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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Midwives don't seem interested about my lack of energy, headaches and dizziness

20 replies

ButIForgetMyself · 23/08/2008 08:40

I've posted before about my extreme tiredness, headaches and dizziness which is worse now than it was in the first trimester. Had lots of advice to ask midwives to check iron levels. Went for my 20 week scan on Tuesday (I'm 21+4) and mentioned it to the midwife. She said "it's normal to feel tired" and said when my community midwife checked my blood all was fine, and there was no need to check again.

However, I haven't had blood tests since 8 weeks! Surely things could have changed since then? Apart from my triple test - would they check iron levels in that?

Feel like I'm being a bit of a hypochondriac and a pain in the arse.

OP posts:

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CantSleepWontSleep · 23/08/2008 08:57

No, they won't have checked iron levels during your triple test. They are tested again as standard at 28 weeks.

If you think that you may be low in iron then get yourself an iron supplement from the chemist. I believe that spatone is usually recommended on here.

Are you also making sure that you eat little and often, of good healthy foods?

CantSleepWontSleep · 23/08/2008 08:57

Has your blood pressure been checked recently too?

TigerFeet · 23/08/2008 08:59

I would go to your GP and ask for a blood test there. You could try taking iron supplements anyway - you don't need a prescription. When I was pg I had blood tests done and had a normal iron level but still took iron supplements anyway and they helped with the tiredness enormously. Spatone is a great way of getting iron into your system in a more gentle and natural way.

Have you had your blood pressure checked?

TigerFeet · 23/08/2008 08:59

CSWS - lol there is an echo in here

littleducks · 23/08/2008 09:00

have you started taking spatone? if you are anaemic it would ease the symptoms.

it takes a number of weeks for your iron level in your blood to alter, unfortunately i cant remember the number!!!

whats your bp like? can cause similar symptoms

however some women do feel 'ill' for alot of the pregnancy

feel better soon!

littleducks · 23/08/2008 09:01

x posts!!!

lilymolly · 23/08/2008 09:04

Blood tests would check haemogloblin levels which would be indicative of anaemia and low iron levels.
So if these are normal, as they sound, then it may just be pregnancy related.

I feel tired, dizzy etc.
I have very low blood pressure but there is no treatment for this. Its a matter of gettting up slowly etc.

How many weeks are you now?
Could you ask at your normal apt to have your blood checked again.

I would be very sceptical about taking an iron supplement when you may not need it iyswim
HTH

lilymolly · 23/08/2008 09:07

should have bloody read you post more carefully before asked questions!

SO you have not had bloods since 12 weeks?
Perhaps arrange another full blood count either through mw or gp x

smileifyouwant · 23/08/2008 09:20

I'm sorry that your feeling like this. Good advice from the other ladies. I felt like you do throughout all of my first pregnancy (sorry) and was signed off work early as it got that bad - never got to the route cause. Felt much better once DC was born and had a much easier 2nd PG! Hope you do start feeling better.

EachPeachPearMum · 23/08/2008 09:57

Hi- I'm 19 weeks, and also exhausted- get nausea when I'm really tired too.
My GP and m/w have said it is just hormones- they did extra tests to check thyroid, iron etc.
I was going to bed at 7:30 each night, and getting up at 8am!

What has made a difference is eating more food- sounds mad, but until 16 weeks, I hadn't put any weight on at all.
Since eating more, I have been able to stay awake until around 9pm, but I have put on 4 lbs now...

HTH

Teuch · 23/08/2008 10:21

my blood pressure is very low and that makes me feel sluggish, dizzy, breathless and sick.

Drink plenty of fluids (and just when you think you are going to burst...drink more ) and make sure you get a walk or something every day to keep your blood circulating well as this can also add to the symptoms.

I feel your pain!

PinkyDinkyDooToo · 23/08/2008 10:34

I asked my GP for a blood test in my second pg, after recognising the symptoms from first time and I wanted to make sure I caught it before it got too bad. Your GP should be happy to do this for you.

PinkyDinkyDooToo · 23/08/2008 10:35

I asked my GP for a blood test in my second pg, after recognising the symptoms from first time and I wanted to make sure I caught it before it got too bad. Your GP should be happy to do this for you.

notcitrus · 23/08/2008 16:58

I asked a midwife at 18 weeks as I was worried (hadn't booked in yet). The reaction was "Pregnant woman in tired and faint shocker!" but she advised getting a blood test form from my GP.

I'm now 37 weeks - They've tested a few times since but I have high haemoglobin, excellent blood pressure, and normal everything, so they just tell me to rest more even if that does mean 16-20 hours sleep a day, and eat well and not overdo it (chance would be a fine thing!)

bubblagirl · 23/08/2008 17:03

i rememenr at same stage i slept all the time i idd end up bein g anemic i went through my gp tom arrange tests

but it can also be normal at this satge as baby is taking all nutrients from you still i had to change my diet for high energy foods and lots of vitamins

PinkTulips · 23/08/2008 17:09

are you eating enough?

dizziness, headaches and tiredness are all signs of not getting enough food as well.

remember, baby takes what they need whether or not that leaves you with enough to get through the day

try snacking during the day to keep your blood suger up, and take a preg vit like pregnacare that has some iron in it as well as lots of other vitimins and minerals.

sunshine185 · 23/08/2008 22:32

take spatone with oj every morning(from boots), finally (26 weeks now) i have my energy back!!

worth trying, totally safe in pregnancy nothing to lose...

Original poster

ButIForgetMyself · 24/08/2008 09:37

I'm eating loads and drinking loads of water. Eating has never been a problem with me...! I could never be accused of going hungry. Loads of fruit and green things as well.

Yesterday ran like this - got up at 8am. Had breakfast, went to B&Q to look at curtains. Came home, had lunch, went to bed at 1.30pm. Slept until 3.30pm. Got up, took me about an hour to wake up properly, went to the supermarket, cooked a meal, watched a film and went to bed at 10.30pm. Slept really well and woke up this morning at 8.30am, knackered.

So, nothing taxing at all, and still exhausted!

OP posts:

sunshine185 · 24/08/2008 10:08

butiforget... i was the same, eating really well, lots of red meat, green veg, chocolate , fruit etc, sleeping loads.... but still shattered....

but a week on spatone every morning i felt the difference... like i said, worth trying it's for pregnant women!

good luck...

EightiesChick · 25/08/2008 23:02

ButIForget,
In my experience blood tests do not automatically include a haemoglobin check (someone said they thought it did) but I am surprised that your midwife refused you one. I would ask them again, more insistently, and/or go to your GP and ask them. It can't hurt to check, even though the tiredness could come from other things.

I have been anaemic before and noticed 2 weeks ago that I was experiencing the same symptoms, so when I went in for my triple test I asked the phebotomist to test haemoglobin as well. She was very obliging. As it turned out, my haemoglobin was normal, so I don't know what made me suddenly feel anaemic - some kind of bug or chill perhaps. But interestingly, I did take a single dose of the iron supplement I used to be on before getting the test results, and over the next few days I felt more well and energetic again. I was a little nervous about doing this, as I had read some links suggesting that if you aren't iron-deficient in pregnancy then taking iron can actually do more harm than good - sorry, don't have the links but I think I just googled 'iron' and 'pregnancy' and got them that way. But I had reasoned that I felt really ill and wanted to treat it right away, and that a single dose as opposed to a sustained course was unlikely to do damage. So in spite of the above worries, my experience tallies with those posted above where people have said that taking iron does boost their energy even if they're not 'officially' anaemic. Hope this helps.

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