Newly diagnosed&pregnant, Help?

[Emma Guthrie]

Hi everyone,

I have just been diagnosed type 1 2 weeks ago. When doing my blood tests the hospital told me i was also pregnant i must be about 3-4 weeks. When i went in my bgl were at 27 but ive got them to under 10. I had a miscarriage in january and doctor said it could have been from my high sugar levels as had symptoms since before christmas.

Iam terrified i could have unintentionally hurt my baby, has anyone any advice? Could i still have a chance of a healthy pregnancy?

 

[stephknits]

What a shock Emma and a lot to deal with all at the same time. Try not to worry about what has been and gone and concentrate on managing as best you can over the next months. Hopefully your team should be monitoring you very closely anyway.
One of our members Grainger has very recently had a baby boy, do have a look at the threads on this.
Do ask if you have any questions - there are loads of people on here with tons of experience. I have two daughters, but was diagnosed Type 1 after having had them, so no experience of the two together.
You have come to a great place so already you have done something positive to help yourself. 🙂

 

[Northerner]

Hi Emma, welcome to the forum 🙂 Goodness! Congratulations on the pregnancy, but I'm very sorry to hear about your diagnosis. What insulin are you on, and what advice have you been given? I hope that you are in regular contact with a DSN (Diabetes Specialist Nurse) who can help you adjust your insulin so you can bring your blood sugar levels under control gradually. I'm afraid I don't know much about pregnancy, but we do have quite a few members who have had very healthy babies, so try not to worry - now you have a diagnosis, you will have the treatment you need to stabilise your blood sugars so they do not affect the baby 🙂

Hopefully, some of our members with more knowledge will be along to help soon 🙂

 

[Emma Guthrie]

Hi Emma, welcome to the forum 🙂 Goodness! Congratulations on the pregnancy, but I'm very sorry to hear about your diagnosis. What insulin are you on, and what advice have you been given? I hope that you are in regular contact with a DSN (Diabetes Specialist Nurse) who can help you adjust your insulin so you can bring your blood sugar levels under control gradually. I'm afraid I don't know much about pregnancy, but we do have quite a few members who have had very healthy babies, so try not to worry - now you have a diagnosis, you will have the treatment you need to stabilise your blood sugars so they do not affect the baby 🙂

Hopefully, some of our members with more knowledge will be along to help soon 🙂

Im on levemir at 6 in the morning and 8 at night and novarapif at 6 before breakfast lunch and dinner. The burses have said they are very happy with my progress and that it cant be brought down too fast. As i was diagnosed iver the holiday weekend i dont know if i have a specific Dsn as ive seen so many different people over the last 2 weeks.

Thanks for your replies just feel like my head is going to explode with everything. Im scared to eat anything incase it goes really high again.

 

[grainger]

Hi Emma

Firstly congratulations on your pregnancy. I cannot imagine how scary it must be for you to be diagnosed at the same time as finding out you’re pregnant but please know that there is every chance you could go on to have a healthy baby.

I’d recommend if you haven’t been already that you request to be seen by a diabetes pregnancy clinic. They will classify you as high risk but in reality this means that you get much higher level of care - you’ll be offered an earlier pregnancy scan, more scans throughout the pregnancy, you’ll be seen and monitored by the team regularly (I was seen every 2 weeks for most of my latest pregnancy). You should also start taking a prescription dose of folic acid if you are not on it already. Being classified as high risk might sound scary but actually means you get so much more support.

I’ve just had my second son whilst being type 1. My first is now an incredibly active 4 year old and my second is almost 2 weeks old.

My blood sugars were sky high at the beginning of my second pregnancy and throughout the whole of my pregnancy I suffered with extreme insulin resistance and yet I have a healthy boy. Yes if you read my other posts you’ll see my little one struggled at birth BUT I have been assured it had nothing to do with diabetes and he’s now doing really well. I say this because I want you to know that it’s possible to have a healthy child even if your sugars weren’t perfect to begin with.

My advice - ask as many questions as you need. Ask on here, ask your diabetes team, ask your pregnancy team. No question is stupid.

I wish you all the luck in the world and please do keep us posted x

 

[Lucy Honeychurch]

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I'm so glad @grainger has replied 🙂

 

[Emma Guthrie]

Hi Emma

Firstly congratulations on your pregnancy. I cannot imagine how scary it must be for you to be diagnosed at the same time as finding out you’re pregnant but please know that there is every chance you could go on to have a healthy baby.

I’d recommend if you haven’t been already that you request to be seen by a diabetes pregnancy clinic. They will classify you as high risk but in reality this means that you get much higher level of care - you’ll be offered an earlier pregnancy scan, more scans throughout the pregnancy, you’ll be seen and monitored by the team regularly (I was seen every 2 weeks for most of my latest pregnancy). You should also start taking a prescription dose of folic acid if you are not on it already. Being classified as high risk might sound scary but actually means you get so much more support.

I’ve just had my second son whilst being type 1. My first is now an incredibly active 4 year old and my second is almost 2 weeks old.

My blood sugars were sky high at the beginning of my second pregnancy and throughout the whole of my pregnancy I suffered with extreme insulin resistance and yet I have a healthy boy. Yes if you read my other posts you’ll see my little one struggled at birth BUT I have been assured it had nothing to do with diabetes and he’s now doing really well. I say this because I want you to know that it’s possible to have a healthy child even if your sugars weren’t perfect to begin with.

My advice - ask as many questions as you need. Ask on here, ask your diabetes team, ask your pregnancy team. No question is stupid.

I wish you all the luck in the world and please do keep us posted x

Thankyou for your reply! I have an early scan tomorrow but i dont know if it will be too early.

Its gave me some hope as all i was reading on Google was horror stories, no more google for me for the rest of this pregnancy!

 

[Northerner]

no more google for me for the rest of this pregnancy!

Glad to hear it! 😱 🙂 Hope the scan goes well 🙂

 

[trophywench]

What everyone else said - but one thing that struck me is that an awful lot of T1s have higher BG in the first trimester - so seeing as that's you - I reckon though it would still have been high had you not been expecting - maybe it isn't quite as scarily high as it first appears? And now it's being tackled then it's to be hoped it'll come down as quickly as is sensible!

Good luck - you'll get there - and junior will get here with you!

 

[Cleo]

Thankyou for your reply! I have an early scan tomorrow but i dont know if it will be too early.

Its gave me some hope as all i was reading on Google was horror stories, no more google for me for the rest of this pregnancy!

Hello and welcome Emma
I can’t imagine how challenging it must be for you to be newly diagnosed T1 and pregnant.

I have 2 children (4 and 18 months ) - the pregnancies were hard and very intense but they are both fine. please remember that it is possible for us to have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies !! And like Grainger said, I was also high at the early stages of my second pregnancy and baby was fine .

I know it’s so tempting to go on Dr Google but honestly these are just anecdotal stories - that’s all they are - stories ! they’re not relevant to you in any way, and will just stress you out. Type 1 Diabetes and pregnancy is hard enough as it why make it harder on yourself ?

Wishing you the very best of luck and remember you can always come on here to ask any questions you like !
X

 

[grainger]

Thankyou for your reply! I have an early scan tomorrow but i dont know if it will be too early.

Its gave me some hope as all i was reading on Google was horror stories, no more google for me for the rest of this pregnancy!

Hope your scan goes well today. Everything crossed x

 

[HOBIE]

Really good luck Emma. 🙂

 

[PhoebeC]

Hi Emma and welcome.

Hope it went well yesterday.

You can do this, its not impossible, even if it feels that it is.

Try not to stress/worry it wont help. All here for you.

There's a lot of past posts on here (including my own) which show how hard it is, but also that we and baby can both be okay.

Take care.

 

[Emma Guthrie]

Thanks everyone for all your support!

I had a 7 week scan yesterday and they could only find a faint heartbeat. Has anyone else had this?

My diabities doctor said he expected this and he doesnt think the pregnancy will continue. Ive to go back next week for another scan.

I dont want to give up hope but im just so scared. I had a miscarriage in january and i just dont know how ill get through it happening again.

 

[HOBIE]

I don't know what to say Emma. We are all thinking of you & sending lots of support.

 

[Pigeon]

Hi Emma, I'm sorry to hear your worrying news. No experience of pregnancy myself, but I'm keeping everything crossed for you. Remember we are here for you whatever happens. Take care x

 

[grainger]

I really don’t like you diabetes doctor - sorry.

It’s understandable you are scared, and completely natural to be. I just hope and pray your scan next week is positive.

Thinking of you, and use this site for support as much as you need.

 

[Emma Guthrie]

I seem to get a different doctor every week at the moment. Last week for the whole appointment all they went on about was miscarriage and how i need to be prepared and something about the baby producing its own insulin at 16 weeks if i get to that point.

I understand they need to tell me about the risks but every appointment i leave in tears and its making me really depressed.

 

[Cleo]

I have to say I agree with Grainger .

Also, It’s not right that you leave the appointment in tears.

I really hope everything progresses well for you. Next time you go back to clinic and feel low please remember that you’re entitled to tell them that you don’t feel supported throughout the process. Maybe they just need a kick up the backside.

Wishing you the. Best of luck x

 

[MandyS]

Hi Emma,

I’m so sorry for all the stress and anxiety you are going through at the moment.

It seems that some diabetes doctors seem to have bypassed any sort of people skills training! I am currently 23 weeks pregnant. Slightly different to you, but at around 9.5 weeks (so I already knew I was pregnant), I was diagnosed with T1. It came as a massive shock and I still don’t think I have really come to terms with it. Add to that the worry of the effect on a new pregnancy and it’s pretty overwhelming! I too had a horrible appointment with the diabetes consultant - after reading in my notes that I had lost a baby last year, he then launched into a speech about how my glucose levels meant there was a 1 in 10 chance of a major abnormality and that some women decide to terminate. Again, like you, I knew he obviously had to make me aware of the risks but I think the way he presented the information was really insensitive and caused me a lot of stress and tears! And although he didn’t outrightly say that I should terminate, I felt that he was heavily implying it.

I had already had an early scan at 7 weeks (due to my own anxiety, before I knew about the diabetes). I then went on to have a scan at 12 weeks, 17 weeks and 21 weeks and everything (fingers crossed) seems to be okay so far.

I know that every pregnancy is different but I just wanted to let you know I can understand some of how you must be feeling. I really hope it goes well at your scan next week and I will be thinking of you. There are so many lovely people on this forum and they will all be here to support you.

Sending you lots of good wishes.

Mandy