Hyperemesis Gravidarum

My blog is in much need of updating after a long hiatus due to hyperemesis gravidarum, which I will explain in this post. I'm very happy to announced that I am with child, and due to give birth to him in September of this year.

HYPEREMESIS GRAVIDARUM: extreme, persistent nausea and vomiting during pregnancy that may lead to dehydration. Symptoms: Severe, persistent nausea during pregnancy, often leads to weight loss; Lightheadedness or fainting.

Our family was very excited to find out that I was once again with child. I was having bouts of motion-sickness-like nausea that came and went and it wasn't too bad, but then in a couple weeks it crescendoed into unrelenting nausea, vomiting, and fatigue that kept me up in bed for 2 months. What a Lent...
I was very blessed to have my husband home during this time and he is truly my hero. He spent his vacation time taking care of everyone and everything and when he went back to work, worked early morning hours and came home mid morning to serve the children breakfast and take care of everyone for the rest of the day. This man deserves a medal.  Anyway, I thought I would share some sources of information on hyperemesis gravidarum, or "HG".

Hyperemesis gravidarum is more than just "morning sickness". It's estimated that it effects between .3%-2% of pregnant women. Thankfully today we have medical interventions such as anti-nausea meds, IVs, and PET feeding so that it is usually not a fatal condition today (apparently Charlotte Brontë author of the novel "Jane Eyre" may have died from malnutrition due to HG.)

Here are some of my HG tips and advice:
1) early intervention: if your morning sickness is worsening or you have a history of severe morning sickness or moderate to severe HG, intervene in the early stages and you may be able to prevent the dehydration-vomiting cycle. Don't wait.
2) arrange for any child care you may need if you have older children

3) don't be afraid of medications. Ask anyone I know, I love going the natural route and am reluctant to seek medical intervention unless it is really necessary, especially since I'm always pregnant and/or nursing. BUT if you have a history of morning sickness and HG anti-emetics might help and the benefits often outweigh the much scarier risks of malnutrition, dehydration, and keytone production that come with HG. Severe dehydration can lead to miscarriage, because muscles (including the uterus) will begin to suffer and contract when lacking proper hydration. Medications don't work for everyone with HG but I took B6 with Unisom and it did help quite a bit (other medications include phenergan, zofran, and if you can get your hands on it, I've heard good things about Diclectin which is made specifically for treatment of NVP (nausea and vomiting of pregnancy) but it cannot be obtained in the US as the US FDA has not yet approved it. It is available in Canada.)
4) natural remedies to treat or accompany medical treatment for HG and NVP:

 

     a) Chiropractic: in my 3rd pregnancy I was able to completely alleviate nausea with chiropractic care. This time around it did give me occasional relief but couldn't completely eliminate it, but I know from experience that depending on the pregnancy this can be a very effective treatment for nausea of pregnancy.

 

     b) aromatherapy/essential oils: ginger, peppermint, lemon and other citrus... you can find lots of books and other sources on particular oils to use for pregnancy and for nausea. doTERRA makes a blend called DigestZen that was very helpful to me when rubbed on the abdomen or even taken (1 drop) in water.
5) if in doubt, have it checked out: especially if fluids cannot be kept down for 24 hours or more, you need to see your provider or visit the ER to receive fluids.

Of course, the information and advise are just my personal non-professional advice and you should always talk to your doctor or midwife blah blah blah....
For information on HG, information for mothers, but also for family and friends, there is a lot of information on this website: http://www.helpher.org/ (to which I credit the chart below). 
Here is a useful chart for identifying HG.

Morning Sickness	Hyperemesis Gravidarum
You lose little if any weight.	You lose 5-20 pounds or more. (> 5% of prepregnancy weight)
Nausea and vomiting do not interfere with your ability to eat or drink enough each day.	Nausea and vomiting cause you to eat very little and get dehydrated from vomiting if not treated.
You vomit infrequently and the nausea is episodic but not severe. It may cause discomfort and misery.	You vomit often and may vomit bile or blood if not treated. Nausea is usually moderate to severe and constant.
Dietary and/or lifestyle changes are enough to help you feel better most of the time.	You will probably require fluid hydration through a vein and/or medications to stop the vomiting.
You typically will improve gradually after the first trimester, but may be a little queasy at times during the remainder of your pregnancy.	You usually feel somewhat better by mid-pregnancy, but you may continue to be nauseous and/or vomit until late pregnancy.
You will be able to work most days and care for your family.	You will likely be unable to work for weeks or months, and may need help caring for yourself.