What a week! Even though I had a great appointment last Friday, I have felt the stress of uncertain times for the past week. Not knowing what comes after a failed gestational diabetes (GD) test put me in a little bit of a tailspin. Plus, thinking about the social stigma that comes with the word diabetes had me all frustrated and upset. But, God works for the good of those who love Him, and He has worked good for me!
I can honestly say that this is the first day in a few weeks that I have been up willingly without taking a nap. Currently, I don't feel like I am going to throw up (my stomach is actually growling at me) and I have energy - at least a little. Now, it is only the first day, but I am thinking positively!
So, Friday the call came saying I had a positive test for GD and I had to wait until Monday to call back. So, Monday morning, I called and learned that the normal ranges for the GD test are below 140. My number was 181! A bit high, ok, a lot high! Anyway, I was hoping to take the 3 hour test on Tuesday and have it over and done with. The lab personnel informed me that I had to follow a special diet for 3 days before the test and that they would put the diet in the mail (as I was unwilling to drive the 32 miles one way just to pick it up). Anyway, I got the diet in the mail on Tuesday and had spoken with a good friend on Monday who had GD during her last pregnancy. She spiked interest in me and I began researching. After looking at the diet, and the instructions for the 3 hour test, I realized I was not eating enough food during the day. Research told me two things:
1) With a 1-hour number above 180, all I would technically need would be a fasting blood glucose level to confirm a positive GD diagnosis.
2) If unable to follow the "diet," results would be skewed and would either end up in a false positive or a false negative.
I called my doctor's nurse on Tuesday, armed with knowledge. Knowledge is power, right!?! So, after presenting my case, she spoke with the doctor and together the 3 of us agreed that the 3 hour test would be unnecessary. The agreement is that I will say I have GD and follow those guidelines. I was honestly at peace with the situation. So...that leads me to today.
I received a call this morning asking if I could make a 10:30 appointment to meet with a registered dietitian to go over everything related and required with GD. I made the appointment, received education, and came home. The dietitian said that new protocol is that if you fail 1 test, you have GD and a 2nd test is not needed! I had made a good decision! The OB clinic that I go to does not yet follow this protocol.
A couple of interesting facts:
1) Insulin requirements during pregnancy are usually 3 times more than what is needed normally. GD results when insulin production does not keep up with what is required.
2) GD occurs during pregnancy only. It usually disappears following delivery. However, there is an increased risk of developing diabetes later in life, so special screenings are done on a yearly basis.
3) GD affects people of all shapes and sizes. Overweight, thin, tall, short - you name it!
4) Treatment of GD is more for the health and safety of the babies than for the mother. It is amazing how God created tiny little beings to know when they need to produce their own insulin to fight high glucose levels - even only at 25 weeks gestation!
So, the journey continues. I press on with the prize at the end being a safe delivery of our twins. I press on knowing some of the social stigma that will come at me from people I know and people I don't know. However, I also press on knowing that the end result is two healthy babies to care for, nurture, and love all the rest of life!
I will try to update on my progress sometime in the next couple weeks. Hopefully, I will be feeling better!
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