Any Diabetics out there ?

[Marshy]

My wife has 6 weeks to go until the birth of our 2nd Child and has just been informed the pregnancy has brought on Diabetes.

We are waiting to see a dietician but not until next Monday.

She is really struggling to find things that are suitable to eat.

Does anyone know of some simple things that are good to eat, that will fill her up as she is always complaining she feels hungry.

Snacking stuff would definitely be a help.


Answers such as Cake, Biscuits, Sweets and Sugar although very amusing..isnt exactly what im after

 

[chip]

Has she acquired gestational diabetes?

She want to be looking at things that have more starch than sugar for snacks. Things like rice cakes can be very good and even crisps have the carb/glucose balance that she requires. Have a good look at Diabetes UK's web-site as there is plenty of sound advice there.

www.diabetes.org.uk

 

[Marshy]

Yes Gestational Diabetes, i will take a look at the site thanks also.

 

[¡Cereal Killer!]

No, but both of my Parents have it (means that I will have a high chance of getting it when im older )

 

[chip]

Gestational diabetes is very interesting. We normally use abot 10 - 15% of our pancreatic funtion for insulin production. When women are pregnant their pancreas will increase its mass by around 50%. For some women, such as your wife, this is still insufficient to produce the required number of beta cells that make insulin. Its like trying to get your central heating to keep your house warm in winter with all the windows open.

The good news is that in most cases the glycaemic regulation will return after the birth of your child, i.e. the diabetes goes away.

Has she seen a diabetologist yet. Its pretty poor that she has to wait a week to see a dietician.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

You can expect a large baby as well.

Good luck to you both.

The dietary advice already given is excellent, she will return to normal after she delivers, but they will monitor her more closely than others during labour.

Cheers mate.

 

[Marshy]

There is one dietician covering the whole of west sussex apparantly.... and shes of till monday....

 

[KPTF]

My wife also had gestational diabetes which was diagnosed quite late in the pregnancy so she just cut down on the sweet stuff until the birth, then returned to normal afterwards.

Because of the diabetes, the kept a very close eye on her and wouldn't allow her to go past her due date of Saturday, 16th February, 2002 (when we were at home to Huddersfield). They admitted her to the PRH on the Friday and the deal was that, if she was back home by mid-day on the Saturday, I could go to the game. (It was our 3rd child so we reckoned she'd require less post natal care in hospital).

I took her in around tea time on the Friday as they were going to induce her, however, there was an abundance of 'normal' births that night so they kept delaying & delaying - all the time I'm thinking this is seriously reducing my chances of being at the game. Eventually, around 10pm, they decided there were too many 'nomal's' so they would start inducing early the following morning. So I trot home pissed off & she stays in overnight.

The following morning, they start inducing and by about 2.45 pm she's going into full blown labour so we get moved into one of the delivery rooms, upon entering which my eyes are drawn like a magnet to the radio beside the bed. It was obviously tuned into Classic FM for the calm, soothing music with which to help the patient. Within a nano-second, it's been re-tuned into SCR and Hawsey proceeds to inform me that it's a tight game -(I think they were near us at the top at the time)- and a certain Leon Knight is looking dangerous. I'm trying hard to do the sympathetic partner bit but it becomes even more difficult when Junior Lewis puts us 1-0 up. Then, disaster strikes.

With 15 minutes to go, as Hawsey tells me that Huddersfield are getting closer & closer to an equaliser, the head appears and, because of the diabetes, they have to plug in a machine to intravenously give her insulin. This causes interference with the radio and I can't hear a bloody thing! I'm doing my crust, she's doing hers and, for all I know, we could be 2-1 down.

Anyway, within the half hour, I find out that we've won 1-0 and I've got a beautiful son called.............Lewis!

 

[chip]

Thats awful. If you or your wife need advice or support on diet or any other aspect of this, then ring Diabetes UK and speak to one of their advisors (Careline 0845 120 2960). They should also have some simple factsheets on their web site which are probably all the dietician will give you anyway.

Try and think of more basic foodstuffs, like rice, pasta, fruit, vegetables, beans and pulses, because they have more "stable" sugars. Fats can affect the way that sugar is metabolized and generally slow it down but prolong the release, so chocolate can be OK but honey is a definate no-no. Reducing complex fats will help. With high blood sugars, constipation can be more of a pregnancy problem than normal and this in turn will affect the guts ability to transport glucose, again worsening regulation.

With high blood sugars, the kidneys may be working over the renal threshold and urine may smell sweet/strange. This is because excess glucose is being removed via the kidneys and bladder, urinary tract infections are more likely in these circumstances. More water than normal should be drunk.

Don't forget that exercise is also very important as it helps increase insulin uptake and offsets some of the temporary insulin insensitivity.

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to...Pregnancy_and_diabetes/During_your_pregnancy/

 

[desprateseagull]

I think there's a diabetic ward (Grant Ward?) at the Royal Sussex Hospital, which may have some knowledgable staff. my mother was cared for there, several times (she was insulin dependant).

 

[Marshy]

Thanks for the advice Chip, her Kidneys arent working properly we have been told that and she has them regularly tested, she also has LUPUS amongst other things so is on steriods. This more than likely complicates things...

Oh well its only 6 weeks....we just feel that with a proper diet and being told what she can and cant eat we could get the test results down to the required level and avoid having to inject the insulin.

They seem rather keen to just get her on it without really giving the diet option a chance.

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Blimey. Send her my best, Marshy. I've had type one diabetes (on daily insulin injections) for 23 years now - if I'm hungry and it's between meals, I'll snack on things like Ryvita, stuff with slow-release carbohydrate inside. Salads can fill you up without 'counting', but while I love a good hunk of cheese, you do have to be careful cos it'll pile on the weight.

Really, the diabetic diet is the healthiest diet about - slow release carbs, low GI, plenty of fruit and veg. Yum.

Although I do splurge on beer and chocolate far too much

 

[B.M.F]

Although I do splurge on beer and chocolate far too much

And whiskey chasers when it is not your round

 

[Mark Ormerod's Gloves]

my sister had gestational diabetes, and was pretty ropey because of it, but was fine after birth.

 

[RexCathedra]

Type-2 diabetic here.

I go through a lot of hummus -- check the fat content, some store-bought brands are better than others, and you can spread it on anything -- and Japan's answer to the packet of crisps -- hot wasabi-coated roasted peas.

And apples -- my pantry looks like a branch of the Bulmers' empire.

 

[eastlondonseagull]

And whiskey chasers when it is not your round

Only when it's your round, mate

 

[glasfryn]

type II here too,
injecting which fortunately I don't mind and is now under good control.
hope your wife will be OK and good luck.

PS I think the diabetic society has a help line/or at least someone to talk to.

 

[RM-Taylor]

I have type 1 diabetes and have done since the age of 16.

Not that anyone on here particullary wants to know that, but oh well.

 

[HAMPSHIRE DAVE]

Have had it since about 14.
Later in life you get it the more chance of taking pils instead of injections.
Been all around the world and still eat what I want but at certain times although flexable with injections.
HAMPSHIRE DAVE

 

[withdeanwombat]

Type 1,and I didn't have to get pregnant for it!

Honestly,the advice given on here for the most part is spot-on.Treat the diabetes with respect,not fear,and keep to the fantastically healthy diet that WILL be outlined.

Enjoy the addition to your family..............new Albion supporters always welcome!!


Up the Albion!