Hyperemesis Gravidarum is a severe medical condition that some women battle during pregnancy. Here’s one mom’s story of struggle with HG, and encouragement to other moms with this illness.
May 15 is Hyperemesis Gravidarum World Awareness Day, and I’m delighted to have my good friend Lexie of Lexie: Naturals guest posting again! I hope you’re truly blessed by Lexie’s transparency in sharing about the illness she endures while pregnant.
Guest Post by Lexie of Lexie: Naturals
I want to preface this post with this disclaimer: I realize that some women reading this are suffering with the sadness of a miscarriage or infertility. Some women would give anything to be pregnant right now–no matter what. This post is not meant to make you feel worse than you do; it is to help those who suffer in another very real way. It’s a very honest post about my own experiences with pregnancy, God’s grace and love, and how I deal with Hyperemesis Gravidarum.
In 2007, when I became pregnant with my first child, I remember sitting down on my couch and praying. I specifically remember telling God that it was okay if I needed to experience morning sickness (as if he needed my permission). I thought of the women I’d met in Africa who endured pregnancy with no bed, no mattress, nothing nice by our standards. So I thought, with all the luxuries of the Western world, I’ll be able to make it through just fine. I soon started to regret that prayer. Honestly regret it.
I suffered with what I now know is Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). Women with HG experience severe vomiting and nausea that does not end after the 12-week mark like typical morning sickness. They are often hospitalized for dehydration because they are unable to hold down any form of liquid or food.
HG commonly causes weight loss of 5% or more, fainting, confusion, headaches, food aversions that last beyond pregnancy, extreme fatigue, anxiety, depression, and many other symptoms. It is NOT the same as morning sickness and is not treated as easily or at all.
Unfortunately, many women do not even know what HG is, much less that they have it. I did not know that this miserable condition had a name until my second pregnancy. I had a good friend, who was pregnant with her 5th child, tell me that what I was experiencing was VERY abnormal. She did some research and informed me that what I was experiencing was Hyperemesis Gravidarum. I asked my doctor about it; she confirmed the diagnosis, but she offered me very little help.
Some days were harder than others, but there were occasional brief moments of sanity. However, I couldn’t cook or smell food. I would make my husband eat dinner in his car. I couldn’t snuggle with my precious daughter, and she felt so sorry for me. Some days I wanted to give up. Really give up.
Diana (from Hormonal Imbalances Blog–now closed) expressed perfectly what I felt for most of both of my pregnancies: “Every night I dread going to bed and every morning I dread waking up.” I kept track of my illness, and some days I threw up 10-15 times! I ended up losing 15-20 pounds in both my pregnancies and became very depressed.
But then, there were my Days of Grace. These were the days that God gave me to remind me of His love and goodness. These were the days that kept me going.
Well-meaning people kindly gave me cliche advice that only threw me into a deeper depression. Eat crackers and ginger cookies in the middle of the night and before I get out of bed? Some days I couldn’t even look at food! I learned to base my eating choices on what the food would look like coming back up, because I knew it would. I survived an entire week during my second pregnancy exclusively on Sprite. Nothing else.
After one of my hospital visits for IV fluids, I threw up 6 times in the parking lot before we left. No one’s advice helped, and I didn’t want to hear it!
I’ve never been one to ask for a prescription for every little illness. I always try to let things run their courses or seek natural remedies before heading to the doctor. However, after trying everything from soda crackers and pressure points to sour candy flown in from Belgium, I finally begged for something more from my doctor.
None of the typical pregnancy medicines helped me. I was finally issued a pump (similar to a diabetic insulin pump) that injected a medicine, usually given to cancer patients, into my thigh every 30 seconds. It was expensive and it was a hassle to deal with. But it digested my food more quickly, which helped me not get sick as often.
The Lord used it to bring me some daylight after a long period of darkness, and I don’t regret using the medicine. With both pregnancies, I was able to wean from the medicine some time in my third trimester and finally function somewhat normally for a while.
Some of you may know someone with Hyperemesis Gravidarum, or you may suffer with it yourself. To those of you suffering, you are not alone. God made you and loves you in the same way that He loves and is making your baby. Even though people close to you may not understand, there are women around the world who do. Don’t give up. It will end.
To those of you who may know someone with HG, please be sensitive. HG is NOT the same as morning sickness, so please don’t call it that or give off-handed advice for treating it. What a woman with HG really needs is loving community to help her cope. Bring her family a meal (ask about food aversions first), offer to keep her other children for a day, send encouraging verses and messages to her, or go sit with her if she’s feeling up for it (but don’t expect her to be the normal hostess). Whatever you do, be a blessing.
For more information on Hyperemesis Gravidarum, to seek help, or to find out how you can make a difference, visit the HER Foundation.
Have you ever heard of Hyperemesis Gravidarum? If you’ve experienced HG, what’s the best way that other people can support you during pregnancy?
Lexie is a follower of Jesus, the wife of the very talented Stephen McNeill, and a stay-at-home mother of two exquisite girls (ages 3 and 15 months). Her passions include spending time with friends and family, reading, traveling, and teaching. In an effort to live more naturally and frugally, she began making and selling her own lotion, lip balm and diaper cream. She loves sharing these passions with others and helping other families catch the vision of living more natural lifestyle.
Check out the other posts in this series:
- 10 Reasons We Opted to Give Birth at a Birth Center
- Pregnancy Posts Around the Web
- A Tale of Two Births: Medicated vs. Natural Hospital Births, part 2
- A Tale of Two Births: Medicated vs. Natural Hospital Births, part 1
- How to Achieve a Natural Birth in a Hospital Setting
- Real Food Pregnancy Cheats/Shortcuts
- OB or Midwife: Finding the Birth Provider Who Works for You
- A Comparison of Birth Settings: Home, Hospital and Birth Center
- Resources for a Natural Pregnancy
For help with preparing for a natural childbirth, check out the #1 bestselling online childbirth course, Mama Natural Birth Course. It will empower you to have the natural birth you want…and you can watch the course in the comfort of your own home! You may also like Mama Natural’s FREE introductory video on 8 Keys to a Natural Childbirth.
Faith Konrath
Thank you for this! My doctor has finally diagnosed me with HG and even though I am only 20 weeks….it has been a LONG 20 weeks. Everyone around me seems to think that I need to get over it, or just try more natural remedies, but the only thing that has helped me so far is taking Zofran. Thank you for your honesty in sharing this…it helps to hear other’s experiences.
Erin
Wow–you are a STRONG woman to go through this! Be encouraged…you will make it!
Lexie
I’m so sorry you are going through this. Hang in there!!
Jendeis
Reading this with tears. I too experienced HG during my pregnancy and now that I’m pregnant again, I am preparing for another onslaught of it (if it doesn’t happen that’s great, but we are preparing just in case). I too had to resort to the Zofran pump and I thank G-D that it was available for me. I lost 50 lbs. in my first 10 weeks of pregnancy because I couldn’t keep anything down – not crackers, not broth, not water.
Erin
Oh Jendeis, I will pray for you!!! Praise God for modern medicine when we need it! This won’t last forever! Blessings and congrats on your pregnancy!
Christine
Thank you so much for writing this. I had HG while pregnant and very few people understood. It helps so much to know there are others like me out there. Blessings.
Amy D.
Thank you for sharing this post! I too suffered with HG during all THREE of my pregnancies. I lost 20% of my body weight with each. There are no words for how miserable I was. My last two pregnancies were unplanned and just 18 months apart so the last pregnancy was by far the worst. My daughter had to be induced at 36 weeks since she stopped gaining weight.
I appreciate your honesty adn your description of the disorder is spot on! You can read the story of my last pregnancy with HG on my blog http://bestlifemistake.blogspot.com/2012/12/that-is-strange-blog-title.html
Thanks,
Amy
Lexie
Amy, I’m just now reading back through these comments – sorry for the late reply. I am in slight shock here because your daughter and my oldest daughter share the same name! 🙂 Anyway, I hope you and your family are doing well! Thanks for sharing your story.
Karen
Thank you so much for this blog on HG. I also read it with tears. This is my 4th pregnancy with HG, and I am in week 36 (Praise God we are almost there!). We have a son, daughter, and we also had a stillborn son. Throughout these 4 pregnancies the doctors have tried 3 different meds: Zofran, Reglan and Promethazine/Phenergan. They tell me that I am now allergic to all of them, and there are no other medical options. I believe that I just got overdosed on each of the meds. I can no longer have any of these meds because of severe reactions. So, LORD willing we will adopt after this. I cannot care for my family when I am pregnant, and I’ve been pregnant for more than half of my son and daughter’s lives. Thankfully my husband has a flexible schedule and has been wonderful in caring for the children and me. I wonder if HG runs in families, because my grandma and great-grandma both had HG with each pregnancy. My grandma actually got under 90 lbs during each of 3 pregnancies, and the doctors told her to not have any more children, because the babies were getting smaller and smaller. Thanks again for this encouraging blog.
Lexie
Wow! I have also heard about it running in families. As far as I can tell, it doesn’t run in mine. I fear for my girls though. 🙁 And we also talk of adoption! 🙂
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MamatoBabes
I’m also on my 4th pregnancy with HG. Thankfully Zofran/Ondansetron works because I would be in seriously bad health otherwise. I ended up in hospital going into organ failure from dehydration with baby #1 before they realised I was so sick. Thankfully they got me straight onto the drugs with my subsequent pregnancies though I spend a good part of my pregnancies in hospital still. I did read about magnesium helping before I got pregnant this time and was taking mag salts for other reasons so even though this was totally unplanned {I passed out with shock when I saw the BFP hahaha!!} I’ve found the HG hasn’t been quite as debilitating. I don’t think I’ll try another pregnancy to test the theory though… we’ll see… Oddly enough my babies all tend to be pretty big. My first was 9lb5, my second 9lb2 @ 36wks and my third {and only girl} was 8lb5 at 35wks. It’ll be interesting to see how this baby measures! I put on so little weight that I’m back to my pre-preg weight and size within 48hrs. Its such a relief to see someone blogging about it and making it ok. Nobody gets it in RL. Even family thinks I’m just being lazy and tell my husband to stop pandering to me. It makes me cry and infuriates him but what can you do? They’re so determined that its just some pregnancy drama and nothing changes their minds. The babes are totally worth it though 🙂
Erin
I am SO, so sorry you are going through this! You are a STRONG woman! Congrats on your pregnancy!
Lexie
Bless you! I feel so incredibly selfish for not wanting to be pregnant again (and I’ve only been through it twice now). I have also heard about magnesium, and I use it daily now! If I DO ever get pregnant again I will be using it like crazy to see if it helps any. Hang in there – it DOESN’T last forever!
Rose Barnett (@mRoseBarnett)
Just to add to this, in case someone is seeking help. I used magnesium with my last pregnancy ( I didn’t know about it until about 4 months in) and it was a world of difference. I finally felt I could function and barely noticed the nausea, but if I missed a a few days I went right back to constant sickness. I used CALM daily, I put it in my Chamomile tea with Stevia. I also sprayed magnesium oil every morning, just 3 spritzes and I made sure I either had a bath w/ a cup of epsom salt or as a 20 min foot soak. The most noticeably difference was the bath/soak. If I didn’t do the others, so-so. If I didn’t do the bath, I was just “normal” sick and suffering.
Erin
Thanks so much for this awesome tip, Rose!
Christy
Hi, I was reading through the section on “10 things not to say to someone who is expecting a baby” when I found your post on HG. Is this a fairly new diagnosis or has it been around for a long time? The reason that I ask is because I had these same problems during my pregnancies back 21 years ago. My OBGYN at the time just stated that I was suffering from severe Morning Sickness with my first pregnancy. I lost almost 30 lbs and my doctor stated that I probably lost more than that but that the lost weight wouldn’t show up on the scales because it was going to the baby. I wore a size 14/16 pre-pregancy and 2 weeks after my baby was born I was wearing a size 5. I saw a different doctor with my 2nd pregnancy and he put me on a pump (similar to a diabetics pump that was put into the thigh and had to be changed every 3 days). It helped some, but I still ended up in the hospital due to dehydration on many occasions. It would just be nice to know if what I experienced during my pregnancies actually had a name more than severe morning sickness because as we all know – this isn’t anything like a pregnancy morning sickness. Thanks.
Lexie
Christy, thank you for sharing part of your story. Yes, it has been around. It is thought that Charlotte Bronte, author of Jane Eyre, even died from it in 1855 when she was 38 years old. She once wrote of her life while pregnant, “Let me speak the plain truth—my sufferings are very great—my nights indescribable —sickness with scarce a reprieve—I strain until what I vomit is mixed with blood.” 🙁
Keep sharing your story and educating other women!
mary
There are a few things I have learned about HG. The healthy home economist and Are They All Yours bloggers have some interesting finds on h pylori bacteria and HG. Their information has helped me so much in my 3rd pregnancy. I am no longer throwing up!! Please look into it, it is life changing!!!
Rose Barnett (@mRoseBarnett)
Thank you for replying about this Mary, looking it up
Dawna Morris
As I sit here and read this it brings tears to my eyes . I have had three children and one miscarriage and with each child HG got worse. I thought I was crazy ,I thought to myself this couldn’t be normal. As I lay on the floor next to the toilet . Waiting for my mom to come and get me to take me to the clinic for yet another IV. By the third child my organs began to shut down kidney failure my lungs where failing . I was having allergic reaction to the meds they gave me. I was throwing up during delivery. My doc told my husband no more or she will die. My babies where good size 9 lbs 8 14 and 7 14 . They are 27 ,25, 20 but I remember going through this as if it was yesterday. Yes the Lord gave me a window or two through it all for a little relief but not much. I feel for anyone who goes through this it’s so heart wrenching, cause I have been there . Good luck to all my prayers are with you
Holly Maurer
This brought tears to my eyes. I have been through it four times now. This last time has been so rough and draining that we decided this will be our last baby. I am still so weak that making it through the day is hard. It is hard to get treatment for and a lot of people don’t believe it exists. I feel better now, but going through it, I hated life. Everyday was horrible. I also had the pump, but ended up allergic to the medicine. It didn’t stop the vomiting anyways. I had multiple trips to the error for fluids and meds and would still be throwing up afterwards. Ginger was evil and so were saltines. Nothing ever seemed to work. I joined an online support group for it which helped. Some of the women on there were so much worse than I was. I pray for anyone suffering through this.
Nikki Rodgers
Lexie,
thank you so much for this article. I found it through another blog as a suggested link.
I cried through a lot of the article as I read it. I’m pregnant right now with my third child and just at the end of my first trimester. I had HG but didn’t know that’s what it was called with my first two and now I have it again with this one. My doctor diagnosed me right away with this pregnancy and I’ve had IVs several times. We probably would have only had one child if I hadn’t accidentally got pregnant the second and third time. But we have decided this will be our last for sure. It’s so good to know that I’m not the only one out there suffering and that other people know what I’m going through. I could relate with a lot of what you wrote but I am realizing from reading your article and the other comments that some have it much worse than I do. I hate that for them. I do believe that this runs in our family because my mothers mother had it (but they didn’t diagnose it at the time) my mom had it (but it still wasn’t commonly known) and now I’ve had it. Like you said, I pray that my daughters don’t inherit it.
So many people still have never heard of this condition though, so I really hope that the word gets out there so more people will understand what so many of us are having to go through. Thank you again for helping to spread the word! 🙂
Amanda Brothers Samples
I am unexpectedly pregnant with my sixth child and unfortunately have suffered from HG with all of them. Thank you for sharing your story; through out my pregnancies I’ve purposed in my heart that some day I would be a blessing to another woman going through this. The Lord has His reasons for everything if only to be there for someone else when they need encouragement. It’s not easy and I’ve had countless women be rude, obnoxious and down right mean because they don’t understand (especially if their pregnancies were easy to mild morning sickness) most OBs don’t fully understand HG and the ER Drs can be the worst (I can’t count how many times I was just given an IV then discharged only to get sick before getting into my car?). It is a wonderful feeling to know your not alone. Thank you again for that encouragement
Pamela Byington
So grateful for the article, maybe people will be more understanding. I would just lay on the floor sometimes, the coolness feeling so good. I would throw up morning and night and inbetween. I would throw up bile, then blood. IV’s in the hospital with every pregnancy. Lose 25 pounds. I miscarried first two and had four children. Wouldn’t trade them for anything. God blessed me, they were 3 and 4 years apart so they could get food from the fridge. I was so fortunate, had visiting teachers from church who helped with my kids and brought in food, cleaned my house even when I didn’t want them to. I rarely ate, couldn’t keep it down. Horrible post partum depression with three of my kids. Last time was so debilitating. That was it, at my limit. No more kids. And yet there were women who thought it was all in my head, just laughed. So made me cry, was so ill. One finally threw up for months and finally understood. I am so happy for women who breeze through their pregnancy and I pray for those who are like me.
Erin
I’m so sorry for your losses. I wish everyone understood how hard this can be.