How tired is normal?

[kickingking]

How run down would you have to feel before you were worried? I'm 21 weeks and so tired. I also have Type 1 diabetes. I know I wasn't this tired in my first pregnancy.

Everything wears me out. I'm a primary teacher, 3 days a week, and gave a 4 year old. All I seem to be able to manage is the bare minimum not to get myself sacked and keep my child clean and fed. My house is a pigsty. I feel like I could sleep for weeks.

I feel so run down. I have mentioned this to my midwife and my GP, when seeing them for routine appointments, and both said it was normal.

Really?! I feel like I've been a zombie for 4.5 months.

This is not normal, I am also a teacher with a 2.5 year old and 29 weeks pregnant. The only time I have felt like this is now that I have 'flu. I know everybody is different, but they could be missing something. How are your blood glucose levels?

Well, the diabetes team are pleased with them but blood sugars in pregnancy are always a roller coaster. They are no better or worse than in my last pregnancy.

I wondered about iron levels but they were fine at my booking blood tests and I felt worse then.

Could it be deficiency in some other trace vitamins or minerals? They are equally important for converting glucose into energy via glycolysis and the krebs cycle. Are you taking a pregnancy vitamin complex?

No, I was taking high dose folic acid til 13 weeks, but nothing else has been recommended.

Do you mean something like pregnacare, or to get something prescribed for me?

Pregnacare or one of the complexes specifically for pregnancy would do it. Just looked up vitamins/minerals needed for converting glucose to energy other than Iron, they are (in no particular order):

Magnesium, Niacin (B3), Phosphorus, Riboflavin (B2), Thiamin (B1), Pantotenic Acid (B5), Pyroxidine (B6) Manganese. Plus you need folic acid and B12 for making new cells. Calcium, Copper, Zinc, Molybendium, Chromium and Selenium are all needed for enyzymatic reactions essential for metabolism. Plus Vitamin C helps Iron absorption and Vitamin D needed for Calcium absorption.

You could be deficient in any one or several of these so taking a vitamin/mineral complex should cover everything.

It is also that time of year when the bugs are flying and with our weaker immune systems we have to fight all the harder to ward them off. So lots of sleep essential too. Only one week to go then hopefully you can re-charge those batteries a bit.

Your iron levels can keep dropping so doesn't matter what happens at the booking. I'd take spatone or another gentle iron supplement. I did this and made a huge difference!

Thank you for that - I had no idea about all the vitamins needed to convert glucose! You would think after so many years as a diabetic I would

Spatone - the box says to mix with orange juice. Does it HAVE to be orange juice? Juice is not good for my blood sugars! Can I just use water?

The spatone can be taken with water (just tastes a bit like boiled water), but Iron absorbs best when taken with vitamin c, so any juice that has high vitamin C good.

Annoyingly, juice is best reserved for treating low blood sugars!

Thanks for the advice, hoping I will feel better soon

I feel exactly the same and have been wondering whats wrong with me! Doctors etc also said its fine but just existing is such an effort. Also a primary school teacher working three days a week and with 5 year old. Just about going to get through to end of term. I am taking Pregnancare so thats not it for me. I guess some people suffer more with tiredness than others. Its hard work though!