Bedridden third trimester.

[hereforasillygoosetime]

Did anyone else experience this when in 3rd trimester? I have to lie down for 90% of the day because I am so short of breath standing up/sitting/walking/moving in general.
I am on blood thinners already due to a blood clot in my first pregnancy 11 years ago, so it can't be an embolism. I am currently refusing to attend consultant appointments because the hospital is an hour away plus up to 3 hr waiting times on uncomfortable chairs when you get there (not an option when ya can barely breathe!) ... they keep sending me new appointment letters even though I've explained the problem.

Is it normal to be pretty much bedridden because the baby hasn't 'dropped'? I didn't get this with previous pregnancies. TIA

Wouldnt you (and your baby) be better off going to the hospital, they may be able to help you

I understand that it's difficult for you to get there but I really think you need to see the consultant. It's normal to be tired and struggle with lots of activity but what you are describing doesn't sound normal. I hope you get some help it's sounds tough.

You need to see someone if you are bedridden????

Have you seen any HCP? GP?

You can't just not attend your appointments?

I've had some pretty dire waiting times but it's never been anything close to 3 hours???? Take a rubber ring with you.

Has anyone checked your iron levels? I was so anaemic I was breathless and had to have an iron transfusion - it was transformational.

You need to see a doctor

OP, no this is not normal. I was still working FT until 3 weeks before my baby arrived, and I was over 40 so this isn't some spring chicken early 20s mother thing. Surely you'd need to be signed off work to spend that much time lying down? If they want you to have a consultant appointment I presume you have some condition that may warrant the additional level of care, or is that linked to the blood thinners?

Please go to the hospital. Take your phone / a good book and a cushion to make the chair more comfortable and find out why you can't breathe.

You need to see a doctor. For your sake and your baby's sake.

Can you rearrange your appointment to be the first one of the day so that you don't get the long waiting times?

This isn't normal, I've had two babies and yes it's hard going towards the end but I dont know anyone who was bedridden (unless ordered by doctors for medical reasons) by it. It sounds like something more is going on with you and I really don't understand why you would be refusing appointments when you are so poorly. Have you even been to the GP at least?

I gave up my small business a few months ago so I'm not working...yes I'm sure it would be better to go to the hospital for the appointments but I physically cannot. I have explained this to their receptionists and they simply say they will get a midwife to call me, but then I just get a new appointment letter through the post.
the consultant wants to see me for a general check in to make sure I'm still taking my blood thinners (I am). And yes - up to 3 hours waiting time to see a consultant is standard there (GWH Swindon). The least I've had to wait is 1.5 hours.
I have had a blood test at my last local midwife appt but i presume nothing unusual was found because I never heard from them. I am due to see them again this week.
The baby isn't unusually big so I can't understand why I can't breathe properly.

Don’t assume nothing abnormal showed up because you haven’t heard from them. Particularly if they think you’re being seen at the hospital.

Not being able to breathe properly is serious. It means you and your baby are not getting enough oxygen, for whatever reason. And unless you’re an obstetrician yourself you clearly don’t know why. So go to a doctor!!

I agree with PP...could be your iron levels...I've been suffering for months now...and just found out my levels are so low and it's been the cause of my dizziness, breathlessness, extreme tiredness/weakness. I'm in the 3rd trimester too...but glad to finally have answers!

Well then go to see your GP you silly mare.

And yes I do mean to be so rude.

You've got a history of having something life threatening happen during pregnancy and are experiencing symptoms of it.

If you can't possibly go to see the consultant because you can't sit somewhere for three hours what on earth do you think is going to happen when you go into labour?

Honestly op. You could be putting your baby at risk here. Go see a doctor

Midwives have informed me that it's normal to be breathless, that's why I am asking for others experiences. I will call them on Monday.

Take your pulse, what’s your current heart rate?

@BalloonSlayer I am already on blood thinners which is the treatment for an embolism...when I got a blood
Clot in first pregnancy they just sent me home with the injections.

Of course it's not normal. I was incredibly breathless with my second - turned out my iron levels had crashed! However, GP called me immediately the results came through and prescribed high dosage with instructions to return for further blood tests and the threat of injections if levels didn't rise pretty quickly (they did!).

I really think you need to find a way to get to your antenatal appointment even if it means getting someone else to drive you and having to use chairs in the waiting room to lie down if you feel too breathless to be upright.

It is normal to feel a bit out of breath when walking or exerting yourself toward the end sure, but bedridden? Unable to sit in a chair for three hours? No that's not normal.

@Runningintothesunset it is about 100bpm

Thanks for your help will definitely call the midwives Monday and ask to be seen ASAP

Breathless and a fast heart rate is not something you should leave till Monday. Ring the triage unit at the hospital and tell them, I bet they want to see you tonight.

I’m entirely bemused why you are asking people on the internet about potential medical issues whilst refusing to attend consultant appts. No its not normal to be so breathless you are bed ridden. I get breathless when walking uphill etc but it’s not 90% of the time. I would very strongly suggest you take up the medical treatment they are trying to give you.

I have had a blood test at my last local midwife appt but i presume nothing unusual was found because I never heard from them.

They probably haven't looked at your blood test results. They certainly never bothered looking at mine until I had an appointment where I described how I was out of breath, and the midwife finally bothered to look at my results which showed a serious iron deficiency.

I already had a serious blood condition and although they were taking blood every few weeks no one was bothering to check them.

You're working with the NHS here. You need to be proactive.

@Karigan195 not sure what you don't understand about the hospital being an hour away, up to 3 hour wait to see the dr and me not physically being able to do it without suffering from extreme shortness of breath and pure panic. I have explained to local midwives and midwives at the hospital about my shortness of breath. They say it's baby pushing against lungs.

The consultant appt is just to check I'm taking my injections, they do not seem concerned about my breathlessness or the fact it is really fucking hard and distressing to get to hospital and wait that long in a fucking ridiculously uncomfortable waiting room while I feel like I'm going to pass out.

@drsausage thanks I will get on to them ASAP