Breathlessness, not anemic

[OnNaturesCourse]

Breathlessness, not anemic, at nearly 10weeks?

I have felt short of breath slightly, and a little dizzy when standing up, since about 8 weeks but today I had to climb four flights of stairs (about 40-50steps) and at the top my lungs felt really overworked and my heart was hammering. I also got lightheaded a little. It recovered quick after a 5 minute seat but it kind of worried me!

I've give up the gym since being pg as I'm suffering with tiredness, sickness and had a bad family situation for three weeks but I'm hoping to get back.

I'm I just super unfit? Pregnancy related or something sinister?

My mums recovering from a heart attack so I have super health anxiety at the moment.

I was tested for anemia at about 5 and 8.5 weeks... All is ok there.

Phone NHS 24 or whatever your equivalent is - it's probably nothing but if it's something it's better to get checked.

I definitely will if it happens again! It's scary. I'm tucked up in bed now so at the moment I'm ok. I just hate feeling like I'm pestering the doctors etc xx

If in doubt check with your midwife but if it helps I'm 17 weeks and started to notice breathlessness much more from around 10 weeks onwards (I was a size 10 pre-pregnancy and am also not anaemic). I swear I read somewhere that it's around this time that the uterus starts moving up so there's less room for you to breathe into so some people will notice breathlessness?

I know it starts moving up but didn't realise it could have such a effect already. Doing some, reading however it would seem like I'm not alone with the issue. Definitely going to keep a eye on it and talk to midwife.

This was normal in all my pregnancies.

Rest more, but do seek medical advice if you feel it's needed.

well ... Did you have the struggle with stairs too? I'm used to running up them or at least going quick so I'm thinking I maybe need to slow down?

My MW told me breathlessness was completely normal at any point from first trimester because of the increase in bloody running through your body, I also struggled with stairs!

Always worth checking with them though!

I'm not saying don't get checked out, but I posted this at exactly the same point in pregnancy:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/2773274-Did-you-get-breathless-lightheaded-in-early-pregnancy

It got a lot better around week 17. However I have continued to get lightheaded spells throughout pregnancy, especially second tri.

One thing worth looking at is exactly what your iron levels are. I wasn't anemic but was close to the border. In second tri I ended up very slightly anemic and so took some extra iron in addition to what is in Pregnacare.

Now 36 weeks and at the top of the stairs I am no longer as breathless, but my calf and thigh muscles kill me. (I've only put on a stone so I think it is sleep deprivation rather than weakness!)

And yes, don't run up stairs or take them two at a time. Partly because of breathlessness, but more importantly all of your ligaments are getting stretchier and you are much more likely to pull/hurt something, so you should make sure you are putting the whole foot flat on each step. My (normally very healthy) friend ended up limping for weeks after a normal speed dash up King's Cross stairs, her daily commute for years, meant she yanked something out of place.

Very normal - blood volume increases by 50% when pregnant so much more pumping for heart and vessels to do :)