Hi all!
My husband and I are ready to start a family and I just learned that my a1c has almost doubled in the past 2 years :( I want to drop down to the pre preg 5.5% range as fast as I can (while still being healthy of course)
I was hoping that some of you could share how you got down to the strict preggo range. We are hoping to start trying in early October.....that gives me 7 months including the 3 months of perfect numbers.....so really 4 months to get my a1c down. HELP!!!
Thanks!
Jackie
I had my numbers in PERFECT range for about 5 months prior to getting pregnant. That seems to have all went out the window now that I'm actually pregnant. I am having a lot of highs, but am hesitant to up my basal rate because I'm afraid the 1st trimester lows will kick in. So right now I'm just checking my blood A LOT. Like 8 times a day. If I'm high I take a correction dose. Even if I'm just a wee bit high like 150 I will take like .5 of a unit just to bring me back down to my range (80-130).
Before I had my numbers under control my A1C was 9.7! Yeah I know that's AWFUL! That's when I was on shots though. Once I got on the pump within just a few days my numbers started to stay in a great range and within no time my A1C had come down to a healthy range. I don't know how your insulin regimen works right now, but for me a pump really did help. If you are planning a pregnancy, it is definitely worth your while to look into getting a pump. If you prefer shots though, just monitor your numbers A LOT. And when you are high, always take a correction dose. I guess that's why my A1C was so high while I was on shots. I took Lantus twice a day (even though it's a once a day shot it always wore off early for me so my doctor told me to split the dose) and then I bolused for 3 meals a day. But if I checked after a meal and I was like 190 I wouldn't take a correction dose. It was just one more shot that I hated. But of course that was so unhealthy and stupid! So really if you want to get your A1C down quick, you are going to have to monitor your numbers a lot and always take a correction dose if needed. I also try to fit in at least 30 minutes cardio a day, I drink LOTS of water, and try to eat pretty healthy. Goodluck!!!
I'm working on getting in shape for pregnancy, but waaayyy in advance--but I have a Dexcom 7plus system, and I kid you not, I had a 9.7 before and within 2 months, it went down to 7.3. It's well worth it. The dexcom, even without the pump, helped me a lot. talk to the doc!
Laura
Hi Jackie,
Primarily, the pump was most effective in getting my A1C down. I also started checking my sugars more often so that I could search for trends and then learn how to work with those trends (adjusting basal rates and I:C ratios). And, third, I have found that eating smaller meals (some may call them snacks - typically 20-30 carbs) on a more frequent basis (every 2-4 hrs) has helped me maintain better sugars. I slowly took those steps over the year and a half before I became pregnant. And, once pregnant, I was put on the Dexcom CGM, which is very helpful in finding trends and preventing highs and lows. I am currently 17 wks pregnant and my A1C is 5.5%.
Good luck!
Jackie-
I am in the same boat. My husband and I are wanting to start trying in September and my A1C at the beginning of February was a 9.7 but I'm working very hard to bring it down to under a 7 per Dr's orders. I am looking into getting the Dexcom so I can see where my blood sugars are running high and where my lows are. I just recently had major reconstructive surgery on my foot so I'm of course battling highs with all the meds. The pump is crucial in any kind of stable control in your blood sugars. I have been on the pump for 3 years and it has been so helpful.
My fear through all this is how easy or uneasy it will be to actually get pregnant. Last I spoke to my endo he said I need to be done having babies by 30 and that only gives me 4.5 years to have 2 kids. Eeks! Timeline! Lol. I will be seeing my OBGYN in a coupld weeks and I'm sure he will be able to give me pointers.
Have you talked to your doctor about getting pregnant? Either Endo or OB?
Any one else have any advice?
Nikki
Everyone,
Hello i also im in a similar boat with u nikki and jackie! We are wanting to start a family but are very nervous. I have been a diabetic for 19 years and have had the pump for 7 or 9 years. I think the pump had helped, but in my teens i used it more as a cheating tool and really had troubles keeping by B.S under control. My last a1c was 8 which i know isnt very good. Before that It was in the low 7's. My sugars are better and im doing my labs on monday so im hoping it will be about 6.5 or under!! Im just super nervous and anxious. What are some of your guys reccomendations that have already gone through a pregnancy?
I have been diabetic for 15 years and on a pump for 14 years...My A1C was 7.1 3 months before my husband and I started trying and then I got it down to 6.2 right as we started trying. Now my A1C is 5.9 and am almost 15 weeks pregnant. It only took me 2 months to get pregnant and although it is a lot more work (making sure your bloodsugars stay in range and they don't always cooperate), it is so cool being pregnant and I try really hard to balance between being really strict but also enjoying this time. I was really scared before I got pregnant too (not enough to make me not want to do it) but it really isn't as scary as I thought it was going to be. I mean you worry a lot more like how your blood sugars are affecting the baby and all of that but mainly I try to just enjoy it. Good Luck!
I just started working on getting into pregnancy shape...starting with an A1C of 8.5. My doctor put me on a pretty tight meal plan, eating every three hours, no more than 2 carbs per meal and 1 carb at snack, a protein everytime I eat and only 2 servings of fruit. I have to admit that I was a bit daunted at first, but like most of you willing to do whatever I needed to do. And so far it is really working! I'm also testing 10-12 times a day. To be honest the meal plan feels a lot like the old school exchanges that I was on when I was diagnosed 23 years ago!! But I guess as long as it is working, I'm going to keep on it.
Hope that helps!
Darci
Hi Jackie--
My endo told me to get on the pump before getting pregnant, so if you aren't now, I would look into that. Reason being: the basal insulin that we take can cross into the placenta and cause hypoglycemia of the baby. A pump only runs on a bolus insulin, so the baby is safe from that. It's also going to make your BGL's much better and stable too, you NEED that when planning on trying for a baby.
I am on injections of Humalog and Levemir with an A1C of 5.4% as of now, but I am getting on the OmniPod this month and we are hopefully going to start trying for a little one this August. Good luck!! Let us know if you have any questions!!
--Kelly