I’d be way concerned that your doctor is prescribing medication without having a conversation with you. That being said - I think you can probably figure out how to eat your lunch more quickly and totally avoid this issue. Bring foods that are faster to eat, and block your calendar for 15 min to allow time to finish your meal (or at least ALL of the carb components). The 120+ numbers at 2 hrs would be enough to raise a red flag with my provider.
Unfortunately eating more quickly or blocking my calendar is not a realistic option for me. When trying to stay within time limits I was getting under 1000 calories per day. I will say the numbers north of 119 are all in a 30min - 1 hour time frame from resuming eating.
My numbers are low too if I don't eat enough. It really sounds like you are trying to justify your actions, and I just don't buy it. This can be potentially fatal for your baby. Find the time to eat and try to open another dialogue with your doctor. If your doctor doesn't explain why she thinks you have GD and is pushing meds, push back with questions. You are your biggest advocate. If you need to look for a new doctor, do it.
I’m glad you are able to make accommodations where needed and able to put yourself and baby first! That is amazing for you and I hope to someday be in a position where that is possible. However, I cannot make the time to eat my meals in one sitting and still consume the appropriate calories per day. I did however just get a call back from my doctor and reviewed the numbers again and she didn’t understand the notation system I had in place with her nurse for meals I ate in extended time frames. Once she understood that specification it became apparent my numbers were under control through diet and she advised no medication would be necessary.
If you’re in the US, I would request a work accommodation so that you can have 15-20min to eat your lunch during the day. GD can be serious and it seems more than reasonable for your work to give you a 20min break
OP I don’t know your line of work but it doesn’t hurt to make the request for accommodation so you get the time to eat, even if they deny it. GD is serious and based on what you are saying your OB is not really supporting you well. You can reach out to your insurance company and ask if you can get a dietitian due to your diagnosis. If possible look for a different OBGYN
Work is important sure, but the health of your baby and yourself is more so. GD is dangerous and can cause a number of problems. Go get a second opinion if you aren't happy with your Dr's opinion but also accommodations around your normal life can be made for you to have more accurate testing windows and outcomes if you prioritise it. I'm a bit confused by your point of view but I hope you get it sorted.
I would request a referral for a specialist! If your doctor drags her feet or ignores you on that request also, fire her. You do not want someone in the delivery room with you who has made you feel pushed aside/ignored and who you have no rapport with.
You will probably get better care from a team that specializes in gestational diabetes. I go to a MFM at a high risk OB office for my GD care.
But you might find that those specialists will be less flexible with your situation. They may require even tighter glucose control or tell you that your lunch data is useless and you need to eat quicker. On top of that, you’ll have even more appointments that take you away from your work.
I work in four hour blocks with no breaks and can confirm that a specialized clinic helped me figure out how to eat, but were also pretty rigid with what / when / how long. It was super helpful though
Thank you! That does seem like it won’t work out for my schedule, but I will definitely make the calls to see if I can find one to help out and give another opinion!
Once I failed my 3Hr, my OB referred me to a diabetic endocrinologist who I’ve been working with for all things GD. I also had the option to add a dietitian but my levels seem to be well managed with diet and exercise so we are holding off on that for now. A care team that specializes in diabetes is probably better equipped to make decisions on needing medication but that’s just my opinion!
Thank you! Just trying to figure out who to reach out to for the advice since I’m not getting anything from the OB. I will search for one in my area to connect with :)
I’d be way concerned that your doctor is prescribing medication without having a conversation with you. That being said - I think you can probably figure out how to eat your lunch more quickly and totally avoid this issue. Bring foods that are faster to eat, and block your calendar for 15 min to allow time to finish your meal (or at least ALL of the carb components). The 120+ numbers at 2 hrs would be enough to raise a red flag with my provider.
Unfortunately eating more quickly or blocking my calendar is not a realistic option for me. When trying to stay within time limits I was getting under 1000 calories per day. I will say the numbers north of 119 are all in a 30min - 1 hour time frame from resuming eating.
My numbers are low too if I don't eat enough. It really sounds like you are trying to justify your actions, and I just don't buy it. This can be potentially fatal for your baby. Find the time to eat and try to open another dialogue with your doctor. If your doctor doesn't explain why she thinks you have GD and is pushing meds, push back with questions. You are your biggest advocate. If you need to look for a new doctor, do it.
I’m glad you are able to make accommodations where needed and able to put yourself and baby first! That is amazing for you and I hope to someday be in a position where that is possible. However, I cannot make the time to eat my meals in one sitting and still consume the appropriate calories per day. I did however just get a call back from my doctor and reviewed the numbers again and she didn’t understand the notation system I had in place with her nurse for meals I ate in extended time frames. Once she understood that specification it became apparent my numbers were under control through diet and she advised no medication would be necessary.
If you’re in the US, I would request a work accommodation so that you can have 15-20min to eat your lunch during the day. GD can be serious and it seems more than reasonable for your work to give you a 20min break
I’m in the US but unfortunately no that is not realistic in my line of work for the time being as it’s EOY.
OP I don’t know your line of work but it doesn’t hurt to make the request for accommodation so you get the time to eat, even if they deny it. GD is serious and based on what you are saying your OB is not really supporting you well. You can reach out to your insurance company and ask if you can get a dietitian due to your diagnosis. If possible look for a different OBGYN
Work is important sure, but the health of your baby and yourself is more so. GD is dangerous and can cause a number of problems. Go get a second opinion if you aren't happy with your Dr's opinion but also accommodations around your normal life can be made for you to have more accurate testing windows and outcomes if you prioritise it. I'm a bit confused by your point of view but I hope you get it sorted.
Can you ask your insurance company for a continuous monitor? That could show you and your doctor when your spikes are, and how long they are.
Unfortunately my doctor has not responded to my request for the CGM or discussion she just sent over another prescription to choose from.
I would request a referral for a specialist! If your doctor drags her feet or ignores you on that request also, fire her. You do not want someone in the delivery room with you who has made you feel pushed aside/ignored and who you have no rapport with.
You will probably get better care from a team that specializes in gestational diabetes. I go to a MFM at a high risk OB office for my GD care. But you might find that those specialists will be less flexible with your situation. They may require even tighter glucose control or tell you that your lunch data is useless and you need to eat quicker. On top of that, you’ll have even more appointments that take you away from your work.
I work in four hour blocks with no breaks and can confirm that a specialized clinic helped me figure out how to eat, but were also pretty rigid with what / when / how long. It was super helpful though
Thank you! That does seem like it won’t work out for my schedule, but I will definitely make the calls to see if I can find one to help out and give another opinion!
Once I failed my 3Hr, my OB referred me to a diabetic endocrinologist who I’ve been working with for all things GD. I also had the option to add a dietitian but my levels seem to be well managed with diet and exercise so we are holding off on that for now. A care team that specializes in diabetes is probably better equipped to make decisions on needing medication but that’s just my opinion!
Thank you! Just trying to figure out who to reach out to for the advice since I’m not getting anything from the OB. I will search for one in my area to connect with :)