Wanting to try for a baby but trying to lower my HBA1C

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Bobbi

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Type 1
Hi My names Bobbi I’m new to this but I wonder if there is anyone who is able to give me some advice? I fell pregnant a while back now but unfortunately due to my HBA1C level being far too high i ended up miscarrying me and my partner are wanting to try for a baby again as soon as we can my current HBA1C level is at 63 I’m just curious to hear other people’s stories about their pregnancy and if there is any advice anyone can give me on how to keep lowering my HBA1C and how to be able to have a healthy Pregnacy many thanks in return hopefully I can find a little bit of help and advice x
 
Sorry to hear of your loss, me and my partner also miscarried but years before I developed Type 1, we were due to start trying again in 2017 but was diagnosed so it put a hold on everything

Have you been in touch with your team about that? As you should be in touch with the pre conception clinic who I'm sure would be able to give you good advice

As for your hba1c, what are your levels like on a daily basis? Are you carb counting or are you on set doses? How long have you been diagnosed?

Oh and welcome!
xx
 
Hi @Bobbi and welcome 🙂 Sorry to hear about your miscarriage. That must have been very hard.

My advice would be to take your time to get organised. It can be done but it takes sustained effort. I have three children and pregnancy was hard work but perfectly do-able. You should find the pre-conception clinic and the DSNs a great support.

To lower your HbA1C you basically need to aim for pregnancy level strict targets now, particularly after meals. Can you give us an idea of your general levels and what insulin(s) you’re on? You’ll need to test, test and test some more because the Key is to detect and correct any highs, and to have the testing info so you can adjust your basal and ratios as needed.
 
Hi I got diagnosed when I turned 18 I’m turning 23 in a weeks time so coming up to five years now I’m supposed to carb count but I struggle with that so I just take set doses when I have food! Since getting diagnosed I’ve struggled to keep my blood readings level but for the a good 6/8 month I have been trying my absolute hardest to keep them from going to high as I used to constantly see readying above 15/20 since being diagnosed I’ve been admitted to hospital a few times due to DKA but that has not happened to me for over a good year/ year and a half now currently I’m trying my best not to let my bloods go above 12 that’s my aim at the moment and I feel that I’m doing well with it for some reason my diabetes team hasn’t been in touch with me for a while since before the first lock down I try to ring and get an appointment but they say they will ring me with once but still haven’t! I recently go my HBA1C tested at my doctors as I told them I haven’t had it done in a while and the results came back and my level is 63 currently and they said it’s the best it has ever been since being diagnosed I feel I’ve struggled for so long and now I’m trying to get grips on it as i feel if I don’t do anything now it’s never going to happen for me, thank you for reply though I just feel a little happier knowing there is people out there with diabetes and people have some really struggles with it all just like me I’m not the only one x
 
I know things can feel difficult and a hassle but your team will probably want you properly carb counting and adjusting where needed before you become pregnant, we're here when things get a little tough, you need a little help/advice, just even if you need to rant we listen

Do you use a Libre?
xx
 
Your hospital should have a pre -pregnacy service, you need to contact your team to be reffered!
 
Well, that sounds like you’ve made real improvements @Bobbi 🙂 Excellent work. We all know how hard it is day after day, so be proud.

If you don’t want to carb count and adjust your insulin and prefer to stay on fixed doses, then that can be done, but you do need to stick to the same carb amounts for your meals else your results will be a bit random. I was on fixed doses at diagnosis and was told to have X units of insulin and Y grams of carbs for breakfast, etc My blood sugar was fine and it worked. But you can never control your diabetes without carb counting in some way. It’s very tedious but the payback is worth it.
 
Thank you everyone for the advice it really helps I mean I did try carb counting but it’s never accurate, I’ve never been good with measurements and when I do have food I just go off by eye with the amount of food on my plate if that makes sense I’m going to ring up the diabetes team and seek help off them that definitely seems the best option right now, and yeah I’m on the freestyle libre and since getting that I have seen better improvements, other people have told me to look into the insulin pump as they say that could possibly help. To be honest since getting diagnosed my mental health got bad and I was really depressed but I feel I’m in a better mind set now and I just want to move on in life hopefully start a family I don’t think I really ever emotionally came to terms with having diabetes at the beginning it was hard to take everything in but I have diabetes for life now and all I can do to help myself is by trying to take back control of my own body I just want to feel happy and confident that I can control it better x
 
I find sticking to the same meals a lot makes it easier eg I always try to buy the same bread, have the same amount of pasta whenever I have pasta, etc etc Yes, you have to work out the carbs the first time, but after that you’ll know the carbs. I keep a notebook and have lots of meals in my memory too so I don’t need to actually count the carbs too much now. I just know, say, X grams of pasta with a tomato and cheese sauce is 45g carbs or whatever.

I usually stick to the same few breakfasts too, then I don’t have to think.

You’re right that diabetes is hard to come to terms with. It takes time. But remember there are so many new advances now to help us. Things have changed a lot and will continue to improve until we have a cure one day.
 
Inka said:
I find sticking to the same meals a lot makes it easier eg I always try to buy the same bread, have the same amount of pasta whenever I have pasta, etc etc Yes, you have to work out the carbs the first time, but after that you’ll know the carbs. I keep a notebook and have lots of meals in my memory too so I don’t need to actually count the carbs too much now. I just know, say, X grams of pasta with a tomato and cheese sauce is 45g carbs or whatever.

I usually stick to the same few breakfasts too, then I don’t have to think.

You’re right that diabetes is hard to come to terms with. It takes time. But remember there are so many new advances now to help us. Things have changed a lot and will continue to improve until we have a cure one day.
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Exactly what I’ve always done @Inka

It’s a bit of a faff getting the scales out to cook, but as long as I know there’s x grams of carbs total in the pot I can divide equally.

Pregnancy and pre-conception guidance might be worth checking too @Bobbi ?

Good luck with getting your HbA1c down 🙂
 
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Bobbi said:
Thank you everyone for the advice it really helps I mean I did try carb counting but it’s never accurate, I’ve never been good with measurements and when I do have food I just go off by eye with the amount of food on my plate if that makes sense I’m going to ring up the diabetes team and seek help off them that definitely seems the best option right now, and yeah I’m on the freestyle libre and since getting that I have seen better improvements, other people have told me to look into the insulin pump as they say that could possibly help. To be honest since getting diagnosed my mental health got bad and I was really depressed but I feel I’m in a better mind set now and I just want to move on in life hopefully start a family I don’t think I really ever emotionally came to terms with having diabetes at the beginning it was hard to take everything in but I have diabetes for life now and all I can do to help myself is by trying to take back control of my own body I just want to feel happy and confident that I can control it better x
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One thing which helped me get my HbA1c down when I was diagnosed was to get a simple digital kitchen scale, which I keep on the kitchen top. I would put a bowl on it, set it to zero, and then put the carbs in the bowl before cooking or putting on the plate. That way I got an accurate weight, and it only took a matter of seconds. I suspect eyeballing it means your carbs are under estimated. Good luck.
 
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