Gestational Diabetes and Me

I knew I was insulin resistant before I got pregnant, and I knew that put me at additional risk of gestational diabetes. I was not really surprised when I failed the one hour glucose tolerance test. But I was really hoping the three hour glucose tolerance test would go better.

I was pleasantly surprised that I did not feel as sick as I expected to feel. I haven’t eaten sugar on an empty stomach in years because I know it makes me sick. The glucose drink was nasty, and it made my stomach hurt, but it didn’t make me throw up like I was afraid it would.

I had two days for the results, so by Friday I was pretty anxious for the answer. I called my doctor’s office and I was told that no one there would give me the results since my doctor and her nurse were out of the office. I protested, but was told there was nothing they could do until Tuesday when I was scheduled to see a different nurse. I hung up and had a panic attack. I intuitively felt that I needed those results that day. I called back and left a message on the urgent care line, saying I really needed to reduce my stress by getting those numbers before the weekend. I totally stressed out for the next 20 minutes, I just knew I needed the results before the weekend.

Finally, a very helpful nurse called me back. Not only had I failed the test, I had failed spectacularly. A diagnosis of gestational diabetes requires failing two of the four blood draws. I failed all four of them. One by almost 100 points.

The nurse explained the kind of diet I would need, said she’d make an appointment with a dietician and told me to have a good weekend. Less than two hours later my phone rang again. The doctor on call wanted me to go to the hospital for two days as soon as possible to stabilize my blood sugar and teach  me how to deal with diabetes. Whoa! Do it because you love your baby she said, thanks, needed the guilt.

The on call doctor today (Sunday) told me that in 12 years he has never seen someone fail all 4 blood draws on a 3 hour glucose tolerance test. Lucky me, I was the first!

So, here I sit, sticking my fingers 10 or more times a day and giving myself shots in the stomach. Now they are telling me that I will likely be here longer than 3 days. I feel too well to be in the hospital, but I know I need to be monitored while I figure all of this out.