Anyone feeling shortness of breath when lying on their back?

cheshire · Apr 14th, 2012, 01:47 AM

I have never experienced this so early on, it has been happening since week 6 or so. I am not overly concerned but I am sure it cannot be the result of a large uterus and I am not overweight!! So could there be another cause? It only happens on my back and my husband is teasing me about starting to act 'super' pregnant already

CandyApple19 · Apr 14th, 2012, 02:12 AM

Ooohh? blood pressure? im already going diiiizzzy!!! im either 6+4 or 7+4 xx

Kba x · Apr 14th, 2012, 03:46 AM

I can't even string a sentence together without getting out of breath think its just one of tose thing my dh calls it lazyitus cheeky

charlie15 · Apr 14th, 2012, 05:34 AM

yep i've become shorter of breath recently, it's horrible! mainly when walking fast, i just get puffed out but also worse when i go to bed so I have to prop myself up! I was going pretty crazy last week so went to my GP about it as to top it off I had really bad nasal congestion. He told me that when pregnant you don't eat for 2 but you do breathe for 2 so your respiration rate goes up and you breathe deeper which leaves you feeling puffed out. This usually starts from about 9-10 weeks onwards, so towards the end of the 1st tri. The shortness of breathe lying down was worsened by nasal congestion so he prescribed beclomethasone nasal spray which is safe in pregnancy. I also bought those nasal strips that open up your nostrils and wow I slept so well after that with no shortness of breath lying down!

not sure if this is the same at all for you or any help at all! but that's what caused my problem.

cheshire · Apr 14th, 2012, 12:34 PM

Thanks ladies, sounds like it's just normal out of breath pregnancy symptoms. I have read that apparently hGC levels can cause breathlessness and I am suffering with nausea so that makes sense. I never knew hormones caused you to be breathless!

charlie15 · Apr 14th, 2012, 15:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheshire

Thanks ladies, sounds like it's just normal out of breath pregnancy symptoms. I have read that apparently hGC levels can cause breathlessness and I am suffering with nausea so that makes sense. I never knew hormones caused you to be breathless!

It's not the HCG that causes breathlessness it's the increase in waste products of carbon dioxide from baby and the placenta that you need to exhale that make you need to breathe more. If it was HCG it would only be a symptom in the 1st tri which isn't the case.

Deb111 · Apr 14th, 2012, 15:58 PM

So glad I'm not the only one! I feel like an old lady by the time I've gone upstairs!

jaggers · Apr 14th, 2012, 16:02 PM

I was just wondering about that. I'm only 6w2d but it seems like I'm a little more out of breath...

cheshire · Apr 14th, 2012, 16:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlie15

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheshire

Thanks ladies, sounds like it's just normal out of breath pregnancy symptoms. I have read that apparently hGC levels can cause breathlessness and I am suffering with nausea so that makes sense. I never knew hormones caused you to be breathless!

It's not the HCG that causes breathlessness it's the increase in waste products of carbon dioxide from baby and the placenta that you need to exhale that make you need to breathe more. If it was HCG it would only be a symptom in the 1st tri which isn't the case.

There are many causes for breathlessness throughout pregnancy but apparently in the first trimester progesterone increases your lung capacity allowing your blood to transport more oxygen and you breath more often. I would think the uterus pushing on your lung capacity or the increased levels of carbon dioxide from the baby in the first trimester would be too small to make any impact yet. So that's why I was wondering if there was another cause, so early on. I read it on quite a few sites, and it's something I didn't know before.

charlie15 · Apr 14th, 2012, 16:43 PM

Yes progesterone increases your lung capacity as you need to get rid of carbon dioxide as well as oxygenate the baby. The increase in carbon dioxide is not low at all in the 1st tri as metabolism in 1st tri is huge (which is why fatigue is so bad in the 1st tri). The main purpose of breathing is to expel carbon dioxide so this would increase your respiration rate. The uterus won't place pressure on your diaphragm until the 3rd tri which will make breathing harder then as you can't breathe as deeply.

Apr 14th, 2012, 01:47 AM	#1
cheshire Other Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,288	Anyone feeling shortness of breath when lying on their back? I have never experienced this so early on, it has been happening since week 6 or so. I am not overly concerned but I am sure it cannot be the result of a large uterus and I am not overweight!! So could there be another cause? It only happens on my back and my husband is teasing me about starting to act 'super' pregnant already

Status: Offline

Apr 14th, 2012, 02:12 AM	#2
CandyApple19 Trying to conceive (TTC) BnB Addict Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: West Yorkshire, Batley Posts: 9,369	Ooohh? blood pressure? im already going diiiizzzy!!! im either 6+4 or 7+4 xx

Status: Offline

Apr 14th, 2012, 03:46 AM	#3
Kba x Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Uk Posts: 215	I can't even string a sentence together without getting out of breath think its just one of tose thing my dh calls it lazyitus cheeky

Status: Offline

Apr 14th, 2012, 05:34 AM	#4
charlie15 Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: London Posts: 1,542	yep i've become shorter of breath recently, it's horrible! mainly when walking fast, i just get puffed out but also worse when i go to bed so I have to prop myself up! I was going pretty crazy last week so went to my GP about it as to top it off I had really bad nasal congestion. He told me that when pregnant you don't eat for 2 but you do breathe for 2 so your respiration rate goes up and you breathe deeper which leaves you feeling puffed out. This usually starts from about 9-10 weeks onwards, so towards the end of the 1st tri. The shortness of breathe lying down was worsened by nasal congestion so he prescribed beclomethasone nasal spray which is safe in pregnancy. I also bought those nasal strips that open up your nostrils and wow I slept so well after that with no shortness of breath lying down! not sure if this is the same at all for you or any help at all! but that's what caused my problem.

Status: Offline

Apr 14th, 2012, 12:34 PM	#5
cheshire Other Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,288	Thanks ladies, sounds like it's just normal out of breath pregnancy symptoms. I have read that apparently hGC levels can cause breathlessness and I am suffering with nausea so that makes sense. I never knew hormones caused you to be breathless!

Status: Offline

Apr 14th, 2012, 15:58 PM	#7
Deb111 Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Birmimgham, UK Posts: 5,266	So glad I'm not the only one! I feel like an old lady by the time I've gone upstairs!

Status: Offline

Apr 14th, 2012, 16:02 PM	#8
jaggers Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 267	I was just wondering about that. I'm only 6w2d but it seems like I'm a little more out of breath...

Status: Offline

Apr 14th, 2012, 16:43 PM	#10
charlie15 Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: London Posts: 1,542	Yes progesterone increases your lung capacity as you need to get rid of carbon dioxide as well as oxygenate the baby. The increase in carbon dioxide is not low at all in the 1st tri as metabolism in 1st tri is huge (which is why fatigue is so bad in the 1st tri). The main purpose of breathing is to expel carbon dioxide so this would increase your respiration rate. The uterus won't place pressure on your diaphragm until the 3rd tri which will make breathing harder then as you can't breathe as deeply.

Status: Offline

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