FertilityZone

Hey,
I don't have low BP but do have GD and low Iron. I have had GD with both babies so am ok at controlling it now, found the toughest is breakfast and for me the main thing to avoid is actually bread. It takes a while to get to grips with but it's not that bad, and the crappy white toast they give you after the birth tastes sooooo good. I test 4 times a day or maybe more if I snack a lot. It's actually much better to snack than eat huge meals for me. Some of the things that effect/don't effect people are really different from person to person but feel free to fire any questions at me you have.
Re low iron, I've just been prescribed 2x200mg ferrous sulphate but have felt so sick since taking it I think I'm going to go back to the pregaday and head to boots for some floradix today.

Hiya

I have low BP and did throughout pregnancy. Not much they can do for it unfortunately.

The tablets should help your iron levels though and like Caz has said the GD can be controlled.

I think Floradix is the same kind of thing as spatone, I certainly feel better on it than I did on the tablets!! Beware the orange juice though, it's a blood sugar killer!! I have to keep below 7.8 too so guess are limits are similar. If I have a slightly naughty dinner I hop about on the wii for a bit and it seems to do the job.

Glad all under control, good luck.

Hope you are ok x

Hi Ladyluck, I had Gestational Glucose intolerance (similar to GD) and very low iron, my blood pressure is always on the low side so I'm used to that. I would advise researching low GI (Glycemic Index) foods for what you should and shouldn't be eating, some of the things you can eat surprise you because it's not just a question of how much sugar they contain it is how that sugar is released. For instance Bran flakes have added sugar but they come up as Low GI because they are so high in fibre they release the sugar slowly avoiding a blood sugar spike and keeping your levels steady. If you can get some excercise that will help you with your sugar levesl (although with low iron it's damn hard) a gentle walk after meals would probably help. Anything high in fibre releases sugar over the long period so get lots of wholewheat pasta and brown bread, ryvitta are also good as you can pile them with soft cheese and they don't cause a huge blood sugar spike.

With your spatone make sure you're taking it with a small glass of orange juice, if you count it as part of your breakfast then you can still have OJ, as vitamin C is vital for iron uptake. You can also try fortified cereals (high fibre to avoid blood sugar rises) as they also contain iron. Also avoid tea and coffee (or anything with caffeine) for at least a couple of hours after taking your iron as these hinder absorbtion.

The blood pressure is a difficult one, what's your salt intake like? if your diet is very low salt then this can cause low blood pressure so if you do have a low salt diet you could try increasing the amount slightly. At least you can comfort yourself that low bp is better than high bp!

What type of bread was the toast made of? beans are very high in sugar if you look at the label (unless you get the reduced sugar ones and even then they are still pretty high) and white bread has LOADS of sugar in it with very little fibre and should be avoided! I couldn't eat white bread without having high readings afterwards so it might be the same for you.

Glad you've moved in now, that must have been really stressful!

Same for me on the beans on toast, am ok with the reduced sugar ones on a single piece of granary. If I ate white bread I'd be up at about 10 or 11 thought so yours aren't too bad. Don't fret over 1 or 2 readings, just try and eliminate those foods. I still have the odd 8 in my diary and the consultants are happy with the overall control.

Afraid I have had to say goodbye to any thought of a pudding though Only thing I can have on that front is one or two chunks of very dark (85%) choc, which luckily I quite like. I already have a list for my husband for as soon as I give birth - I want a Magnum, a flapjack and an almond croissant!!! Only 2 weeks (and counting)!

Hiya, glad the move is all done. Just one week for me now as being induced at 39. So funny that you mention shreddies, my DS has them and it's all I've wanted for ages but they always cause me to spike. I keep saying to DH that when I get home I'm going straight for a massive bowl of shreddies, (after the magnum I've demanded straight after the birth!).