Tlex
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Post by Tlex on Dec 14, 2018 19:04:55 GMT -6
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Tlex
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Post by Tlex on Dec 14, 2018 19:17:53 GMT -6
I found GD really manageable last time - a bummer - but totally easy to control if I just followed the rules with diet.
Iām so thrown for a loop to be on insulin this time, and so far we donāt seem to have my dosing right. My ketones are high and my fasting morning numbers still arenāt awesome (5.6-5.9, they want below 5 for fasting), and my 1 hour post-meal numbers tend to be around 8.9.-9.9, they want them below 7.8. That might all be meaningless to you guys because I think the US uses a different measurement? I think my endocrinologist is also extremely conservative but to be fair my baby measured 4 weeks ahead on abdominal circumference yesterday on the smallest of their repeated measurements.
Iām struggling now with being so anxious about having bad sugars that I put off choosing what to eat and I need to smarten up about that, but I just hate thinking Iām doing him harm with my choices. I brought that up at my maternal mental health counselling appt this week and they were very reassuring that I just absolutely must put eating before achieving perfect or even good numbers.
I yo-yo between being grumpy about how hard this is and being stressed Iāll mess up and heāll have to come before heās ready. D1 was a long battle of preterm labour starting at 28 weeks and I know I do NOT want a baby before heās ready to come out. I just feel inadequate right now, like I canāt get this right no matter how hard I try. D1 had quite a few complications after birth that were probably GD caused (low blood sugars, a week in the billi incubator due to jaundice, trouble gaining weight), and that was with things really under control. She was 8.15oz at 36 weeks. Big babies sound good in theory but they have their own hurdles sometimes.
Whew big vent. Iād offer you a cookie for reading that but...
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tngrl3
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Post by tngrl3 on Dec 14, 2018 20:54:54 GMT -6
Tlex yeah I was really confused by your number goals! I'm sorry you are struggling. I too had a pretty easy time managing GD last pregnancy if I followed the rules. I ended up delivering at 36w because of BP issues and DD1 was only 4lbs8oz. I have made peace with the insulin this go round because I want to make sure DD2 is healthy. I'm already having placenta and BP issues so I want to control what I can. I get frustrated not being able to eat what I want but try and remember it is temporary. I worry I'm not getting enough calories because I get tired of just eating protein. I also have lost a couple of pounds and while I know that is okay. I still worry.
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Tlex
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Post by Tlex on Dec 14, 2018 21:21:41 GMT -6
tngrl3 Iām sorry you have additional issues, Iām glad things are well controlled for you. Is your insulin doing the job of controlling things? Did it take some trial and error? I am fine with taking it I just wish it was working better!
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hrh
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Post by hrh on Dec 14, 2018 22:54:23 GMT -6
Tlex remember only so much is under your control. ā¤ļø You ARE doing EVERYTHING you can with what you can control, please don't doubt your efforts to do the absolute best for your baby because you clearly are, truly, and that's all you can do. Hugs! I'm just sorry it's still a struggle to get things in check. I'm on my third GD pregnancy and this one is more finicky than the last two for sure. Your number system is different; I did some calculations, our requirements generally equate to a 5.3 or lower fasting on your scale, the one hour would be same, 7.8. The scans are still super preliminary for your little guy, especially at this stage, so take them with a large grain of salt. They were off by almost two pounds with DS1, but I relied on it and didn't bring a newborn outfit to the hospital because they told me he'd be over 10 lbs. He was 8 lbs 1 oz. š With this one I'm super skeptical of their measurements because it seems very weird to have a baby with a 18%ile head, 80%ile stomach and 34%ile femur... I'm sorry but what the hell is wrong with my baby if her head is that small compared to her abdomen?! Wouldn't that be a cause for concern?! Apparently not and so I have to figure the measurements are significantly off in one respect or another. So give yourself some grace there. ā¤ļø Do you have some simple go-to meals and snacks you can do for a few days to try to let things even out? Does walking right after a meal but before testing positively affect your numbers? That's a way I get in normal range sometimes if I suspect I'm going to be high, but I know everyone is different. I'm sorry you had to deal with the stress of preterm labor. I really hope you don't encounter that again and that your numbers regulate ASAP for you. Vent away, this isn't a simple thing to manage by any means.
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hrh
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Post by hrh on Dec 14, 2018 23:07:38 GMT -6
tngrl3 replying to your other post in here now. Your work will be understanding given the circumstances, do NOT feel bad about playing with the hours to do what you have to do! It's not as though you have a choice. You're getting your job done and doing the best for your baby and anyone who talks smack about that is ridiculous. How were your BPPs this week? Do things look a little more stable?
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Tlex
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Post by Tlex on Dec 15, 2018 0:04:00 GMT -6
Thanks hrh those were kind words! I know you are right about the measurements. My babyās similar in that his head is only measuring at 30 weeks while his belly is measuring 32 weeks, the percentiles being so different on those seems dramatic but itās all kind of a sliding scale of relativity. I would love ideas for go-to meals, I did really well this week by preparing everything I could ahead on Sunday and reheating or cooking it as needed through the week. But Iād be bored to eat just those meals for the rest of pregnancy! I did: -Chicken and veggie meatballs with squash patties - pesto meatballs with roasted veggies and pasta - Greek yogurt marinaded chicken, a quick package of quinoa/wild rice, more roasted veggies - weight watchers dough pizzas (the dough is 1/2 flour, 1/2 Greek yogurt with a 0.5 tsp of baking powder for every cup of flour) and homemade sauce, mozzarella - meant to do burrito bowls but theyāll be tomorrow - protein waffles (kodiak mix with added eggs), 2 for 26 grams of carbs is sooooo satisfying - hard boiled eggs, string cheese, mixed nuts, and Skyr yogurt for snacks I have the same breakfast every morning, an English muffin with 2 eggs and coffee. I managed to avoid peanut butter toast for a whole week, so Iāll probably add it back in next week lol. I have a real love-hate relationship with pb toast. What are your go to meals?
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tngrl3
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Post by tngrl3 on Dec 15, 2018 6:15:55 GMT -6
hrh my BPPs looked good this week. My cord flow is still abnormal but not getting worse. I think we will check growth again next week. I'm getting really anxious about it because 32w is when things really went down hill with DS and want to keep this baby in as long as possible. Tlex it took about a week to get my fastings in a good range even with the insulin. I'm on levemir at night. Started with 20units and am now at 30. That seems to be working the past few days. I also started taking fiber capsules at night on the recommendation of a doc I work with and I think that is helping too. I have to really prep meals for work otherwise I just end up not eating because every thing readily available is so high in carbs. I've done burrito bowls with ground turkey, beans, cheese, and sour cream. Shredded chicken in a low carb wrap with various toppings. Turkey burgers on low carb bread. Homemade baked chicken nuggets. I try and prep a bunch on Sunday for the week. SO has been really great at taking over dinner prep a lot so I don't constantly have to think about planning food. We eat a lot of baked chicken, pork chops with brocolli and green beans. This week we also did a meatloaf and taco bowls. I have found I can do small amounts of red potatoes and so I eat those a couple of nights a week. I really miss fruit. Especially oranges right now. My body really doesn't like fruit at all right now.
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hrh
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Post by hrh on Dec 15, 2018 8:12:39 GMT -6
Tlex that all sounds so yummy! And like so much more work than I want to do! ha! My go-tos are embarrassingly basic these days. Heavy on meat, bag of frozen veggies, and a little of whatever starch (noodles, potatoes, whatever to appease my boys). I don't like to make two separate meals! So examples include the following: rotisserie chicken baby back ribs seasoned pork loin baked salmon steak (cutting back on this bc red meat/fat) lamb patties seasoned chicken breasts tacos, we have them at least once a week and I just do a taco salad with lots of veggies, avocado, etc. or use corn tortillas Chicken stir fry with extra vegetables (and rice, I just have a little) I need to roast more veggies, they absolutely taste a million times better that way. I literally buy the microwavable frozen veggies and do that almost every night lately. Chef of the year over here... lol I'm in a rut. If I'm struggling, I try to regulate with baked fish, chicken breast, pork loin - things that are the most basic and lower in fat than other meats. A few days of those dinners - with a non-crazy, consistent snack, so typically yogurt - tends to straighten me out. I have Kodiak mix, I need to try that! I figured it was out of the question, I never actually looked at the carb count! Extra eggs makes sense! How are your numbers post-breakfast? Reason I ask is because I was doing the exact same thing, a Thomas brand english muffin with butter, two poached eggs and coffee, and I was consistently going over every time when the carb count SHOULD have been fine. Either the carb count on an english muffin is not right, or my body doesn't process it that well in the morning. I will admit I have noticed breakfast is my most sensitive meal and I've had this issue with croissants, too, the listed carb count isn't even the full amount I'd be allowed for breakfast but it consistently put me over so I stopped those entirely. I can do half of an english muffin and be okay, so I am curious how you're responding there! I do the same, 1-2 eggs per morning and coffee with a little sugar and the half the english muffin or lately a few bites of whatever million holiday breads/etc. we have. tngrl3 I'm so glad the BPPs went well this week and that your numbers are getting into check, that's wonderful! I understand about that 32 week mark, I hope with everything that you get past it with flying colors. <3 Insulin really could make a huge difference for you, it sounds like it's helping already. And I don't mean that in a blasƩ way, I know it's super stressful - I just really want it to go well for you so am thinking positively and sending all good juju! DH was paged super early this a.m. so I was up early. But I tested one hand and got a 97; was like WTF, that shouldn't be, tested the other hand immediately and got an 89. I'm just plowing through test strips but seriously it's so frustrating when so much is riding on these numbers! I might have to fight insurance about when I refill this month. And I'm going to look up about cleaning my lancet thing, I haven't done it and think it's supposed to be done weekly... oops.
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Tlex
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Post by Tlex on Dec 15, 2018 8:44:41 GMT -6
Thank you both for those lists of suggestions, it really helps. I know some things may seem obvious but when you feel in a rut even like āpork chopsā is like ohhh we havenāt had those in ages thatās different. lol. tngrl3 I wish I had words of comfort about the growth and cord flow, I donāt know what those particular issues are like to live through but know what itās like to kind of relive stressful aspects of a previous pregnancy and Iām sorry youāre in those shoes. Iām wishing the best for you and baby. Being high risk is so exhausting and frustrating. Fx for good news next growth scan. Thanks for mentioning the fibre pills I will look into that, fibre really seems to help my overnight numbers. hrh the English muffin seems to do ok. My after breakfast numbers are usually my second highest, followed by my after dinner numbers. The endo and dietician I saw both mulled over my meal diary a lot and were certain I wasnāt going out of bounds, endo said once my overnight fasting numbers are controlled Iāll see my body is able to handle the rest of the day better and itās like a domino effect. I was thinking about trying sweet potato hash with breakfast this week instead since I do love that too and it might set up my dominos for a better day, to continue that analogy poorly. I know what you mean about foods that *should* be fine being a bust. With D1 I could have 1/2 a cup of vanilla ice cream no problem... but an apple? Screwed! tngrl3 I miss fruit too.
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Post by strawberrykiki on Dec 15, 2018 10:47:42 GMT -6
hrh tngrl3 Tlex Hi ladies! It stinks we are all in this club together! I donāt have any trouble controlling my numbers during the day, but the fasting number is giving me issues. Iām supposed to be under 95 and Iāve been getting 96, 98 somedays. My doctor said if Iām diet controlled they wonāt treat me any different but if I need medicine then everything will be different so Iām stressing. Iām so tired of the same food already. I might not eat eggs for awhile after this! tngrl3 Iām sorry youāre dealing with so much! I really hope baby girl stays put for awhile! Tlex Iām sorry youāre struggling with your numbers. Itās so frustrating. hrh thank you for all the amazing advice you wrote to me about delivery! Work has been insane and stressful and my in-laws are visiting this weekend so I havenāt had much time for anything else. Every meal and snacks feels like a struggle. I just want to eat what I want and not have to plan so much for my food and being sure I have my supplies with me all the time for testing. I want chocolate chip pancakes and I know thatās not happening! Ugh!
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Post by strawberrykiki on Dec 15, 2018 10:50:27 GMT -6
hrh I want to test after certain foods and experiment but I donāt want to waste test strips. My insurance covered the first batch but I donāt know how generous theyāre going to be on the refills š¤·āāļø
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hrh
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Post by hrh on Dec 15, 2018 21:19:26 GMT -6
Tlex that makes total sense with the domino analogy! I must be more sensitive in the morning then to certain carbs, I really wasn't sure if it was just my reaction or if the carbs were wrong. Glad to be able to compare with someone else. Sweet potato hash sounds so good! strawberrykiki ILs here too. So tired! I will let you know what my insurance says if they deem it too early for a refill... Our healthcare system is so broken to even have to worry about something like this. Argh.
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Tlex
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Post by Tlex on Dec 15, 2018 21:24:14 GMT -6
hrh just remembered that endo suggested I see what heavily buttering my English muffin does for my numbers, I guess fat is like fibre in that it slows down absorption. I will try it and report back tomorrow since I have like 10 days of data with the same breakfast already š¤. But youād think that would help you with the croissant, hmm. It really is so tricky!
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Post by strawberrykiki on Dec 16, 2018 10:26:58 GMT -6
hrh it is... ugh donāt even get me started haha American healthcare is a disgrace. Tlex an English muffin sounds amazing! Iāve done terrible eating any kind of carbs for breakfast even with a lot of protein. Last night I had a sugar free pudding cup around 8 and then a fiber one protein bar around 11ish. I woke up at 4 with horrible heartburn and got up and drank a whole glass of water and went back to bed. My fasting was 83! Thatās so low for me! Was it the snack or the water or who knows?! I had been eating yogurt before bed thinking that was a good thing but it must not be. Stupid GD!
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tngrl3
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Post by tngrl3 on Dec 16, 2018 11:49:54 GMT -6
hrh it is... ugh donāt even get me started haha American healthcare is a disgrace. Tlex an English muffin sounds amazing! Iāve done terrible eating any kind of carbs for breakfast even with a lot of protein. Last night I had a sugar free pudding cup around 8 and then a fiber one protein bar around 11ish. I woke up at 4 with horrible heartburn and got up and drank a whole glass of water and went back to bed. My fasting was 83! Thatās so low for me! Was it the snack or the water or who knows?! I had been eating yogurt before bed thinking that was a good thing but it must not be. Stupid GD! I started taking 2 fiber capsules with dinner about 4 days ago because even with insulin my fasting were still over 100. I didn't want to go up on the insulin ifi. Would avoid it. A doctor I work with swears by fiber to help with diabetes. My fastings have been in range since I did this. For my bedtime snack last night I had a gluten free blueberry waffle with sugar free syrup and a couple of slices of cheese. My fasting was 87 today which is really good for me. I think fiber is key for me.
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Tlex
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Post by Tlex on Dec 16, 2018 14:35:37 GMT -6
hrh it is... ugh donāt even get me started haha American healthcare is a disgrace. Tlex an English muffin sounds amazing! Iāve done terrible eating any kind of carbs for breakfast even with a lot of protein. Last night I had a sugar free pudding cup around 8 and then a fiber one protein bar around 11ish. I woke up at 4 with horrible heartburn and got up and drank a whole glass of water and went back to bed. My fasting was 83! Thatās so low for me! Was it the snack or the water or who knows?! I had been eating yogurt before bed thinking that was a good thing but it must not be. Stupid GD! I started taking 2 fiber capsules with dinner about 4 days ago because even with insulin my fasting were still over 100. I didn't want to go up on the insulin ifi. Would avoid it. A doctor I work with swears by fiber to help with diabetes. My fastings have been in range since I did this. For my bedtime snack last night I had a gluten free blueberry waffle with sugar free syrup and a couple of slices of cheese. My fasting was 87 today which is really good for me. I think fiber is key for me. Where will I find these pills, with the other vitamins and natural supplements type stuff Iām guessing? Iām noticing fibre really helps my numbers too. God that waffle sounds good š
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Tlex
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Post by Tlex on Dec 16, 2018 14:36:20 GMT -6
WRT trying an extra buttered English muffin... yeah that was a huge bust. My post meal number was 20% higher than usual! Whomp whomp.
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tngrl3
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Post by tngrl3 on Dec 16, 2018 16:26:18 GMT -6
Tlex I got mine from Sam's but just about any store with a pharmacy section should sell them. Mine are just 100% natural psyllium husk capsules.
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hrh
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Post by hrh on Dec 16, 2018 19:23:22 GMT -6
Tlex like for the report but not the result! Sorry it didn't help. I'm totally going to try this fiber thing too this week and see if I notice a difference in the morning with lower fastings! I should make mini bran muffins.
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Post by strawberrykiki on Dec 16, 2018 21:01:08 GMT -6
I just tried a skinny cow protein ice cream sandwich with a ton of peanut butter for my night snack. Iām in a Facebook group and a bunch of people said they have good luck with it as their night snack. Fingers crossed!
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hrh
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Post by hrh on Dec 16, 2018 22:24:00 GMT -6
I did an apple š¤· it's what I had at the moment that was higher fiber! š¤š¤š¤
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Tlex
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Post by Tlex on Dec 16, 2018 23:27:27 GMT -6
I did a protein waffle with a small handful of chocolate chips and some butter. First of all, I almost cried because it was basically as close to a treat/baked good as Iāve had in weeks (the Christmas baking posts elsewhere are killlllllling me) but more importantly, my numbers stayed well below the allowable range! I also did well with 4 cups of air cupped popcorn and 1/4 cup of butter last night (actually it was too much butter for that much popcorn). Iām making a list of snacks that go well and the numbers Iāve had with them so I can look to it for reference when Iām sulking about there being ānothing good.ā
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Tlex
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Post by Tlex on Dec 16, 2018 23:29:41 GMT -6
My meal plan this week:
Breakfasts: eggs, ham, sweet potato and veggie hash
Lunches: burrito bowls, snack plates (pepperoni, cheese, cut veg, nuts, crackers)
Snacks: veg & hummus, yogurt, string cheese, peanut butter and apples
Dinners: beef w broccoli & rice, chicken with potatoes/pasta and roast veg x 2, ham broccoli and potatoes, protein waffles and spinach smoothies, meatballs and spaghetti/zoodles
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Post by strawberrykiki on Dec 17, 2018 7:36:11 GMT -6
Tlex yum that all sounds great!! I got a 97 this morning ugh. I think I went too long from my snack to testing this morning. Itās so frustrating!!
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hrh
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Post by hrh on Dec 17, 2018 7:47:45 GMT -6
96 here... guess I should have had the peanut butter with the apple. I'm going to try popcorn tonight, I think I've had great results with that before too.
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Post by strawberrykiki on Dec 19, 2018 18:43:14 GMT -6
Today Iāve been so blah about food. Work is busy and itās so annoying I couldnāt just grab a sandwich or something on the way home. I ended up making a smoothie for dinner š¤·āāļø Iām sick of eggs and cheese and yogurt! Ok end of vent. I had great numbers today though. I guess thatās something! How are you guys doing?
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Tlex
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Post by Tlex on Dec 19, 2018 20:51:19 GMT -6
strawberrykiki boredom is what kills me most with GD, and how hard it is to eat properly on the run. I am having a hard time checking my sugars on time - I mostly manage it but I feel like Iām always on the verge of forgetting because Iām so busy. It sure gives you perspective on what a lot of work it is to manage real diabetes! I saw my diabetes team yesterday. I have been increased to more insulin before bed plus a smaller morning dose. My numbers were much better today, but Iāve been warned that itās ok if they start being crappy again because as the hormones increase towards the end of pregnancy it gets harder to control your blood sugar. I may be put on a faster acting insulin to take with meals as well. The dietician gave me a CTJ that I needed. She said Iām eating great but my portions are way too small and itās unacceptable for me to be losing weight/so much in ketosis. I said I know but look at how bad my numbers are even when Iām eating like this, and she said thatās not your job to worry about, thatās the endocrinologistās job to manage with your insulin dosing, and if you arenāt eating a proper amount he canāt see the real picture so youāre not doing anyone any favours. Ooooofdah! Ok then! So Iām having 1 cup of carbs with dinner now and like she said, numbers are way better because heās increased my insulin and thatās managing the load.
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hrh
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Post by hrh on Dec 19, 2018 22:00:25 GMT -6
strawberrykiki I get you. You're also still learning about where you can eat out of the house, and knowledge is power and freedom with GD! Sorry it was a rough day. Tlex I'm glad your numbers are improved! I totally get where you're coming from but your dietician is right. <3 It's easy to spiral with this and think fewer and fewer carbs should get the numbers in control. I have an appointment tomorrow, but no ultrasound unfortunately. Looking forward to those more often as that is my sanity, to be able to see her and see that things are holding up.
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Tlex
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Post by Tlex on Dec 19, 2018 22:25:44 GMT -6
hrh wishing you a good appt tomorrow, I know what you mean about the extra monitoring. I hope you get to see her soon!
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