please help me, feel terrible

[feelingawful01]

I'm 26 wks and I have zero energy and can't move without a great deal of effort. I'm constantly tired, like bone aching exhaustion and I just feel something isn't quite right.

Lately I've been suffering breathlessness, headaches and restless leg syndrome. Googling these individually has brought up typical pregnancy symptoms but today it's just came to a head and I cannot cope anymore with it. I'd put it down to having a toddler and a stressful, long hours job but I think it's more than that.

I had anaemia in my previous pregnancy and I'm thinking it could be that? Symptoms checkers outline all the above symptoms I have for this but I don't have more bloods scheduled for 3 weeks.

Would the midwife do them if I phoned or should I just get iron supplements from the chemist?

Just start taking iron supplements and see if it makes an improvement before your next blood test. If you were anaemic in a previous pregnancy then there's a strong possibility it's that though.

I'm on 85mg iron a day and I wasn't even that badly anaemic to begin with.

Go and speak to your chemist

Agree that you should get on iron supplements asap. Iron deficiency definitely makes you feel exhausted and wiped out. But the other things, if they don't fit an anaemia diagnosis, make an appt with your GP immediately. You really shouldn't be feeling so awful at 26 weeks. Most women feel quite well and energetic at this stage.

Thank you. I'll get to the chemist tomorrow and call the docs.

Definitely get checked out and don't be fobbed off by your gp, trust your instincts - if in the end you are fine physically but feel terrible maybe you could try arrange some extra early nights or maybe there are other things you could do to lessen the load? Do you do online shopping? I think unfortunately a lot of women feel awful most of their pregnancy, I did till about 25 weeks then suddenly felt much better in last preg, this time round I sense I am going to be exhausted the whole time because of having a 3 yr old and seem to be a lot biggerand feel heavier sooner, feels like I am skipping 2nd trimester. After a miscarriage I was badly anaemic and as well as the iron tablets I was eating a lot of steak with orange juice and beetroot juice which must have helped, in my 1st pregnancy my iron levels were apparently very high and I used to go to wetherspoons steak night every Tues and that was the only red meat I had so that might be a nice way to boost your iron levels.. If you get the tablets be careful with the rules about not eating certain things either side of taking the tablets or they will be less effective. Best to get GP prescribed ones as they will be free and I imagine stronger than over counter ones. Maybe you need to eat more regularly to keep you going? I used to swear by banana and peanut butter and nutella on brown bread to keep me going - I read it is a good snack for sleep deprivation (minus the nutella but I had to add that!). Hope you feel better soon

Due to your previous history maybe a GP will prescribe them for you tomorrow? So you can start them whilst waiting for results of blood test. Definitely think they should do a blood test tomorrow for you.

Thanks. I have a toddler and very early starts/long commute to work so I know this contributes to it. But I really feel it's something more. No matter how much sleep/rest I get I'm still always exhausted and lately it's gone to another level where I'm literally having to drag myself along doing anything. Going up 1 flight of stairs leaves me breathless for 10mins!

I'm definitely lacking iron in my diet so will get onto that today. Plus I'm drinking too much coffee to try and keep me going which is a catch 22 as this has a detrimental effect on iron absorption.

Will be phoning the midwife at 9 and pushing for bloods to be taken today.

Hope you get some answers OP. Iron deficiency + early starts + long commute + toddler + pregnancy could be making you feel utterly wiped out. That is a lot on your plate. However, you should definitely look into it and check that that's all it is. Hope you feel better soon

Called the midwife outpatients dept and they seem to think anaemia too so they advised me to up my iron intake through food and get to the gp for a blood test tomorrow and get prescribed tablets while I wait for the results.

So just need to ride this out until the increased iron kicks. Went to the supermarket and spent a fortune on iron rich foods so have a weekend stuffing my face in front of me

Thanks to everyone for your help. Hopefully I'll be feeling better soon.

Those sachets of liquid iron supplement (Feratin? Can't remember the name) made a huge difference to my energy levels pretty quickly.

This was me at almost the exact same point with my pregnancy - minus the toddler in the mix. The spatone sachets that sell in Boots were perfect - it's easily absorbable iron that doesn't make you constipated. Don't wait for a blood test to confirm it. The difference was almost immediate and certainly - I felt better within days

I had this last pregnancy, it was absolutely crippling! I tried Spatone iron supplement. Also try to eat plenty of fruit or drink fruit juice as this aids iron adsorbtion and avoid caffeine and calcium rich drinks with meals as they hinder it.

I went for a blood test this morning and was prescribed iron tablets. If I'd thought I would've asked for something in liquid form if possible.

Hopefully will get the results this evening. Don't know what I'll do if it isn't this! Have my hopes pinned on this being the issue that can be resolved with supplements. Have cut out the caffeine and fizzy juice and replaced with fresh orange and water.

It's totally came to a head this week with the part free days being unreal with how exhausted I am. Struggle to walk to the kitchen! I'm having a weekend of complete rest and hopefully by the beginning of next week I'll feel an improvement. If not I can't see me managing work

Sorry that should've said past few days

I could of written this. Exactly the same boat.

Mine was a UTI causing the knackeredness and general weirdness. But that was my only symptom. On anti biotics now and starting to feel a little more human.

Restless leg I still haven't found a solution. But it seems to be disappearing.

OP. You're not alone.

Thanks huffle I'm sorry you're feeling rough too.

My DH is away for the weekend to a family wedding that I can't attend due to how I'm feeling and my DD is just away to his gran's for the weekend so I can rest.

Have just had a little cry after the door shut behind them wondering what to do with myself all weekend I moan I never get time to myself and now I have it I feel lonely! Was supposed to be out with friends tomorrow for dinner but too tired and not the best company right now!

Think I need a decent box set to immerse myself in!

I think you need to stop work
Also see if there is a medical cause for how you are feeling and probably get a scan etc
Good luck

Just wanted to update with my blood results. I called the surgery last night and was told that I had low levels of haemoglobin which is what the nurse said my results would be if i was iron deficient.

I felt so relieved that it actually is something and what I thought it was rather than coming back clear. So I wasn't imagining it and I knew how I was feeling wasn't normal. So hopefully now I've got the supplements I'll start to feel better soon.

I've to call back on Monday for further information from a doctor and I have some questions but I'm presuming it's not too serious since a doctor never called me?? The joys of finding out 10mins before shutting time on a Friday afternoon..

Thanks to all for your replies.

It's worth seeing if they checked your ferratin levels too (stored iron). I agree with PP that gentler methods of taking iron - Spatone, Floradix, etc - are preferable. Don't forget your vit c too - take your tablets with a glass of orange rather than a cuppa.

Maybe try magnesium supplements for restless legs (please check it's safe to take them in pregnancy) - it's made a difference for non pregnant but menopausal me recently.

I could have written this myself! Have been to my doctor three times during this pregnancy because I've been so exhausted, only to be fobbed off every time with 'you're pregnant, with a toddler and a full time job - what do you expect??' Finally my midwife asked if I felt overly exhausted and offered me a blood test which I took, the results came back 3/4 days later then I had to wait 2 weeks for a telephone appointment so the doctor could tell me I had low iron levels and would j like pills? I'm now waiting patiently to feel better but still had a day & half off sick just so I could catch oh sleep this week.

Thanks ChipIn. I'm definitely leaning towards changing to Spatone. I had iron tablets in my last pregnancy and it was rough.

Brienne That is awful. And how patronising were they?? I'm well aware that having a toddler and my job circumstances would contribute but I just knew it was something more, especially this week. On Wednesday I was in tears about how unwell I was. I could hardly move. I'm glad you're finally getting somewhere with it. It's horrible.

Spatone etc have a tiny fraction of the iron in the prescribed tablets, and won't touch anaemia, there are different types of iron tabs you can get if one isn't suitable.

Good to know. Thanks

Floradix is actually quite nice (sort of fruity tasting IIRC?). Really glad you've got some results and tablets OP. Are you feeling better after a weekend of rest? I hope so.