What kind of back injury are you suffering from, is it being tired or being in pain that's keeping you in bed? I injured my back when I was 5 weeks pregnant with my youngest son, I slept all the time, and when I wasn't sleeping I was sitting on the couch,doing too much not only made me tired but made me hurt! I just did what I could and let it be, during this pregnancy I still suffer from the same pain and I've been really tired but now I have 2 to chase around, in the begginning I was so tired I literally could not keep my eyes open, and it ended up being that I was severley anemic, I also had a low thyroid, once those were balanced I was still in pain but I didn't feel like a zombie anymore, you should tell your ob and have your iron checked, you might have your blood sugars checked as well having too high or too low of sugars can cause extreme exaustion as well

How far along are you? That can make a difference. I had quite an issue with being tired during my first trimester, and now that I'm in the second, I've been feeling better.

I'm also on depression meds and have wondered if my fatigue was just due to the pregnancy or if my meds weren't working well enough. My mood has been fine (as well as my appetite and being able to enjoy things I like), so I figured it was just the pregnancy. Its been a challenge to balance daily tasks and my fatigue though. Everywhere you read it says not to push yourself when pregnant. But I've always had to push myself to get things done. It was tough for me to figure out how much pushing I needed to do that was 'normal' for me and what was beyond what I should be doing while pregnant. I discovered that if I got dizzy, or really out of breath or started to hurt, then it was time to stop. Trying gave me a little peace of mind that I wasn't losing it and being completely ineffective.

While I'm not sure what to suggest to raise your energy level, using a timer helps me get stuff done when I'm tired or lacking motivation. I'll set the timer for 10 or 15 minutes, knowing that its just a short little time, and if I run into issues of pushing too much I can stop. And when the timer goes off, I'm done. then I can feel good about getting at least SOMEthing done.

I posted a while back looking for ways to increase my energy too. I also am not working right now, so I'm at home most of the time. Several of the girls here suggested going out and walking around stores, just to change the environment and get a little exercise and fresh air. I can't say I did it very often, but when I did make myself take the dog for a walk around the block, I usually found myself feeling up to doing something when we got home.

But definitely go to the dr and talk about what could be causing this. There might be a simple fix!

I couldn't believe the exhaustion I felt in my first trimester. I would sleep all day, only getting up to eat a bit and go pee. I got better in the second trimester, but I still have days that just wipe me out. I baked cookies yesterday and that took all my energy away.

I found it the most depressing when I'd have to sleep all day when it was summer and beautiful and warm out. And I'd be in bed.

I just slept when I needed, and eventually my energy returned.

Thanks for the replies. I'm 22 weeks, so I'm into my second trimester already. During my last pregnancy I felt great during this time too.

I injured my L5-S1 while lifting/catching a patient. I also have reflex sympathetic dystrophy (or complex regional pain syndrome) as a result of the injury.

Will have to see what the Dr. says. I'm having trouble with my health insurance right now so I might just have to wait until my next prenatal check up. It's only 2 more weeks anyway.

I can't stand or walk for more then a few minutes at a time before my back and legs start hurting bad. So, physical activity is a challenge. That's why I don't leave the house much. Went to the supermarket a few weeks ago. I was in tears by the time we left. Won't do that again for a very long time.