Sunday, June 1, 2008

25 weeks

The doctor sent me an email today regarding the bloodwork results, saying that while my numbers were low, they were not very low, especially for a pregnant woman. Her recommendation was to increase dietary iron, which I had already done in the days since getting the results and getting her email. It doesn't seem to have helped yet.

Case in point: We went to see the new Indiana Jones movie last night and had to watch the last ten minutes standing in the aisle. About an hour in, I started feeling dizzy. At some point I thought maybe I had to go to the bathroom, so I did, and I felt a little better afterwards. But once I sat back down, I started feeling progressively worse. I changed positions frequently, but it didn't help. The dizzy feeling came back. And I felt increasingly nauseated. And then I started to get simultaneously hot and cold, and my face got clammy. And then I got that darkness closing in around me feeling. Knowing that I was going to faint again, I got up. And once I was standing, I felt much better. So we watched the rest of the movie standing in the aisle.

The other times I have fainted or thought I was going to, I had been sitting in a hard seat. This time we were in the nice theatre, which has super-cushioned stadium seats. They recline and have the armrest that flips up so you can actually sit close to the person you came with. So much for my hard seat theory. WTF? And I wasn't dehydrated -- I had drank a gallon of water during the day, including a bottle during the movie. I wish I knew what was causing this. Sometimes there's just no way to be able to stand up!

10 comments:

Michelle said...

Gosh- what a scary feeling that must be for you! Although- sounds like you are getting used to it. Just a side effect of being pregnant hopefully!
Congratulations on your 25 week point!! Take Care...

HereWeGoAJen said...

That seems opposite to me. It seems like sitting down ought to make you feel better, not worse!

The right before feeling of fainting is just awful. I hope this stops happening to you soon.

Lisa said...

That sounds like it would be very scary, and I would think sitting would make you feel better also. Hopefully it is just a weird side effect of the pregnancy.
Do you tend to have lower than normal blood pressure?
Anyway, Hope you're feeling better!

niobe said...

I know I've heard of other women feeling faint during the later parts of their pregnancies. So, even if it's scary and unpleasant, I think it's not all that unusual. Which certainly doesn't mean that your doctor shouldn't look into it.

Anonymous said...

Hi- I found your post via more-rice-please's (my college roommate's sister). I read your concern today and with my professional knowledge (I'm a CNM)I may have an explanation... You recall that women are encouraged to sleep on their sides and not flat on their backs during pregnancy, in order to not decrease the blood supply to baby or mom. Sometimes, baby's position can press on the vena cava- which can limit blood supply back to your heart- cause dizziness, etc. Usually this only happens when you lay down- but it seems as though it may be positional for you when you are sitting. The next time you feel this sensation- try leaning forward- over the chair in front of you- or over the back of the couch- so that your belly is hanging down. This will take the baby's weight off your blood vessel- and may help the problem...

Good luck! You are getting there- it sounds as though you are doing as much as you can to take care of yourself! Have you tried a pregnancy support belt? May provide more support for this little one.

docgrumbles said...

Hope it gets better!

maresi said...

My stars, that must feel awful! It seems none of us can totally escape with a completely worry- and complication-free pregnancy. But I'd keep asking your doctor (and see if Megan's advice might help - she is a pretty smart gal) and don't let up on it. I'll be praying!

Geohde said...

The progesterone makes your vessels dilate, that may be the culprit with the Fainting Phenomenon.

Either way, hope you feel better soon,

J

Sushilover said...

That is so strange...I wonder what it is? The part up to feeling like you are going to black out sounds very much like my hormonal hot flashes I got with pregnancy #1 but I never really got to the black out part...I normally didn't have the energy to stand. I hope it gets better! Maybe it's what Megan said...worth a try I guess!

Steph said...

I am so sorry you keep feeling this way. If it were me, I would want to know the cause as well.

I hope you start feeling better!