Welcome to my last A – Z Challenge post for the week. This week has been tough and I hope that next week will be easier.
I remember feeling nauseas at this moment.
Hyperemesis Gravidarum is a severe form of morning sickness that Kate Middleton was diagnosed with. I, unfortunately, shared the same fate. It seemed like I felt nauseas from the moment my son grew in my womb until the moment he was born via C-section.
We didn’t know we were pregnant right away. I had ALL of the symptoms but after multiple blood tests and urine tests that showed negative results, we assumed that I was suffering from something worse. My father is a two time cancer survivor, one being colon cancer, which is often passed down. We assumed that I had colon cancer too and I went to hospital right away.
At the hospital they did further blood and urine pregnancy tests before deciding that I had to go for a scope to determine exactly what was wrong. Needless to say it wasn’t cancer, it was a baby!
The morning sickness was so bad that I couldn’t drive down the road to our local store without vomiting in the car. I stayed at home for most of the first trimester (we missed doctor’s appointments, because we didn’t know we were pregnant), because I could hardly move. Everything I ate I brought up in record time. This was starting to distress my step daughter who became very concerned for my health. After we found out that I was pregnant she said “Oh! So the baby is making you sick!”
Fifteen weeks into my pregnancy I was admitted to hospital and placed on a drip (IV) for dehydration and I finally started to feel human again. I slept most of the time and ate very little. Nothing that anyone recommended for morning sickness worked, but my gynaecologist put me on medication to help me cope. This impacted on my pregnancy, because I was always classified as underweight and my amniotic fluid was constantly low.
The IV and regular medication assisted a great deal. I also bought ginger sweets that helped with the nausea. I felt better towards the end even though I often vomited my meals and was able to complete the nursery and get things ready before the baby was born.
Signs and symptoms of HG include:
- Severe nausea and vomiting
- Food aversions
- Weight loss of 5% or more of pre pregnancy weight
- Decrease in urination
- Dehydration
- Headaches
- Confusion
- Fainting
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Extreme Fatigue
- Low blood pressure
- Rapid heart rate
- Loss of skin elasticity
This phase in my life was extremely difficult and the nausea and vomiting continued throughout my pregnancy. HG has a high chance of reoccurring and it is one of the factors that I have to consider before deciding to fall pregnant again.
I wish every woman going through HG and morning sickness well. It is worth it when you meet your beautiful baby!
Have you had HG or morning sickness? Were you one of the lucky women that didn’t have any nausea at all?
Let’s start a conversation!
Love and Blessings,
I was one of the lucky ones. The first five or six weeks I felt “icky” and the smell of deep fried foods was utterly repulsive, but I never did throw up. The worst side effects I suffered were several bouts of the tendons across my lower abdomen spasming, causing sudden violent pain, light headedness, shallow breathing, and the need to lie down in a fetal position no matter where I was.That was over the final four months. But it is all worth it when you finally have your baby in your arms. ❤
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We have to go through so much when we’re pregnant. No matter what happens it is worth it for sure. Thanks for reading 🙂 Have a happy Saturday.
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And the same, to you!
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Thanks 🙂
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Shame, my heart goes out to you. I cannot imagine that feeling daily. x
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I think I’m over it more or less. My step daughter is traumatised for life. She was convinced I was dying. Haha. It all worked out though. Thanks for reading 🙂
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I had this with both my kids. My heart goes out to you.
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I am so scared of it happening again. How did you cope?
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Ugh! Ya know, I just got through it. After I had my son the doc said there was a 50/50 chance of it happening again. Being the eternal optimist…. Oops, I was wrong it did happen. I think the second time around I knew the joy of my son so I was a bit calmer knowing there was an end in nine months. Hang in there!
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I have the same attitude that you have and I hope that it won’t happen again. My son is two now, but Mr and I are thinking of taking the plunge again. This, heartburn and colic are holding me back though. Urgh!!! Thanks for your comment. At least I know another survivor. 🙂
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💜
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I hope you have a great weekend with your family.
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Thank You, its been beautiful. My hyperemesia gravedarum causing son got engaged today! 💖
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Congratulations! I wish him a long and happy marriage. You must be so proud. 🙂
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Thank You. We are over the moon excited! 💖
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That sounds terrible! I’m sure it was all worth it in the end, but wow, that must have been hell.
I just read some of this out to my partner and she reminded me that her best friend had gone through it whilst she was pregnant. It makes me appreciate the sacrifices mothers need to deal with before their bundles-o’-joy even arrive!
Thanks for sharing, and best of luck if you do decide to try again in the future ☺
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Thanks for reading and sharing some of it with your partner. It is a terrible thing to overcome, but I hope this post helps other women in similar situations. 🙂
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Thanks for the following
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You are welcome! I hope you have a wonderful week ahead.
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Oh, you poor thing, that sounds miserable! I can remember not being able to bend over the shopping trolley, but that’s about it – I wore those sea bands and was lucky they worked. I do hope you don’t feel as bad next time. Dehydration itself makes you feel sick so it’s probably a never ending circle. ~Liz http://www.lizbrownleepoet.com
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I didn’t pick up a thing after I wasn’t able to see my feet. If I dropped something I left it there. It felt like it took ages to get down and ages to get up. Haha. Yes it was, I was so happy when it was over. Luckily my son was healthy for the most part, he ended up in NICU for other unrelated issues. I’m holding thumbs for next time. Thanks for your kind words 🙂
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My cousin, who seriously is either a crazy lunatic or a saint, suffered from HG. She and her husband had 5 children before opting to get a vasectomy. Whenever I’m feeling crummy during pregnancy I just think of her & feel lucky again, haha.
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Haha. Did she have HG every single pregnancy?
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She did 😥
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She is very brave. Her situation provided a silver lining for you. 🙂
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It really did :).
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Haha. The things we’d do for our kids. 🙂
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My wife went through this with ours. Was awful to see her go through it…. Glad I was there every day to rub her back and pat her back to help her hurl… Never a dull moment.!
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This is the main reason for my hesitation. It was so kind of you to be there for her. It is a very difficult thing to go through and luckily she didn’t have to go through it alone.
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I was pretty lucky. I had some nausea and morning sickness during my first trimester but it was fairly mild and passed quickly. After that I was mostly fine. Sorry to hear that you had such a hard time, it sounds absolutely awful, but you’re right, it was worth it at the end. Hopefully second time round you’ll be luckier.
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I’m holding thumbs. I think I tainted pregnancy for my step daughter. She thinks babies make women sick. Haha
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Haha She’ll forget about it in time.
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Haha. I hope so. She told all her friends at school the horror I went through. They came up to me and hugged me. It was quite sweet. I got some get well soon cards too. 🙂
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Aw, that’s so cute. 🙂
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She’s so sweet and all the teachers knew too. I couldn’t tell anyone in person, she told them all 🙂
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A read I can really relate to after having my first child last year. I suffered with HG for most of the pregnancy but at least luckily not the entirety of it. I don’t need to tell you how I felt because you already know! I just remember though, feeling as if I was a prisoner inside my own body. That in reality I knew it would end some day soon I would meet my beautiful child but that seemed so far away at the time. That I had a constant stream of saliva in my mouth. How I lived from sofa to bed sofa to bed. How I am now still needing dental treatment because All I could do is sip lucozade drink at the very least. How I was asked a thousand times ‘have you tried ginger biscuits? There meant to help with morning sickness?’ and thought I’d go crazy! It’s not just morning sickness – it is far far worse and unfortunately, this is something nobody can understand unless they have suffered themselves or watched a loved one go through it. I plan to write my own blog soon (I’m a newbie here), to help raise awareness! Much love and congratulations xx ps. If it’s good enough for Kate Middleton, it’s good enough for us 😉
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Hi my dear, thank you for taking the time to write this lovely comment. I appreciate it so much. I can relate on so many levels. I’ll try Lucozade next time 🙂 I hated how people made it seem like it’s not that bad or they were just a little bit nauseas and they could handle it. Welcome to the blogosphere. I look forward to reading your blog posts. All the best to you ❤
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I am glad I found your blog! I know. It’s so amazing for me to find others like you out there who went through just the same awful feeling. I can never forget that experience! I felt robbed of what should have been a magical time to bloom. And nobody understands unless they have been there. I am going to write my story too sometime so you will definitely be familiar! Look forward to seeing more of your posts also, much love to you xx
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I love what you’ve written so far. Keep up the great work. I think the nausea made me delusional. I was so nice to everyone. I hope you have a magical week further and we
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Should become great friends 🙂
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🙂
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I do apologise for any grammatical or spelling mistakes; I have had a rather long day with a teething baby! 🙂
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