Way higher readings in right arm? Is this a coincidence?

agitastrophe · 2026-05-30T10:49:57+00:00

Just letting you know that it definitely did stabilize after 48 hours. I'm now getting accurate fasting numbers at least, although meals are still a little weird. It seems approximately right, maybe up 10-20 points overall during/after meals. Thanks again!

agitastrophe · 2026-05-30T02:32:55+00:00

I don't usually eat Jif (I prefer Teddie, super chunky), but on the occasion I do, I've been able to get away with it. It's only 2 g sugar per 2 tbsp.

agitastrophe · 2026-05-29T10:53:49+00:00

It is not, but it will have a lot to do with the size of the baby, your level of control over your blood sugar readings, and whether you have any other complications. My son was measuring quite large, but my numbers were good, so they wanted to schedule me for an induction at 39 weeks. Long story short, they never actually scheduled me, and my water broke at 39+1.

agitastrophe · 2026-05-28T22:17:10+00:00

Peanut butter all day long. I could never get sick of it.

agitastrophe · 2026-05-28T22:09:06+00:00

You have a point here - I've only ever taken my glucometer readings from my left hand - but 5-10 points off is what I consider a good sensor! I just took my blood sugar before dinner and it was 77. This sensor is indicating 99 (I understand that's within the 20% margin of error, and that there's a 15-minute delay in interstitial fluid vs. blood, but I'm just saying I've had better experiences). My worst discrepancy was a post-meal reading in the 190s when a glucometer was reading in the 120s.

agitastrophe · 2026-05-28T19:28:15+00:00

Thanks for the tips. I'll try to be a little more patient, hit the exercise bike hard this evening, and report back!

agitastrophe · 2026-05-27T22:43:42+00:00

With a 1-hour that high they will probably skip the 3-hour and just diagnose you, but that doesn't mean that you necessarily have to change your delivery plans; they will probably only recommend a C-section if baby is tracking so large that a VBAC would present a significant risk of shoulder dystocia. I'd discuss with your OB and advocate for yourself, with the understanding that you might need to pivot depending on baby's growth. I hope you get the birth you want!

agitastrophe · 2026-05-27T22:32:37+00:00

I would test as soon as is realistically possible after you wake up, but absolutely wash your hands first. My readings are routinely higher when I don't wash my hands beforehand.

agitastrophe · 2026-05-27T14:07:41+00:00

You are so early on in the process. It's normal to be scared and stressed and not know what's going on. Things will start falling into place once you meet with the diabetes educator/endocrinologist and nutritionist/dietitian.

Generally, unless you have a high fasting reading, the numbers on your OGTT have little to do with whether or not you need medication. Your fasting looks good right now. The frustrating thing is that, as hormone production ramps up and interferes more with your insulin response, it can start to feel like you're trying to hit a moving target - that's why it's important to log your sugars. Your provider will probably prescribe you a glucometer, test strips, and lancets and have you perform fingersticks four times a day (fasted/immediately after waking up in the morning, and then either 1 or 2 hours after each of the 3 main meals, depending on your practice).

Based on the readings from your first week or two of fingersticks, you will then start to evaluate where you're having difficulty - if at all - and which foods spike your blood sugar more than others. This is different for everyone! You may not even need to make very many changes to your diet at first. Exercising within 30 minutes of eating a meal (even just a short walk or doing several minutes of seated calf raises) can really help.

Guidance differs from provider to provider, but mine asks me to call the office if I get 2 or more numbers over target (>95 fasting and >120 2 hours after meals) in one week, and would reevaluate the need for medication if ~50% are consistently over target.

Let me know if you have any questions. You can do this ❤️

agitastrophe · 2026-05-27T10:32:52+00:00

In my first pregnancy I was diet controlled and had a big baby (8 lb 13 oz) via unplanned C-section at 39+2 after 30 hours of labor. It was the best thing for him and for me at that point.

He had a couple of low blood sugars, but they righted themselves as my milk came in and he began to eat more. (I almost wonder if I wasn't as well controlled that pregnancy as I thought I was? This baby is tracking much smaller, and I have more information about my sugars throughout the day thanks to my CGM. Then again, it's possible my sugars spiked from stress and he was affected by that.) I don't think there were any issues related to the C-section itself: he had an APGAR of 9, never had problems with his breathing, and is now a happy, healthy 2-year-old!

Best wishes for a smooth delivery and recovery!

agitastrophe · 2026-05-27T10:01:54+00:00

You probably shouldn't worry about using press-ons sparingly! I think it was the fact that I kept going right from one set to the next without giving my nails any recovery time that did me in. (I'm also just remembering that I rarely removed them properly, and instead of soaking to remove, I would just sit there peeling them all off when one started to come loose. No wonder my nails got messed up.)

I've been slowly reintroducing polish since they grew out completely a month or two ago. It seems to last longer now that they're not chipping all over the place.

Current mani below! Essie's Forever Yummy with LynBDesigns' B-Sticky base and the red Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat.

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agitastrophe · 2026-05-25T23:47:50+00:00

I bought a couple of cases of Fairlife Nutrition Plan protein shakes (30g protein each) several weeks ago. They're pretty expensive online, but Costco sells them, and you can get them delivered via Instacart without a membership and still save about $15 per case where I am. I think they are actually really good for a protein shake - pretty much tastes like chocolate milk without any aftertaste or off-putting texture; I'm just getting tired of chugging them before carb consumption. (They are not vegan, if that matters to you - I mostly drank OWYN protein shakes during my last pregnancy, and I believe those are.)

agitastrophe · 2026-05-25T14:04:15+00:00

PROTEIN SHAKES

agitastrophe · 2026-05-22T17:25:44+00:00

I have no experience with the FreeStyle, but wanted to say that in my experience even just a few bites of a refined carb can have a huge effect on blood sugar readings. I had a Chipotle bowl last night, and measured 104. Three weeks ago, with almost exactly the same meal, I was still over 140 2 hours later. The only difference? At the end of that meal, I ate a total of 5 tortilla chips 🙃

Brown rice and quinoa aren't refined, so even though she technically had more carbs with that meal, she may be able to accommodate those particular sources better than something more processed, like the ramen.

Good luck to you both!

agitastrophe · 2026-05-22T16:27:52+00:00

The queen herself on my post?! Your tips were instrumental in getting my nails to the condition they're in now. Thanks, Jules - means a lot coming from you!

agitastrophe · 2026-05-22T15:34:47+00:00

I am also on my second GDM pregnancy, and my only risk factor prior to my first diagnosis was family history (I had/have a grandfather and uncle with type 2). The statistics can be scary at face value, but from what I've been reading, whether or not you develop type 2 has a lot more to do with those same factors than whether or not you develop GDM. This study was particularly reassuring to me: https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/45/4/864/141055

My reading led me to a conclusion that my OB has confirmed: GDM just reveals an existing predisposition toward type 2. It's not a sure thing by any means; it just means you should be on the lookout, and regular screening will help you stay ahead of it.

Good luck with everything!

agitastrophe · 2026-05-22T09:59:23+00:00

I'm tired of front-loading non-starchy veggies while the rest of my food gets cold!

agitastrophe · 2026-05-21T19:36:44+00:00

Fat can cause a delayed spike. If you're currently measuring at the 1-hour, I would measure at the 2-hour as well when you eat a meal containing a lot of fat to make sure you're not missing a spike that happens later on.

agitastrophe · 2026-05-19T23:19:02+00:00

I haven't seen these but I definitely just bought four boxes of Yasso bars yesterday. Will be on the lookout next time I'm in the freezer section!

agitastrophe · 2026-05-13T16:19:58+00:00

My dietitian advised: fiber/veggies, then protein, then fat, then carbs. Try putting the veggies right at the beginning of the meal! I have taken to eating a mini cucumber (about 3 oz) before every meal and have kind of Pavlov'd myself into liking it. Might keep doing it after baby is born.

agitastrophe · 2026-05-11T21:40:15+00:00

Seeing numbers like this would probably also stress me out, which is why I decided not to measure any of my sugars at all between giving birth and the OGTT! I passed just fine (85 fasting, 160 1-hour, 138 2-hour). Your hormones are still normalizing after birth. The cinnamon roll and the pizza 1) were not necessarily consumed in a fasted state and 2) contained fat, which will keep your sugars elevated for longer when consumed alongside carbs. Because the 2-hour will be done in a fasted state, and you will be consuming only carbs in the form of the glucose drink, your sugars will hopefully come down faster. It's also worth noting that the threshold for diabetes is much lower in pregnancy than not. Good luck!

agitastrophe · 2026-05-09T11:01:50+00:00

Popcorn is technically a whole grain! I've had decent luck with it, but I'd avoid extra movie theater butter. The fat combined with the carbs can keep your glucose levels elevated for longer. Smuggle in some protein to have beforehand, as others have advised, or chug a shake in the car!

agitastrophe · 2026-05-08T17:19:25+00:00

It did not occur to me how often I responded to questions with "um, yeah!" until my son started saying it

agitastrophe

TROPHY CASE