Frustrated with extreme anemia...

GhanimaAtreides

I came to the depressing conclusion this morning that if I had delivered a full-term baby Monday instead of hemorraging pre-D&C, I would be feeling myself by now. Able to do light housework. Able to stand up longer than 10 minutes without getting winded.

I get short of breath eating... like some morbidly obese person. I have to...pace...myself... just to do a bowel movement so I don't pass out on the toilet with my pants around my ankles. I straightened up some couch cushions this morning and about fell over. DH chucked a plate of leftover spaghetti at me and told me to stuff my face, carbs are good for energy. He's started doing voiceovers of whatever I'm trying to do in Cartman's voice off South Park.

I managed to get my dehydration mostly fixed by last night, and finally don't have those awful pounding headaches. I started iron supplementation yesterday and still... short of breath, trying to compensate for not having the blood to carry O2 around.

I have stuff I need to do, and here I am budgeting my standing up time between bathroom breaks, eating, getting water, and trying to clean up after a family of 5 plus 3 cats a few precious minutes at a time. DH finally started pitching in today and did a marathon cleaning bailout for about 90 minutes this morning, but I feel so guilty still. We're supposed to be hosting a BBQ/Cards Against Humanity night tomorrow for DH's coworkers, that we've had planned for at least 2-3 months. My therapist thought it would be a good distraction for me. I'm worried that after cleaning up everything, I'm going to want to crawl into bed at 7pm.

Anyone else struggling with not having the energy to do all the normal stuff?

letyourheartbeyourguide

I definitely lacked energy for a solid week or two, but mine was more because of anxiety issues causing physical symptoms. I had a non-TTC health issue a few months ago and I was basically laid up in bed for three weeks and then verrrrrry slow going for another month after that. It was infuriating, so I definitely sympathize!!!

Just remember that your body went through a lot. I think as women we get so conditioned that we have to be able to "do it all" but it's just not realistic all the time - don't feel guilty for needing to take things slower than usual, or that you need help with things.

kcmichel

You sound just like me. I lost a lot of blood from taking cytotec (ended up in the ER) and still feel like crap - holy cow the headaches are still awful a week later. I also have 3 kids, (all under age 4 and I too came to that depressing realization that I wouldn't feel like this if I just had a baby).
Yes the normal stuff is done here and there and usually takes all day, if I get to it at all. I have to start dinner 3 hours before eating time because I can only stand and move around for so long before needing a break so it takes longer. It's so out of the norm for me and I feel like crap for it.
I found myself saying this past week that I have never felt this depleted in my life. Feeling like this absolutely adds insult to injury when we have already been through so much.
Ive continued taking prenatal vitamins and tomorrow DH is getting me straight iron supplements. Thank goodness he comes home and helps me - very rarely do I ask for it but I need it now more than ever. The biggest thing he does is if the kids are nagging/whining for something he takes care of it so I'm not juggling 4 things at once.
Im so sorry for your loss. Im glad you are starting to feel a little better. It's tough but try to look at it as - the more help we get/the slower we take it now the sooner we can move passed this. It's one of those situations where mind over matter only works against us. I hope the BBQ goes okay, just do what you can and if you need to excuse yourself early then do so. Hope we feel better soon!

GhanimaAtreides

Oh wow... I just found this reference (could be disturbing), but all in all... between 6 peri pads, and 10-15 incontinence pads, plus gowns, I lost at minimum 3,000mls of blood over 6.5hrs. I really think I should've had a transfusion! I wonder why they decided not to?

This is my 3rd day on iron supplementation, 6 days since surgery, and it's the first time I've felt even remotely alert/normal mentally, though still flagging on physical energy.

letyourheartbeyourguide

Oh my gosh! That's a crazy amount. In terms of getting your energy back, I'm sure it's SO hard to be patient. But in the meantime I'm glad you're starting to feel a little bit more alert! Hang in there!!

bsckgb7

Lurker here - but I have had iron infusions before.  The hematologist says it takes 4-6 weeks before the iron STARTS to increase blood volume (so don't expect a miracle).  Did you doctor check your levels to add the iron?  How low where your levels?  Obviously, if they were too low, he would have ordered a transfusion. 

GhanimaAtreides

Doc didn't give me exact numbers, nurse just said over the phone I was pretty anemic. Doc stated after pulling my lower eyelids down that I wasn't quite bad off enough for an outpatient transfusion. He said it would only take a week at most to recover from blood loss. Here we are at a week plus 1. At least my BP at the therapist's this morning was my normal 108/xx. Last week it was 95/xx, so that's a huge improvement!

I started feeling much more alert mentally yesterday, I've been on iron for 6 days now. I get dizzy pretty bad still with going to standing from sitting or lying down, but it seems to pass in about 5min. My new standing max without needing rest is 15+ minutes. I did have to pull up a bar stool to cook dinner this evening. I was able to drive short errands 2 days ago and a long one (1hr each way) today. It's progress. I'm thinking of tackling an outing to the Butterfly Pavilion here this coming week with the kids. The trip never lasts much more than an hour and there are plenty of benches throughout for the senior citizens I can rest at. I just want to feel back to normal 100%. The exhaustion is like some unfair constant reminder.