feeling breathless and dizzy...

[mum2b09]

Im 33 weeks pregnant and for the last 4 weeks iv been feeling really breathless and dizzy and my hearts constantly racing. i know its normal to feel abit breathless as your bodys working overtime to support you and the baby. just been told that iv got a bit of anemia could this be the reason for what im feeling or is there something more serious?? what do you think thanx girls xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

bump

i've certainly been told similar things for similar symptoms (although yours sounds worse than i've had it). low blood pressure too - although that may all be related.

if you can, try not to rush around, and try not to get up too quickly. dont know if it actually helps, but a nice bit of steak might give you some extra iron.

Those are all classic signs of anaemia (a low level of iron in your blood). Do you know what the results of the blood taken at your 28 week appointment were? Usually anything below 10g/dl is investigated and often oral iron is prescribed. If you don't fancy that (it can give you digestive disorders such as nausea or constipation) you can buy something called Spatone from Boots which is mineral water with a high iron content which you drink with orange juice (vitamin C aids absorbtion of iron). Red meat, beans and pulses, green leafy veg, peas and dried apricots all contain iron so get stuck in. Along with the symptoms you describe, anaemia can make you more prone to infection and make any type of bleeding more serious and difficult to recover from. (Can you tell I am revising for an exam at the moment!) If it was me I'd get some Spatone I don't think it's available on prescription but Boot usually have it on 3 for 2)and speak to your midwife too.

im not too sure exactly what the blood results were but they gave me iron tablets to take and i keep throwing them back up and its made me abit constipated.. lluvli lol im not too worried as i had a mw appointments and the baby seems to be growing fine my fundal heights were 33cm at 33 weeks thats what it should be isnt it? i was just abit worried that the breathlessness and palpatations may affect the baby. i think ill try to eat more foods that contain iron as these iron tablets seem to be making me worse as i can barely eat with the nausea xxxxxxx

The spatone has none of the effects you have been experiencing with the iron tablets mum2b. The breathlessness etc won't affect the baby but will affect how comfortable you are for the next 7+ weeks!

Classic anaemia. My iron level was 7 in the last trimester and I was dizzy/breathless and my heart was racing. I didn't get on with the iron tablets, they just made me poorly. I had Spatone every day and ate a lot of iron. Try it. I got my iron levels up to 10 in time for a long, protracted and difficult labour (em cs in the end) and am glad I did as it was back down to 6/7 after the em cs.

ate a lot of iron rich food obviously. I wasn't sucking on hunks of metal.

yeah ill definately try it, my babys a right little wriggeler too so i dont sleep atall really ill jus try and take it easy too only 7 weeks left hopefully i so hope i dont go over fingers crossed xxxxxxx

hello mum2b09

Was interested to see this thread. Have you seen a doctor? Fully sympathise- really does feel horrid. I have very similar thing to you- however, my bloods confirmed that I wasnt anaemic far from it, so it might not be that. Keep getting told its v normal in pregnancy- which is fine but mine is getting worse as weeks go on...makes me wonder what effect its having on the baby..

My symptoms are a periodic feeling that I can't get enough oxygen into my lungs, heart racing, weak legs, light head, sometimes dizzyness. Makes me feel awfully uncomfortable and doesnt really get better whatever i do (lie down, sit down etc)

Think mine started at 26wks but was infrequent, now im 32 wks its very frequent and occurs at any time and it woke me at 4am the other day! So bad at work today i had to come home...

MW has referred me to see my obstectric consultant on tuesday so will see what he says....