Thal Minor, Pregnant with shortness of breath and tachycardia

Hi,

I have thal minor and have know since I was a child.  I usually feel great and have energy and I live a normal life, except for when I am pregnant. This is my 3rd pregnancy and for sure my last!!!  I have such a hard time when I am pregnant due to the thal minor. My Hgb usually is around 11, but when I am pregnant it goes down to 7.5-10 depending on the week! I also experience the following symptoms starting around week 6 of my pregnancy.  I get short of breath with minimal exertion-such as walking, my pulse is around 90-100 at rest and my BP typically is on the lower end 100/70. I get frequent headaches, and I hear my pulse in my right ear which is very annoying.  And I am very, very tired.  I also feel cold a lot even though the weather is very warm.

My doctors are still telling me the same thing. They say I need to increase my iron and then I would be fine.  I know that they are incorrect and I have not increased my iron, instead I try to take 1000mg of Folic Acid a day along with my multi vitamin and fish oil supplement.

So I guess my main concern is the fact that my pulse runs so high.  I worry that it is putting too much stress on my heart (which my last EKG showed all normal findings). I do remember that this occurred with my last 2 pregnancies, but this time it seems to be more frequent!

Is a rise in pulse normal for thal minor during pregnancy to help the body to compensate for the lack of O2 due to low Hgb levels? Is there anything I can do to help? I usually notice my shortness of breath increases significantly when my pulse is elevated, which makes sense, but it is really uncomfortable!

Hi terrisaj,

Some suggestions. Stay well hydrated. Try eating some salty foods when your BP is low. Double your folic acid intake. Take a natural vitamin E complex in a dose of 400-800 IU daily. A calcium/magnesium supplement with vitamin D and a 2:1 ratio of cal to mag, may also help to regulate the heart beat. A high fiber low fat diet can also be of help. Get your vitamin D level checked. If it is below 30, supplements are warranted. Mild exercise like walking on flat ground can also help. And as I said, stay hydrated, and keep in mind that if you are well hydrated, your sodium intake can be increased. As far as iron, ask for an iron panel before taking iron. Sometimes it is warranted for thal minors but the test should be done to verify that iron stores are low. Because pregnancy can deplete iron stores, it is advisable to have the panel done so you can make a decision on iron supplements.