Cannot catch my breath!

[ERFGLA]

I have been struggling with breathlessness since around week 6 of my first pregnancy. I can’t even load the washing machine without having to stop and catch my breath. Waking up a flight of stairs leaves my panting for 5 mins after. I’ve been to hospital and had a zillion tests ,and all anyone could offer was “sometimes woman are just tired..?” I’m definitely not tired 😫 I’m in week 13 now and cannot cope with this for another 6 months. Has anyone had this and it’s resolved? I feel so miserable and becoming very unfit and sad

Although I don't think I have this as extreme as you are describing I am definitely a lot more breathless than I was before I got pregnant. I used to run and play netball and now just slight exertion has me sat down trying to catch my breath. I believe its to do with progesterone, and so hopefully as that levels out and our bodies adjust i't should settle down. I totally get the feeling miserable, I feel like a shadow of my former abilities but if the doctors have told you that everything looks good then I'd just focus on that. We are growing babies after all, it takes a lot of work.

Have you been checked for anaemia?

Defo get your iron checked, sounds like low iron levels to me x

Have they ruled out a pulmonary embolism? Do you have any sharp pains in your back or ribs and is your heart beating like mad?

Sorry for asking so many questions - I had the above symptoms (during the C19 peak) and it wasn't taken seriously - just told to self isolate . Wasn't until I collapsed and called an ambulance & they found a huge PE in both pulmonary arteries.

I'd been calling GP & 111 for 3 weeks before the collapse.

Call 999 if you're really struggling to breathe. Take no chances x

Btw just like you I was struggling to catch my breath & had to crawl up the stairs. I just thought I was becoming seriously unfit. I was also 9 weeks pregnant at the time and bought iron sachets as I suspected low iron levels.

Turned out to be incredibly serious and was in critical care for some time. Please don't struggle, get yourself checked. They could've missed a PE first time. They're also reluctant to carry out a CT scan on pregnant women due to the radiation they inject. A blood test alone cannot rule out a PE.

Sorry to go on, still traumatised over it all

I've been struggling with shortness of breath too and with it going on for so long it does sound like one of those good old pregnancy symptoms :( assuming you've had your iron tested by your comment.
I recently had a cold which made my shortness of breath 10 times worse, went to hospital and had a chest x ray, legs both checked on ultrasound for a pe and a vq scan. They are super cautious so if you do feel pains in your calves or chest or back deffo get it check out, or just persist even without things if you feel like something isn't right x

Thanks all,
I’ve had every single test. Bloods /heart/lungs inside and out 🙈 they just discharged me like shrugs every looks ok...
None of the midwives could tell me when it would end or anything to make me feel this was normal.
None of my gfs have had it so severe.
Just want to be told it’ll let up. I’ve literally been bed bound for weeks. Luckily I have a furloughed husband who has done every piece of housework ! If I had to hoover I honestly think I would die!

I was feeling the same as you around 8-16 weeks. Turns out I had high blood pressure. (Probably from not doing any exercise over lockdown) 26 weeks now and feel much better

Oh god that’s terrible -yes I had the whole shebang , half dose of radiation too. Wasn’t buzzed about it but thought I’m no use to baby if I actually drop down dead anyways 😖

Iron deficiency makes me feel like this, are you taking supplements?

Yeah they said my iron was fine

I’m taking pregnacare: so should be well covered.
But tbh, when I went for bloods the other day- they couldn’t find my original “booking bloods” in the first place- so who knows :(

You need full iron studies - full blood count, ferritin, folate and b12. Just an FBC on its own will not give the whole picture. I’d also recommend thyroid function tests.

I’m assuming you’ve had an ECG? Have you had a 24 hour tape?

I’m assuming you’re not asthmatic at all?