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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Anyone else had dizzyness/fainting during 2nd Trimester?

16 replies

ozchick · 29/05/2007 01:08

Hi, yesterday whilst taking the dog for a walk I had a funny turn! Went all dizzy and fainty and was very tempted to lie down on wet grass for a while. Not sure if this is because I am generally lazy and a bit unfit or if something worse. During my last preg I had low iron levels and wonder if this could be the case again. Unfortunately now in Oz and they don't seem to check for iron levels here - have bought Floridex tho and am taking that. Anyone else had similar experience? Oooo should say that I am 28 wks preg.

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rattleskuttle · 29/05/2007 09:17

i would go dizzy and have blurred vision in my last two pg's and had to give up work earlier than intended in one of them due to this problem - the job involved driving a lot and it wasn't safe. drs told me it was due to my blood pressure dropping suddenly and i had to do simple things like remebering not to bend down/get up quickly.

also my hb levels are naturally very high so a normalish reading was low for me. if you're the same i expect the floradex is a very good idea, and perhaps eating loads of iron rich foods.
(just my opinion. i have no medical knowledge )

marieg76 · 29/05/2007 10:57

Hi Ozchick,

I had just the same problem. It seemed to affect me in the morning when standing on the train at the beginning of my 2nd trimester (am 21 wks pg). I haven't had any adverse results from the tests that the midwife has done so I don't know. I did some research on the web and read that unfortunatley, it just happens this way for some women. My midwife recommended that if I do have to stand on the train, that I wiggle my legs which seems to help.

RedFraggle · 29/05/2007 11:44

Probably slightly low iron levels, but could also be that you are not eating enough. I've been very dizzy this pregnancy and was told that I am not eating sufficient for me and baby and therefore I am suffering. If you think this might be the case then try to eat 8 small meals a day.

BetsyBoop · 29/05/2007 14:59

I had this with both my pregnancies & my iron levels have been fine - it can also be caused as your blood vessels relax to cope with the extra blood, without causing your BP to increase, but this can cause the blood to pool in your legs, making you feel faint, made worse by low blood sugar if you don't eat regularly.

Rgular small snacks & standing up slowly etc, really helped me

I would mention it to your m/w, it can also be a symptom of low Hb, so they should check you.

Myfairone · 29/05/2007 15:38

I'm 32 weeks now but in the 2nd trimester I really suffered with dizziness and fainting (especially while on the train to work). I think mine was connected with low blood sugar levels. I kept some boiled sweets in my bag and would pop one of those into my mouth and found it eased it (the pieces of rock from M&S were good because they take forever to suck!)

Hope you feel better soon.

Nixies · 29/05/2007 16:18

I had exactly the same thing as Myfairone all through my 2nd trimester, seems to have gone away in the 3rd (am now 35w).

Things that made me feel faint were standing on the train in the morning, being too hot or in an enclosed space, bad smells, low blood sugar...

I found that drinking a glass of fruit juice before leaving the house in the morning (I never feel like breakfast that early) really helped.

LittleB · 29/05/2007 20:54

I had this, mine was down to low blood pressure, was around 80/50 nothing to worry about but I did have to snack regularly and drink lots of fluids. I was working as a countryside ranger (lots of lone working on footpaths) so had to make sure someone knew where I was in case I did faint - make sure someone knows where you are with the dog just in case. Was quite tricky at times what with working outside and drinking lots of fluids, squatting behind a bush when 8 months pregnant isn't easy! How is your blood pressure?

bilblio · 29/05/2007 21:13

I had this too, not sure of the exact time but it would have been about 20+ weeks. I'd suddenly go very dizzy and light headed and needed to sit down, I also seemed to have hot flushes with it. It was mostly in the mornings but occasionally afternoons too. Sometimes I was out and about doing stuff, other times I was just pottering around at home. I used to sit down, have a drink and within about 5 minutes felt fine again.

I was lucky (sort of) I had one a couple of hours before both a doctors appointment and a midwife appointment, so I was thoroughly checked over and everything including my blood tests were fine, so they both came to the conclusion it was probably low blood sugar.

vannah · 29/05/2007 21:50

I know what works for this!!!
I fainted a couple of times in my first pregnancy, post 26 weeks.
I took floradix religiously, and had sugary snacks when I felt dizzy - but it didnt stop it.
My mother in law gave me an innocent or pj smoothie and it worked wonders so Id get through one bottle early in the morning, and often have another in the afternoon. It really helped with the dizziness and fainting fits - which I was plagued by.
Hope you give it a go x

Original poster

ozchick · 30/05/2007 00:05

ooooooo thanks for the advice. I don't think it can be because I am eating too little as i STUFF myself (huzzah!) and this occured after I had eaten breakfast (bowl of cereal + toast yum). I will deffo get my bp checked as it is naturally a bit low and keep drinking the floradix. Will also try the smoothies as they are just lovely anyway. One further question to other pregnant ladies - breathlessness? Anyone else? I find that I am finding it hard to breathe deeply at the moment. Ho hum.

OP posts:

Myfairone · 30/05/2007 12:56

Hi Ozchik, yes to the breathlessness too! Your body is working harder to pump round the extra blood being produced (amongst other things!)

zephyrcat · 30/05/2007 12:59

Hi - glad to come across this thread! When I had my bloods, they said my iron was a bit low and if I didn't 'pick up' with tirednes etc by the next visit to have my bloods re-done. Since then I 've had lots of dizziness - not spinning though - it'slike when you are really drunk and lie down and feel like you are falling. I am not eating spectacularly well, lots of the wrong stuff. Could it be due to low iron do you think?

I've lost my maternity notes so can't check my iron results from before

Myfairone · 30/05/2007 16:19

Zephyrcat- My once very healthy diet went to pot in the first 20 weeks (has only picked up recently). I found that forcing myself to eat 'good things' just made me feel worse, so I just went with what I felt like and figured the baby would get what it needed. I also took multivits.

I had lots of dizziness but it wasnt attributed to blood pressure or iron levels. I found that I just needed to slow down (have a tendency to run around!) and to eat small meals regularly (even if its a bar of something or a piece of fruit). Ribena and boiled sweets were my saviour on the trains in the mornings!

Do you feel dizzy when you lay down? I found lying on my back really hard and the room would spin. Lying on the left side is best as there is a major artery on the right hand side that can restrict blood flow and make you feel lightheaded.

Im not a medical expert but found these things helped me.

ilovemyoboe · 27/01/2009 21:56

I'm 28 weeks and have just started feeling quite breathless over the last week or so. Was a bit scary on Friday night as went on for two hours. Husband was just wondering about A&E when it finally eased. I've got my 28week bloods this week so will find out if anaemic. Have been totally exhausted all the way through, so could be I suppose. Does feel like my heart is racing at times when I'm breathless.

Anyhow, what I was wondering is that I know some breathlessness is 'normal' in pregnancy, but when do I start worrying and seek advice? How bad does it need to be?

MrsTittleMouse · 27/01/2009 21:59

I had the same problem. I had my iron levels and my blood pressure checked and they were fine (are yours OK?), and I just had to live with it. Blood sugar wasn't an issue as I was eating loads at this stage, especially in pregnancy #2 when I had a toddler to run around after!

countrylover · 28/01/2009 11:16

I'm experiencing the exact same thing and I'm just over 28 weeks. The midwive recons my iron levels are low but awaiting blood test results. Also my blood pressure is a bit low too so it could be that or by the sounds of it, it's just another one of those joys of pregnancy.

I was breathless last pregnancy but not like this where I feel really lightheaded and weak at the same time. I've been eating spinach every day and taking Floridax for nearly a week now and I'm not feeling lightheaded as often but that might be co-incidence.

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