Exhausted, sofa-ridden, maybe anaemic?

[N1982]

I am 11 weeks pregnant and got my midwife appt Wednesday plus iron tests etc. I asked my GP to test me 3 weeks ago as I was and still am bed/sofa-ridden. My mum has been helping out loads with my 17 month old. GP thought tiredness could be attributed to the fact I'm also suffering depression since 5 weeks but I've suffered with depression on and off for 10 years. Anyone with experience of anaemia in pregnancy? I had it towards end of last pregnancy. I will know soon enough but just desperate to figure out this tiredness

Hi, although I don't really have an answer is just like to share with you that I have been feeling pretty much the same, minus the depression. I don't think I have had an iron test but I've had various blood tests and not been told anything. I'm currently 15 weeks and since around 6 weeks I was suddenly hit with overwhelming sickness/nausea/fatigue/exhaustion. I went into work one day (the morning after I first started feeling bad) and within half an hour was risk I could go home. I got into my car and just burst into tears. Bearing in mind it wasn't until about a week later that I found out I was pregnant, although I did have an inkling. But I went to the doctors thinking I also must have something wrong with me to be feeling like this. Because of the back ache I had I asked if it could be a kidney infection, and described the symptoms saying that if was like having glandular fever which I had when I was younger. It completely wiped me out, so he gave me anti biotics that were safe to take, but I continued to have the same symptoms for weeks so I'm guessing it was just the way my pregnancy makes me feel! Up until a week or 2 ago, I've been feeling the same still and am now at 15 weeks. Last week I felt really great but today I could barely manage the food shopping. When I can, I'm spending my spare time on the settee or in bed! I was taking folic acid, and then changed to Pregnacare tablets because of the vitamins they had in them, iron etc, but unfortunately they made no difference, and when I was about 13 weeks I stopped taking them. Sorry I haven't got an answer, I just wanted to let you know that you're not the only one! Please let me know if you find out anything else

P.s. I hope you start to feel better soon!

I thought I was anaemic around 14 weeks as had been feeling progressively worse and even more exhausted than normal (I had sickness 6-16, then back at 23 and still going) but my bloods were fine. Got diagnosed as anaemic at 28 weeks and can't say that I even had any additional symptoms other than normal pregnancy tiredness. Guess my point is that pregnancy is pretty exhausting and affects everyone in different ways, so it may or may not be anaemia!

I'm always exhausted for the entire first trimester. On DS I ised to nap as soon as I got in from work and on DD and this one I'd go to bed at 8pm. Despite all the extra sleep I still feel wrecked all day long and have burst into tears from just being so tired. I think it's totally normal, not necessarily due to anaemia, just part of making a baby.

Hi, I started feeling ridiculously tired around the start of the second trimester. Heavy limbs, trouble concentrating, pounding heart, all the fun stuff! I'd been taking the pregnacare vitamins which include iron and a couple of other things needed for blood production. I went to the doctors to get my bloods tested and the doctor suggested I up my iron intake even more so I take an extra iron supplement on top of the pregnacare. I think you can go up to 34mg of iron a day safely. It took a couple of weeks but I started feeling human again. Interestingly, my blood results were only borderline anemic but I really felt the difference with the extra iron. The downside of extra iron is constipation but to me that's the lesser evil. Hope this helps and you get some energy back soon.

Are you taking any iron? I had anaemia before pregnancy so was already taking iron. Felt it was worse when pregnant so took more.

As well as general exhaustion one of the symptoms I feel is that my limbs (especially arms) are very heavy, like they're filled with lead.

Thank you everyone! Jenny just what's in my mother to be tablets. Will have iron results on Saturday and almost hoping I am low as it would explain ridiculous tiredness. Will post back in case other people have similar

I thought I was anaemic as well, however all was fine and it's just exhaustion. I'm almost 16 weeks and I really hope it will go away soon as I've been tired since the start!

I hope you'll feel better soon.