Hi, I'm looking for some advice and experience. 6 weeks ago I found out I was 6 weeks pregnant. My T1 diabetes has never been well controlled by any means. I'm trying so hard to get my BG between 4-7 but I'm really struggling. My diabetes nurse has changed both my insulins and my doses are constantly being changed as I'm having low and high all the time. I'm carb counting everything, doing correction doses and having to consume 500-1000 extra calories everyday in sweets and fruit juice. I simply dont know where I'm going wrong. I'm exhausted and have no energy to do anything atm. My diabetes nurse said I'm doing ok but I dont feel like I am. Should it be this hard? Any advice would be great.
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Type 1 12 weeks pregnant
- Thread starter Kellyp85
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D
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Hi @Kellyp85
Welcome to the forum and congratulations!
It is not unusual for bgl to go a bit haywire during pregnancy and you may find that when you do manage to get them back on track, your insulin needs will change again. It certainly doesn’t sound like you are doing anything except what you can, so try not to blame yourself for doing anything wrong, it is hard work!
Are you using CGM to monitor your levels? This is often very helpful during pregnancy.
Welcome to the forum and congratulations!
It is not unusual for bgl to go a bit haywire during pregnancy and you may find that when you do manage to get them back on track, your insulin needs will change again. It certainly doesn’t sound like you are doing anything except what you can, so try not to blame yourself for doing anything wrong, it is hard work!
Are you using CGM to monitor your levels? This is often very helpful during pregnancy.
Hi LucyDUK
Thank you for your fast reply. Yes I've been using a Libre for a year, it's been a god send. I am just getting so down about it all and hate not feeling like I'm in control. I'm scared to go anywhere without my husband in case I go low. I literally feel like I'm drowning. My doctors are anxious about reducing my antidepressants even though I shouldn't be on them whilst pregnant. I dont know how I'm going to get through the next 6 months. The doctors wont allow me to go back on to an insulin pump but I cant see how things will get any better.
D
Deleted member 27171
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I’m sorry it is such a struggle for you at the moment - managing diabetes on it’s own can be stressful enough when its not going to plan and the same can be said for pregnancy so the two combined are not easy. It’s hard to heap praise on yourself, particularly if you have depression, but if your DSN says your are doing well, take it you are! They’ll have seen enough women with Type 1 through pregnancy to know.
You are in control here Kelly, it’s just really tiring staying that way, but the fact you are so exhausted just shows how much effort you are putting in and you’re making sure you keep safe by being more cautious about going out alone when worried about hypos.
Do you have any kind of psychotherapy support at the moment? If not could you ask your DSN about the possibility of a referral? The physical strain can increase the emotional pressure and vice versa so extra support might be needed to help you through it.
You can call the DUK Helpline for support, even if you just need someone to listen to you cry for a bit, they’ll listen. (the number’s at the top of the page, but they’re only open office hours, 9-6). I’m glad you’ve reached out for support and plenty of people here will try their best to give it - keep in touch and keep at it, you may find that it starts to get easier as your pregnancy goes on, at least for a little while, but I cant tell you when that’ll happen, until it does and during and after and when you have your little bundle in your arms we’re here for you.
I realise I haven’t given you any of the practical advice that you might be after - I’ll leave that for someone with experience to share.
You are in control here Kelly, it’s just really tiring staying that way, but the fact you are so exhausted just shows how much effort you are putting in and you’re making sure you keep safe by being more cautious about going out alone when worried about hypos.
Do you have any kind of psychotherapy support at the moment? If not could you ask your DSN about the possibility of a referral? The physical strain can increase the emotional pressure and vice versa so extra support might be needed to help you through it.
You can call the DUK Helpline for support, even if you just need someone to listen to you cry for a bit, they’ll listen. (the number’s at the top of the page, but they’re only open office hours, 9-6). I’m glad you’ve reached out for support and plenty of people here will try their best to give it - keep in touch and keep at it, you may find that it starts to get easier as your pregnancy goes on, at least for a little while, but I cant tell you when that’ll happen, until it does and during and after and when you have your little bundle in your arms we’re here for you.
I realise I haven’t given you any of the practical advice that you might be after - I’ll leave that for someone with experience to share.
Thank you Lucy, I will definitely ask for some therapy/ counselling when I'm at the hospital tomorrow for my scan. I guess the weight of that is playing on my mind too as I will find out if the pregnancy is normal and if we should continue with it x
D
Deleted member 27171
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Good luck tomorrow - fingers crossed all is ok. 🙂
Thebearcametoo
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Parent of person with diabetes
Good luck with it all. Managing levels during pregnancy seems to be a case of constant change. Hopefully as you get further into this second trimester everything will settle down for a bit. So many things are changing physically emotionally through this time that some extra support with some counselling is great if you can get it. We’re here to support you too. 12 week scans are an exciting time but also nerve wracking. Hope you have a clear picture tomorrow of your baby and that you can relax a little bit afterwards.
Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi @Kellyp85 🙂
Lows are very, very common in the first half (roughly) of pregnancy. They can happen for no apparent reason to do with food or insulin. I had to eat a lot of extra carbs sometimes to get and keep my blood sugar up. Rest assured that the fact you’re having to do that isn’t a sign of failure. It’s normal for pregnancy at this stage.
Test lots, including after meals so you can catch any lows early. I also set an alarm to test every single night at 2am. That worked well for me and was reassuring to do. Keep hypo treatments by your bed and have them around the house, upstairs and downstairs. Always make sure you have plenty of dextrose tablets and carby snacks in your bag when you go out. I found Lucozade was excellent for the hypos. It works very quickly, being a liquid. However, do be aware the new formulation is less carby so you have to drink more.
I don’t find fruit juice fast enough for hypos unless they’re very mild and slow. I wouldn’t use it for the fiercer pregnancy hypos. Get some Lucozade or some Gluco shots (glucose drinks). They work faster and take away that panicky feeling when you drop quickly.
You said the doctors won’t let you go back on a pump. If appropriate, it might be worth asking again, as a pump is very helpful in pregnancy. If you can’t get a pump, get a half-unit pen if you can as that allows you to give more accurate boluses and corrections.
Things do get easier. The hypos fade out over the weeks.
I hope your scan went ok. Sending you my best wishes. X
Lows are very, very common in the first half (roughly) of pregnancy. They can happen for no apparent reason to do with food or insulin. I had to eat a lot of extra carbs sometimes to get and keep my blood sugar up. Rest assured that the fact you’re having to do that isn’t a sign of failure. It’s normal for pregnancy at this stage.
Test lots, including after meals so you can catch any lows early. I also set an alarm to test every single night at 2am. That worked well for me and was reassuring to do. Keep hypo treatments by your bed and have them around the house, upstairs and downstairs. Always make sure you have plenty of dextrose tablets and carby snacks in your bag when you go out. I found Lucozade was excellent for the hypos. It works very quickly, being a liquid. However, do be aware the new formulation is less carby so you have to drink more.
I don’t find fruit juice fast enough for hypos unless they’re very mild and slow. I wouldn’t use it for the fiercer pregnancy hypos. Get some Lucozade or some Gluco shots (glucose drinks). They work faster and take away that panicky feeling when you drop quickly.
You said the doctors won’t let you go back on a pump. If appropriate, it might be worth asking again, as a pump is very helpful in pregnancy. If you can’t get a pump, get a half-unit pen if you can as that allows you to give more accurate boluses and corrections.
Things do get easier. The hypos fade out over the weeks.
I hope your scan went ok. Sending you my best wishes. X
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