Just pregnancy symptoms or something to be worried about?

[giantpurplepeopleeater]

Hiya, first time pregnant and now 17 weeks - didn't actually know I was pregnant until 15 weeks (no regular ovulation so no idea!).

Seems that now I know, I am noticing much more symptoms which I may have just brushed off before. Not sure whether I should be worried. I am experiencing the following

1 - Bad sinuses (which I am told is normal) is causing me to sneeze a lot. When I do, I have a few moments of pain in my abdominal muscles. Can't find anything in books about this - is it normal?

2 - Bad headaches coming on, normally after night of difficult sleep and feel like tension headache - i.e. a massage at the back of my neck can help. My blood pressure is fine so don't know if I should be worried.

3 - this one is probably TMI, but I am no longer getting sick and am drinking in excess of 2 litres of water a day. Despite being fine at night, I am wakingin the morning to very dark, almost orange looking urine - not somthing I am used to.

So does anyone have any experience of these? Is there anything to worry about? Apart from being tired I feel fine in myself.

Thanks - sorry for the long post!

hello giantpurple

I am no means an expert but my view would be:

1 - bad sinuses definitely normal - pg women seem to produce more snot and I'm a bit more congested. The pain in your abdominal muscles is also common - I find sneezing or moving in certain ways can make the sides of my stomach feel sore, or cause a sharp pain. This is often round ligament pain which is v common.

2 - some people do seem to get headaches and they are a known pg side-effect but don't have much advice to offer on those!

3 - I think darker wee is also common - can be related to supplements you are taking too, e.g. some pregnancy vitamin supplements are well known for turning your wee orange!

All sounds completely normal to me - perhaps you could ask your midwife about the headaches if you are unable to shift them? Or it sounds like it might be a sleep-related thing?

Thanks Pidgin - thats reassuring!

I don't yet have a midwife - am just getting into the system - and I am so reluctant to bother the doctors as they always seem to be able to make me feel like I am wasting their time and making mountains out of mole-hills!

I hadn't thought about the supplement - but thinking about it they are a brown/orange colour which could explain it!

Think I will just keep an eye on things and see how I get on.

The sinus thing sounds familiar. I have check-ups with an ENT doctor because of a problem a few years ago and mentioned that mine were getting bunged up, especially when I slepp, meaning that I end up breathing through my mouth and wake up with my mouth being really dry. He said that this is normal and lots of pregnant women get stuffy noses. One suggestion was to rinse the nose out with salt water every so often and use a saline nose spray.

Sneezing kills my abdominal muscles, especially if I am lying down, can really sympathise there.

Yes, I'm stuffed up too, and my stomach spasms when I sneeze or cough. Saline nasal drops provide some relief at least
Headaches very common. Normal blood pressure usually rules out anything worrisome but speak to mw if worried
One of the B Vitamins causes orangey urine, and pg supplements usually hv high doses of them.plus you do need a lot more to drink when pg, so possibly a little dehydrated even if you're drinking a lot

All sounds normal, but do speak to mw or gp if you have any concerns

Yes, I used to get headaches, and sneezing makes my pelvic floor/lower abs ache! The being-stuffed-up thing is totally normal too.

Hiya. I'm 21 weeks with DC4

Yes, I am sneezing about 20 times a day. I have learned to brace myself to avoid pulling the tummy muscles. And wetting myself. The joy.

Headaches very common. Have you tried acupuncture? It really helps me.

Wee -think it's B2 that makes your wee day-glo. Try upping water to 3litres if you can.

I stopped feeling sick all the time at 16 weeks. Am still very funny about food and occasionally feel nauseous but it's usual for it to stop or lessen at 16 weeks.

Congrats by the way. I assume you're due at the end of November/early December. Have you joined an ante-natal club board? You'll find out all sorts on there.

I think the sinus thing which I too had was explained by the increased blood flow......congratulations!!!-I 'think' you only need worry about wee if its partcularly smelly.

I had lots of headaches around that time - they have tailed off now.

Dark wee - probably the vitamin, but if you are feeling thirsty, weeing loads, feeling tired, mention it to midwife/Dr when you have one as it can be a sign of gestational diabetes (although not always).

By the way - Congratulations!