To think my GP should offer me something? Pregnant & upset

[ABabyPanda]

I’m 21 weeks pregnant and for about a week and a half suffering from breathing difficulties. One day it was so bad my chest was hurting, I struggle to get a ‘big’ breath so I’m yawning all the time to try to get one but even then it’s usually a half-yawn. I’m huffing and puffing (with no exertion - I could be in bed or on the sofa and it’s still bad).

I saw my midwife last week who took bloods for low iron as I’d mentioned I’d read that this could be a factor. My iron is fine. She told me to get a GP appointment and go to A&E if it’s really bad.

Last week I phoned for an appointment and had a telephone appointment this evening. They have basically said there’s no such thing as pregnancy related asthma and they can’t do the asthma test due to coronavirus, he doesn’t feel it’s right to prescribe asthma medication as it could cause other issues (diabetes?!) which right is fair enough. He said he suggests breathing exercises. It’s probably the water round the baby and in worse case scenario they will need to deliver the baby early but he doesn’t think this will happen 🤨

I cannot fucking breathe! I’m only 21 weeks, what if this gets worse? Has anyone else experienced this? I’ve started having my humidifier on during the night but it’s not helping me during the day & it’s such a struggle. I’m seeing my midwife on Friday so I will ask again then but I really feel like something is more wrong that just baby fluid & if I get COVID I’m screwed. I’m really worried 😟

Don't mean to scare you but isn't one of the coronavirus symptoms shortness of breath?? I might be wrong.. but im really surprised that no health professional has asked you to get a test.. maybe you should get one?? X

OP, I'm really sorry you're suffering with this.

I feel your pain. I had this with all my pregnancies (have never had breathing problems before or since). But pregnancy was a completely sodding nightmare. It was just (just - ha ha) because I am very small and I had gigantic babies who were pressing absolutely everywhere. I genuinely thought I was going to die with each pregnancy, simply because I couldn't breathe. It was memorably horrendous. I didn't do anything about it as there was no doubt what the problem was - but if you think it's something else, OP, do try A&E.

I had similar during pregnancy but with wheezing too. Inhalers helped and it gradually subsided over the course of a couple of years afterwards. I had lots of other non-standard problems - my body really doesn't like being pregnant. Asthma was definitely diagnosed, so I don't think it's sensible to rule it out altogether. My brother had asthma all through childhood, so I knew what it looked like.

Firstly, if you get covid, you are almost certainly not 'screwed'. Being pregnant is not classed as being any more vulnerable than your normal age group and there's no evidence of covid harming babies in the womb - so please don't worry about that.

The feeling that you describe of not being able to get a full breath is one that I experience on my most anxious days. Do you think you're feeling anxious?

So sorry you feel so crap and the doctor wasn’t concerned - I’m not a HCP but I work in maternity services and have spent a lot of time editing leaflets and patient information. The last one I did funnily enough was on DVTs and PE.

If you are pregnant and have shortness of breath, you really should be checked out in person and have a scan for PE if they assess that there’s a risk you have one. They are rare but extremely serious.

When pregnant my advice is to get checked out if you’re worried. When I was 35 weeks I felt really unwell in a non-specific way, I had a headache and just felt very weird. I knew something wasn’t right but I doubted myself and wouldn’t have gone in. Luckily I had a midwife appointment that day - she was a bit worried and sent me in for a check up. I had an emergency section within 2 hours of my appointment time. If I hadn’t gone in, one of my boys wouldn’t be here.

Honestly, don’t take any risks. I understand you don’t want to make a fuss, and the GP said it was nothing so you feel daft, but you’re struggling to breathe and you don’t know why. Maybe it is ‘just’ anxiety but physical issues need to be ruled out first.

I hope you’ll go to A&E - they will not be critical of you for going in when you’re struggling to breathe. Don’t let a half arsed consultation from a GP make you feel like you’re making a fuss about nothing.

Im sure youre not advised to go to A&E with covid symptoms are you? I think this is a covid symptom so wouldn't go to A&E but maybe call 111 zx

I had similar when I was pregnant with my second and was equally fobbed off the first time I saw a gp. Went again to see the better gp who realised my routine blood test showed infection markers. It was fixed with antibiotics.

@Duemarch2021

Im sure youre not advised to go to A&E with covid symptoms are you? I think this is a covid symptom so wouldn't go to A&E but maybe call 111 zx

This shows the bonkersness of the Covid brigade.

The OP hasn't got Covid. She's pregnant.

OP please get a Covid test.

Breathing issues are high on the list of symptoms even though they are not listed as such on the test criteria.

You ca do a home test or go to a centre.

If you do a home test you can tick a box on the online form and say you have a cough. How would they check?

It's far more important to exclude Covid and you infecting others before you go to A&E or see anyone else.

My sister had 2 tests using the Zoe Covid app and she just had a sore throat and a croaky voice but Zoe picked it up as a symptom and suggested a test.

The OP hasn't got Covid. She's pregnant.

She doesn't know if she has or not!

Feeling breathless at 20 weeks is NOT a symptom of pregnancy!

In Liverpool they are trying to test everyone even those who feel 100% fit as many people have no symptoms.

This is your third child, and you’ve not experienced this before. That is relevant to me.

Go and get it checked properly. GPs cannot know everything, they are literally supposed to know everything. Pregnancy related issues are rare, he might not have seen anyone with your problem before, that DOESN’T mean it’s not important.

And yes, 20th poster to say breathlessness can be a sign of Covid.

I’ve met far more bad (exhausted, distracted and just plain wrong) GPs than good GPs. Don’t let yours fob you off OP. Call 111 and ask what to do. Consider going to A&E / seeking advice from a private doctor. If it gets very bad call ambulance and tell them you can’t breathe. Good luck really sorry you feel this way.

Weirdly a (non pregnant) friend just spent 3 weeks feeling exhausted/ struggling to breathe. Hospital did tests and admitted for a week but found nothing wrong, ended up getting better on its own. Just felt I should mention.

@PutYourHeadscarfOnNorma

I'm literally just stating what we have all been advised not to do by the government..

Which is.. do NOT attend A&E with covid symptoms such as temperature, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell or new continuous cough

She will be embarrassed if she turns up and gets a bollocking for ignoring the very clear guidelines so I'm simply reminding her that she is meant to call 111 not turn up at hospital!

I didn't make up the rules..

@ABabyPanda in your position I would lie and get a test because your baby is the priority. And you may not have one of the three listed symptoms but that doesn’t mean you do t have a symptom that could be Covid related.

@JinglingHellsBells

The OP hasn't got Covid. She's pregnant.

She doesn't know if she has or not!

Feeling breathless at 20 weeks is NOT a symptom of pregnancy!

In Liverpool they are trying to test everyone even those who feel 100% fit as many people have no symptoms.

It was for me - just because it wasn’t for you doesn’t mean that it can’t be a symptom for any other women. Not every fucking thing is covid related.

I also had Covid badly with none of the 3 main symptoms. I was very breathless. Get tested asap.

Honestly I wouldn't be going to A&E in the current situation, especially while pregnant.
I dont know what it could be, not asthma though. It does sound from your description that it feels like a physical obstruction to your lungs or ribcage expanding. Asthma feels kinda like you're being choked.
It could be that your womb is expanding faster this time round, most womens bumps are bigger earlier with subsequent pregnancies. I'd wait to speak to your midwife, get plenty of fresh air, and stand in better positions.
Are you taking a pregnancy supplement? Most have iron in.
Could also be a chest infection, when I had a hell of a chest infection in February it felt like my muscles just weren't pulling my ribcage open, like when you're wrecked at the gym and just cant lift a weight anymore. I couldn't physically make my body inhale.

Following on from my last post...It would be different if her airways were obstructed or it was an asthma attack etc.. then of course she should go to A&E for breathing difficulties.... but considering she's still alive after a few days of "breathlessness" its hardly immediately life threatening and so would seem she is short of breath (a symptom that we have been told to avoid A&E with)

Both times I was pregnant, I developed asthma and went away as soon as I'd had the baby, both times. It was very strange! Blue inhaler helped me. 😊

I felt like I couldn’t breathe when i was pregnant around 16 weeks, I couldn’t get a full breath in, and unfortunately had a couple of panic attacks at night, really I could only put it down to anxiety in the end as all the checks at the gp for blood oxygen came back as normal. But they prescribed me a steroid nose spray to shut me up I think. It went away then came back at the end. Sorry it’s not much help, maybe try some yoga breathing practises as that did help me calm myself when I got in a panic. And sticking my head out the window, I couldn’t have the blinds shut either.

I suffer from anxiety and had huge panic attacks when I was pregnant. I was also carried too much amniotic fluid and my bump was huge so my lungs were really squashed. Yet despite this, I never suffered in the way that you describe.
Do get a covid test. Lie if needs be to get one, although you are exhibiting symptoms of a chest problem. Speak to the midwife and get her to push to get you seen. Push for an actual GP appointment and get them to listen to your lungs. I would rule out anything physical first. Just trust your own instinct and listen to your niggles. You contacted the Dr for a reason. The fact that you feel different from previous pregnancies is important, I think.

I work as a midwife.

Please phone the maternity assessment unit at your hospital of booking. The number should be on the front of your maternity notes. This should be a 24 hr service

They will either reassure you or invite you in for a review which will cut out the possibility of a lengthy wait in A&E

We are being told by the NHS to behave as normally if we need a gp, 111 or A and E use them, this obsession with covid could be killing folk. Excess figures of home deaths this year were 30k.

Get professional advice. A poster on here lost here husband recently he started with breathlessness. Unless I see a GP or midwife on here I think it is wise to ignore other folks imagined anxieties re: covid.

@StrandedStarfish

I work as a midwife.

Please phone the maternity assessment unit at your hospital of booking. The number should be on the front of your maternity notes. This should be a 24 hr service

They will either reassure you or invite you in for a review which will cut out the possibility of a lengthy wait in A&E

Thank you

Definitely get checked by hcp. It's best to check as others have said. I was so breathless in first pregnancy got ecg and checked for pe. I was anaemic. Also anaemic in second. Was so tired and breathless in third pregnancy I asked for bloods and the mw said all was fine. Asked to be checked again I think about two weeks later and was anaemic. Hope you get sorted and feel better soon.