Gestational Diabetes with Fasting Sugar of 100

by Dee
(Royal Oak )

CONCERN: Hello,

I have a question about fasting blood sugar levels. My ob has diagnosed me with gestational diabetes. She wanted to put me on insulin but I declined and tried using exercise and diet as an alternative.

After my breakfast lunch and dinner my levels are less than 120. They are usually 101 after breakfast 92 or less after lunch and 105 after dinner this is after my exercise and diet routine. My fasting level in the morning is usually 100.

My doctor is concerned with my fasting level and would like me to go on 2.5 mg of gluribide.. i think that is the name of it. It is an oral pill. Are my levels to high? is there a way that I can get my levels down in the morning?


SUGGESTIONS:Hi Dee,

To me, your blood sugar levels seem to be ok. Your fasting blood sugar level of 100 mg/dl is not considered high enough to undergo a treatment.

However, perhaps your doctor has noticed something else that I don't know, to put you under treatment. That's why, my answer is not taking into account any other health problem you're facing that I don't know, but your ob knows.

Next, Glyburide is an oral drugs, whose side effects on unborn baby are not well known. However, in general, insulin is the safest used during pregnancy. But if your doctor prescribed Glyburide talk to him/her about side effects on your baby.

At the end, to me you're doing great; have normal blood sugar count and keep on like this!

May all your pregnancy difficulties been alleviated and hope you'll have a healthy baby in your arms soon!

Good luck!

Dr.Alba





Comment

Try a

better bedtime snack
by: Fellow GDM


The reason your doc wants your fasting blood sugar at less than 95 is because the closer your readings are to a non-diabetic the less likely you are to have diabetes associated complications.

I understand your frustration as I too was having fasting blood sugars with my GDM of around 100 which seemed so close to what my midwife wanted and yet not good enough even with all of my other readings well under 135.

I started testing in the middle of the night and found that my blood sugars were never high, they just started to become elevated the longer I went without food.

A nutritionist recommended I try different bed time snacks to counter the "dawn phenomenon" that was causing my blood sugar to rise in the morning.

I eventually figured out that a small serving of oatmeal did the trick for me. Specifically, Oat Revolution instant oatmeal. This gives my body something long-lasting to work on all night and I now wake up at 88-90.

Just in range to make everyone happy. Hope you can find something that works for you:)


Insulin vs Glyburide
by Pharmacist

Insulin is a much safer choice than the Glyburide. An oral medication like Glyburide will always have the risk of side effects.

When I was in pharmacy school, we had to inject normal saline so we could see how it feels to be diabetic.

It really isn't that bad. Doesn't hurt anymore than the finger-stick for blood glucose check. Maybe your doctor recommended glyburide because you originally didn't want the insulin.

Fasting 100 is still in normal range but is borderline. Have you done a bedtime reading to see if blood glucose is down then?