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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

low blood pressure

27 replies

leawesty · 25/03/2010 09:12

Good Morning all,

Anyone else suffering with low blood pressure? Mine is low and for last couple of mornings I have felt horible, I get really hot but my skin is cold clamy and I sweat that only lasts 10 mins but then i just feel grotty all day, I'm 16 wk pg, I cant seem to find the energy to do anything at all which i hate as i like being a busy bee always doing summart! this is my 3rd pregnancy and i never felt like this before , mind you it has been 10 years since i was last pregnant.
Anyone have any tips to get my blood pressure up?

OP posts:
Tootiredforgodtyping · 25/03/2010 09:30

I had it when I was 20 weeks. I got signed off work for a week. its when the baby takes too much of your blood and your body hasn't made enough to cach up yet. I was fainting all the time so just had to rest for week with my feet up ( literally). Drinking a lot helps too.

waitingforbedtime · 25/03/2010 09:34

How low is low? Has your midwife suggested anything at all?

AFAIK not much you can do really just dont get up too quickly etc, drink lots, take it easy.

Original poster
leawesty · 25/03/2010 09:38

my mw useless!!when i had it done yesterday it was 98/56, i asked why it was so low they told me but didn't reccomend anything to help

OP posts:
tanmu82 · 25/03/2010 09:49

I'm feeling exactly the same at the moment. I don't have the energy for anything - even getting ready in the morning has to be done in stages as I get exhausted even just standing too long. I haven't fainted at all, but I get headrush every time I have to bend - and I am always cold and clammy. I thought that maybe I am aneamic, but am waiting to have a blood test to see....

PeasPlease · 25/03/2010 09:51

Is that low for you though? What is your bp normally?

Mine ranges from 85/50 to 95/60 and always has done. Apparently in some countries low blood pressure is a treated condition but here no drugs are used unless your bp was higher but then suddenly changes and affects your day to day life.

Have you tried upping your iron intake as I find it is always this that causes me to feel sluggish in pregnancy.

Original poster
leawesty · 25/03/2010 09:58

my blood pressure is normally normal, what ever normal is? Ihave had my bloods done and all is fine with that, I can fall asleep at the drop the hat just feeling sluggish all the time cant be arsed to do owt

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nubbins · 25/03/2010 10:04

I get low blood pressure and the accompaning fainting and exhaustion too. It has got better since I managed to up my iron levels. My iron levels have been only just above the lower limit of normal, and when I get them up a couple numbers I feel a lot better. I think normal is between 10 and 15 ish. Mine were 10.2 and now are 11.5 and I feel a lot better.

growingweeble · 25/03/2010 10:05

My BP was 75/45 early on and I literally couldn't function. I'm not sure whether it was the BP or that was just a symptom. But, if I hadn't known I was pregnant I would have thought I was dying and had only weeks to live. It was quite scary. I couldn't walk more than a couple of metres without feeling like I'd faint.

But after about 25/30 weeks I was totally fine and have had the easiest third trimester... although also the longest. But, I doubt that has much to do with my BP!

Original poster
leawesty · 25/03/2010 10:10

Maybe I should up my iron then see what happens I would love to be enjoying this pregnancy after all the trouble i have had but it looks like it is just going to stop me in my tracks it must be a boy?? to give me all this trouble already!

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hazeyjane · 25/03/2010 10:20

Hello

I have low bp (am also on 3rd pg). When I was pg with dd2 I would faint regularly, it was pretty scary.

My bp is always pretty low, and has dipped this pregnancy too, but not as much. Although last week I had to sit down in the aisle in Waitrose (thankyou to the lovely shop assistant who helped me to a chair, and got me some fruit juice).

The usual advice is

Don't stand up too quickly

Don't have baths too hot
Be careful going from a hot to cold (or vice versa) atmosphere (wear layers so you can strip off)

Drink plenty of fluids

Sit down if you feel lightheaded or dizzy
I find it helps to have something sweet, like juice when this happens

I also find that keeping iron up (I take Spatone) helps with sluggish tired feeling.

Good Luck

Original poster
leawesty · 25/03/2010 10:25

hello hazeyjane, How are you today?
Good advice as always, Im physcing myself up
to complain about the mw today??

So Im guessing there is no quick fix to low bp oh well suppose i will just have to kick my self up the arse and just put up with it.

OP posts:
RaraAvis · 25/03/2010 10:27

i have low blood pressure normally and mine has dipped since pg, my midwife suggested glucose tablets and i've also heard you should put your head between your legs if you feel faint as this helps? does anyone know if that works?

Esme01 · 25/03/2010 10:31

leawesty,
I am on my third pregnancy as well. I have low blood pressure natuarally and it drops further in pregnancy -most measurements around 90/50. It has been lower in previous pregnancy and nobody has batted an eye.
It is expected that your blood pressure will lower in pregnancy.(my physio sister informed me she wouldnt get a patient out of bed with blood pressure like mine).

How do I suffer with it......
if I get up too quick all can go a bit blank followed by a bit of a head rush. Luckily I dont seem to suffer from fainting!

Not sure this is really to do with low blood
pressure but I do find I have to eat very sensibly. I have to have porridge for breakfast, only brown bread not white. Generally the low GI foods that will give prolonged energy. If I dont my blood sugars feel like they are dropping off a cliff and I literally have no time before I feel faint and sick.

I wouldn't put your symptoms down to low blood pressure. I would be looking out for something else.....there is a really bad diorrhea and vomiting bug going round here. My daughter and I have just had it. It is pretty grim and there can be a temperature that goes with it.

Also with the grotty feeling - this time round I have felt much worse than any other pregnancy. Lasted up to about 27 weeks afraid .Midwife said that your body just reacts quicker and stronger to the hormones because it knows what its doing. I have heard that before - apparently why babies tend to get bigger the more you have! I found fresh air was the only thing that helped.

I can completely understand your frustration when you are normally alwyas on the go and thigs are holding you back. I am the same but have probably come to terms with that in last couple of weeks. It is my last pregnancy (in theory) so I have decided (before its over!) to enjoy it to the full regardless.

Feel for you but hopefully you'll get through the worst symptoms so you can get on

Original poster
leawesty · 25/03/2010 10:32

Im not sure if that does work?? havn't fainted since i was a teenager but they did that to me and it didn't seem to do owt I prefer to have a lie down for 10 mins when i feel lightheaded that seems to help me or just sit if you cant lie down, Why cant i be one of those women who seem to glow all the way through pregnancy? Infact do they exist???

OP posts:
hazeyjane · 25/03/2010 10:40

I know Leawesty, I wish I was more Goddess like in pregnancy. I just turn into an old woman half way through , with varicose veins (I've just been issued a delightful pair of support stockings), piles, and low bp, I also seem to be a tooth grinder when I am pregnant so the dentist has given me a silicon mouthguard to wear at night ( I cracked a tooth in half!) - I am the very opposite of glowing.

Good luck with dealing with your MW issue, I hope you manage to get an extra scan too.

Original poster
leawesty · 25/03/2010 10:44

Thanks Esme01 I will try that, Porridge sounds good to me, that is when i can eventually get down the stairs I will be hot footing it to the supermarket anything to make me feel better. Fresh air sounds goog too but because iv had 3 mc I been told to take it easy so I have had to sop walking miss walking the dog which I miss doing its now down to kids and hubby, if he was little i would risk taking him but he too giddy and pulls too much so daren't even risk that one
God I could scream!! I should be greatfull really that Im pregnant and so far everything is going fine despite the few slight problems, Thank you to all for listning to me rant I feel much better

OP posts:
Original poster
leawesty · 25/03/2010 11:17

havn't managed to get anywhere yet girls!
I will hopefully drag myself out the house soon

OP posts:
Esme01 · 25/03/2010 11:23

Open the windows and get the air in - snuggle up with a blanket.

Original poster
leawesty · 25/03/2010 11:29

Iv done that just made myself a cuppa just keep looking at the washing up thinking i should do it??

OP posts:
Original poster
leawesty · 25/03/2010 11:45

Esme01, how far on in your pregnancy are you?

OP posts:
Esme01 · 25/03/2010 12:43

I am 29 weeks ( I think. Never can keep track). Last couple weeks I would say I have had much more energy but not much motivation all the same so still not getting done what I want to do.

Just leave the washing for the day and do it all in a one-er after tea! Thats what I have been up to. Feels uncomfortable but thinking about it I remember having this problem after my first was born.......I had to complete;y reset my level of expectation. Actually just getting dressed and the washing machine on was a good thing (rather than the washing done, dried , put away, house cleaned, tea made, shopping done, children walked, fed, entertained and a cheeky banana loaf baked on top and a jumper knitted, why not).I had learn to ignore what wasn't done. I used to get so upset and frustrated........Can't believe my life has really got so back to normal that I forgot all that......Eeeeeeeeeek. Now I have been through this thought process I am scared of having to re-learn that learning curve. Blimmin eck. Amazing what you forget.

Original poster
leawesty · 25/03/2010 13:32

well I have cleaned up even pushed vac round woohoo! I'l probably sleep all afternoon now,

Just noticed my wee smells quite bad?? is
this normal i never had it before? my wee test yesterday was normal no problems is it one of those things that im panicing about yet again??

OP posts:
paddypoopants · 25/03/2010 13:53

I feel for you. I had low bp during my pregnancy but it was def worse when my iron was low.
My iron count was borderline according to the midwife and she wouldn't recommend iron tablets but when I saw my GP because I felt truly awful he said some people are more sensitive to the amount of iron in their blood and put me on 3 tablets a day and in 10 days I was a new woman. My bp came up a bit and I felt sooooo much better.

The other thing that was recommended by someone else was to eat a packet of salty crisps as the salt raises your bp and to drink lots of water. Dunno if it works. Good luck it is really nasty feeling that horrible.

Esme01 · 25/03/2010 13:56

are you drinking enough? What colour is your wee?
Are you extra sensitive to smells? - I was horrendously. Fairy liquid and yellow lenor made me gag. The smell in my hall made me sick (no-one else could smell it). In fact hated the smell in the whole house. Didn't mind it in other peoples houses though.

Are you taking folic acid tablets - I was always sure me wee smelled funny after i had had my tablet. Mind you. My memory is shot so I think I probably average 2-3 tablets a day. Hmmmmmmmmm...

Jolly well done on the hoovering. I would call that above and beyond the call! Enjoy your afternoon

skihorse · 25/03/2010 14:05

I've always had very low bp, in fact in the past only being a heavy smoker, being overweight, on the pill and mainlining coffee kept it "normal".

This is my first pregnancy and I've been really good about eating iron-rich foods but I've also been taking pregnancy vitamins.

Like paddy, when I've felt rough I've hit the salt - it perks me up like nobody's business.

I must admit I've felt better over the last few weeks (I'm 23 weeks now) and my BP was slightly higher on monday when tested, but that could be due to external stressors and the fact I'd had a few coffees by the time I rolled up.