I am a type 2 diabetic! Just about everyone on my mom’s side of the family has diabetes. For some reason I always thought it would never happen to me. Then in my 22nd week of pregnancy they called and left a message letting me know that I had gestational diabetes. I delivered my little girl and they monitored me in the hospital and then I checked it for the next 3 months. Every time I checked it, it was always between 90-115 so I thought I was in the clear. Then six months after I had my daughter I started drinking gallons of liquid a day. I pretty much drank water, but if we were out at a restaurant and I ran out of my beverage before the waiter/waitress got back to the table I would drink from my husband’s drink and would just about die looking at the other drinks on the table til my glass was full again. I also lost 20 pounds in 3 weeks and had some other signs that worried my mom as well. So just out of the blue one day I called and made an appt. I let my MD know what had happened b/c I had not seen him during the last portion of my pregnancy. Anyway after describing to him what was going on he checked my BS along w/some other blood work and w/in about 30 minutes he came in and said they were re-testing it because there was no way I would be sitting there talking to him if the result was correct. He came back about 20 mins later and said ok, Kelli, your BS is reading at 714 so at this point we have no option but to admit you. All I could do was cry, my child was still very young and I had never been away from her more than a few hours much less to spend a night w/o her. I was admitted on Monday and they got it down to 220 by Thursday and let me go home. After I got out of the hospital my grandmother decided to let me know that my great uncle went into a coma w/a BS of 746 and never recovered. Thank God she waited until mine came down, I don’t know that I could’ve handled that at the time. I had a hard time in the beginning and experienced severe highs and severe lows from one hour to the next. Now I am finally trying to actually watch out for myself. I have recently been put on the pump because I have insulin resistant antibodies which are rejecting the majority of any insulin I was giving myself. I am nervous yet excited about the pump! My husband recently had some symptoms and it really made me think about how horrible it would be if he was diagnosed as well. Especially knowing that I could have prevented mine. I know he would take it even harder than I did/am.I am not a newly diagnosed diabetic but I’m just really starting to think about me and what I can do to help myself. So for his sake and mine, well and our daughter’s, I am now researching, and making menus and trying to just make us an all over healthy family. I am greatful to have found this site and so far the information has been amazing and I’m glad to be a member.
Kelli…why do you feel that you could have prevented your diabetes? Maybe you could have postponed it and maybe not. I have 2 friends that experienced gestational diabetes. One has had no symptoms since (youngest child 18,) but her father was just diagnosed in his 80’s…both (father and daughter) are slim and active. The other friend runs 10 K races and works out daily, but like you, redeveloped symptoms shortly after giving birth to her second child. Some can ward it off, some not. Maybe your husband will be able to if he shares your committment.
Good luck with your pump and your motivation.
Do you really think you could have prevented your diabetes? Diabetes is strongly genetic and if everyone on your mom’s side has it, then it was only a matter of time. Please don’t blame yourself - you just got unlucky in the genetic lottery!