Would any of this put me at a higher risk for Gestational Diabetes?

[it's a BOY! due 6/30/08]

-My father is a type 2 diabetic (just recently diagnosed at age 49)
-I am overweight (by about 45 lbs), but healthy, and have had no real health problems. My blood pressure is always normal.

The part that makes me worry is the fact that I have been SO very thirsty for the past couple weeks, and no matter ho much I drink, I am still thirsty.
Also, I have the feeling like I have to pee ALL the time, but either just a TINY bit comes out or none at all. The feeling is always there though.
I have also been getting bad headaches every day now for at least a week. I don't know if any of this stuff has anything to do with GD, but any insight is appreciated. I will not have my glucose test for another 3-4 weeks.

[mdoud01]

My father had the same thing (diagnosed at 52) and I am overweight as well. I failed the first glucose test and had to go back for the 3 hr one but in the end everything was fine.

[Dclp8204]

It could. They are saying i have GD and the only thing i have is that im overweight. No one in my family has diabetes. And i dont feel frequently thirsty they say thats a sign of diabetes

[Gypsydayne]

You sound as if you do have the symptoms. (I was gestational diabetic with both pregnancies) Please remember a couple of things

1) Being 45 pounds overweight is not healthy- regardless of whether or not you're having health problems. It's extra weight for your bones to carry around, extra work for your heart, etc. Secondly, your overweightness plus the fact that you're pregnant & type 2 runs in your family could put you at a higher risk. The more weight you gain, the worse blood sugar control you may have. Try to eat healthy & loose that weight after baby comes so you can remain healthy & be around for a long time.

Good luck!

[Betsy]

YES!

What are the risks factors associated with gestational diabetes?
Although any woman can develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy, some of the factors that may increase the risk include the following:

obesity
family history of diabetes
having given birth previously to a very large infant, a still birth, or a child with a birth defect
having too much amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios)
age
Women who are older than 25 are at a greater risk for developing gestational diabetes than younger women.
Although increased glucose in the urine is often included in the list of risk factors, it is not believed to be a reliable indicator for gestational diabetes.

http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/uvahealth/adult_diabetes/gesta.cfm

[babygirllat]

Yes everything you mentioned is signs of GD so you need to tell your doc what you are feeling and give him a nudge that you might need to get the test early.

[g8grl77]

Both of those factors "could" contribute to your being GD...try to chill on the sugars for the remainder of your pregnancy...

[cookie]

Talk to your doc. Also, don't worry about GD. My doc says it is 99% of time able to be controlled by a special diet, and it goes away when you give birth. Only a very small percent of women need to take insulin during pregnancy.

[Melissa S]

If you are concerned I would call your doctor and ask if they will let you do your glucose test a bit early. Make sure they know what you are experiencing. You know your body better than anyone else.

[sevenofus]

I had Gestational Diabetes with my 4th pregnancy. Type 2 Diabetes, while it does have some some heredity connections, is mostly a lifestyle disease. So, the fact that your father is Type 2 diabetic will have very little in the way of increasing your risk. However, being overweight does put you at a greater risk. Increased thirst is pretty normal during pregnancy and isn't a reliable symptom of Gestational Diabetes. Frequent urination, a common symptom of diabetes is also a common symptom of pregnancy, so isn't a reliable diagnostic clue either. Gestational Diabetes does not typically show any unusual symptoms and that is why routine screening is done about 28 weeks. Headaches are not typically associated with diabetes, but are quite common in pregnancy. Because you are not urinating a large amount but still drinking a lot, it is possible you have developed a urinary tract infection, also very common in pregnancy, but not a symptom of Gestational Diabetes. What are you drinking when you experience your thirst? Sometimes what we drink can make us more thirsty if there is sugar or salt in it. If you are not already doing so, quench your thirst with plain water and see if that helps. Because I had Gestational Diabetes, my risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes is increased. Last year, I was diagnosed with Glucose Intolerance, which is a pre-diabetic condition. When I had Gestational Diabetes I was able to control it pretty well with a specific meal plan devised for me by a diabetic counselor and by monitoring my blood glucose numbers by testing my blood 4 times each day. Sometimes women with Gestational Diabetes have larger than average babies, but my baby was born at 41 weeks and weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces. Even if you do develop Gestational Diabetes, it can be managed and in all but rare cases, as soon as the placenta is delivered after the birth of your baby, the diabetes is gone.