# Rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath and lightheadedness



## TMonster

Throughout my pregnancy I have had some random episodes where I just feel short of breath, my heart rate seems to increase and I get lightheaded and need to lie down. These incidents seem to be increasing in frequency and I am not sure if its a cause for concern or just a normal part of pregnancy.

Last week I had an incident where I wasn't exerting myself at all and this happened. I was feeling fine, I walked to the grocery store, picked up a couple of bags of groceries, came home, started cooking and suddenly in the middle of slicing some onions it just came on. I went to lie down on the couch since I was worried about fainting with no one else around. After lying down for about 10 minutes I started to feel better so I got up and continued my cooking but within a minute of standing I started feeling it again. My mother was coming over to pick something up so I asked her to stay with me till DH got home.

A few days ago I was with my sister, I walked about a mile and it was quite humid out, I went to see her new dorm and then we went downstairs to her dining hall to get some lunch and as I was standing there the same thing happened. I was also extremely hot even though she insisted it was freezing there. We went to the lounge and I rested there. I checked my pulse and it was about 120 resting which is VERY high for me. I finally dozed off for a while and then DH called to check up on me and came to get me so I wouldn't take the train home alone. 

Just now it happened again, I was totally fine, I was cooking and it was a bit warm in the kitchen and suddenly I had to lie down again. I just felt my heart pounding like crazy. I checked my pulse and it was 95 so elevated for me but not as bad as a few days ago. I had a major hot flash where I was sweating with the AC blasting on me and I just needed to rest.

I am not swollen or anything but could this be a sign of preeclampsia or is it just normal pregnancy shortness of breath and stuff?

I dont have a blood pressure monitor but its always around 110/70 when they check at the doctors office.


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## eew1471

Maybe low blood sugar or anxiety? I would tell my Dr. I had a lot of episodes like that at end of second tri but thankfully they have gotten less and less lately! My dr never could figure out why I was having them... I started keeping a protein bar or shake on hand at all times which made me feel better, but don't know if it was mental of physical! Hope you feel better!


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## teacup22

Is your iron ok? I felt a lot like this before I found out i was anaemic :(
Feeling much better now I'm on a supplement though x


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## TMonster

I am a bit anemic. I ran out of iron tablets and havent ordered more. I've been trying to increase my iron intake from food but I suppose that could be it. I will get some tomorrow.


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## beagleowner

These aren't contractions then? I had a recent post where I asked if anyone else experienced heart pounding, suffocating-type sensations during contractions and loads of people had.


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## TMonster

I have tons of contractions where I never feel that. I do contract at times when I feel this but this lasts much longer than the contraction. The contraction is usually only for a few seconds. I feel this way for about 10-15 min at a time.


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## beagleowner

TMonster said:


> I have tons of contractions where I never feel that. I do contract at times when I feel this but this lasts much longer than the contraction. The contraction is usually only for a few seconds. I feel this way for about 10-15 min at a time.

Oh OK, nevermind then! And it also would've been unusual to have the contractions while walking around.


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## whittnie117

Has your heartrate been elevated most of the time, or only during the episodes? My nurse said she thinks my elevated heartrate is probably due to the amount of fluid I have pumping through my system. I'm clear for gd and pre-e, so that's the only thing she can think of. Like you, I get light headed and get short of breath too. She said those episodes might be my blood pressure getting high and there may be no reason, but to watch it and call if I have swelling as well. She didn't seem too concerned. If you figure out what it is, let us know. Because I'd like to know what it is too! 

Oh she also said to decrease salt intake to help alleviate some fluid retention.


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## Akl2012

I was just in l&d yesterday for the exact same thing. Ive had these kinds of episodes for a while in my pregnancy. One time it got so bad that my vision and hearing started going. I kind of started seeing black and white and everything sounded like I was under water or something. I was taken by ambulance to l&d on that occasion and my blood pressure was high just on the ambulance but when I got to the hospital it was normal. 

I get very worried about it but all the doctors tell me its normal during pregnancy and dont give me any other explanation.


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## mummy2be...

This happens to me all the time!


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## Beadle

I have been trying to figure it out too since I get this a lot but with a few extras too, but mine tends to happen more right after I eat, or if I'm taking a long time to eat (like at a buffet or something). Except my left arm will start to tingle and go numb too along with all the things you listed, usually if I can't lay down (like in a restaurant) I'll just have to deal with closing my eyes and doing some controlled breathing until it passes.


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## TMonster

Beadle said:


> I have been trying to figure it out too since I get this a lot but with a few extras too, but mine tends to happen more right after I eat, or if I'm taking a long time to eat (like at a buffet or something). Except my left arm will start to tingle and go numb too along with all the things you listed, usually if I can't lay down (like in a restaurant) I'll just have to deal with closing my eyes and doing some controlled breathing until it passes.

Now that you mentioned it I do tend to get it at restaurants too. I stopped going out to eat because it seemed like every time we would go to a restaurant I would start feeling sick and needed to lie down and it would frustrate DH because it would ruin his evening out with me.


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## Yipee

I get this too, minus the hot flashes, and not sure about my pulse, since I never checked. I was thinking the shortness of breath might be caused by less space for my lungs (I think I heard that can happen as baby gets bigger) and the dizziness maybe from not getting enough oxygen, due to less lung capacity. But I'm actually not sure, because it happens more when I'm tired or hungry.


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## stoots

Sounds like pregnancy related ventricular arrythmia to me, same as I had last pregnancy and this. You may not think that walking a mile is strenuous but to your heart now trying to pump 50% more blood volume around your entire body, it really is! I couldn't load the dishwasher due to mine as it was just the right kind of squeezing on my chest to trigger it! More info here
https://www.livestrong.com/article/183623-what-causes-heart-palpitations-during-pregnancy/


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## broodymrs

I've had this exact same thing and put it down to anaemia.


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## Noo

Sounds like low blood pressure or anaemia. I suffer with both and quite often find myself on the floor!


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