I have no experience of type 2 diabetes, but I'm 5'6, and was 154lbs and a size 6/8 pre pregnancy and also gained loads. Nearly 5 months post partum and I still have around 40lbs to go to get to pre-preg weight, although my measurements are smaller now than last time I was this weight, after my 2nd baby, so I expect to be a size 6 if I get back down to 154.

I'm currently doing carb cycling which is working for me, and from what you say about carbs, it might work for you too, and help control the diabetes. It's basically having 5 low carb and 2 high carb days a week. On low carb days you can't even have fruit. It's not something you do for too long term though, but after a few weeks, I'll adapt it a bit and add fruit on low carb days, but just stick to the no bread/potatoes/rice/pasta etc.

OMG! I have eosinophilic esophagitis too! I went and got it diagnosed because food was getting STUCK in my throat. I take the prevacid knock off everyday, which helps. But the inhaler for 2 months reversed most of my problems.

I had GD with my first child and prediabetes after, but haven't had any diabetic problems since then (and have had 2 more kids). What helped me during pregnancy was taking a 10 minute walk after meals. Also it was stressed not to cut out all carbs. Carbs helped keep blood sugar stable, but more to limit them to 15-30 g of carbs for breakfast and 3 snacks and 30-45g of carbs for lunch and dinner.

I am now 4 months postpartum and 131 5'2", size 4-6. After my first I was 157 (my overweight prepregnancy weight) and size 10-12 I think. After my second I was 171 and size 14-16 at 2 months postpartum. After 5 months of counting calories and walking I was able to get down to 135 and size 6 around 7 months postpartum. I have a lot of diabetics in my family and am doing my best to avoid that fate. Best of luck.

I had GD--which scared the heck out of me in terms of getting actual diabetes. I will say that meeting with a nutritionist while I had the GD was by far the best thing I ever did! I learned so much about food choices & pairing of foods!! If this is an option for you, take advantage of it! (It was covered 100% by my HMO as it was considered preventative care. I later suggested my mom see a nutritionist as she's overweight and post-menopausal and it was covered for her as well.)

As for exercise...we do a lot of family bike rides. We started when our baby was about 5 months old, in a trailer. Now she's nearly 10 months old and we alternate the trailer and a "front of our bike seat", depending on the weather. Oddly enough, my former nutritionist lives across the street from me now and she loves the family fitness! We've also found that a couple hours of fresh air for baby = really good sleep!

The inhaler wasn't for breathing. I was to hold my breath, do two puffs then swallow twice a day. The steroids were supposed to coat the throat and help dilate it. It did! Just as good as the throat dilation surgery (which was much harder and more painful - and not really recommended with our condition I found out later).

I would choke and gag on pills, and then as time went on and I didn't get it treated it happened with food. Mostly breads and carbs. I had a few times where I wondered if I should go to the ER or not when the pill was lodged in there! I couldn't get it to go down or come up. But I could breathe, which thankfully helped me panic less. Too bad I couldn't as least lose some weight! I just found easier foods to eat.

I also had an allergy panel. For the most part the allergist said this condition is usually worsened by environmental allergies vs food allergies. So he also gave me a nose spray for bad allergy days. He recommended an air filter in the rooms I am in most of the day. He also said to take a shower and change my clothes when I come in from outside. This wasn't very practical for me. I did the inhaler a year and a half ago for 7 weeks and just now pills are starting to have a harder time going down, so I imagine I'll ask for an inhaler again in the next few months.