[Cheryl_W]

So my Dad is a natural health guy, I'm not sure of his title but he went to school for a long time and is certified in it and everything LOL - I think a Natural Health Practitioner. ANYway, I was talking to him today about my fatigue, because it got really bad tonight...

I was making dinner, and I swear, I took the frozen bits out of the box, put them on a cookie sheet, and put it in the oven - and I had to sit down and rest my head I was so exhausted. Now, I know I'm supposed to be tired - but I CANNOT function right now. Like, walking up a flight of stairs makes me want to nap. I know that a lot of women hold down jobs during the first trimester, and I can't even roll out of bed without wanting to crawl back into it, so I know I'm a little more tired than I'm supposed to be.

I've also been very lightheaded and dizzy, to the point where standing up causes me to fall over sometimes, even if I take it slow. And I feel like I can never completely catch my breath, even when I'm sitting. So I was starting to get a bit worried.

My Dad asked if my doctor had tested my hemoglobin levels, that maybe I'm going anemic. I went online to look up the symptoms... BINGO. Dizziness. Fatigue. Shortness of breath. Pale skin (which my MIL mentioned the other day.) Loss of appetite (which I've had for a few weeks now, but had attributed it to the nausea...) Even loss of concentration, which has been a big problem. Even when I was typing that sentence, I got side tracked LOL - I had attributed it to "pregnancy brain" but now I'm thinking there might be more to it.

He gave me some vitamin B12, as that is what is indicated for treatment of anemia as a first step. I'm supposed to take 1 supplement per day with my prenatal (don't worry, it doesn't go anywhere NEAR the safe limits )

But I'm still going to go to my doc and get my levels checked, because - well, because I can't function. Its not good. Lifting my head makes me tired. Like, exhausted and can't lift my head again for 20 minutes tired.

Anyone else have problems like that early in pregnancy? Anyone anemic early in pregnancy? I don't consume a whole lot of iron rich foods in my diet, especially since meat started causing nausea, so I do think it is a possibility.

Thanks girls!

[Oreobaby]

I am surprised your dr. didn't check your iron levels when you were at your appointment. I am slightly anemic...and take an iron supplement every second day or so. (I have been fatigued, but like you didn't know till my dr. ran the blood test) If the vitamins don't work, try the iron supplement. Also, my dr. told me to not drink milk with my meals. (as the calcium hinders the iron from being absorbed) I used to take my prenatals with breakfast (usually cereal) but since finding out this, I don't, as there is iron in the prenatals, but obviously taking it with milk wasn't working out. Hope you feel better soon.

[MommaLee]

My doctor checked me for anemia at my first appointment, it was part of the blood work-up. I do know that if you are not eating that your body will not make red blood cells like it should and can cause anemia - I know that from personal experience.

I have a really funny story to share about anemia....

Back in 2004 I was hospitalized with pancreatitis and was at the hospital for 2 nights/3 days....we'll they told me I couldn't eat anything and was just IV'ed with saline bags because I had to let my pancreas rest. Well they did bloodwork twice a day and the second day.....bam, I turned up anemic. So they put a bowl covering the toilet (a poop catcher) and they wanted me to poop in it so they could test for blood in my stool. I never did, but when I was discharged, they told me my doctor was going to make me poop in a cup so they could test it....gross huh, but turns out the b/w my doctor did before I was admitted to the hospital didn't show me as being anemic....so no poop in cup for me And then she gave me the reasoning as stated above why I all of a sudden became anemic.

[SassyMama]

I was slightly anemic during my pregnancy and was told to take iron supplements early on. In the beginning of my pregnancy they told me I only needed to take them once a day but towards the end they told me to take it twice a day. I really couldn't tell you if I'm still anemic, though. Haven't been to a DR since my 6 week PP

[fromustobaby]

Do you crave ice cubes? That is a huge sign for me when I'm anemic (I am always close)...

Take care of it now with supplements should help, and try to eat lots of greens...

[Cheryl_W]

Not craving ice cubes, but craving everything to be ice cold - everything from fruit to drinks, I want it all so cold it almost hurts to drink or eat.

The B12 may have made a slight difference already actually... I know its early for it to be doing anything, so maybe I'm just having a better day, IDK, but I feel more alive today - I actually accepted a work project due for Friday. I even brushed my teeth this morning without having to sit down

Still going to go to the doc. He did run hemoglobin tests (that is the test for anemia) at my first prenatal, and had them from my trip to the ER as well, but he doesn't seem to read my test results unless I ask him to so... I'll go in and ask him what they were.

Thanks for being supportive yet again girls I thought maybe I was just being a hypochondriac or something, but knowing how closely B12 is tied to anemia and that it is often used as treatment, and seeing that I feel a bit better today after taking 1200mcg last night - makes me think.

And I haven't been eating enough either, which is probably a big part of the problem. It seems like everything I put in my mouth makes me gag, so its very difficult to eat more than like 1.5 cups of food/day - but I'm trying, because I know bean needs it!

[Celry]

I got put on an iron supplement pretty early. I have what's some times called Runners Anemia. The more I work out the lower my iron levels. I really try to get enough iron rich foods, but when I was pregnant and even now while I'm nursing I just can't keep up. The supplement helped so much and I felt fine after starting it. I asked my OB to check my levels pretty early on because I knew they were probably low. It's worth talking to your OB about.

[Oreobaby]

I started my iron supplement right after my first appointment.