Pregnancy and folic acid

[justjay1123]

Did anyone else have to take folic acid during their pregnancy?
My partner has epilepsy so I have to take 5mg till he day of birth, but I'm wondering if this is what is making me so tired?
I have no idea how far along I am, find out Tuesday and I know fatigue is strong in he first trimester.
But ive been sleeping about 18 hour a day for months. No matter where I am I will just fall asleep, its a struggle to keep my eyes open for more than a few hours.
This is my first pregnancy so I have no idea what to expect but I never heard of anyone sleeping this much so I'm just wondering if anyone knows if it could be the folic acid?

It's just the pregnancy. For me, the absolute worst bit for tiredness is about 7-11 Weeks when the placenta is forming. It does get a bit better after that but at 17 weeks I'm still permanently exhausted. I'm also on 5mg folic acid due to previous neural tube defect. This is my 4th pregnancy, but the only one I've been on high dose folic acid for, and I have been equally shattered in all of them. I think some people are just badly affected by fatigue!

That said, when you see someone it is worth describing the extent of your fatigue and asking about getting your thyroid checked. Pregnancy is a really common time for thyroid problems to develop (happened to me in my first pg and developed into auto immune thyroid disease which needs lifelong meds). I find thyroid tiredness very much the same as early pg hormonal tiredness.

You really do have to take it, especially in the first trimester. I am also beyond exhausted, and am jealous of your sleep......I also have a 1 yr old. No sleep for me!

I actually think I may already be out of the first trimester. I was getting morning sickness and tiredness and all that early June but was too naïve and busy to realise I was probably pregnant as I was taking contraception.
But thanks for telling me about the thyroid, I didn't think of that. Forever getting mine tested anyway cause the doctor cant figure out why my hormones are so up the wall and I'm like 7 stone at 5 foot 9. So I should defiantly ask about that on Tuesday.

I couldn't imagine being this tired and having a 1 year old. Good job it's all worth it isn't it

Not all women can metabolise folate in the form of folic acid. It might be worth trying folate in its more natural form (folate tablets in high doses available in health food shops).

Get your iron and vitamin d checked too.

I will do thank you