[sarapopp]

Hi, I am new to the forum, but I am desperate for some advice. I am a type 1 diabetic and I wear an Animas insulin pump. I also started wearing a CGM about a month ago. My husband and I are in the very pre-pregnancy planning stages, so I am trying to get my sugars under better control.
My problem is my morning sugars. They are going sky high. Most of the time they are in a good range when I wake up, sometimes as I am getting ready in the morning before breakfast they will start to rise rapidly, but other mornings it's fine.
My biggest problem comes after I eat breakfast. My sugars will rise to 225 and above within an hour or so of eating, they will begin to fall, but not be within normal range until about 3 hours after bolusing.
I am a very picky eater, but have been trying to adjust what I eat. Currently I am eating a bowl of cereal (Total 100% nutrition with blueberries and poms). It is made with whole grain, which I htought would help slow down the absorption.
Does anyone have any advice how to get my sugars from rising past about 140?
I know being a picky eater isn't much help....I eat like a five year old...literally!
Any advice would be so helpful!

Thanks,
Sara

 

[Shanny]

Hello, Sara - it's great to have you with us. We have several type 1s and several pumpers here, so you've found plenty of good support. It sounds like you're experiencing dawn phenomenon - something many of us struggle with.

Another thing you might want to consider is that grains - even whole grains and especially wheat - are notorious for spiking our blood sugars. Without knowing anything else that you like to eat, I would encourage you to find a few high protein choices and see how your CGM likes those. Don't bother sticking with traditional "breakfast" fare - if you like avocados, eat guacamole for breakfast, or just eat the avocado right out of the shell. If you like deviled eggs, have deviled eggs for breakfast. Make your choices from the protein & fats side of the menu. Leave out the carby stuff. We diabetics do well on protein & even moderate fats - you'll be amazed at the difference when you weed out the carbs. Actually, it's the fats, not whole grains, that slows the absorption. You should get some lots better readings from your new CGM by avoiding the carbs. But keep the blueberries! Just have the berries with a little cream - not milk (milk spikes us too!)

 

[Richard157]

Sara, all cereals make me go high. I have not eaten cereal for many years. I eat very low carb bread, only 8 carbs per slice. A toasted slice of that bread, eggs and some ham or bacon is a typical breakfast for me. That would be about 10 carbs. If that does not fill me up, I eat a small piece of fruit.

 

[sarapopp]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I never realized that cereals had such an effect until I got on my CGM.
As far as what I eat, it is all stuff I know I should more or less stay away from being a diabetic. I love pasta, potatoes, I have gotten myself to eat a lot more fruits lately and I eat veggies, but only a small variety. I like chicken, but very rarely eat red meat and no pork.
I loved the idea of the deviled eggs. That is one of the only ways I will eat eggs.
What about a small bagel with cream cheese? I feel like I am new to diabetes, but I have had it for 7 years. I just never really watched what I ate so strictly until now. I obviously want my sugars in the best control they can be in for pregnancy.
Again, thank you so much for your advice!

Sara

 

[Shanny]

Y'know what? The cream cheese would be wonderful, but scrap the bagel. (yeah I know - I dearly LOVE bagels too!)

I use a LOT of cream cheese . . . there are several spreads/dips I use that barely budge my blood sugar - but I don't eat them on crackers, I eat them on celery or some other veggie, and sometimes I just eat 'em with a spoon - kinda like having a spoonful of peanut butter, y'know?

 

[breezeonby]

Hi, I am new to the forum, but I am desperate for some advice. I am a type 1 diabetic and I wear an Animas insulin pump. I also started wearing a CGM about a month ago. My husband and I are in the very pre-pregnancy planning stages, so I am trying to get my sugars under better control.
My problem is my morning sugars. They are going sky high. Most of the time they are in a good range when I wake up, sometimes as I am getting ready in the morning before breakfast they will start to rise rapidly, but other mornings it's fine.
My biggest problem comes after I eat breakfast. My sugars will rise to 225 and above within an hour or so of eating, they will begin to fall, but not be within normal range until about 3 hours after bolusing.
I am a very picky eater, but have been trying to adjust what I eat. Currently I am eating a bowl of cereal (Total 100% nutrition with blueberries and poms). It is made with whole grain, which I htought would help slow down the absorption.
Does anyone have any advice how to get my sugars from rising past about 140?
I know being a picky eater isn't much help....I eat like a five year old...literally!
Any advice would be so helpful!

Thanks,
Sara

Hi Sara and welcome to the forum! It is so nice to read that you are trying to get into shape before you get pregnant. I just read an article on diabetes and pregnancy in the August issue of Diabetes Forecast. I understand all about being a picky eater, I have the same issue. The only advice that I can give you is to watch your carbs. I can eat meat, eggs and cheese without a rise in my blood sugar. I keep string cheese on hand and I often have a piece of it, if I am hungry and don't feel like taking a bolus for a snack. Good luck and I hope you have a pleasant pregnancy! reggers:

 

[onaughmae]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I never realized that cereals had such an effect until I got on my CGM.
As far as what I eat, it is all stuff I know I should more or less stay away from being a diabetic. I love pasta, potatoes, I have gotten myself to eat a lot more fruits lately and I eat veggies, but only a small variety. I like chicken, but very rarely eat red meat and no pork.
I loved the idea of the deviled eggs. That is one of the only ways I will eat eggs.
What about a small bagel with cream cheese? I feel like I am new to diabetes, but I have had it for 7 years. I just never really watched what I ate so strictly until now. I obviously want my sugars in the best control they can be in for pregnancy.
Again, thank you so much for your advice!

Sara

Hi Sara, and welcome!

How is your blood sugar during other meals of the day? I know that my I:C ratio is different at different times of the day. I need a bit more coverage in the mornings and less in the afternoon and night. Cereals are tough on me. The only way I can eat cereal and manage it is to mix about 1/2 cup of cheerios into a small yogurt (about 30gms carb total). If you must eat a bagel (about 60 gm of carb for a plain bagel!) just eat half. I have found something called bagel thins which are are essentially skinny bagels. They are around 25-30 gms of carbs depending on the brand. *Much* more tolerable. I had one for breakfast this morning with cream cheese and bacon on it YUMMO!

Again welcome...and please ask anything you need to...we are all here to help each other out!

 

[onaughmae]

By the way, congrats on wanting to get yourself in control before having your baby. I work in a neonatal intensive care unit and too often see the results of uncontrolled diabetic mothers on their babies. With good control and taking care of yourself there is no reason you wont have a healthy, happy baby!

 

[sarapopp]

Thank you so much for the ideas. My sugars the rest of the day are normally pretty good. Dinner is sometimes on the high side but only if I have trouble figuring out my carbs since this is when I eat the most carb heavy meals. I hate being so picky, but I can't help it. I remember when I was diagnosed and I cried when they went over what you needed to avoid since that was literally all I ate.

Any ideas on a fruit smoothie with yogurt mixed in? I won't eat yogurt by itself, but in a smoothie is OK.
The bagel thins sound good, I would like to try that. Any other ideas are more than welcome.
My last A1c was 6.5, which was my best one so far. But I want to make sure everything is right before getting pregnant.

Thanks again!!
Sara

 

[onaughmae]

Thank you so much for the ideas. My sugars the rest of the day are normally pretty good. Dinner is sometimes on the high side but only if I have trouble figuring out my carbs since this is when I eat the most carb heavy meals. I hate being so picky, but I can't help it. I remember when I was diagnosed and I cried when they went over what you needed to avoid since that was literally all I ate.

Any ideas on a fruit smoothie with yogurt mixed in? I won't eat yogurt by itself, but in a smoothie is OK.
The bagel thins sound good, I would like to try that. Any other ideas are more than welcome.
My last A1c was 6.5, which was my best one so far. But I want to make sure everything is right before getting pregnant.

Thanks again!!
Sara

I sometimes have a small fruit smoothie with yogurt. The key is to be exact with your carb counting. Especially if you are T1 with little to no insulin resistance; then it is just a matter of effectively covering the carbs. I rely a lot on calorieking.com and I carry one of their carb counting books with me everywhere I go. I am relatively new to pumping and I am still figuring out how to bolus for some things myself. I have a high degree of insulin resistance and its a challenge sometimes for sure. I am only really learning how to use the dual wave bolusing for some meals that keeps my blood sugar more stable. I *still* haven't totally gotten the hang on dosing for pizza for example. So, I mostly just avoid it The pump is an awesome thing, though. I am finally in good control and can actually eat a few carbs now without killing myself