always thirsty

[webmum]

I'm about 9 weeks pregnant and find that I am constantly thirsty, drinking far more than 2lt of water a day....I even wake up sevral times at night because I need a glass of water.

Yesterday I drank 3lts of water at work alone....

is this normal? My mouth feels constantly dry and it's very uncomnfortable.

I know drinking lots of water is good , but this never ending thirst just doesn't seem normal somehow.

Has anyone else ever experienced anything similar??

For me that's fairly normal. During both pregnancies I got very thirsty during the first trimester, not quite so thirsty during the second, and then got thirsty again for the third trimester. Oddly enough, during the third trimester it rarely felt like thirst at first, but I soon realised that if I didn't drink then the morning sickness returned (yes, in the 3rd trimester - but not as badly as early on). I was also terrifically thirsty while breastfeeding. Anyway, that's how it was for me, so my gut feeling is to follow your instincts and drink, but if you are at all anxious then speak to your midwife or GP.

webmum, maybe you should ask for a urine glucose test, just to rule out diabetes. A huge thirst is one of the symptoms. You'll be screened for this later on anyway of course.

Hi Webmum - Have you had you blood tests? It could be loads of different things, but drinking 3litres of water and still feeling thirsty does sound odd. You must be peeing constantly!

Does diabetes run in your family? Don't mean to scare you, but I#m sure you know that some women can develop pregnancy diabetes. They will test for it at your booking in appointment.

I'm sure it's probably nothing to worry about though.

Great minds Marina.....

I had a thought about diabetes but I suppose I should have other symptoms as well...
I haven't had my bokoing-in appointment yet so no blood tests yet.

We don't have anyone with diabetes in the family...

thanks

Webmum - I think a few of the other symptoms of diabetes are much the same as early pregnancy symptoms though.... fatigue for example?

OOps... just found this! Apparently in Gestational Diabetes you rarely get any physical symptoms!

Here you go:

What is pregnancy diabetes?

Pregnancy diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy and normally disappears just after delivery. The disease is most common among women who are overweight or have family members with diabetes.

A healthy lifestyle considerably reduces the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

What is the cause of pregnancy diabetes?

The hormone insulin is produced in the pancreas and acts to decrease blood sugar. During pregnancy women require more insulin, and diabetes occurs if the body is not able to produce the increased amounts. After delivery, the need for insulin decreases back to normal levels and the diabetes will disappear.

A mother who has had pregnancy diabetes will have an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later on in life as the production of insulin decreases with increasing age. This risk can be considerably reduced if a healthy lifestyle is adopted. This should involve following a healthy diet, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy body weight.

What are the symptoms of pregnancy diabetes?

In most cases, pregnancy diabetes has no external symptoms and is only detectable through screening. Only rarely do symptoms appear. (See the general factsheet on diabetes.)

Screening can be done in the following ways.

A pregnant woman may have her fasting blood sugar measured. (See the general factsheet on diabetes.) This is done if the mother-to-be has one or more of the following characteristics:

a family history of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes

she has previously given birth to very large children (over 4kg)

she was overweight prior to pregnancy

she is above 35 years of age

glucose is present in the urine.

If the fasting person's blood glucose value is in a 'grey zone', another test is often carried out, which is called the 'sugar-loading' test. This test is able to detect the existence of pregnancy diabetes. If the blood glucose value is normal, then another reading of the blood glucose level is taken in the 32nd to 33rd week of pregnancy.

How is pregnancy diabetes diagnosed?
By screening and measuring the blood glucose values through a sugar-loading test.

It is also important to consult a diabetologist.

thanks MT2

I had just done some research as well...not very conclusive and I don't have any of the risk factors that are quoted, making it very unlikely...anyway, I think I'll phone NHS direct tonight and ask if it's the case I go and see my GP.

It's probably nothing but another annoying sympton to add to bad digestion and nasuea...

Can't wait to get to the 'blooming' stage!!!

Webmum, I am 12 weeks and am constantly thirsty too, but my glucose levels etc are fine. I'm just assuming that it's because our bodies are up to so much at the moment, producing placenta this and blood that. But - that's not very scientific I know!! Would be v interested to hear what NHS Direct say.

Off to get some more water....

Most likely it is because your body is in the process of increasing it's blood supply. Think, placenta, baby, amniotic fluid ! Without risk factors it's the most likely cause.

webmum, I had exactly that during my first pregnancy in particular. I was under a consultant and he said the dryness of mouth & feeling of insatiable thirst was quite normal in many pregnant women. He saw no reason to pursue it.

I believe pregnant women as a matter of course should be checked for gestational diabetes, but they don't do that in the UK routinely. So if it's possible to get a test, I agree with the others that you should do so. But I honestly think your thirst is normal.

thanks for reassuring me, knowing its happened to others always help, especially your experience expatmum!

the thing is it didnt happen during my first pregnancy, and its never mentioned in pregnancy books, I just wasn't aware it could be another normal symptom and even though I know you need extra water for the placenta, etc, it still seems quite a lot, especially compared to the size of my tummy at the moment....I do feel reassured though, but will still phone NHS direct just in case.

Expatmum I think they do test for glucose at you booking in appointment in the UK but that's at around 11-12 weeks.

I got pregnancy diabetes in both my pregnancies. I was not in any of the 'risk factors' mentioned & displayed no symptoms. It is more common to 'come on' around the 28 week stage of pregancy. I was detected accidently due to a minor car accident at 6 months preg, went to have baby checked out & the nurse 'just as your here, shall we have a urine sample for the file'....showed sugar in urine, so a quick finger prick test showed sugar levels above 13 so returned next day for a full glucose tolerance test (GTT) & it was confirmed & sorted by strict diet control.
In my 2nd preg, due to my history I was sent for a automatic GTT at 9 weeks, it confirmed I had gestational diabetes again (but earlier!!!) therefore I had to have insulin injections.

I'm not saying you have diabetes but it is so simple to check & treat it is worth just going to make sure. Obviously it added a down sided slant on my pregnancies but both me & my babies were absolutely fine....& the diabetes went after the birth both times...you have another GTT 6 weeks after birth to check.

hope this helps you to see that even it you have it, it's really not a problem if treated.

just to add I was on insulin the 2nd time because my sugar levels wer so high, NOT because i got diabetes so early on, so don't fret if its a early diagnosis

hth

D xx

Hi webmum

just to say I felt pretty thirsty during my first pregnancy and during breastfeeding, and it's coming back again this time round (I'm 22 wks now). but they tested me three times for Gestational Diabetes last time and nothing ever came up, so it could just be one of those 'normal' symptoms that some people get and some don't.

sam

Hi webmum ...
I was really thirsty throughout my last pregnancy ... but not with my first ...
I had glucose tests but with no results of diabetes and then DD had loads of heel pricks on her first night to test for diabetes as she was so big ... but it was all negative ...
I remember lying in bed dying for a drink of water but not wanting to have one because it would mean I would be up all night going to the loo ...
Catch 22 really ...

I too had a raging thirst during my first trimester, and nothing I drank was cold enough for me! I sank pints and pints of iced water and then one day I didn't want it so much anymore. And it wasn't even the weather, it was February in Wales, v cold! Now I drink a regular amount at 17 weeks so I just put it down to needing extra to create a baby. Maybe my baby's made up of 99% water with a head made of ice. Ha ha ha

I have a dry, horrible taste in my mouth for most of my pgcy. The only way to describe it is a bit like a hangover mouth - yuk. Worse during night & morning & a drink only cures it for a short time before it comes back, so I don't think its thirst if you know what I mean.

Cleaning my teeth, mints & gum make it a little better.......

Thanks for this thread so I am sending it back to the top. (I can't be the only one suffering thirst.)

I am currently drinking about 3 litres a day of fluids (at least 1/2 liter is lucozade or I get muscle cramps in my foot and calf). On new year's eve I ate six ferrero rochés and my feet swelled up something terribly only to discover that I was out of lucozade. it only subsided 2 / 3 dys later after several bottles of lucozade. Thank Heavens stores now open on New Yrs Day. As an 'experiment' I ate(one) chocolate after-dinner mint last night and my feet have swollen again.

It began from the very beginning of my pg and now seems to have increased. I am now 24 wks. My GP gave me a diabetes test at 6 wks and it was negative. I am now seriously contemplating calling the m/w and request another for my piece of mind.

I don't think the thirst sounds that strange but the swelling maybe does. Maybe it is a reaction to the chocolate??? I would worry if the swelling didn't go down but would also talk to MW anyway for peace of mind.

I have no idea but am replying anyway to bump this...

I had this in my first pregnancy, although not my second. The first time round I drank huge quantities of water; I kept a 750ml sports bottle on my desk at work and drank four of those while at work, plus more at home. I was pregnant during a hot period in July a few years ago, and was drinking around 6 litres a day at that point. My midwife wasn't worried by it, and glucose was never found in my urine. I was also terribly thirsty while breastfeeding my first child. With my second pregnancy I wasn't at all thirsty, and when I was, wanted to drink blackcurrant squash instead and found water really bland. I had a boy first time and a girl the second time, so don't know if this has anything to do with it!