Shortness of Breath - FYI/PSA

migdala

In case anyone out there is also experiencing this ...

I got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and when I came back to bed, I felt like I could not get enough air.  I wasn't wheezing or breathing laboriously, it just felt like my normal breaths weren't giving me enough oxygen.  It wasn't like I was gasping for air, it just felt abnormal and a little uncomfortable (and scary because everything strange seems scary right now).  I eventually went to sleep but the next morning it was still going on.  I called my OB on my way to work just looking for reassurance, because I read that shortness of breath isn't uncommon in the 1st trimester due to lung expansion and increased progesterone.  She did NOT reassure me -- she sent me to the ER, worried about a blood clot.  I got there and they did blood work, urine analysis, O2 levels, blood pressure, etc.  Everything was normal.  They wanted to do an X-ray but I refused (worried about radiating the sweet pea).

Everything I read about shortness of breath online was vague and it seemed like it only was normal if you'd been exerting yourself, which is why I reached out to the OB to make sure everything was ok. $2,000 worth of ER bills later, I'm told that nothing is wrong with me and pregnancy is just weird.  Obviously if you are scared you should Google everything and definitely call your doctor/go to the ER if you're still worried, but maybe I can save someone else out there an exorbitant and unnecessary hospital bill by posting this.

peachesnbean

My boss threw a clot to her lung when she was 5 weeks pp, her experience was similar to a gall bladder attack. It hurt to breathe and felt like she was being stabbed.

migdala

@peachesnbean That's so scary ... I think one of the hardest things for me so far is being able to differentiate between a twinge/symptom that's uncomfortable but normal and one that's cause for alarm. This is my first pregnancy so everything just feels freaky and it's easy for me to go straight to "omg something must be wrong."

MamaCoffin

OP I had a very similar situation around 7 weeks with my first pregnancy. I'm glad I went to the er. Turned out I had suffered an asthma attack (never having had asthma before) and ended up hospitalized. If I hadn't gone in for my concerns I could have lost my daughter and suffered severe damage to myself. 

I understand you wanting to save women from unnecessarily spending money as you feel you did.... But I don't think you made the wrong choice. Sure it sucks to find out nothing is wrong and you're out all that time and money... But any number of things could have been wrong. You did the right thing for you and your unborn child and ANY woman experiencing something similar should seek medical attention. 

I'm glad everything turned out to be OK. Count your blessings. Not the dollars spent. 

migdala

@MamaCoffin I certainly agree that if you're worried, you should go. I've had asthma and that's not what I experienced -- just a slight windedness, no tightness or anything like that. No one I know remembered experiencing it, which is what caused me to overreact. If I had known other people experience it I would've monitored as a symptom maybe but not acted like it was an emergency. Just putting my experience out there in case anyone is experiencing something similar and wondering if she's the only one.

But of course, any airway tightness or lightheadedness or whatever, absolutely take precautionary measures.

kswiger06

I'm glad this was started. It's scary having unusual symptoms, and I'm glad @migdala is ok. It sucks having to spend that much $ but it's great everything is fine. @MamaCoffin that you had a similar experience and had a different diagnosis is equally important to share. I appreciate the information as I have never quite experienced those exact symtoms, where it lasted that long, but I did have a brief 10 or so minute episode a few weeks ago where I felt like I was having to take extra deep breaths to get air and thought geez all I did was the dishes. It went away so I ignored it, but now I know it could be very serious. 

WinchesterGirl

@migdala that is so scary! I do have asthma, so I probably would have assumed NBD, just asthma as usual! Although you are right, that episode doesn't sound like asthma feels...