I found a neighbor who saw my CGM on my arm and asked a couple of questions about it. Come to find out, his wife was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Like an idiot, I congratulated him first on the pending new arrival, and then back pedaled when he told ne that she wasn’t pregnant.
Apparently, she had gestational diabetes during her second pregnancy, 8 years ago. They now have three kids.
I know squat about gestational diabetes. Is it possible to be in this category of diabetes , 5 years after the birth of their last child?
don’t feel dumb. I know nothing about it myself but I just assumed that if they are calling it “Gestational” diabetes, someone in the equation should probably be in a gestational state.
Andy @AJZimmerman, “Gestational” diabetes is one of the five varieties of what is sometimes referred to as “Lifestyle Induced Diabetes” - it is not our Autoimmune Induced diabetes.
As you may know, there are about a half dozen conditions, all different, that have a common symptom - “Diabetes Mellites” which is a Greek Physician’s term for the symptom “_frequent passing of sweet water”. Interesting that our shared condition has somehow become known as a symptom rather than an actual name.
As a side note to that, periodically I have complete blood and urine “panels” performed - and looking back over several years worth of lab reports I can see only one instance where my urine had a “trace” of sweetness - so does that mean I’m cured?
so, in your opinion, since no one is pregnant and hasn’t been for five years, this “gestational” diabetes she is dealing with is what? more likely regular 'ol Type 2 insulin dependant? or type 1 LADA?
I just found it odd that they were calling it “gestational diabetes” when the root cause of this condition recently entered 3rd grade.
Im gonna have to do a bit of research on GD cuz I suggested she get a CGM and she balked at the idea, insisting it was “just” gestational diabetes. crashing lows and highs, roller coastering, sugar numbers out of whack, insulin dependant… I just kinda thought maybe a CGM would be worth a looksee
Andy, there is no way I could guess which type diabetes she currently has - gestational usually disappears post-partem.
A doctor would need to determine “type” based on examination and lab tests.
But whatever the type, it is still diabetes and must be managed in the best possible way - and that could through use of a CGM.
Hi @AJZimmerman Andy and @Dennis. Just a lay-person weighing in, your neighbor probably hasn’t been to a doc to discuss the on-going symptoms she’s experiencing. She doesn’t realize that uncontrolled diabetes may (probably) lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and/or amputation. “Gestational” dbx is a condition that occurs only during and shortly after pregnancy. Often, the mother with GD WILL develop T2. The stress on the body during pregnancy, both from supporting another entity and the amount of weight gained, result in insulin deficit.
Although your heart is in the right place, Andy, you can’t fix her ignorance, fear, or resistance to treating herself. Still, dbx has such a stigma associated with it, that 1000s suffer and die unnecessarily. Then there’s also the matter that treatment could mean not eating.
44 yrs. ago I became diabetic when pregnant with my first child. I was referred to an endocrinologist & put on insulin right away. I was a gestational diabetic. After my child was born I no longer required insulin & my blood sugars were normal Six months later I began craving sweet things like chocolate, couldn’t get enough of it & felt lousy… it turned out I had become diabetic again, but not pregnant. I have been diabetic ever since.
I do believe that I was truly a gestational diabetic, but perhaps I would have become diabetic years down the road anyway.