Need advice, please - am I pregnant? Not sure

Pregnancy
1

Hi Everyone,

I need some advice. I am a 32 year old T1 diabetic - been T1 since 22 years old - was on the older side when diagnosed for a T1. I was recently married in August 2012 and I have been on birth control for 13 years - up until Sept. 2012 when I stopped taking it.

My husband and I weren't active trying to conceive when i stopped taking birth control, although he is aware I have come off of birth control and of course it's like, 'whatever happens, happens.'. We are married and ive been on birth control for many years so it was time to come off of it anyway.

It took a few months for me to get my period regulated again - starting December 2012 it came, then january 2013. Now we're in February 2013. And....no period. I took a pregnancy test and it came back negative but I'm now 7 days 'late' as when I normally get my period and I'm worried - don't know what to do. My friend who just had a baby urged me to take another pregnancy test so i will do so, but if it comes back negative again, should I call my Dr. on Monday and schedule an appointment? I'm 32 so I do want to hopefully conceive before 35 years old, but this uncertainty is crazy....Also, I did buy one of those 'non-brand name' pregnancy tests at Target because when I saw how expensive they were, I didn't buy a 'first response' or any of the digital ones that my friend suggested I buy. Is there a difference in the accuracy of these over the counter pregnancy test to confirm this?

FYI: My OB-GYN cleared me in December for starting to 'try to conceive' and he said the sooner the better given my medical history. My endocrinologist on the other hand in January, told me to wait until my blood sugars are in better shape - my last H1AC was 6.3 - I started the insulin pump last July and it has not improved nor declined since being on it - but stayed stoic. But despite being 6.3, my blood sugar numbers when downladed from the pump are all over the place - highs and lows, not nearly as many in the middle or where my endocrinologist has wanted them to be if I even wanted to start conceiving. I have been working hard over January/February to send my endo better blood glucose numbers by measureing out everything I eat and reporting it to the Dr's office on a weekly basis and there has been some improvement there.

I've been exhausted lately, and my boobs have been hurting a few days ago, but now it has stopped. So i'm not sure. Any advice you can give would help.

Thanks,

 

2

Tina,

I think that the best thing for you to do right now is ask your doctor whats going on with your body. He is really the best person to ask. Your a1c level is actually in range for a diabetic pregnancy 6.5 is recommended. Some endos think it should be lower but I think they are nutts! I think they put too much pressure on women with diabetes who want to get pregnant.

If you want to get it lower than that I suggest that you keep in contact with your endo on a weekly basis. That is how I kept my blood sugars in range during my pregnancy. You will have to keep in contact with them anyway once you become pregnant so it will be good practice for you.

3

Definitely schedule a doctor's appointment.  Some women don't have strong levels of the pregnancy hormones (that make the pregnancy test show positive) in the early stages.  

If the doctor can't see you right away, talk to your endo if you take ACE inhibitors like Lisinopril.  They are linked to birth defects and your doctors will want you to take an alternative drug.  

Early stages of pregnancy can be a lot like PMS, so it's tough to know what's going on.