

[Cleo]

Hi Rachelha
Thanks for your feedback.
Yes it can be frustrating, but like you said I shouldn't focus on my age. One of the consultants I saw in March said that I should have been given the go ahead when I was 6.8 because 6.5 is too low and the likelihood of running into hypos is alot greater.
Anyway, my next appointment is in May so I'm just trying to do my best on a daily basis and not get into any negative head space.
Well done you for having gone through one pregnancy and for going through another one now!. Its a fantastic achievement, you should be proud of yourself !!!

C.

 

[Vix]

Hi Cleo,

I'm in exactly the same boat... My hba1c was 9.1 (!!) in November but was 7.6 about a month ago so going in the right direction... my sugars have a mind of their own at the moment which isn't good at the best of times but with that added pressure of pre-conception it is like torture... I'm doing everything asked of me, my fingers are like pin cushions and I'm getting really emotional about it, especially when it my sugars shoot up for no apparent reason... and to top it off my hormones aren't helping - been running high just before my period and continuing to do so on top of the struggles at that time of the month when it's normally lower - can't work it out!

I've been put on high dose folic acid and my DSN said I have to take it 3 month before even considering coming off the pill if/when we get the green light... I'm aiming for a hba1c below 7... If it was 6.8 I would be absolutely ecstatic!! It does seem strange that each DSN seems to have a different opinion, as my previous one said it doesn't matter how long you take folic acid and to aim for a hba1c of below 7.4...

Good luck with your control, hope you get there really soon 🙂

xx

 

[Cleo]

Hi Vix,
Thanks for your reply - its so nice/ comforting / reassuring when you hear from other people in the same situation. Funny that we dont know each other but can relate to each others situations. Well done YOU for getting yourself down from 9.1 to 7.6 in a very short period of time!. Thats really amazing. You are obviously doing the right thing so just keep at it!. I havent really experienced the hormonal fluctuations that you talk about....the only thing for me is that I tend to have a chocolate craving before my period (dont we all?!) so I usually just have some and then take some extra insulin for that, so it all evens out in the end.
All I can say is keep up your good work and dont get upset with yourself. 🙂 I think stress affects everyone differently but I know my sugars go high when when I stress so maybe its the same for you ?. If thats the case I guess it can be like a vicious cycle......I always think of my diabetes as a little child : if I look after it and nurture it and "control" it , it behaves. If I neglect it and let it control me then the BGs are always all over the place.
I really hope you get the green light soon - am sure you will 🙂
C xx

 

[Vix]

Hi Cleo,

Yes, it's definitely good to know you're not the only one going through this... and as depressing as it was at my ante-natal appointment this morning being surrounded by heavily pregnant women knowing we haven't got the green light yet it was also re-assuring knowing that they all had diabetes and were at that stage!

If only it were as easy as nuturing and controlling it 😉 I never have chocolate and am testing all the time, weighing my food, changed injection sites etc etc etc and there doesn't seem to be a logical reason for it to misbehave! Having said that at my first ante-natal appointment this morning my consultant was actually really positive and said that my day to day readings really aren't as bad as I think they are and I just need to get rid of the spikes and I'll be all set - if only it were that easy hey 😉

Hope you get the hba1c you're waiting for and get the green light soon

xx

 

[Laura D]

Hi Ladies,

I sympathise on the "well just knock out the spikes" message. If we knew what was causing it, we'd have done so already!!! Still, looks like you've made amazing progress and are both close to your targets 🙂

After nearly 20 years of mediocre control (HbA1Cs 7.5 to 10.0) I am going through an erratic few years and have now been approved for an Insulin pump, which is great news and I hope will help me achieve my pre-pregnancy target.

Fingers crossed to all of us! xx

 

[Cleo]

Good luck Laura D - hope you meet your targets soon!!
Arghh its so frustrating isnt it?!. I have my appointment in May and really hope I get the folic acid (at the very least!!) this time. The thing I find frustrating is that there doesnt seem to be consistency between the consultants as to when you're supposed to be given the green light. Some say below 7, and then some say below 6.5. It seems to be quite subjective?!?

 

[Vix]

I would say an hba1c of 7.5 is pretty goof @Laura D... Good luck with your pump and reaching your target 🙂

I agree @Cleo - it's frustrating that there isn't a universal target/advice... I'm glad that mine of 7 not 6.5 though as I feel I would never get to 6.5 as 7 seems a hard enough target at the mo! I'm on folic acid and have been for 3 months, and hoping against all the odds that I'm at 7 when I have my next appointment on 21 May... hope you are at your target for your next appointment soon 🙂 I think we need to have a balance between reaching the target and having a quality of life, so if I'm at 7.1 I'm almost tempted to say sod-it, it's my decision at the end of the day, but we'll see what my results are first!!!

Xx

 

[Cleo]

I can totally relate to what you're saying Vix 🙂

Good to hear you're on folic acid though ! - I'm not even on that yet! - they've told me that due to the way its absorbed in the body it doesnt make a difference if I'm on it for 2 weeks or 3 months by the time I conceive.....somehow I just dont believe that, why would there be a guideline that you need to be on the stuff for 3 months before you stop using contraception???

Good luck with your appointment on 21 May!
x