I just saw my Endo today and I am proud to say that I have FINALLY dropped my A1C down to a 7.3! It was an 8.7 over a month ago and now I've finally made my first goal of under a 7.5. I couldn't be more excited, except...we got clearance to start trying! Eeks! I am nervous and excited. Anything we should know ahead of time? Any pointers? I'll take it all! : )
Yay!!! So exciting!!! Do your best to keep your blood sugars ideal. The first 8 weeks are very crucial when baby is developing and good blood sugar control is important. Obviously we all know it not easy to be perfect all day everyday. Congratulations and have fun!!!!
Did you change things you did when you started trying? I always thought I wouldn't be the paranoid person but I keep catching myself thinking, "Should I do this now?". Like taking ibuprofen, anti-inflammatories for an old injury, a glass of wine with dinner, a cup of coffee or more than one soda a day, and all those other fun worries. I know it could take us a couple of months before actually conceiving but hearing everyone (dr included) say those first few weeks are imperative, I freak out! I don't want to regret anything I do. -total newby freak out session just now. Lol.
I also have no idea what to expect from my blood sugars in this time or even when conception has begun. I wear my CGM all the time so that helps prevent major lows, if or when they show up. Any pointer will help tremendously!
Thank you!
I'm guessing, if you talk to some 'older' adult women in your life (i.e. mom, aunt, etc.) you'll find they did LOTS of things that is taboo these days (smoke, drink, caffeine throughout the entire pregnancy). A glass of wine with dinner, a cup of coffee, etc. are not going to hurt the embryo. I think most health professionals will agree - moderation is the key (and my ob/gyn had to talk me off the ceiling when I found out I was pregnant with my 2nd - I'd had a negative pregnancy test and then had a few weeks of weddings, parties, etc. before finding out I really WAS pregnant - WHOOPS!).
Also - talk to your OB/GYN about starting prenatal vitamins - especially folic acid!! - now, before pregnant.
The fact that you are thinking about it, and keeping an eye on it means you are going to be a GREAT mom. :-)
I agree Katie, usually the elders are the one's that tell you all that, but my Mom told me quite the opposite which didn't make it any better. She says I need to treat every day from now on out as a day I'm pregnant. So basically she frowned upon all the above. She says none of it will help me make a baby. Lol. Gotta love our Mom's! As far as the viatmins, I have been on prenexa for about a year or more because we weren't exactly sure when I would be cleared to get pregnant and my OB wanted me to be as healthy as possible. We started hubby on B12 as well as his daily vitamins for extra support for his end of this. And as far as the things I intake, I still have my coffee every morning as I get ready for work, it's only one cup and I drink sodas occassionaly throughout the week, cut a huge amount of that out before we were cleared to try for my own benefit. It's more stuff like ibuprofen that I'm concerned about now, I don't feel like tylenol works for much, but I guess I should get myself used to that. I hope I will be a great Mom, I want to give our future child every fighting chance at a "normal" and great life.
Hey Nikki,
That's great news!! I had my first blood test yesterday since I got on a pump (3-months ago) and will get my results in a couple of weeks... Hope my A1C has reduced from the whopping 8.4 it was! I'm happy to read that your endo has given you clearance at 7.3. Mine said I'd have to wait until I get under 7. Fingers crossed, hey ;-)
Good luck to you on trying to conceive! Keep us posted ;-)
Belinda
So I have had 35 lows anywhere from 70's- to as low as 32 in the past 14 days. Yuck! It totally wipes me out. I just sent my numbers off to my endo and waiting for them to call me back from my voicemail. I have no idea if I am pregnant or not, a few tale-tell signs, but as of a pregnancy test on Saturday -I was not pregnant. If I'm not pregnant, I have no idea what is going on with my diabetes or my body, but it needs to figure itself out pronto! I had a really weird period last week that only lasted for 2 days, heavy enough to wear tampons but nothing like my normal periods -not to mention it was 2-3 weeks earlier than my period would normally start. This waiting game is killing me! Not so much for the fact that I obviously hope I am pregnant, but the fact that I don't know what is going on with my body. Ugh.
Nikki-
Waiting is the WORST. Waiting to get your A1C down, waiting to actually get pregnant, waiting on future A1c
s, waiting on test and U/S on the baby, waiting for delivery hahaha...I didn't eait sushi, I didn't drink alcohol until my 2nd trimester and I drank non-alcoholic beer (like one) which still has alcohol in it and then in my third trimester I had one glass of red wine every two weeks. The one thing I didn't give up was coffee...I just reduced it to 1-2 cups in the am. I switched to tylenol, I didn't eat deli meat unless it said on the packaging all natural no MSG or nitrates. I made sure all my meat was really cooked and I limited my fish intake to two servings a week. My little girl is now 6 months old and doing great. I maintained a 6%-7.3% my entire pregnancy. I used a pump which REALLY helps. I am off the pump now, taking a break, and I will go back on it in September because we will try for baby #2 in December and I will need to get my A1C back in check. Good luck and try to relax. EVERYONE and their dog will try to give you advice or tell you what you should or shouldn't do just because you are pregnant then add the diabetes on top and everyone has another opinion LOL. Just trust your gut, your endo, and read some good informational books about fetal devlopment and you'll do fine.
Sry to butt in here... but I had a unplanned pregancy and then misscarriage about 3 years ago (when i was 21) and my sugars were all over the place. The first thingg my body noticed about "being preggo" was the sugar levels. I kept dropping severely, and had paramedics called for me 3 times in one week. I have the feeling you've gott a little one in there.... but thats only my guess and from my experience. Good luckkk with everything.
how did you get your a1c down?
NIkki! I hope to hear soon that you're expecting! That would be wonderful news!!
Meem, I got my a1c down from 7.6 to 6.8 in ~6-8 weeks by testing WAY more than usual. I mean, I tested even when I felt zero need to test, I woke up during the night to test, and tested an hour or two after EVERYTHING I ate and made corrections often. I also ate similar foods everyday around the same time everyday. All of my exercise was pre-planned and scheduled so I could have a snack ready to prevent a low followed by a rebound high. It sounds ridiculous, but it worked for me... and now it all seems like second nature. I got my a1c down to 6.2 early in the year, but it has since crept back up a little bit with this pregnancy.
Alright ladies, sorry for the delay, I was home on summer vacation instead of at my computer all day. I am NOT pregnant yet. Boo. My blood sugars have continued to run low and my endo says it is due to me getting such good control of my insulin needs and sugars, therefor my insulin needs are way down. My last A1C was about 2 weeks ago and (drum roll please) it was a 6.8!!! I am so incredibly proud of mine and my husbands hard work. And the biggest accomplishment is that I have done that without being pregnant. I test a lot but nothing crazy. I eat what I want, but just sure to correct to the best of my knowledge. I wear my sensor as often as possible to help regulate my bgs. I saw my OB for my Pap and a check up to see what exactly is going on that is preventing pregnancy ( so thankful that he understands the timeline we are on and doesn't make us wait the year most fertility doctors do). He did an ultra sound and noticed my uterine lining was too thick so had me come back on the 5th day of my next period. By that date, the lining had gone back to normal (it was shed during my period as it is supposed to). He told us we need to do the deed every other day and to recline for an hour afterwards so that the semen can liquify and make their journey. I had no idea there was a full on process to all this. I always got up and peep within a few minutes after the deed as to not get a UTI. I did however end up with one about 2 weeks before my OB appointment. Youchy! So we are back on the baby making band- wagon. I've decided to not take any pregnancy tests until I have definitely missed a period or notice any signs screaming in my face. Lol. I just hope it doesn't take much longer seeing that I need to have 2 kids in 3 years. Ugh. Plus, if I get pregnant now, I would be due when school is getting out and that would be perfect.
Good luck Meem with getting your A1C down. It takes determination and a little hard work, but so worth it!
Hope to give all my friends on here good news in the near future. ; )
Nikki, thanks for your detail. My husband and I are also trying and I'd read about the every other day frequency but wasn't aware of the need to recline afterwards to help sperm make their journey. I've heard that it only makes sense to take pregnancy tests when there's a missing period because before then the hormones haven't had time to build up so your plan to wait on the pregnancy test makes sense. My a1c in May was 6.3 and I just went for a blood test yesterday so hopefully that will come back at or below where I was in May. I'm also testing more frequently and had quite a few lows from being in tight control but I've found that those can be prevented if I test more often and try to stick to the same/similar foods/eating times as much as possible. Good luck!