Frustrating diagnosis of gestational diabetes...

[Linablu]

I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes last week on top of HG. I had to go to a dietician yesterday for "diabetic counseling", and now I have a new rant! The ironic thing about me being diagnosed with gestational diabetes is that I hardly eat anything to begin with, much less sweets b/c they make me even sicker!

So, here I am in this well-meaning dietician's office, and she's looking over the paperwork the OB sent her on me and asking me questions as to what I am eating. Well, instead of telling me what I shouldn't be eating, she was freaking out, hounding me to eat ALOT more. On top of that, she wants me to try taking the Flintstones vitamins again! YEAH RIGHT! Sorry, but it is so hard to balance my stomach right now, I'm not about to do anything that I KNOW will rock the boat. I have read post after post from all you wonderful ladies, saying how after living on caffeine-free coke and Zofran, your babies turned out perfectly healthy. Doctor's, nurses and dietician's will NOT believe this! At least I am eating SOME foods... I thought that was an accomplishment. She showed me this graph on where my weight was pre-pregnancy and where I should be at 28 weeks compared to where I am (loss of 11 pounds at this point rather than a gain of 10). I was obese to start with, you'd think they'd be happy I haven't gained. So, now, after I've finally gained 7 pounds after my initial loss of 18 pounds, they're still not satisfied. I have to keep going back every 2 weeks for follow-up with the dietician to show constant weight gain... grrr!

Anyway, it really pisses me off that no medical professional seems to understand HG (and I'm a medical professional myself, which makes me even more frustrated!).

[MamaLily]

Chrissy -

Wow - I don't know how you can handle one more thing! I'm so sorry to hear about your visit to the dietitian. I've been wondering how it went and what she would say about the GD.

My experience with dietitians was very mixed during my pregnancy. When I was put on the steroids and NG tube, I received daily dietitian visits in the hospital and then calls weekly at home. I was grateful for all that they said, but the bottom line is that they were definitely talking about different things than I was. They said I couldn't get off the NG tube until I could eat 2,000+ calories per day on my own. Hello! I could barely keep anything down and there was no way I could eat that many calories. I still have the notes they had me keep to record what I ate every day. It's so pathetic to read...one bite of spaghetti, four canned peach slices, etc.

Finally I talked with my peri, who said that I didn't need to worry about the 2,000 calories/day goal. Of course, he said it would be wonderful but also realized that it was unrealistic. It helped me feel so much better! I was grateful for the advice the dietitians gave me, but I wish I had known sooner not to feel guilty about not being able to heed their advice. I didn't have GD, so I don't know what you definitely need to follow and what you don't. I'm sure you'll figure it out.

I just want you to know that I understand how frustrating it is to have dietary counseling when you really aren't eating anything close to a great diet. And when you don't exactly have the option of eating whatever you want, whenever you want.

Hang in there! I've been thinking about you. I know it doesn't seem like it, but you are getting pretty close. I read that you're starting the 3rd trimester...way to go! I know you can make it to the end, and then you'll have a BABY!

- Anna

[jenniz]

Hi Chrissy,

Unfortunately, The dietician needs to be flogged. That's just the way it is...(I don't make the rules, I just follow 'em.) That said, you probably are not physically strong enough at this point in time to do any of the flogging yourself...but wouldn't that be a great stress reliever?!?!?

I'm at 35 weeks (and 4 days, but who's counting?) now and even when I was hospitalized last week, they sent the dietician up to see me. Its like, "I'm here for IV hydration because NOTHING is staying down, and you want me to consume HOW MANY grams of protein?!?!?!" What they are telling us is the ideal, but its just not realistic. It is frustrating to be a healthcare professional and KNOW this stuff but having your hands tied and you just realistically can't do it. I was in the same boat with my first pregnancy, and it drove me nuts...This time around, I have been on the flip side (my twins have special needs, so I have been the parent and advocate and don't really mind telling those who need to be told that they are stupid...) and so I am much more comfortable telling people (who are really just trying to help,LOL...poor souls) how it is. The good news is that with GD your baby will probably be a bit bigger, and while generally this isn't necessarily a good thing, s/he can probably use the boost in weight.

I had HG horribly with my twin pregnancy, and at 34 weeks, the boys were 4 pounds 3 ounces and 4 pounds 6 ounces...which is just under average for twins at that G.A. The one I'm cooking now is in the 90th Percentile for growth. Our babies DO grow....please be easy on yourself. Go easy on the "bad" stuff, get a lot of protein (a lot is relative...but a lot percentage wise of what you are eating)...half a plain turkey (deli sliced) sandwich is something that virtually always stays down for me. That protein/carb combo can sometimes help.

Hang in there...keep venting...it may not make you feel better, but at least we get it here! Hugs!!!
________
IOLITE PORTABLE VAPORIZER

[teddi]

Dear Chrissy,

I can comisserate with you. I did not have GD w/ my first pg, but I was given a nutritional referral. What a joke! As I am sitting there reviewing what I was (more like was *not*) eating, I'm hearing all this advice (the standard spew). "Eat high fiber (I was tremendously constipated)" "Eat fruits and vegetables". As the conversation went on and I explained I was lucky to eat 3 oz of food a day, my nausea was building. Talking about food, food, food.... uhhhh!!! Finally, I kind of stopped talking back at the nutritionist. She said "well, eat anything you can I guess. It's better than nothing." She could tell I was not feeling well- I asked if we were done, ran out of her office and puked in a planter outside.

I guess I can't complain too much. My getting green around on the gills right in front of her kinda drove it home to her. She got the picture!

[Ruthy]

I AM SO TIRED OF THESE SO CALLED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TELLING SOMEONE WITH HG "You have to eat more" Duh idiot boy/girl!!!!! Can they not realize we would give just about anything and I mean anything to eat a nice juicy steak or a piece of fried chicken much less 2000 calories a day. I don't know much about GS but I do know I lost 30lbs when I was pregnant with my daughter. And my doctor reassured me that as long as I took my folic acid tablet each day that she would be fine. Your body stores enough of the stuff a growing baby needs to make it till birth. My daughter was 8 lbs and 9oz when she was born and fine emotional and physically. Don't let them get you down! You can only do what you are doing. People don't realize that when you have HG it's like your mind, body, will, stomach and heart are fighting each other and it's alot to handle. Good luck and I'll be thinking of you.

[PamelaRose]

Teddi - Your "interview" with the nutritionist brought back some fond memories! The hospital dietician who'd read Miriam Erick and knew that if I just ate potato chips and drank lemonade, I'd be cured (puke). Or the "maternal care expert" nurse the insurance co. sicced on me to make sure I was really sick...telling me the best way to cure my anemia was to eat lots of red meat (pukepukeblech). Lucky for them I was on my 4th go-round and didn't listen to a word they said. Idiots!

[leah44]

These dieticians have no idea how to deal with HG. During my first pg, my nurse/dietician talked to me almost daily about what I should try to eat. Her main push was for me to eat some protein. I couldn't even think of it. I am a vegan and my usual protein sources made me sick. I do believe that even if I was carnivore, I think all protein sources would have disgusted me while I had HG but ... finally, one day, she convinced me that I had to try something. I sat in my living room, crying while eating about a spoonful of tuna. I was so upset because I have been a vegan almost all of my life for animal reasons and here I was, convinced by the nurse that I was harming my child & myself because I was not eating some form of fish or poultry. Of course, about 1/2 hour later, I threw it up & I never listened to her again. My son was born 9 lbs. 9 oz. and has been in the 90%-98% bracket for height & weight since then.

--Leah
(Derek born 4/22/02, edd 12/6/04)

[stephensmam]

can i just tell you as well i ate not one bitof fruit or one vegetable on my first pg i took no vitimins no folic acid all i lived on after 20 weeks was a tiny bit of potato some days and bovril its a sort of brown soup , i lost 30 pounds also i was so under weight giving birth but stephen was 8 pounds 7 ounces and is fine , he dosent like veg or fruit though hemm i wonder why lol