

Is this normal? extreme tired, extreme forgetful and quickly out of breath

(15 Posts)
syl1985 Thu 18-Apr-13 21:14:34

Hello ladies,

This is my 4th pregnancy. Everything went well in my 1rst trimester. I've barely been sick or tired during that time.
At the beginning I had a problem with low blood pressure but that has gone.

I'm in my second trimester, 17 weeks.
About 2 weeks ago the extreme tiredness and fatigue started. It got only worse. My midwife couldn't find anything wrong with me.

By now I really need to set my alarm clock. Because when I don't I sleep for about 12 hours. Then wake up and in the afternoon feel so tired that I need to sleep for another 1 or 2 hours.

I feel like I can sleep forever.
I also forget about everything. I need to write everything down. Most terrible thing I forgot was the age of my own kids.

Seriously, I felt so terrible about this.

My eldest son was busy with something that didn't went very well. I said to him:
Don't worry you're only 7. You're just learning. You can't expect things to go right from the start.

He said to me:
Mum, I'm 6, not 7. Your baby is being naughty again and makes you forget things.

Next day:
Mum I'm 7. With a smile on his face.

Me: No, you're 6. I do remember now. But he went on so I started to doubt myself. Checked his age and yes he's 6 and becomes 7 in October.
Husband asks me from time to time if I remember the appointments that we've. (work and other appointments) I need to write them all down, I can't remember them.

Is this still normal? I never had it this bad.

Last Monday I was doing my shopping and without any warning a MASSIVE pain in my right side. I was in real bad pain. Then I started to feel sick and very faint. I don't think that I lost my conscious But at some point I did feel someone holding me when I felt very very faint.
I was taken by ambulance to the hospital, but they couldn't find anything wrong with me.

Today it was for the first time that I felt out of breath when I walked up the stairs. I'm only 17 weeks. I wasn't out of breath around this stage with any other pregnancy that I had.
Picking something off the floor is also rather difficult. Thank goodness the kids are helping me with my physically and even mental problems.

My eldest made a drawing of the scouts for in the kitchen. So I wouldn't forget the parade this Sunday. I put it on the fridge. So sweet and so smart of him. He thought of that all by himself.

I don't know if I should call my midwife again tomorrow.
Maybe it's normal this time. They say that every pregnancy is different.

I don't know for sure if it's all ok and normal. But I don't want to go to quickly to my midwife, either.
In the hospital they couldn't find anything wrong with me, my midwife couldn't find anything wrong and neither could my GP.

These problems do make work difficult. I'm self employed. I'm a therapist and I've had to cancel some appointments and had to say to some people that I couldn't help them. I can't handle as much as I was able to. I forget so much.

I need to write everything down and I'm so careful that I don't ask the same things twice to my clients. But it doesn't go always that well. Or I'm yawning, because I'm so tired.
Not very nice for my clients.
I do my best, but things aren't going so well with me.

Is it possible for someone who's self employed to start the maternity leave before 29 weeks?

I try to work, but it's not going well and I'm not earning enough at this moment. This makes me worried and probably more tired, because I'm worried about my health and finances.

Anyone who can help me with this? Any one who had similar problems in her pregnancy or knows what it might be?
Is this still normal?

Any help and advice is welcome.


Themobstersknife Thu 18-Apr-13 21:24:51

I think you need to go back and see the dr / midwife. I think they should be taking this more seriously.
I had a near fainting episode followed by breathlessness post partum. It turned out I had a blood clot on my lung, probably as a result of a DVT, although I had no symptoms of DVT.
I am not saying this is what is wrong with you, but it is a very serious condition and notoriously difficult to diagnose without proper scans and tests. So it should be ruled out.
I didn't have any memory issues but I did have a feeling of doom. Very difficult to describe but definitely an altererd mental state.
Did they do a full suite of blood tests including D Dimer?
Anyway, as I say I doubt it is that unless you have risk factors for clotting but I think breathlessness at your stage of pregnancy is unusual. Push for more tests.
I cannot advise on anything from a self employment perspective I am afraid but hopefully someone will be along soon who can help.
Really hope it turns out to be something minor and you feel better soon.

Could you be anaemic? I was very tired and breathless when my iron count was low

Themobstersknife Thu 18-Apr-13 21:29:12

Yes good shout Fatima. That is what we thought was causing my breathlessness before my PE was diagnosed. Would definitely account for your symptoms.

syl1985 Thu 18-Apr-13 21:54:01

Thanks ladies and Thanks Themobsterskife for sharing your story. After reading that I decided to make another appointment.

As far as I know they didn't do any tests on DVT. I only had blood and urine tests, no scans or anything else.

The very first thing they checked was my iron level. During these last 2 weeks they've done it a couple of times and all the time the results were good. My iron levels in my blood are good.

Thanks for the support ladies.
I wasn't sure to make another appointment. But now I know I'll go back and let them know that things are getting worse and it doesn't feel normal to me.


Ezza1 Thu 18-Apr-13 22:42:13

Cant help with the physical symptoms you are experiencing as I cam not a medic so would advise seeking help for your reassurance.

However with the memory thing and tiredness I can definitely relate.

I am 18 weeks pregnant with DC4 and utterly exhausted and my memory is shit. I have to write everything down but still manage to forget most things.

Had to pick up DC1 from his mates earlier. Got in the car, pulled away completely forgetting where I was going and was driving totally in the wrong direction.

Was sat at home the other day, DC2 came home from school and asked where DC3 was - I had forgotten to pick him up from nursery! Luckily wasnt late for him but had DC2 not come straight home from school I could well have been.

I put all this tiredness and forgetfulness down to having so much on my plate with the DCs, work, running the home (and trying to get it ready to sell) and general everyday life. Plus I'm bloody old.

Hope you feel better soon and do speak to your GP or midwife as you are obviously concerned.

Snazzynewyear Thu 18-Apr-13 22:47:40

Not sure what this could be other than anaemia which has seemingly been ruled out (though what actually was your HB level? If between 8-10 it's 'borderline' but you still might feel the effects of that quite strongly). I've had DVT and the breathlessness fits but not the other symptoms. However, you definitely need to go back to your doctor and/or midwife quickly and insist they investigate further as there must be a reason for this. Don't let them fob you off with saying it's just pregnancy - point out that you know perfectly well what that's like and this is different. Hope you get sorted.

syl1985 Fri 19-Apr-13 10:58:05

I'm having an appointment today at 4 o clock.
I just don't know what to do or say when my GP tells me again that he can't find anything.

When I woke up this morning I was and still am barely able to walk. My legs are really painful and I'm so incredible quickly out of breath.

I can't even talk normally or I'm out of breath.

Things are getting worse so quickly with me.
Yesterday I only had pain in my legs and being quickly out of breath when I walked the stairs. Now I can't speak normally anymore and I can barely walk.

Husband had to go to work today. But only for about one or 2 hours.
Kids are really sweet to me and so helpful. They're so used by now by mum who's feeling bad.
Followed by going to the GP or hospital.

They weren't even worried when I was taken away in the ambulance last Monday. By now it's all become normal to them.

But what am I going to do if my GP still isn't going to do any further tests or says it's all normal in pregnancy?


ExpatAl Fri 19-Apr-13 11:05:17

If he says it's normal say that you know what normal is and this isn't it. This must be very alarming for you. Insist on having tests to rule out anything it could be. Good luck.

glossyflower Fri 19-Apr-13 12:35:03

Echoing what others have said and get your iron levels checked out.
I experienced the same as you but just put it down to first time pregnancy, on my routine bloods my ferritin levels were only 7. When I started the supplements I felt so much better and I was surprised how bad I had felt but put it down to normal pregnancy symptoms.

syl1985 Sat 20-Apr-13 01:12:50

My doctor has checked me again and he couldn't find anything worrying.
Thanks for the ladies who said it might be my iron. But like I said before that they checked for that right away and always had a good result.
It was 15 and around.

The doctor told me it's probably how my body responds on this pregnancy. But if things changes or I'm still worried I was welcome to make another appointment.

I don't have such a good contact with my family over in Holland. I'd like to keep it that way.
But told my mother that things weren't going that well with this pregnancy.

She now keeps asking me how I'm.....
If there's any news I'll let you know..... ggrrrr I wish I kept my mouth shut. But sometimes it's nice to share something like this with mum, but now I wish that I hadn't done that.


SusanaS Sat 20-Apr-13 11:52:05

Hi Sylvia, I have no advice for you, but I am having exactly the same symptoms and hoping that someone will have some ideas for me too.

I'm 26 weeks into my 3rd pregnancy but have been extremely exhausted throughout, as well as being out of breath a lot. I finally got someone to take it seriously yesterday (after much trying) and the midwife has written me a form for a load of blood tests. She said she's testing everything!

The things I thought it might be due to are:

gestational diabetes - my test is on the 9th May
low iron levels - I'm borderline at 11.5 so thinking of getting a liquid iron supplemen
being old - I'm 40
Gestational hypothyroidism - apparently very common but none of the medical professional have mentioned this possibility

I'm also self employed and haven't been able to work at all during this pregnancy so I can really sympathise with you on that score. I don't think you can get maternity allowance early but you could possibly get employment and support allowance. Might be worth checking out.

Themobstersknife Sun 21-Apr-13 22:32:41

Sorry to hear you are no further on with your diagnosis. I think you need a second opinion. Hope you get it sorted and feel better soon.

finalyfine Wed 24-Apr-13 17:48:28

Hi Sylvia. i am with SusanS. If i was you i would ask dr to test for Gestational hypothyroidism. I have hypothyroidism and i have had my symptoms worsen since getting pregnant and i have had similar symptoms as you. But medication took care of them. So its worth asking to be checked for that in my mind.

syl1985 Wed 24-Apr-13 23:37:51

Thank you all so much of all this support and help.

They now found that I have a low blood pressure. But that usually is a sign of being healthy and normally doesn't give any problems.

But maybe that's where my problems come from.
I did have a look online about low blood pressure / Hypotension.
It could cause the problems that I've.

Tomorrow I'll be starting with a dairy.
I'll check my blood pressure through the day and write down what I do and how I feel.

If I see that my blood pressure is lower on moments I'm not feeling well and higher when I do feel well.
Then we know what the problem is.


Join the discussion

Join the discussion


Register now