I don’t know what exactly I really wish. It’s vague. I wish that bodies were easier to figure out. I wish that the medical profession wasn’t so specific, in that you see an OB for OB, and you see a cardiologist for heart stuff, and you see a GP for general stuff…. and they all think differently. I get it’s necessary. I get that the human body is so complicated that there are no easy answers, but I WISH there were universal answers that apply to everyone (x+y=z) and they were easier to come by than they are.
Are you confused?
Don’t be alarmed, but I was in the hospital yesterday with chest and arm pressure and shortness of breath. My heart is fine. I knew my heart was fine, but the doctors didn’t, so they sent me to the hospital. Throughout this entire pregnancy I’ve had daily episodes of chest pressure, racing or pounding heart, accompanied by difficulty breathing. It’s happened in other pregnancies. When I was pregnant with Abby, I had an echocardiogram, EKG, 72 hour heart monitor and everything was fine, my heart was “just beating fast sometimes” and I couldn’t breathe. I really don’t remember it with Liv or Veronica’s pregnancy, and while Clark’s was awful, I don’t remember this specifically, but I certainly had it with Abby 11 years ago.
No pain, just pressure and either super fast or REALLY hard heartbeats, and breathing like I’d just climbed a mountain. I’m not dizzy, but my head feels weird, like I need to shake it to clear it.
Yesterday when I felt the pressure in my arms along with the other symptoms, I decided to call the doctor and they sent me to the ER.
I personally think it’s related to some food issue. I just don’t know WHAT food issue. Is it an allergy? A lack of something I need? Eating seems to make it worse, but not consistently. Yesterday I had a handful of pecans and two pieces of wheat toast with butter for breakfast. By the time I finished my second piece of toast, my heart was going crazy. It usually does with toast. But not with sandwiches that I’ve noticed. Or hot dogs on a bun. So I don’t think it’s an isolated wheat issue.
This morning, I had a bowl of Life cereal with milk. It wasn’t an immediate response, but I felt fine and now I don’t feel so good. Tired, a little pressure in my chest, a little weak. My head feels weird.
As a result, I don’t eat a whole lot and I’m sick of being hungry all the time. I typically skip breakfast because I ALWAYS feel crappy after eating breakfast. I eat lunch, snack on a little bit of junk (a Charleston Chew and a fudgecicle. Yesterday it was Fritos and bean dip) around 3 or 4 and skip dinner.
This is not fun.
SO, I called the doctors (OB and PCP/GP) this morning and left messages asking if I can be tested for food allergy, sensitivity, or if they had any other ideas. I’m not too excited about following up on the heart monitor. Been there, done that, whole bunch of inconvenience for nothing. I’d really like to find out if it’s a food/blood sugar/nutritional deficiency/who knows what else issue.
I’d imagine that whatever the problem is, I live with it all the time, but the pregnancy accentuates the symptoms because I seem incapable of losing weight (more than 15 pounds anyway) even when I try really hard. No doctor has been able to figure that one out, either. They check my thyroid and throw their hands in the air, basically.
And my thyroid, which has been tested yet again is fine thank-you-very-much.
Bah! I’m grumpy. And I feel like someone’s stepping on my chest.
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:44 am
I’m sorry you haven’t been feeling so good. I hope you get things figured out. The human body is a complicated thing. Good luck!
June 3rd, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Definitely not fun. When I lived in Seattle, I went to a great naturopath named David Ramaley. His website is seattlenaturalhealth.com. Might be worth a shot, if you feel like trying a different avenue. He did some nutritional work for me, as well as neck adjustments (for headaches), and both were very helpful. Hope you’re able to get it sorted out and that you feel better soon!
June 3rd, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Laura I feel so bad for you going through all that breathlessness. I used to have panic attacks after I had my daughter, feeling as though I couldnt breathe properly and my arms and chest felt tight, and then lightheadedness afterwards. I would definately go to the naturopath. My sister just went to one for her first visit and said he was fantastic. She is suggesting that I go now to deal with weight and anxiety issues and I am thinking that I will. Natural medicines have to be a lot better for you than chemicals dont they. I hope all works out for you soon so you can feel better. Have you tried taking ginger to help with the sick feeling.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:03 am
I don’t have any great suggestions, just sympathy. I completely buy your theory that this is something you always live with and pregnancy just amps it up. I’m not sure how I would feel personally about attempting the naturopath/chiropractor route, especially during pregnancy, but several of my coworkers use them for assorted issues outside the normal band and are quite vocal about the benefits. I can see why you’re worried though — that’s really not enough food to be subsisting on. The idea that you’re not getting enough of something (or everything) and it’s throwing your body’s perception of eating off sounds quite feasible. Have you ever gone to a nutritionist? It’s sounded from all of your health group posts like you have a good idea of what to aspire to, but I wonder if a professional could help see some pattern that you don’t?
June 4th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Having never been pregnant, I can’t comment, but the chest tightening & shortness of breath: I can. Have you tried not eating grains for breakfast? Or fruit? Eating a piece of chicken breast, or even some cheese about an hour before you eat “cereal” might help. I was having some crazy wacky glucose spikes in the morning b/c my body can’t handle that much simple sugar after an overnight fast. And you are fasting overnight and you have a baby… so, perhaps you need to keep some cold chicken in the fridge and try that. I do and it has helped immensely. Sometimes just a string cheese will help a lot more than I thought. And, yes a naturopath/nutritionist suggested I do this.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
I have similar issues. I had this problem with my first pregnancy (or one very similar) and was referred to a heart specialist, and he decided that either the baby was sitting on an artery or I was having mini anxiety attacks. I ended up in the emergency room too and after laying there for seriously hours my heart rate was still 130, and there was nothing to do about it except go home. It wasn’t until pregnancy #2 and I had midwives that allergies or at least sensitivities were suspect (never identified, though, but they said I probably always was sensitive to wheat or something and that pregnancy magnifies whatever is there). But my shortness of breath and heart palpitations always happened soon after eating (if it was going to happen at all), and could continue for hours afterward. I also have the weight loss problem too, so if you figure it out, please let me know!
June 4th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Maybe try some toast without butter to see if perhaps it is the dairy since cereal with milk does it too but other bread products do not. Most people with dairy sensitivities I assume have issues with lactose, but maybe it’s the milkfat for you instead. Another thought – multigrain bread and Life cereal likely both have oats – if you feel it is a grain issue.
I hope you get this figured out soon so you can eat and feel better!
June 4th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Doh! – wheat toast, not multigrain. Ignore the oat comment.
June 6th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Looks like you’ve got some good advice here. I don’t really have anything helpful to add. Being pregnant and having young children to look after is difficult enough without having shortness of breath to deal with too. I hope you are feeling better soon! ((Hugs))