Anaemia or tiredness?

[abigboydidit]

Hi am 18 weeks pregnant and have a 15 month old DS. I thought I had come through the worst of the tiredness but then for the past 10 days have been feeling as if am existing in a daze. Beyond tired and look washed out. I put it down to pressures of working full time, looking after DS and having 50 mile daily commute but my friend suggested I may be anaemic. Does anyone have any experience of this? Is it one of those things (like a cold Vs flu) where I would know if I was anaemic? Reluctant to go to GP and seem like hypochondriac pregnant lady! Thanks.

Have you had any blood tests recently from midwife? Are you eating properly? Are you taking a multivit with iron? Do you look pale and washed out? I thought I was anaemic a few days ago but I was just tired - my Hb was 13 so it was fine. If you are ok to take iron you could take the pregnancy vitamins, unless you are still taking them, and see how you feel. You might just be able to get the midwife to take some blood instead of seeing your GP? Your GP won't think you're a hypochondriac anyway, he/she will send you off for a quick blood test.

Could 'just' be pregnancy (with all the additional factors you mention) but very reasonable to have your bloods checked. They do them routinely at 12 weeks and 28 weeks in this area so if you're the same you'd be right in between and it would be worth checking. You wouldn't "know" you were anaemic, the symptoms are quite non-specific - tired, washed out, sometimes palpitations, fainting, etc.

I went to the GP about something similar at 25 weeks - exhausted, fainting, palpitations - and got checked for anaemia and any thyroid issue. My bloods were fine and I felt reassured. They didn't treat me like I was being a hypochondriac at all, I ended up having 3 days off work - GP recommended 2 weeks! I felt better after that. I also had a pretty exhausting job. (35 weeks now and have finished, feel like a new person.)

GPs take pregnant ladies fairly seriously in my experience! When's your next midwife appt - they would also be able to check this for you.

Hello, I'm very similar to you I'm 18 weeks and have a 22mo DS and I am WORN.OUT!!! I have also wondered if I am slightly ameamic (can't spell) but have mostly put it down to running round after my DS most of my day and when I'm at work I'm stood up all day.

I have been trying to eat iron rich foods like red meat and bran flakes (yuk)

I have a MW appointment tomorrow and they will probably take my bloods anyway so will see what she says.

I keep wondering about this myself as I'm still knackered (I'm 21 weeks now), but my bloods were fine at the last check. I have 3 stepkids, a stressful job and insomnia so I think that's where my tiredness comes from. 7 1/2 weeks and counting until maternity leave starts, can't wait!

Top tip I read is to make sure you drink a glass of orange juice or anything else with a high Vit C content with iron-rich foods - apparently you absorb more iron if you take it with vitamin C.

Good luck, hope you feel better soon!

I'm 35 weeks and have finally been given iron tablets after pestering my mw for the last 6 weeks about feeling exhausted. She kept saying it was 'just' pregnancy, but I recognised how I felt from last time, and knew that if they'd just do the blood test I'd be anaemic!! It is hard to put your finger on - I still feel exhausted (three dcs aged 5,3 and 1 all at home full-time for the Summer holidays, just finished teaching job for maternity leave, about to move house) but the feeling of wading through treacle has just about gone. It got to the stage where I was having to psyche myself up just to stand up and walk across the room. If you suspect you are can you take an iron supplement - I used to take sachets of liquid iron supplement with orange juice, can't remember what they are called now, but that helped. And just push for a blood test, whatever week you are at on the mw's 'schedule'!!

Thanks everyone. I was on iron supplements for ages after DSs birth so maybe I need another boost. Will try to see GP tomorrow for bloods - anything to improve this as can't face thought of another 20 + weeks like this!

Just back. Tested for anaemia but blood pressure was v v low (90/60) which they think is a sign something amiss. Reckoned I may be dehydrated & have kidney infection (I thought the constant loo trips were just because baby pressing on bladder..) so am definitely glad I got checked out!