I've Just Found Out I'm Pregnant- type 1 for 12 years

Diabetes and Pregnancy Trying to Get Pregnant
#1

I took a pregnancy test about two weeks ago and it was negative. Took another one two days later and it was positive. Waited two MORE days and took another one and it was positive. I thought that would mean that I was almost exactly four weeks pregnant because I read somewhere that that's when the HCG levels start to show on the tests.

(psycho here took another test last week just to make sure everything was ok- and it's still positive)

I was having all the typical symptoms with many many hypos and wicked decreased levels of insulin needs expected during the first trimester. I lowered my basal by two points and have been checking my BG about 10-15 times per day. I tend to increase BG during my sleep so I've even set the alarm to wake me during the middle of the night for the past two weeks to check my BG and take insulin if over 150 BG.

This method was working perfectly for me.

Until yesterday when suddenly my insulin requirements almost doubled and I ran in the upper 100s all day long. It was so frustrating. I felt so guilty the entire day. I even went for a few short walks hoping to lower my BG, but it barely helped.

Same thing happened today. Running higher BG levels than I expected, walked nearly 3 miles, and came home to a 240 BG. wtf???

My last A1c was 7.5% and I'm assuming it's coming down a little more since then because I was keeping such a tight control.

My first baby appointment is on Monday, but in the meantime, what are your thoughts? How far along would you say I am? I thought the insulin requirements didn't typically go up until the second trimester, which would put me closer to 12 weeks, not 6 weeks.

I'm also gaining a quick amount of weight on my lower abdomen. I'm not a heavy person, so when I gain a few pounds, you can tell pretty easily. I feel like if I'm only less than 2 months pregnant, wouldn't it be strange to already be showing?

My breasts have also already grown an entire cup size.

I'm on prenatals for a while, eating lots of veggies and drinking a lot of natural fruit mixers. Mostly on an all natural diet. Haven't really increased the amount that I eat, just more meals in smaller portions.

I'm concerned. Any help?

Thanks,

Marps

#2

Congrats! I found when I was pregnant logging my diet & BG readings as well as insulin doses helped me keep really tight control. As for how far along you are, do you have regular cycles? If so than you are probably 4 weeks like you expect. If you aren’t the doctor can do a sonogram to place how far along you are. If you are gaining & only 4 weeks along it’s most likely bloat not baby.

Just get your team in place with doctors, educators, nutritionists & you will be fine. Enjoy & Happy & Healthy 9 months to you!

#3

Congrats!!! That’s so awesome!!!

Like Megzway, I was also wondering about the regularity of your cycle. That should give you a better clue as to whether you’re 4 weeks or possibly more. Tests themselves aren’t super reliable. Positives are almost always right, but false negatives are pretty common.

Easier said than done, but don’t feel guilty. Just keep doing what you need to do and put any new medical advice into practice ASAP after your appointment. Maybe ketone testing needs to become a more regular occurrence for you, if you’re having trouble getting your high BG down? (I don’t know what you’re supposed to do if having ketones during pregnancy, but I just know I’ve always heard it takes more insulin than usual to bring your BG down when ketones are present.)

Did you return your basal back to normal after your BG started running high again?

#4

Thanks for the response Meg! My cycles are pretty irregular, but I had a really light one in July. I have my first baby appointment this afternoon. They might let me have an ultrasound. At the least, I’m six weeks along. :slight_smile: I read somewhere that’s when the baby’s heart beats!

I do so much online reading and studying that I feel confident that I can do this healthily and wisely. I have my fingers crossed that everything turns out perfectly.

#5

Thanks for the response! I actually ended up increasing my basal yesterday and it’s helped a lot. I am still doing the 4am wake up to check my BG and this morning it was at 119 at 4am. Beautiful (for me at least) as I’m usually high or LOW at that time.

#6

Hang in there! There are so many changes that come with pregnancy and hormones in general. If you stay on top of your blood sugars with frequent testing and stay in close contact with your doctor, you will do much better. I read a very good article recently on type ones and pregnancy and if I can locate it, I will post it here.

On the note of quick wt gain-I gained 10 lbs in the first trimester with my 1st and again now with my 2nd. I attribute it to tight blood glucose control and sometimes having to have more frequent snacks d/t hypoglycemia. It all leveled out for me last pregnancy and my total was only 35lbs. Don’t worry!

#7

No idea how far along you are, but huge CONGRATS!!! Very exciting. :slight_smile:

#8

Congrats, marps! I hope your appointment went well. Pregnancy can be a time of wildly swinging sugars - everybody is different! No real patterns that everyone follows. At any given time, I’m caring for around 20 pregnant diabetics, about 25% have pre existing diabetes and not just gestational. I have six partners, but I wind up seeing most of the diabetic patients because they seek me out over my partners since I live the life myself, you know? Please feel free to ask me ANYTHING at all - I’ve been an Ob Gyn since 1993:)

#9

WHERE CAN I FIND YOU??? I hated my first appointment with the new gyno. She was rude and didn’t seem to like the fact that I feel most confident about my health when it’s in my own hands. She was one of the docs who like to have me call them or see them every time I need to make an insulin adjustment. I would be in her office multiple times a day! Yuck!

Had my first ultrasound today and I’m at 5 weeks 4 days today. can’t believe how much my breasts have grown in such a short amount of time! Totally thought we were further along. haha.

#10

Wish you the best, marps. hugs Ask me anything if you think I can help. It’s pretty fresh on the brain.

#11

Congrats! This is my first pregnancy and I am a type 1 as well (currently 31 weeks preggo). My levels were very high at first, then leveled off to be normal most of the time, now in my third tri they are creeping up and are more unpredictable…frustrating…

#12

I too just found out I am pregnant. I experienced the same thing-running low (which I thought was the pregnancy) but now I am having some highs, similar to what you are experiencing.
I am just so happy I found this group online! I am about 6 weeks along and was diagnosed with Type 1 under a year ago. I have been pumping since June and just got approved to try to conceive. Not only is pregnancy new, pumping is new, and diabetes as a whole is new.
It feels good just to read these posts!

#13

Congrats Marps! I too found out last Saturday that I am pregnant as well. I think I’m about 5 weeks just based on when my last period started. I’ve been having a few unpredictable highs and lows but from what I heard on DiabeticMommy.com the 8 week mark is when the lows really start for most but not all. I’ve also heard too that the smaller meals multiple times a day is helpful in keeping numbers closer to where they are supposed to be. Like you I’ve started getting up in the middle of the night to just check but I set my bladder alarm instead, haha! I drink a big glass of water before bed and that gets me up around midnight which is dead even for me in the night! I’m scared to death just because I’ve been T1 for 26 years and have almost everything bad wrong with me! Congratulations and luck again to both of us!!!