Out of breath and Dizziness throughout the day?

[Anonymous]

This is my 2nd pregnancy (#1 is 2.5yo). I am currently 4.5 months along and I feel very similar to last pg - nausea and vomiting controlled by Zofran - except for now I have shortness of breath and dizziness.

I get short of breath with walking up 5 steps (split level house) and to my DD bedroom to put something away. I also keep having dizzy spells out of no where - even while sitting at my desk at work.

I mentioned this to dr and she just asked if I was drinking enough and when I said I was pretty sure I was staying hydrated she just said to let them know if it continues.

It's making me very uncomfortable and nervous - has anyone else expereinced this? If so, do you know what it was from?

[Anonymous]

I had a rough first pregnancy - also was on Zofran - and I used to get dizzy spells too. I'd get them in the shower or at my desk at work. I drank a coke or a decaf coffee drink from Starbucks each morning - my doctor suggested it to help keep my blood pressure from dropping, and she said the caffeine helped with nausea (I only had one can/day). I didn't get short of breath much, I carried pretty low.

[Anonymous]

Can you describe what the shortness of breath feels like? Is it general difficulty catching your breath or is it like a band around the lower part of your lungs?

[Anonymous]

OP here - the out of breath is more like a general out of breath feeling. I am only 4.5 months, so not that big yet (though bigger than pg #1 at this time) so I didn't think it was pressure from the baby on my lungs. With last pg, I got pretty big, but was all baby (gained 25lbs - baby was 10lbs). I am 5'5" and was about 135 before this pg. I've gained 5lbs so far.

I'm not is as great of shape as i was with pg #1, but not in terrible shape either. I never really got out of breath with pg#1 even at the end while doing routine stuff. Putting laundry away, etc.

Now, if I walk up a few stairs and then down the hall at a regular pace, I have to take a sec to catch my breath. Just sort of a sligthly-out-of-breath feeling. Not panting or tightness, just out of breath. It just concerns me since I am not that big yet, so it didn't seem like I had a "good excuse" for it and it happens during routine activities.

As for the dizziness - I have tried a little caffiene as well, but it doesn't seem to really make a difference like I thought it might.

[Anonymous]

General out of breath is not quite as concerning as the "band around the lungs" feeling. Were you pregnant during the summer last time? Pregnancy is just a huge cardiac event - your blood volume doubles - and so the heart and lungs have to work harder than usual.

[Anonymous]

I'm 8.5 months now. I started feeling the out of breath and dizziness feeling around 4.5 months as well (it has come and gone or gotten better). I don't think unusual from what I read in the pregnancy books and my physicians reactions. For me, I thought weather was definitely part of it. Just your body maybe telling you to slow it down and since your body's resources are so focused on the baby (blood flow, circulation) it doesn't seem uncommon to get dizzy.

Sit down, rest, drink fluids, eat something, and take deep breaths. I just noticed when that happens (coming out of the Metro for example) I just need to sit and rest up for a bit and it gets better.

[Anonymous]

i experienced the dizziness in the mid part of pregnancy 2 as well. my doctor suggested i add more protein to each meal esp breakfast. so i start breakfast with an egg and cottage cheese. later i have some bread or cereal. that totally helped fix the dizziness problem for me. i still get dizzy every now and then, but only if i'm a little dehydrated or need some protein. my doc said that sometimes during pregnancy our body doesn't regulate our blood sugar as well as it should. i do NOT have gest diabetes, but just need extra protein throughout the day.

[Anonymous]

I'm on zofran, too, and have experienced both. Dizziness is listed as one of the possible side effects of zofran, and I'm pretty sure that's where mine stemmed from. My midwife had me cut back on the dosage (I'm down to just 2 mg/night), and the dizziness hasn't been as much of a problem. Before I cut back, making sure that my blood sugar was at a decent level (thank god for oj) before I did anything even remotely strenuous was a big help.

[Anonymous]

Couple things--I too had shortness of breath at various times in my pregnancy and doc told me that there is some kind of hormone that is released that can make you feel breathless. The band thing around your lungs concerns me though and I think this should be more fully investigated (probably will still be nothing so don't want you to freak) if only to put your mind at ease. My concern would be if you had a blood clot from maybe travel or sitting too long with legs crossed etc.--I would insist that doctor look through everything just to be sure and make sure when you talk to doc that you don't just say something like "I sometimes feel out of breath"--I would say, "doc I have been having breathing problems and pain around my lungs"--docs need to know that this is something that is really bothering you otherwise it's fair for them to think it's a usual pregnancy malady.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Couple things--I too had shortness of breath at various times in my pregnancy and doc told me that there is some kind of hormone that is released that can make you feel breathless. The band thing around your lungs concerns me though and I think this should be more fully investigated (probably will still be nothing so don't want you to freak) if only to put your mind at ease. My concern would be if you had a blood clot from maybe travel or sitting too long with legs crossed etc.--I would insist that doctor look through everything just to be sure and make sure when you talk to doc that you don't just say something like "I sometimes feel out of breath"--I would say, "doc I have been having breathing problems and pain around my lungs"--docs need to know that this is something that is really bothering you otherwise it's fair for them to think it's a usual pregnancy malady.

Just to clarify so the OP doesn't freak, the OP said she did NOT have the band around the lungs. I was the pp who asked about that. OP just has general shortness of breath.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all of the responses and ideas of things to try. As pp mentioned, I don't have the band of tightness, just a general need-to-sit-down-for-a-sec and catch my breath feeling. I never considered the Zofran being a cause because I took it last pg from wk 6 until the end and didn't seem to have any side effects then.

The poster that mentioned blood clots has me a little worried. How is that related to my symptoms? I would like to follow up with the dr if this is a concern based on my symptoms. I do sit down all day (9hrs) behind a computer. Could this be a concern?

[Anonymous]

Oh, also to pp who asked about when I was pg last time. I was not pg throughout the summer. I got pg in May and am due in Feb (just like last pg). My due date for this pg is 6 days from last pg due date.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all of the responses and ideas of things to try. As pp mentioned, I don't have the band of tightness, just a general need-to-sit-down-for-a-sec and catch my breath feeling. I never considered the Zofran being a cause because I took it last pg from wk 6 until the end and didn't seem to have any side effects then.

The poster that mentioned blood clots has me a little worried. How is that related to my symptoms? I would like to follow up with the dr if this is a concern based on my symptoms. I do sit down all day (9hrs) behind a computer. Could this be a concern?

I'm not the pp who asked about blood clots - but I am the pp who originally asked about the "band around the lungs" feeling. The "band around the lungs" feeling is sometimes related to blood clots - hence the following poster's confusion and mentioning of the blood clots issue. (I had the "band around the lungs" feeling pp and ended up having to be hospitalized post-partum for fluid that had collected around my lungs.)

But it's a very specific feeling. You have been clear that you don't have that. So don't worry about it.

I was also the pp who asked about being pg during the summer. It makes a big difference in terms of breathing to be pg during the summer, imho, which might be why you are having more shortness of breath with this pregnancy. Like I said before, pregnancy is this huge cardiac event - combine that with higher temperatures, greater humidity, etc. (not to mention that you have a toddler this time) and it can lead to shortness of breath for many women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all of the responses and ideas of things to try. As pp mentioned, I don't have the band of tightness, just a general need-to-sit-down-for-a-sec and catch my breath feeling. I never considered the Zofran being a cause because I took it last pg from wk 6 until the end and didn't seem to have any side effects then.

The poster that mentioned blood clots has me a little worried. How is that related to my symptoms? I would like to follow up with the dr if this is a concern based on my symptoms. I do sit down all day (9hrs) behind a computer. Could this be a concern?

I'm not the pp who asked about blood clots - but I am the pp who originally asked about the "band around the lungs" feeling. The "band around the lungs" feeling is sometimes related to blood clots - hence the following poster's confusion and mentioning of the blood clots issue. (I had the "band around the lungs" feeling pp and ended up having to be hospitalized post-partum for fluid that had collected around my lungs.)

But it's a very specific feeling. You have been clear that you don't have that. So don't worry about it.

I was also the pp who asked about being pg during the summer. It makes a big difference in terms of breathing to be pg during the summer, imho, which might be why you are having more shortness of breath with this pregnancy. Like I said before, pregnancy is this huge cardiac event - combine that with higher temperatures, greater humidity, etc. (not to mention that you have a toddler this time) and it can lead to shortness of breath for many women.

Forgot to add that it would be a good idea for you to get up and walk around periodically to help with blood flow, rather than sit at your computer for extended periods.

[Anonymous]

I am the PP who inquired about blood clots--sorry for the mis on the "band around your lungs" --I am multitasking today waaaaay too much. I asked because I have known someone who had this-they experienced the "out of breath" feeling and pain--turns out it was a blood clot that was dealt with and she is fine today. She did tend to sit in one place and had a habit of crossing her legs which is not good apparently-she also had some extra weight (not sure if that adds to problem but thought I would put it out there). In any event-she called her doc and said she had trouble breathing and went to hospital but..it was not a casual-"I'm breathless"--it was a "I'm feeling pain and I feel like I am not breathing enough"--I really want to reeinforce to people that if something is really wrong-you don't want to downplay-just be honest where you are and let a doctor thoroughly check you out and don't worry about overeacting-better you waste some time with a more extensive check up then find it was reallys something. FYI--I think they do some kind of test called a blood gas to test how much air is getting in??? I'm not a doctor but that sounds familiar if I remember the story.