I am 6 weeks pregnant and honestly feel like I am losing my mind. I am trying so hard, but my blood sugars seem absolutely out of my control. I am usually pretty ok with the control (last pre-pregnancy A1c was 6.3), but these highs seem to come and just stay, no matter what I do. Then I drop drastically to the 40s and it shoots back up again. I am taking already more than twice the insulin I normally do. I have a pump and a dexcom and I am still all over the place. I feel lost, hopeless, like I am killing/deforming this baby. All I have done today is chase highs, on and off the treadmill (in between crying and screaming). I know I sound mental, I am just so desperate.
Has anyone experienced this during pregnancy? I dont understand why my insulin needs have not decreased like most others I have heard of. Any advice, anything would be greatly appreciated. We haven’t told anyone yet and so I feel extremely alone.
Have you called the doctor? Maybe try using different spots for your infusion sets. Maybe up in the arm? I had some highs in the beginning as well too. Everyone is different so try not to beat yourself up and keep on top of the highs! I feel so bad I don’t even know what to say except try to stay calm and keep walking on the treadmill. It will have to level out soon!
Do you test for ketones when your levels are high?
I was directed to buy a container and test before breakfast and before bed, along with throughout the day if I have an unusual high or I’m having trouble coming down. If you have ketones in your urine, you need more insulin to correct the high than you’d normally take (usually it’s a percentage based on your daily overall insulin dose) and that could be part of the issue. I don’t do it on a regular basis because ketones have never been an issue for me but when I have a very high number or I’ve taken insulin and it’s not coming down (even if I’m only correcting for 8mmol/L), I will test to make sure.
I had mainly lows during my first trimester but I did have highs during the first trimester as well (and now in my second trimester) I have found it harder to come down than before. It seems to take twice as long as it used to, even if I take MORE than my correction dose is supposed to be and have no ketones. I think it’s a common issue diabetics have in pregnancy, regardless of whether they are having insulin resistance or needing less insulin in the first trimester because of how the body reacts to the hormones and spikes of hormones that happen throughout the trimesters.
Everyone is different and you might just be having some insulin resistance due to hormones. I would call and ask to meet with your doctor to go over your log and insulin doses, etc. to see if there’s a need for more long-acting or a higher carb ratio at certain meals.
I would also look into switching your site as Gina suggested. As of 7w I could no longer use my stomach for insulin shots or my dexcom site (I gave up on my stomach when I tried one side but site failed then opened a new site and put it on the other side only to have it fail).
As Gina said try to keep calm and don’t worry too I worried A LOT too when I was spiking up high (and even when I was having so many lows!) and even last week when I got a sudden hit of morning insulin resistance and was waking up in the 11-14 range every morning I thought I was hurting the baby. My endo’s team told me not to worry too much about the spikes just to correct them (without over correcting and going low) and keep an eye on whether there’s a pattern indicating I need more insulin at this time or another. The baby produces it’s own insulin based on the glucose it’s getting so the baby is taking care of itself.
I’m also very early in my pregnancy (5 weeks) and completely understand the concern that comes with high BGs that won’t budge.
I’m no expert when it comes to this whole type 1 pregnancy, but am sure glad to have the gals on this board.
The suggestions thus far are all very helpful and good reminders for me too.
As mentioned above, one thing that has helped me tremendously was my BG logs. I was able to look back and see patterns so adjustments could be made with my CDE (i.e. adjust basal rates, give my bolus more lead time before eating breakfast).
Another thing that I had to resist doing was stacking my bolus because I was so freaked out with my high BGs. My pump has the bolus wizard and insulin on board (IOB) features. It was hard to see that no bolus was indicated when my BGs were elevated. In the past, I would ignore it and bolus. I ended up with plumiting BGs that would take just as much effort to bring up. Now, I trust what it’s telling me and I just continue to monitor my BGs so I’m on top of any changes.
I’m curious, what type of infusion set do you use? That could also be something to look at. I use both the steel (i.e. Sure T, Contact Detach) and angled (i.e. Silhouette, Inset 30) infusion sets. I was having kinking issues with the 90 degree cannula insertion. Perhaps your pump trainer has some different sets to try?
Thank you so much for the responses. It’s funny because so often your doctor will tell you how awful it is to have highs, especially during the first trimester when all the organs are forming, like nightmare stories. And then, when you have them they say “oh try to not worry about it and just correct,” like it’s no big deal! It’s hard to determine what is really the risk and how bad when sugars go high and I think that is what is driving me nuts! T
I have been working very hard on bringing down the highs, it seems like my body just will not tolerate carbs in the morning and that has been really throwing me off because that wouldn’t come down for a long time, and I was over correcting then it would crash and I would load up and it would shoot up and…well you know how it goes.I agree, very hard to not take more when it is elevated despite what the pump says.
I use the Medtronic/Silhouette infusion set. I also have a Dexcom that has been helpful at times but all over the place and making me freak out more often usually because I always see what it is doing. I realize I am very fortunate with these tools, though.
Unfortunately, I have student insurance, and not a single OB would see me until Tuesday, which is a week earlier than they had scheduled and I had to fight for. No U/S until the week after that, so I have had absolutely no guidance, counsel from any doctor. I know part of this is the first time pregnant overworrying stuff, but diabetes really adds a whole new level that is not just frightening but incredibly frustrating.
It really helps to hear that it has happened to others. Sometimes it’s hard to not feel like “my diabetes is so different than everyone else’s!” I also love hearing about healthy babies despite highs! It does happen right?
I worried A LOT too when I was spiking up high (and even when I was having so many lows!) and even last week when I got a sudden hit of morning insulin resistance and was waking up in the 11-14 range every morning I thought I was hurting the baby. My endo’s team told me not to worry too much about the spikes just to correct them (without over correcting and going low) and keep an eye on whether there’s a pattern indicating I need more insulin at this time or another. The baby produces it’s own insulin based on the glucose it’s getting so the baby is taking care of itself.