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Why Do I Feel Tired And Weak During Pregnancy?
Question: i am 34 years old about 5'4 and weigh 125 actually, i recently gave birth in december 2010 and now july 2011 i am 7 1/2 weeks pregnant again and for the past 2 1/2 weeks i've been feeling feverish like, it started with a cold so i thought it was the cold doing this to me but i guess not. i feel feverish, meaning i feel overly tired, extremely weak, like can't get up from bed, my body aches, my eyes are heavy and watery, hard to keep them open, my head is heavy and i'm cold most of the time and i get chills sometimes, i'm always thirsty and i feel sick, just sick, like someone with high fever and something else, don't know. i've done tests and all they found is a antibiotics, it's been 1 week since i've been taking the antibiotics but still feel the same. i am scared, i don't know what's wrong with me and i don't know what to do. please tell me what this could be and what to do.please. thank you. beatrice
Hello,
Thanks for writing to us.
During pregnancy specially in the early weeks- upto 14 weeks, the body adjusts itself with the suddenly rising levels of progesterone in the body which causes symptoms like feeling feverish, tired, weakness, body aches, etc.The feeling of overall heaviness is due to water retention.
All your symptoms will graduallly subside in next 3-4 weeks.
The other possibility most likely is a benign type of viral syndrome. Viruses in the environment are common and when we are exposed to them they can sometimes trigger a constellation of symptoms including fatigue, weakness, febrile sensation, chills, dry mouth,etc.
These types of viral syndromes typically last from as little as 3 days up to sometimes 4 to 6 weeks. I would advise that you support your body with good hydration, adequate sleep, a well-balanced diet and a moderate exercise regimen. Exercise is actually good for the immune system which is why I suggest it here. In addition you can supplement your diet with some Vitamin C - 1000 mg daily and consider drinking some immune boost type of tea such as Echinacea which is readily available at most supermarkets.
I expect your symptoms to gradually level off and improve over the next week or two. In the event that this does not occur, I suggest you visit with your primary physician for a complete physical exam and possibly some blood work as well. In the meantime, try not to worry about this and focus on maintaining good health as I have recommended with diet, fluid intake and exercise as well as adequate sleep (7-9 hours per night).
I hope my answer and recommendations are adequate and helpful. Waiting for your further follow up queries if any.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Thanks for writing to us.
During pregnancy specially in the early weeks- upto 14 weeks, the body adjusts itself with the suddenly rising levels of progesterone in the body which causes symptoms like feeling feverish, tired, weakness, body aches, etc.The feeling of overall heaviness is due to water retention.
All your symptoms will graduallly subside in next 3-4 weeks.
The other possibility most likely is a benign type of viral syndrome. Viruses in the environment are common and when we are exposed to them they can sometimes trigger a constellation of symptoms including fatigue, weakness, febrile sensation, chills, dry mouth,etc.
These types of viral syndromes typically last from as little as 3 days up to sometimes 4 to 6 weeks. I would advise that you support your body with good hydration, adequate sleep, a well-balanced diet and a moderate exercise regimen. Exercise is actually good for the immune system which is why I suggest it here. In addition you can supplement your diet with some Vitamin C - 1000 mg daily and consider drinking some immune boost type of tea such as Echinacea which is readily available at most supermarkets.
I expect your symptoms to gradually level off and improve over the next week or two. In the event that this does not occur, I suggest you visit with your primary physician for a complete physical exam and possibly some blood work as well. In the meantime, try not to worry about this and focus on maintaining good health as I have recommended with diet, fluid intake and exercise as well as adequate sleep (7-9 hours per night).
I hope my answer and recommendations are adequate and helpful. Waiting for your further follow up queries if any.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
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