Hi all

I've been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, currently 25 weeks. I'm on 2500mg metformin and controlled diet during the day, plus 20 units cloudy insulin overnight. My diabetes midwife is happy with my blood sugars at the moment (am testing 4 x day). I'm not finding the diet too different to what I'd normally eat - struggle with breakfast sometimes without jam/marmalade option on toast and lack of choice in cereals, and it's taken me and DH a bit to get used to portions I can eat and lack of carbs in the evening.

There is one thing I'm struggling with - in my last pregnancy I had problems with anaemia and I wanted to take a liquid iron supplement, spatone, as it started around now..and I can feel myself starting to feel similar this time too. I bought a box of it just before being diagnosed then discovered orange juice was pretty much off the menu. You're supposed to add it to orange juice to 1) diguise the taste, 2) have vitamin c to help iron absorbtion.

So I was wondering whether there are any low-sugar juices out there? or any suggestions for ways to take it? It has a fairly metallic taste so needs to be in something, and I'd really prefer to take this than use a normal iron supplement which leads to some pretty uncomfortable side effects

Any suggestions welcome! Any suggestions for good jams/marmalades also welcome

Hi and congrats on your baby making.

Have a look at Floridex

http://www.redseal.co.nz/floradix-iron-tonic-500ml-xidp152293.html

as an Iron supplement or Clinicians Iron

http://www.clinicians.co.nz/womens-health/products/iron-boost/

both easy absorbed with out recourse to Vit C drinkies.

and have a look at "Joc'n'Al" range of jams, marmalade and even tomato relish and pickles etc

Happy breakfast's :-)

Good on you PDogge us mere males can rise to the ocacasion.

I know what Iron tablets can do you. IN QUANTITY.

Broccoli is a very high in vitamin C vege, make take your iron supplement with a meal and make sure you eat a high vitamin C vege with it.

Eating an orange is better than juicing it as the fibre slows the sugar absorption and prevents a huge rush.

really? I haven't tried eating an orange yet - so many fruits seem to cause my post-meal readings to be high, I'm pretty much limiting to 1/2 an apple, the occasional plum etc as a snack with cheese or milk.
Thanks for the jam/pickle recommendation - it's a bit of a mystery where these things are found but at least I know what to ask for.
Those alternative supplement suggestions look pretty good - guess I can donate the spatone I've got already to someone else. I'll check them out.
Col.Sanders - seems to have the opposite effect in me and other preggos...not great.
Thanks for your help - and your congratulations

when I say 'high' I mean over the targets they set - 6.0 mmol/L 2 hrs after.

Best wishes Lady Bee.

Now that the two local supermarkets no longer sell Jok'n Al's reduced calorie spreads, we buy online from Diabetes Supplies. As there's five in the family with Diabetes, we buy a variety of products and have bought 36 in one purchase. Freight is always $6.80, no matter how many items we buy.

http://www.diabetessupplies.co.nz/catalogue.htm?catalogue.search=ProductCategory=Jams

They're so good, Jok'n Al's products are available in United States of America, exported from Riverlands, Blenheim.

http://www.joknal.co.nz/

Hi 73,

Being diabetic almost assures you that you WILL spike after a meal. It is a degree of 'how much'. If you have two Cokes and a lolly for lunch you will be in the teens or 20's, if you eat sensibly you should still be in single digits, and for me that's about the best it can be.

And 2 hours is an admirable goal, but I rarely make it, usually by three hours though I am back to normal.

Happy day, Gus