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View Full Version : Borderline low amniotic fluid, possible gestational diabetes... fun times!


AJP
02-23-2011, 01:03 AM
Sorry I've been a bit quiet in the past couple of weeks. Non-pregnancy related chaos is surrounding us and then two weeks ago I spilled glucose during my routine appointment. Glucola is apparenty not found here so my midwife gave me a glucometer so I could test my blood sugar levels. After reading around a bit I did the 2-hour post-prandial test (fast, test, eat a big breakfast and then test 2 hours later) and my results were borderline high. So now I'm trying to cut back on the sugar and simple carbs a bit until I get back to the US (late next week, most likely) and can confer with my OB there.

Then last week I went in to my OB here for my monthly ultrasound and he told me my amniotic fluid was low. Unfortunately it was late in the day and I didn't have the presence of mind to ask him for a specific value. Looking back I'm not sure he even measured the amniotic fluid index - he may have just based it on overall impressions. He wasn't very worried, but more and more I'm finding him to be a bit too casual about things. So I called my midwife who hooked me up with an American u/s tech who is living here and currently doing missionary work, but brought an u/s machine with her. She did a short ultrasound and an amniotic fluid index and calculated it at 6.1-8 (she did the test twice). The cutoff for low fluid is 5, so I'm borderline and need to be monitored. She did say that the kidneys and bladder look good, which is what they worry about when fluid is low, so that was reassuring.

Tomorrow I go back to my OB for another u/s. If I find him to be too casual again, I'm going back to the American u/s tech one more time. I really wish I could enjoy this pregnancy a bit more, but at this point I just want her here safe and sound. None of these issues are reasons to push up our departure date, and because of the non-pregnancy things that we need to handle, we need to be here for the next 10-14 days if at all possible.

Thanks for listening to my vent!

SusanH
02-23-2011, 06:42 AM
:hug: I'm sorry you're dealing with a lot of stress right now. I agree with you that it doesn't sound like anything to be very worried about right now - if you do end up having GD, it's controllable through diet and the amniotic fluid isn't so low that I'd worry. Still, when you've got real-life stress, the last thing you want is more things to be concerned about! I hope the next two weeks go smoothly. Try and rest and take things as easy as you can. I can't believe you are 31 weeks already! You're in the home stretch. :)

AJP
02-23-2011, 07:14 AM
Thanks, Susan!

Can't believe I'm 31 weeks either! This pregnancy has just flown by!

AJP
02-24-2011, 12:42 AM
So I went back to the OB today and my fluid level was up a bit! Close to 9. So progress in the right direction. I may still go back to the other u/s tech to be sure to have two measurements done by the same person, but I feel somewhat relieved. My sugars are still all over the place in spite of the diet changes, but nothing alarmingly high at least. We're either flying next Thursday or Saturday.

SusanH
02-24-2011, 06:37 AM
I'm glad things looked better at the latest appointment. Keep drinking lots of water! Is it hot in Rwanda right now? I wonder if you might be getting slightly dehydrated.

Melanie
02-24-2011, 07:13 AM
You can keep those levels up by making sure you're drinking enough. I'm sorry for all the stress, but you'll be back here and bored silly very soon!

AJP
02-24-2011, 10:19 AM
Is it hot in Rwanda right now? I wonder if you might be getting slightly dehydrated.

It's not terribly hot here - it's pretty much 80 degrees here all year round, and we're at altititude (a little lower than Denver). It's basically the world's perfect climate in my opinion. (I'm going back to snowy MN - yikes!) But, I'm TERRIBLE about remembering to drink water and it's the worst trigger of my heart burn so I'm sure you're right that I'm a bit dehydrated. I've been really good in the past week though, so hopefully that has made the difference.

canuck_mom2be
02-24-2011, 10:31 AM
Where in MN are you going to? My whole family is from there, mom and dads side. Massive MN farm families. Started up north (bagley and bemidji areas), most most are in the cities now.

I feel for you... I spent one xmas in MN, never ever will I go there again in winter. I live in the cold mountains, but its pure evil there!!!!

AJP
02-24-2011, 10:55 AM
Where in MN are you going to? My whole family is from there, mom and dads side. Massive MN farm families. Started up north (bagley and bemidji areas), most most are in the cities now.

I feel for you... I spent one xmas in MN, never ever will I go there again in winter. I live in the cold mountains, but its pure evil there!!!!

We'll be in Minneapolis. While I grew up there, I haven't spent more than four weeks there during cold weather months since 1997/1998. I've been in DC, New Orleans or Africa since then. Yikes! Hopefully things will warm up quickly in March.

SusanH
02-24-2011, 01:28 PM
That's going to be such a climate shock to you! I know it's generally colder and snowier in Minneapolis than here (I'm in Wisconsin) and it's still very winter-y here. Rwanda does sound like the perfect climate. I'd be hard pressed to leave it and have to deal with winter!

Gayesy
02-24-2011, 01:33 PM
Thinking of you! :hug: