Feeling drained and breathless

[madasacatter]

Sorry this is so long!

I'm currently 32 weeks pregnant.

For a few weeks now I've felt incredibly drained and every day I have felt somewhat breathless. My mood has also been really low.
As I've been dealing with some stressful things lately, I thought that the breathlessness and low mood may have been a return of panic attacks that I've previously suffered from. But after my midwife appointment before Xmas, the doctors called to say I have low iron and to come in to get iron tablets.

I've been taking the tablets 3 times and a day for almost two weeks, I've increased my intake of green, leafy veg and I've also been taking additional Vitamin C supplements each day. But I feel no better and even had to take Friday off work due to exhaustion.

Today I went out with the kids and my OH to watch my little boy play rugby, but the time we went to leave I was so breathless that I became light headed, I was gasping and it felt a lot like the onset of a panic attack, but the attack never came. We all came home and I've only had the energy to lay on the sofa this afternoon.

Please can anyone advise, I'm worried and don't know what to do :(

You poor thing. I think you need to get yourself back to the docs as soon possible to investigate. I am also on iron supplements and it did take a while to get my reserves back up and to start feeling less tired, am now 30 weeks and feeling better thank at 25. I also think there are different types of iron tablets that can have different side effects - have you checked to see if bteathlessness is a side effect of the one you are on? I am on pregnaday and the only side effect is an increase in constipation (oh joy!) but at least I am no longer getting the very painful leg cramps I was having. Pregnancy really is magical isn't it

I was also breathless but then I am slightly asthmatic and this has got worse in pregnancy so they have had to give me a different inhaler which now seems to have sorted this out. You may have even developed slight asthma - who knows!

You don't have to suffer in silence - your GP will support you in getting the balance right...good luck and take care of yourself.

Thanks for the reply, I'll book in with the GP tomorrow to see what they say

I'm feeling a bit breathless as well. Not feeling drained, although I was told I looked rather pale the other day.

Anyway, I sometimes feel a bit breathless when I'm getting a cold. Defo up the vitamin c.

Try not to lie down. Prop yourself up at night. If your lightheaded, don't stand for too long a period.

Did you manage to get gp appointment organised?
Hope you're feeling better

I did get a GP appointment, he took my vitals and said they were normal but didn't check baby or baby's heartbeat.
He didn't know what to suggest so just ordered repeat bloods and to go back for results at the end of the week.

Hi, I'm also on the iron supplements, and my gp said they can take 4 weeks to have an impact, so don't lose heart. Also for me the breathlessness was another symptom of pregnancy anaemia, rather than a side effect of the tablets, so you might find that also improves with time. Good luck.

Thanks for the advice ladies, I really appreciate it :)