Tips for struggling to breathe.. Poss related to low iron?

[Alwaysconfused2018]

As In title. My iron was fairly low 6 weeks ago. Given tablets made me violently sick.
Went back to gp they gave me liquid iron. Pretty much does the same and have been experimental with dosage as advised.
Midwife was 3 weeks ago and she did more bloods. Went to gp. For results and she's only done a basic he said so would need repeating at next midwife.. Which is this week.
I've been eating as much iron rich foods as I can possibly eat. And doing my best with the liquid iron
However I'm still struggling with tiredness
Then come 3pm I'm struggling to breathe properly.. Which I'm told is a. Side effect of Low iron? I literally feel like I have someone sitting on my Chest. Even to cuddle up to dp the lack or air around me feels like I'm suffocating?
Any suggestions on what I can eat aswell or do. Or avoid?

[ClareB83]

Spinach is my favourite thing for iron as it shrinks down and you can put it in so many things. A lasagne will take an entire big bag of spinach. Goes equally well in curry or as a salad base instead of lettuce.

[mindutopia]

When I was anaemic (this was postnatally, my iron was very, very low, like a 6.0 at one point), for me, it felt like I would get very winded. So it wasn't the feeling of something sitting on my chest so much (that sounds more like asthma, I have that too so know that feeling). But it would be like gasping for breath like I'd just run a mile as fast as I could possibly go, but I'd just gotten up to walk to the toilet like 20 feet from my bed. My heart would race like I was going to have a heart attack and I would be gasping for air. It only happened when I stood up or moved, not when at rest. But if you're iron is low, certainly it could be that. I would experiment with other kinds of iron. Solgar does a gentle iron tablet. I struggle with normal iron (though when I was ill, I took it, I would have done anything to feel better no matter how sick it made me), but the Solgar ones don't bother me at all. Floravital (high potency floradix) is quite gentle as is spatone. When my iron was low, I was taking the iron tablets, plus either floravital or spatone and 500mg of vitamin C at every meal 3x a day. That brought it up within about a week or two and I felt much better after only about 3-4 days. If you can at all manage, it is worth suffering through with the iron just to get your levels up. A transfusion is another option if it's really low. They did offer me one, but I declined as I wanted to give it a shot on my own first. As for foods, you'll only get it up so much with diet, but a glass of orange juice or vitamin C tablet at every meal and avoiding tea, coffee and milk will help.

[brownelephant]

go to your gp now.
breathlessness is not normal and should be checked out.

there are other iron formulations that might be better for you, like tablets that only dissolve in the intestine. take iron befor bedtime, so you can sleep through side effects.

[endofthelinefinally]

Another one saying see a doctir urgently.
Feeling as if someine is sitting on your chest is not normal and not a sign of anaemia.

[Alwaysconfused2018]

As pp described it is prob better. It makes me go dizzy..sometimes when doing nothing at all. U am forcing as much liquid iron as I can down but the tablets gave me. Such bad sickness I was on my hands an knees with cramps being sick.. Liquid isn't as bad.

I have seen gp loads of times as mentioned it at hospital two weeks ago when I was in for reduced movement. They didn't seem Bothered and said its one of. Them things but it's getting worse. When I see. Midwife this week I will mention again as it's horrible. And whilst there try and get a gp appointment x

[SnoozyMcSnoozeFace]

I also think you should urgently see a doctor. That feeling of someone sitting on your chest and feeling dizzy like that isn’t normal and can be a symptom of a pulmonary embolism so really should be checked out ASAP

[peachgreen]

How many weeks are you? Once I hit about 22 weeks baby started getting in the way of my lungs which caused really bad breathlessness. It's actually eased as I've got further on.

[buddy79]

I would see GP too but if it is iron levels - I had a bit of this in first pregnancy and midwife advised as well as taking natural iron to also make sure I stayed really hydrated as this helps body absorb iron? It has worked for me in this pregnancy so far, just lots of water. But yours sounds pretty severe at the moment so yes I would see someone ASAP / call 111.

[anxiouswaiting]

I was put on iron tablets and they made my have tummy troubles so I now take Spatone sachets which are really gentle and I have so much more energy since being on them. I would see your GP as well though x

[blahblahblah2000]

I’d see the GP to make sure it is the low iron casing the breathlessness. It sounds as if you might need an IV iron infusion, which can be done when pregnant.

[43percentburnt]

I had low iron and breathlessness in my twin pregnancy. Combined with hyperemisis. My iron dropped pretty quickly. I took spatone 3 x a day, I also had kale crisps (home made) and beetroot juice. I had previously vomited up prescription tablets and liquid and I didn’t want a transfusion. The consultant said spatone wouldn’t work but it did, it took a week to get from 7. Something to just over 10.

[RandomMess]

You should get checked out ASAP!!
Spa tone it Floradix work much quicker than liquid iron as they contain the vitamins that help your body absorb the iron.

[Alwaysconfused2018]

Thank you. Will try get an appointment with the doctor tomorrow, when I see MW..
Msy ask for a diff doctor as mines a bit useless and very laid back like I'm wasting time.
It's eased a bit. Made sure I'm drinking plenty. It's definitely still not right tho. I want to lay down and sleep but it seems to worsen when laid down for some reason. So sat in lounge windows open to try and feel like I'm getting air in. Will update tomorrow after MW and hopefully a gp appointment xx

[Alwaysconfused2018]

Saw midwife she's done another full blood check Inc b12 and something else I cavbt remember. She said it's pretty normal?

Baby is measuring small tho. So waiting on a scan for that.

Couldn't get a doc appt until 2 Feb! But told to R in g 111 if any further issues. In the meantime my results will be back anyway.
If iron levels haven't improved then looking like an iron transfusion she said within a couple of weeks so it's a waiting game.

Thank you so much for your advice ladies.

[InDubiousBattle]

How many weeks are you op? I had this kind of breathlessness with dd. I was only mildly anaemic but it was made much worse by the fact she was breech, her head just seemed to be crushing my diaphragm.

[Alwaysconfused2018]

34 I'm. Not breech thankfully x

[BoilYerHeid]

I thought this was pretty normal - the baby is getting bigger and sitting up high so putting pressure on your lungs. I had it in my last pregnancy and this one too. It eases when the baby drops down a bit later on. At the moment I feel like I can't take a deep breath at all and feel massively out of breath, dizzy and heart racing on climbing the stairs.

See what your blood results are like and take advice of course, but I think breathlessness CAN just be a normal, if uncomfortable, side effect of pregnancy.