Support Thread for Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) Sufferers

[CaseyM]

Hi Sagres,
No, we lived in the country 3 hours from the regional hospital, so no obs for the previous pregnancies. One time when we were in town for my checkup at the doctors I asked for help about the vomitting, but at the time I "wasn't sick enough" and "it should settle down". It did settle down - when I was 7 months pregnant, but I was nausious up until a week AFTER my daughter was born. I was told "this is what it feels like to be pregnant" so didn't know any different. I lived on hydralite and gaviscon. That's the hard bit about living in the bush, when you are sick, you just have yourself to look after yourself, there is none of this "lets just check it out at the ED". There was no way I could drive - let alone drive for 3 hours each way to get checked out. Just lucky enough that I could resign from my job and stay home while my husband worked.
I looked up one of the recommended obs on this site, and he has an office about 25 minutes away, so might just call and see what the receptionist says about just having a chat with the ob. It is a scary thought to go through all that again - it is the sickest and loneliest I've ever felt. But the desire for a little one is so strong.

[Lily Dust]

No, we lived in the country 3 hours from the regional hospital, so no obs for the previous pregnancies. One time when we were in town for my checkup at the doctors I asked for help about the vomitting, but at the time I "wasn't sick enough" and "it should settle down". It did settle down - when I was 7 months pregnant, but I was nausious up until a week AFTER my daughter was born. I was told "this is what it feels like to be pregnant"

Yep, unfortunately I was in a similar predicament, small country town and no one had even heard of HG!! I was also told 'welcome to pregnancy' as well as 'pregnancys the easy part, wait till labour starts' and that was by a midwife pffft, laughed at her, labour was a piece of cake compared to HG and IVF!!! Which brings me to my next point...I was lucky (if you can call it that) my IVF clinic which was in the city knew of HG and spoke to my local GPs urging them to provide me with Zofran, had they refused, the IVF clinic would have sent me the scripts. I even struggled as the local GPs were reluctant to hand out more then 1 script telling me I probably had some kind of bug and they treated me like some contagious leppa (sp?), 1 script (10 tablets) lasted me 3 days- fat lot of good that was!!! CaseyM, Im so sorry that this is where you are at, you are right it is such a scary thought to entertain having to be that sick for that long again no advice really jsut

[CaseyM]

Lily Dust

THANK YOU!!

It is nice to feel not so alone. I'm not the most confident person, so can't handle being told by doctors just to "deal with it - you want a baby, this is what you have to put up with". So I don't want to be really sick, travelling around with two tired/hungry kids, looking like a homeless lady asking for help from a doctor who doesn't care either way, only to be told to put up with it. I think I would just cry. (mmm... maybe that would work...)!! HA!! Sounds like you must have had the same doctors as me!! I hope your IVF clinic were good to you. Must have some really nice nurses.

I just want to feel that someone will help me if I need help, so I don't want to get pregnant until I KNOW someone will help. Mind you, I have learnt alot from others on this site. I have vitamin B6 and ginger root powder tablets in my cupboard, so when I am ready, I will start taking these before TTC!! Phenergen just knocks me out - so too scared to try that!! LOL!!

Thanks for the hug.
xx

[Sagres]

That sounds really bad CaseyM it is just beyond belief that doctors would treat you like that.
But looking forward you are closer to better medical resources now and you have us here so it WILL be better next time.

[CaseyM]

You know what - its really nice to have you guys!! You are right, I am much closer to help now, just might take me a little while to find an ob that will help - but much better to find it while I am still capable, rather than crook as and uncapable. Be prepared - that's what the boyscouts say isn't it??!!
And when things get bad and I just want to hear from someone else who is/has gone through it, I have you guys here, if I can get to the computer room. Honestly, some days I didn't leave my bed, so I want to find help as I now have two kids to look after - mind you, if I wait till next year, they both will be in full-time school, which gives me the best part of the day to take care of myself. ATM my eldest is in school 5d/wk and my little one will start school next month - two days a week.

thanks for your support. I will try and find a local ob to talk with.
xx

[Lily Dust]

You know what - its really nice to have you guys!!

Isnt it lovely to have a bit of support from others who have suffered like you have Thanks Sagres for starting this thread!!!

I think its a great idea CaseyM to find a Dr to have a chat to in advance. Yes, one particular nurse at my IVF clinic was an absolute angel, I am eternally grateful to that beautiful lady. When I had my D&C she came into work just to see me and give me support

Diamond Girl, how you getting on hun??

to everyone

[Diamond Girl]

Hi all, I am still ok, still no HG, just m/s. What a miracle!

Casey, I think you are on the more severe side of HG. I had mild HG with DS1, but I would say moderate with DS2. If you are still sick a week after birth then Id say that is severe. Part of the problem with HG is being believed and taken seriously by Drs. I hope you can find a Dr who supports you 100% and knows you arent exaggerating, but that you really are sick and need help. I think it is great that you want to be proactive about your next pg. I did the same, with this pg I asked my GP for a maxalon prescription at 4 wks, because my HG always started at 5wks. He laughed at me and said 'come back when you are sick and we will discuss it'. I said, 'if I wait until Im sick, then I'll be TOO SICK to come and get it, especially with 2 kids!'. Luckily I havent needed it this time though. Ive also read that it does help if you are medicated straight away to help delay the vomiting cycle. I was medicated from 6wks last pg, but it was already too late.

Lily Dust - I have always said that giving birth is the easy part, its the months of torture with HG that are worse!

I really hope all of you ladies can have a HG free pg. I cannot tell you what it feels like to actually feel relatively normal during pg. Problem is that I still dont believe I am actually pg, and I have asked for another u/s next week to make sure everything is ok.

[melsa31]

Hello, I feel a bit like I'm not allowed to post here as I don't have HG but severe morning sickness. So I hope you all don't mind.

I just need a little advice on how to deal with being so sick and still getting on with life. I work two days a week and have a two year old at home. Most days I vomit but even when I don't feel so awful that I still can't manage the housework or cooking and I've lost weight. We have spent so much time at home I feel like a bad mother as my DS isn't getting the activities and socialising that we normally do. I have avoided having anyone visit except for close family as I'm embarrassed by the state of my house
My other issue is my DH. I had morning sickness til 35 weeks in my first pg which was almost ignorable after 20 weeks and my DH was amazing. He was so supportive, emotionally and with household chores and cooking but this time around it's like he's ignoring the fact that I'm not well. He helps a lot with DS but nothing else and it makes me feel really alone and guilty for not being on top of things when he works all day. Not that he says that but it's how I feel.
So, I guess I just needed to get that out and wonder what strategies you've used to get through the days?

Thanks for reading

[Diamond Girl]

Firstly to you. M/s is awful and you are most welcome to post here.

The main piece of advice I can give is that you really need to listen to your body. Dont force yourself to do anything you dont feel well enough to do, because most likely it will make you feel worse. Try to get as much sleep as you can because tiredness exacerbates m/s. If you can stomach smaller meals then try that because an empty stomach makes m/s worse. Your DH might go to work all day but I bet he would have a ton more energy at the end of the day than you do right now, so he should do more housework/cooking than he normally does and you could remind him that m/s doesnt last forever, and that you really are unwell at the moment. Unfortunately, I was too sick for any strategy to really help me get through the day so I was miserable the entire first half of both pg's and my DH had no choice but to do everything.

Most of all though, dont allow yourself to feel guilty about not doing enough. Its not your fault that you feel so sick. I felt very guilty that I couldnt care for DS1 at all which meant that my mum had to take him every day and this caused me to get very depressed. You have to realise that you will go back to normal eventually and you will be able to do everything again.

I hope this helps you. You are doing the best you can under difficult circumstances.

[Lily Dust]

Hi melsa31
Another big from me and as DG said you are very welcome in here!
I dont have a lot to offer because I couldnt get on with life and I didnt have another child that I had to chase. This may sound odd but try some peeled green apples, chew them up ALOT and it may help to ease your stomach a little. A few ideas I was given (although didnt work) were the sea sickness bands and eating protein ie a piece of cheese, its meant to combat the nausea.
Please do not feel guilty, you will get back on top of it all and there is no point trying while you are sick because, well be exhausted is only gonna make you feel worse.
Sorry not much help

[trishy]

Hi ladies

I didnt know this thread was here, I am 16 weeks and what started out as bad ms as I get further into my pregnancy has turn into HG. I had a bad week this week and my DP was interstate so even though I knew I should have went to the ED I didnt and now I cant seem to get back on the top of things. I am scared to eat, I just cant deal with the sensation of throwing up any more, undigested food and worse. Sorry TMI. At least I seem to be holding down mineral water now, but since my latest extreme illness I can stand the taste on normal water. I'm trying to eat small meals or nuts, carrot sticks but I have lost more weight and worry what this is doing to me and the baby. I havent touch the housework in ages and feel like a bad parent to my daughter. My DP is going away again next week for 2 weeks and I am so scare, that he will be so far away. We dont have family support near us and I have only lived in this area for a couple of years and havent really made a close friend yet.

Any tips on changing this mind set Im in, its like I have given up?

DG its lovely to see you in here, your a gem supporting these women.

[Lily Dust]

Hi trishy

Sorry that you have had to join the ranks of HG sufferers but a warm welcome anyway. Have you tried eating peeled green apples, apparently there is some kind of thing in them that assists to ease your tummy, as you can see Im very technical in my description

Try not to feel guilty, you are doing the best you can in a bad situation. It seems like the world is on top of you now but it will go away, eventually. I dont have much advice as I didnt suffer through it with another child and was bedridden and hospitalised for most of the first half. You may need to speak to your GP about medication if nothing else is helping and you are at risk of dehydration etc. Dont worry about what its doing to your bubba, that little one is taking everything from you. you're the one suffering

Melsa & AAC, how are you girls getting on???

DG- Wheres your avvy??

[Sagres]

Wellllllll I think it is about time I came clean.........I am expecting baby #2 in October!!! Sorry for not spilling the beans a bit earlier (I am 12 weeks now), I just don't do the 'sharing details online before telling my family and friends' thing. Hope you understand. I realise the irony of starting a support thread then not posting in it at the appropriate time, but hey, I've been supporting others so I haven't just been hanging around making the place look untidy

So the big question is have I got HG? The answer is I'm not sure but I think perhaps NO!!!! I have had some pretty crappy times and have been pretty horribly sick, but it is way better than last time and I am already seeing the throwing up tapering off - woo hoo! I personally think I have just pretty bad MS and have had a few gastro/stomach upsets that have seen me have a few HG like days, but it has been a week or a few days here and there, not constant IYKWIM. I still have the nasty nausea a lot but hey, it's just nausea, I can deal with that. I am still on maxalon and when try to stop I get sick again, but again I can deal with that.

Sorry about the ME ME ME post. I hope all of you that are going through the dark days at the moment are getting close to some better days...x

[edaj84]

I suffered through 37+5 and 43+5 weeks of HG with my two. To make matters worse I had a blood pressure of about 70/40 and so for most of the day I was either passing out or vomiting or passing out and vomiting. I was prescribed maxolon for a short time, it didn't help one iota and moreover, we discovered that I was severely allergic to it. During my first pregnancy I had gallstones and had to have an open operation to remove my gall bladder at about 23 weeks pregnant. When I got pregnant with number 2, I really hoped that the vomiting had been caused by the gallbladder issues and hence wouldn't reoccur but I wasn't that lucky. Like other people, I have come to realise that as terrible as it is, I would rather be extremely ill and get to keep my babe. I have had 5 pregnancies and have only 2 little ones the three that are no longer with me did not make me sick at all.