Hello!!! I am a T1d and newly pregnant. I follow a low carb diet and aim to keep my sugars around 83. The past week my sugars have been iNSANE. Not sure if it’s my hormones or because I’m eating a lot more or a combo of both? I’m going from low to high and feeling like crap. (When I say high it’s 150s) but still very up and down.
Any advice on how to keep my sugars stable while pregnant ???
Also: is anyone else low carb or following Bernstein while pregnant ?
Hi Jennifer - welcome to the forum! I’m glad you found your way over.
I’m sure it won’t be long until others see your post … be patient
Jim
Hi Jennifer: Welcome to the forum. I follow low carb, but during a recent ultrasound of my kidneys, bladder and surrounding areas the technician assured me I was not pregnant. Just teasing you as I am male. What happens to me at this time of year for a few weeks is exactly what you mention going from average 80’s to fluctuating up to even 170. I live in the North East US and twice a year when the temperature changes from hot to cold or cold to hot I get this phenomenon. This may have nothing to do with your particular case, but just something to think about as our symptoms are identical although they may be caused by very different factors.
Hi Jennifer - I have three suggestions. Since you didn’t mention whether you have reassessed your insulin dosing - I would say that sometimes in pregnancy, you have to change your basals, carb ratios and/or insulin sensitivity every few days! Around 8 weeks you may expect, generally, to need less insulin across the board through about 16-20 weeks. But everyone is different - if you find yourself going high after meals rather than low, perhaps you will need more insulin for now.
Another suggestion I have is to be sure you are dosing properly for fat/protein since you are low carb. What can compound this issue during pregnancy is that your digestion is slowed to ensure your body gets as many nutrients as it can to baby! So if you are going high well after a meal… perhaps you just need to be doing something like an extended bolus that is more generous to cover that fat and protein.
I would also say that, when you have such a tight BG target, it is tempting to overcorrect all the time. This can also cause a roller coaster effect when you are constantly over dosing for a high BG and then over eating to treat a low. Try to be gentler with your corrections if you believe you are experiencing this.
I wasn’t low carb in pregnancy, but I know many mamas have successful, healthy pregnancies while doing so.
Sending good vibes!
Thank you so much! The digestion is really becoming an issue now. I already have gastroparesis and now protein/fat is breaking down around 6 hours later. It is VERY hard to manage at this point.
Today my blood sugars are back down… they are dropping low more often also as well as roller coasteering.
Prior to the pregnancy, I thought I perfected my hypo treatments and would get the lows back to 85. Now i am eating the same amount and staying low but bouncing high after around 35 minutes when I used to come up 15 minutes later. It has to do with the digestion.
Not sure what else to change at this point since I am going both high and low. Hard to keep a steady line on the dex. If you have any other recommendations please let me know!!
hmm i have never experienced this bouncing since before I became low carb. It is kinda like I am eating carbs again, but I’m not. And I am DEFINITELY chasing the highs with too much insulin. Might take the dex off for a few days lol
Sorry, no input on pregnancy and low carb as that was not something talked about 25+ years ago. But as already stated, the joys of diabetes and pregnancy is nothing stays the same and what works right now, won’t work tomorrow. I was calling my medical team all the time, endo, CDE, OBGYN, everyone. It was a team effort and we made it happen 2 times.
But just when you think you’ve got it nailed, something changes. You got this! Just keep watching the arrows on your CGM and make mini adjustments, whether it’s mini dosing of insulin or mini dosing of carbs. Good luck! It is worth every minute of the struggles!
Ahh thank you so much! It is so exciting and scary at the same time. Hormones are just going crazy at this point!
Hi Jennifer - if you are going high after treating a low, it could be over treating the low OR it could be that some previous fat and protein is still hitting at that time. I wonder how you are dosing for your fat and protein - are you on a pump? If so, are you using extended boluses? Can you extend them for longer if so? It may help you get off the roller coaster of overcorrecting in both directions if you are able to nail down bolusing for your meals to begin with.
YES!! I’ve been having the SAME exact issue now for a few months, Sugars spiking at 6 hrs after dinner, Dexcom waking me up at 12-2 AM and very diffcult to go down. I’ve seen 2 endos and no help. I just asked my new endo to send me to GI but I’m sure its gastroparesis given my recent reading.
Not after breakfast (yougrt, coffee), rarely after lunch (small meal, or protein bar), always after dinner, and ALWAYS after a restaurant night (more fat, surely).
What is weird to me is the sugar does not come down using regular carb ratios 1 u/lower 30 pnts, but repeat that 2 or 3 times, which Im having trouble comprehending.
WHAT DO WE DO?? Ive read more white stuff, easier to dose, vs more veggies, more healthy. Regular insulin - kicks in about 6 hrs, vs never regular. Liquid meals? I dont know…