Breathlessness =(

[first1]

Just wondering how others are coping with it if indeed you're unfortunate to be suffering from it like me . I'm also asthmatic and there's no doubt that being pregnant and the pressure on the old lungs isn't helping with it. I ended up at the out of hours docs on Boxing Day (DH's bday) having worked myself into a frenzy that I was having a proper asthma attack which now I'm sure was a panic attack at the thought of being so breathless, if I'm making sense!? Went to my own GP on Tues where I've been prescribed amoxycillin for a week and 5days of low dose steroids to try and boost my lungs. But although I checked the safety of this with GP, pharmacist and Midwife (!) I don't want to rely on them again later down the line. I've had baby's heartbeat checked and had my anomoly scan yesterday and baby's kicking away which is the most important thing. How are you other lovely ladies coping with it? Asthmatic or not, any advice greatly welcome! I've started sleeping propped up which helps a bit but find it's often worse at night and I'm pissing DH off by watching middle of the night Jeremy Kyle. Also felt puffy after 2hours of walking around the sales the other day. I'm only 20+4 I'm scared it's going to get worse.

[RnB]

Have you been tested for anaemia? The breathlessness could be due to that rather than your asthma.

[mama2moo]

Im 36 weeks pg now and have been suffering this for the past few weeks. Im not asthmatic though.

I have found that not eating after 6pm is making a huge difference for me. I used to have a large meal between 6 and 8pm.

My feet are swelling up aswell. I find that if they are bad after about half an hour of having them raised they are better.

I cant sleep propered up but find that kicking dp out of bed has helped! I can wriggle around the whole bed now to get comfy.

Good luck

[mvemjsunp]

Breathlessness is a sympton of anaemia - something pregnant women are susceptible to because of blood dilution.

You have fewer red blood cells so you need to breathe faster to get them to carry enough oxygen around your (and the baby's) body.

[CocoK]

I'm 33 weeks and get breathless intermittently from tiny idiotic things like walking up stairs. But not every day. However I did get breathlessness earlier in my pregnancy, which I now realise was anxiety-related. It happened mostly at night and I thought it was from lying down, but I later realised that I was struggling with a lot of worries and fears which I hadn't been able to acknowledge, related to the pregnancy and a previous loss. When I finally worked up the guts to be honest with people around me about how I was really feeling, and got some counselling, the nighttime breathlessness disappeared. This might not apply to you, but it's worth thinking about whether something is worrying you - these symptoms don't always have a physical cause.

[lucy101]

I am asthmatic too and around 20 weeks started to get very breathless which made me feel panicky too (I think if you are asthmatic breathlessness can start to scare you a bit). It turns out I was borderline anaemic but spatone seems to have sorted that out.

I started to get very anxious that it would only get worse... but actually it hasn't, it has got better (29 weeks now) which might happen with you.

[mumatsea]

First1 - If you haven't already then getting your blood checked is sensible. It may be worth boosting Iron levels with Pregnancy multi vits too. If this is all pregnancy related (rather than asthma) it will probably settle and then come back closer to your due date. DOn't worry and just pace yourself. Just a comment on: "5-days of low dose steroids to try and boost my lungs. But although I checked the safety of this with GP, pharmacist and Midwife (!) I don't want to rely on them again later down the line" If you do have an asthma attack, however mild, it is far more dangerous for you not to take steroids and inhalers (and antibiotics if needed) than to try to manage without. Asthma attacks cause lowered oxygen which affects the oxygen supply to the placenta - and therefore baby. These drugs are all very safe in pregnancy - but having insufficient oxygen is not! The main reason for poorly controlled asthma (and foetal complications) in pregnancy is people mistakenly thinking they shouldn't use steroids etc. Please don't worry about taking these drugs if you need to and talk to your GP again if concerned -he/she can always refer you to a specialist. (Lecture over! )