Dizzy, breathless and keep losing balance

[EauRudolph]

I am so bloody sick of feeling like this :( I am 30 weeks pregnant. Blood pressure, iron levels and urine test all came back fine. I get short of breath just walking around the house or standing up, I have fallen over a few times (luckily not seriously hurt), some days I don't even shower because I worry about falling over.

I've seen the GP and she thinks it might be diet related because I've had such bad heartburn I've been snacking all day rather than eating meals. I do try to vary what I snack on and I'm taking sanatogen pregnancy vits.

Has anyone got any other ideas about what I could do? I've done nothing but lie on the sofa for nearly 3 weeks and poor DD just ends up stuck inside most of the day.

I'm not overweight or unfit, no other health problems.

Hi Rudolph,

I am 30 weeks too and can sympathise with the extreme breathlessness. I get tired out doing everything.

I've not had any balance problems though, but I assume that is pretty common due to the extra weight and change in centre of gravity. P'haps try baths instead of showers (if you can get in safely of course) - you could take DD in with you to amuse her for a bit?

I have had a few dizzy spells, but put that down to my blood pressure (it is low).

I can also sympathise with the heartburn. I get it after drinking water , and the reflux wakes me up in the night - I am using the Gaviscon in the pink bottle but I am finding a bit better than the normal stuff. Perhaps ask the GP about getting something stronger (some of the over-the-counter tablets might be suitable).

So, all in all, I can give you a virtual hug, but suggest nothing practical! Sorry - but do take it easy, and try not feel guilty. DD will be fine for a few more weeks (use CBeebies, books, stickers etc liberally!).

I had a week like this, and all blood tests/wee tests were fine etc.
I bought myself some spatone, and made myself eat proper meals, and this really helped the heartburn too.
Try starting the day with porridge, and making sure you have stuff in the house to make a proper meal. This made a real difference to me, but I can feel myself getting dizzy again if I start relying on snacks.

Hope you feel better :)

Thanks both, I am feeling a bit sorry for myself and I am heartily sick of CBeebies! Can't wait til the baby arrives and the weather improves so I can get out and about again.

I'm a bit hesitant about taking extra iron, I've had spatone before and it's good stuff but as my iron levels are OK I'm not sure about taking it. I'm already getting 100% of my iron from the pregnancy vitamins.

YOu won't be absorbing all the iron from the tablets you are taking, if that's any consolation. You never do. You might get up to 40% of it.

Have you any leg pains? any hot, swollen areas in your calves? Do check.

Do you feel dizzy in your head, or are you just unbalanced and tending to fall over?
If it's continuous and bad, you might have picked up a viral inner ear infection. Doesn't hurt in the slightest but can make you very unbalanced, dizzy and nauseous (like seasickness). but they don't tend to last for more than a week.

Final thoughts - how is your posture/back/neck in terms of stiffness? It is possible that you may have a tightness in your neck that is causing the dizziness but it wouldn't be causing the difficulty breathing; however, a different stress on your thoracic vertebrae could definitely cause difficulty breathing.

But then, a 30wo foetus, if it's sitting high, will also cause difficulty breathing. It may also be pressing on the vagus nerve (renowned for causing nausea and fainting) - there isn't a lot you can do about that, maybe yoga?

Dizziness and falling over can be caused by low blood sugar levels. To help with this you need a good balance of slow-release energy (porridge is an excellent example) as well as the occasional snack (banana). Perhaps you've gone too far down the snacking route, and some more main meals will help?
[although I hasten to add I am no expert, but have finally got my pregnancy fainting under control, touch wood]

Brilliant post thumbwitch, thanks! I did have labyrinthitis a few years ago and feel quite similar now. It's a bit like being drunk, but not as fun. It's been a few weeks though so I don't know if it's that, it only lasted just over a week last time.

I think my posture is as OK as it's ever been ie not great but I never had problems when expecting DD. My neck feels OK, my back gets a bit stiff at times though, right in the middle. I don't think the baby is sitting particularly high although I do keep getting a foot right in the ribcage

Ilovemountains I had muesli for breakfast this morning (porridge makes me burp all day long ) and I'm not sure if it's made a huge difference. I'm finding it really tough to eat proper meals, there's nowhere for the food to go so it just ends up hurting.

Will put spatone on the shopping list again.

EauRudolph - have sent you a PM - if you haven't had one before, look at the very top of the page, you will have a red blob sitting on top of an envelope next to the word Inbox.

Hallelujah!!
I am not pleased you are going thru this but soo releived as i cannot seem to get anyone to understand the severity of it.I am 32 wks and have had it since about 26wks.I get breathless just sitting down sometimes and can only lie on my left side in bed.I went to town yesterday and got so breathless that i nearly called an ambulance.I walked back to my car-it felt like hell-and drove short distance to my mums with all windows down crying.I also had tingling in my arms this time.Cant seem to get dr or mw to take me seriously and this is my 5th child.

Ledkrs- tingling in your arms could also be a sign of compressed nerves in the cervical spine. If any of your back is "out", or stiff, or has pain, it can cause extra pressures throughout the spine, which can give all sorts of symptoms.

oh right,i have spd which has calmed down dramatically as i cant walk far due to the breathlessness.I was a bit concerned last night as it was alot worse and could only lie on my left side to breathe,baby moving alot but went quiet when led on left side.I do have a cough tho.Was admitted acouple of times and had ecg-all ok and my sats were 98 so dont know what else to do.Feel desperate at times.I put afew things in my hospital bag last night and got breathless,not right is it?

babay went quiet wehn led on right sorry

Have PM'd you too, ledkrs.

I have/had this too - it peaked last week when I was 33 weeks - couldn't breathe, felt like running a marathon just getting out of bed, seeing black spots etc At one point I just sat on the bedroom floor and cried when I ran upstairs to grab my handbag (something I wouldn't think twice about 6 months ago!).

Have you had a full set of blood tests? Is your thyroid function ok? We have a brilliant private doctor at work that we have to see if we call in sick and they took tests for everything as she thought I was taking too much thyroxine i.e. over-active thyroid. Turns out I had a viral infection. I had a week off work, totally rested and feel normal again now.

Although I'm now 34 weeks and it could be because the baby seems to have dropped so also less pressre on lungs.

So sorry this is happening to you - make sure you try and rest and get a full set of blood tests done. It is boring but best for you!

I am going to have alittle "paddy" at the gps Friday followed by clinic next Tuesday.I cant even walk up to my bedroom without stopping halfway and lying down when i reach my room.Seems like along way to go yet doesnt it too.I have been signed off work for a month so far so i have mind numbing boredom too,and the pressure of xmas coming.

Thanks for your PM thumb, I think you may be onto something! I have had back problems in the past but not for years, I wonder if it's come back due to pregnancy. I'm sure I didn't have this problem with DD but I may have been too busy puking to notice I think there is a lady in my village that does pregnancy massage so I'll give her a call.

ledkr, sorry to hear you are suffering too. Only a few more weeks to go!

If the massage doesn't do the trick then I'll try another blood test. I'm getting a bit annoyed with being dizzy and I don't think DH will be too pleased if I make him do all the driving over Christmas!