Is it possible to control blood sugars by diet alone during pregnancy?!
Question: Is it possible to control blood sugars by diet alone during pregnancy!?
Usually I have been taking Metformin before pregnancy 2x 500mg, for my type 2 diabetes, I now however have had this increased to 4x 500mg a day since getting pregnant!. I however am having more hypo's with blood sugar and intense sweating sessions, and generally I don't feel as well!. I really want to stop taking metformin, I have tightly controlled my blood sugars in the past with low carbing, obviously I can't low carb, but I can take the best of my knowledge and try not eating so much bread/potatoes and stuff to control my sugars, has anyone else done this, I feel like I have a gun at my head to take all this medication when maybe I may not need it!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
The most recent research on Metformin is that they mothers who were on metformin for the entire 40 weeks have a higher statistical rate of favorable outcome for both mother and baby!. This is according to my endocrinologist, that it was a result of the ADA meeting that took place in San Francisco in July of 2008!. I don't have a link to any studies because it is so new!.
However, one thing they do know from longer studies is that STOPPING metformin is NOT advised, especially cold turkey, because it can lead to spontaneous miscarriage!. So please, do not stop taking the metformin until you get word from your doctor!. My understanding is that if they do go that course they will ramp it down gradually!.
I did my first pregnancy with all insulin!. This time around, it was an unplanned pregnancy and I was already on Metformin, and the doctor told me not to stop taking it for risk of miscarriage!. I'm now just about into my third trimester and I have to say my blood sugar control has been so much easier this time around with metformin!. I do think the research is very new and it just sort of worked out this way because of the risk of miscarriage, but blood sugar-wise it has been heaven compared to my first pregnancy!.
Edit: Whoops, I forgot to say what the study in my first paragraph was comparing - they were comparing pregnancies on metformin with pregnancies that were entirely conducted with insulin!.
Pretty much as a type 2 diabetic you won't be able to get through the pregnancy with out some medicine because pregnancy hormones counteract the effect of your own natural insulin!. And keep in mind high blood sugars hurt the baby, but low blood sugars absolutely do not harm the baby!. So it's better to be on the low side!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
However, one thing they do know from longer studies is that STOPPING metformin is NOT advised, especially cold turkey, because it can lead to spontaneous miscarriage!. So please, do not stop taking the metformin until you get word from your doctor!. My understanding is that if they do go that course they will ramp it down gradually!.
I did my first pregnancy with all insulin!. This time around, it was an unplanned pregnancy and I was already on Metformin, and the doctor told me not to stop taking it for risk of miscarriage!. I'm now just about into my third trimester and I have to say my blood sugar control has been so much easier this time around with metformin!. I do think the research is very new and it just sort of worked out this way because of the risk of miscarriage, but blood sugar-wise it has been heaven compared to my first pregnancy!.
Edit: Whoops, I forgot to say what the study in my first paragraph was comparing - they were comparing pregnancies on metformin with pregnancies that were entirely conducted with insulin!.
Pretty much as a type 2 diabetic you won't be able to get through the pregnancy with out some medicine because pregnancy hormones counteract the effect of your own natural insulin!. And keep in mind high blood sugars hurt the baby, but low blood sugars absolutely do not harm the baby!. So it's better to be on the low side!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
You should not STOP taking Metformin without your doctor's permission!. That is dangerous, especially since you are pregnant!. ALSO, high blood sugars have been shown to have a link to birth defects!. Keep your diabetes controlled!
Based on you symptoms, though, he may want to reduce you dosage!.
DO NOT STOP taking the Metformin!Www@Answer-Health@Com
Based on you symptoms, though, he may want to reduce you dosage!.
DO NOT STOP taking the Metformin!Www@Answer-Health@Com
I have had pretty good results with lots of raw fruits and vegetables combined with daily walks of at least a half hour!. I haven't needed any Metformin since December when I started eating primarily raw fruits and vegetables!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I disagree with Gary B!. I think you do need to stop taking the metformin, because metformin is not recommended during pregnancy!. Many type 2 diabetics take insulin instead during pregnancy!.
The problem with metformin is that it can prevent the baby getting the nutrition it needs to grow and develop properly!.
But as you probably know, high levels of blood glucose can be catastrophic to the baby!. So it is essential to control your diabetes!.
Unfortunately, controlling diabetes by diet alone is virtually impossible during pregnancy, because the hormonal changes cause insulin resistance!. Insulin resistance is a feature of type 2 diabetes, and gets even worse in pregnancy!. Certainly by the third trimester it is almost certain that your insulin resistance will be very high, and therefore it will be impossible to control your glucose by diet alone!.
It can be depressing to have to start taking insulin, especially if you haven't had to inject before, but I promise you it's easy to get used to it!. I was diagnosed with diabetes when only 4 weeks pregnant with my second child and had to start injecting four times a day from that point onwards!. But being pregnant was the motivation I needed!
The advantage of injecting insulin during pregnancy is that it doesn't interfere with the baby's metabolism!. It's basically giving your body the insulin it needs to convert the glucose in your blood into energy, and your baby is unaffected!.
One word of warning: if you take insulin, it will make a difference to your labour!. It's extremely important for your glucose to remain within the normal range during labour and delivery, because if your glucose becomes too high the baby can become hypoglycaemic shortly after birth!. Your doctor can tell you about local procedures in your area!. But the standard procedure is to hook you up to a drip!. (Having said that, I argued my case to give birth without the drip and everything worked out perfectly!.)
I hope you have a wonderful pregnancy!Www@Answer-Health@Com
The problem with metformin is that it can prevent the baby getting the nutrition it needs to grow and develop properly!.
But as you probably know, high levels of blood glucose can be catastrophic to the baby!. So it is essential to control your diabetes!.
Unfortunately, controlling diabetes by diet alone is virtually impossible during pregnancy, because the hormonal changes cause insulin resistance!. Insulin resistance is a feature of type 2 diabetes, and gets even worse in pregnancy!. Certainly by the third trimester it is almost certain that your insulin resistance will be very high, and therefore it will be impossible to control your glucose by diet alone!.
It can be depressing to have to start taking insulin, especially if you haven't had to inject before, but I promise you it's easy to get used to it!. I was diagnosed with diabetes when only 4 weeks pregnant with my second child and had to start injecting four times a day from that point onwards!. But being pregnant was the motivation I needed!
The advantage of injecting insulin during pregnancy is that it doesn't interfere with the baby's metabolism!. It's basically giving your body the insulin it needs to convert the glucose in your blood into energy, and your baby is unaffected!.
One word of warning: if you take insulin, it will make a difference to your labour!. It's extremely important for your glucose to remain within the normal range during labour and delivery, because if your glucose becomes too high the baby can become hypoglycaemic shortly after birth!. Your doctor can tell you about local procedures in your area!. But the standard procedure is to hook you up to a drip!. (Having said that, I argued my case to give birth without the drip and everything worked out perfectly!.)
I hope you have a wonderful pregnancy!Www@Answer-Health@Com