Fainting While Pregnant......

I'll be 31 in Nov., am pregnant with my second and also see a cardiologist. I have heart palpitations when my hormones fluctuate (no fainting but feeling faint). It's a problem I have with pregnancy or birth control pills (basically an ongoing issue for me). I felt like my ob was quick to send me to the cardiologist so I was in denial at first. After some coaxing I did go see the cardiologist. The cardiologist will do an EKG and a sonogram most likely. I've also worn a heart monitor for a month. Luckily the palpitations are benign so now they just monitor me with routine checkups. I should mention that they may recommend a magnesium supplement. Sometimes it can cause me to have diarrhea if I get too much magnesium between diet and supplement. The diarrhea is a symptom of overactive thyroid as you may already know. As a result, I was having symptoms of an overactive thyroid so my dr. tested last week (32 weeks prego) and it came back normal. I guess my other symptoms must be due to my anemia problem. The joys of pregnancy!

Hi A.,
Congrats on your miracle #2. I also had near fainting spells with both of my pregnancies but much worse with #2. It was finally determined that the baby was pressing on the artery that runs up the back of my abdonimal wall causing my blood pressure to suddenly drop. It would happen at the most random times and I could never check my BP while it was happening. I was not referred to a cardiologist but at 31 weeks I was in the hospital with preterm labor and it happened. Luckily I was hooked up to a cuff and my BP dropped to 40's/30's (don't remember the exact reading but it scared the nurse enough to run out and get the doctor). The baby tolorated it well and it only lasted a few minutes and then I was fine. They said there was nothing to do about it but lay down when I feel faint.
Hopefully it is nothing serious and you have a healthy, uneventful rest of your pregnancy.
Congrats again!
~C.

Are you anemic?!
Your doctor should have checked for that.

If so, here is a great (non constipating) Iron recipe:

Borrow a cast iron skillet if you dont have one, cook up some steak strips, put it over fresh spinach leaves. Add Almonds & Manderin orange slices. (citrus helps iron absprb better - avoid dairy with this meal, as calcium blocks iron absorption)

Cook everything in the iron skillet.

If you end up needing an iron supplement, make sure it is "chelated" - (better absorption) drink plenty of water and eat prunes with them so they don't stop you up! I think prunes are also a good source of iron...

I hope your problem is as simple as this.

P.

I also fainted with my first son. I found out that I had low blood sugar (which went away after pregnancy). I couldn't eat too much sugar, especially in the mornings, but I had to have some throughout the day. Ask your doctor about it and see what you can do. This is serius and your doctor should not overlook it. I fainted at 8 1/2 months with my son and almost hit my head on a counter next to a coffee machine, if my uncle hadn't of caught me.