HG in 1986 and 88....you can make it

[idlework]

Just wanted you young moms to know you can make it. I am 44 and have two beautiful healthy daughters 20 and 19.
I came down with HG just 2 weeks after conception with my first daughter. I was hospitized 4 weeks in, for a long weekend. Feeling refreshed and better-I went back to work and my 'normal' life. It didn't last long. Stopped at my MD"s for a liter of fluid e/o day in office. However, I was back in the hospital within 10 days of my initial hospital stay, this time my stay lasted 3 months with an additional month at home with my IV still feeding us. My job was filled while I was out and I didn't go back. The blessing there was that we managed just fine with my husbands income and secured the hope that I could be a stay at home mother until our children went to school.
My pre-pregnancy weight was 115, I was put in the hospital long term when my weight had dropped to 90 and I was unable to hold down even water. NOTHING made me feel better. Naturally, I got alot of advice-try crackers, 7 up, Mr Misty's from the DQ, peanut butter....
My doctor was just a GP but had experienced HG patients before and was kind, compassionate and understanding. The nurses at the hospital however, seem perplexed. Because I was going to be there long term-I was put on the floor with the senior citizens. Nurses didn't understand why I didn't get out of bed to exercise (only if you want to follow me with the bucket!) or why I didn't talk much (talking seemed to stimulate my salivary ducts which made me want to puke even more).
After my 5th month of pregancy I gradually was able to hold down foods. Somedays more successful then others. I carried Ayrielle to term plus a few more weeks for good luck. Seems she had gotten quite comfortable in there! She weighed 8 lbs and was the perfect baby.

Knowing we didn't want just one child, on Ayrielle's first birthday we decided to try for our second. (We previously discussed three-so I was hoping for twins which ran in the family)
They say you forget the pains of childbirth-this too can be said about HG. I forgot how REALLY BAD my good days were. Insurance had paid nicely for my first child, but my doctor really had to fight the insurance company on this one. I wanted to stay home.....the doctor saw no reason why I couldn't have a visiting nurse occasionally pop in. I had a girlfriend willing to change my IV bag and tubing every day (too gross for my spouse). After a week in the hospital he got it done and I was moved home. As with Ayrielle, I was deathy sick within 2 weeks. The neighbors all looked after me. My husband would usually leave for work before Ayrielle woke up. Being a delightful baby she would play a music box when she awoke...I would call the neighbor and they would come and get her out of her crib and take care of her at their house until Daddy got home. When I was having a 'better' day, Ayrielle could pop in for a mid day visit.
I did get better faster-I don't know if it was the home environment or the sunny face of my toddler. I was off the IV in 4 months. Ayrielle and I then enjoyed our time together waiting for Ashlynn to arrive. Ashlynn was breach for a long while, but managed to turn herrself around when crunch time approached. All went well, she weighed 7 lbs 15 oz.

At times I often wondered if I would have always kept a little something in my stomach if I could have managed without the hospital. NOTHING sounded good in the beginning. Since it didn't sound good, I didn't eat and once the vomitting started-there was no food that would work. Decades later, if I get too hungry I feel as if I could puke. I don't know if anyone else feels this way post pregnancy.

We often discussed having the third child, when he was ready I wasn't and when I was he wasn't. There still seems like we should have a 17 year old running around here. But all in all, no regrets.
I am glad I didn't wait long between the girls-I think it was easier on extended family as well.

My advice, take it easy-never push yourself. Try to get outside and get fresh air and sunshine. The babies are worth it!

[PamelaRose]

Thank you so much for sharing your story! It's encouraging to realize how far HG treatment has come, but sad that we're still struggling nearly a generation later with the same lack of general knowledge and "crackers"--our term for the ubiquitous "eat crackers" comments. And while HGers in North America have access to fairly aggressive medical care, treatment in the rest of the world is still what you experienced 20 years back.

I am happy that you found us, and I hope you stay around to offer support and inspiration for women struggling with HG today!

[RebeccaM]

Thank you so much for your story! Treatment options have certainly come a long way since the 1980's. I hope you can stick around and continue to offer support and encouragement to all the ladies here who are currently suffereing.

[Susannah]

Thank you so much for your stories. Congratulations on surviving HG and on your two lovely daughters

[mrsbigdog]

Welcome and thanks for sharing your story.

I, too, survived an HG pregnancy in the 1980s. The treatment you received was much better than what I received in 1988. My doctor told me flat out that if I would just be happier about being pregnant than I would not be sick. That was the mildest of my HG pregnancies but it was still a nightmare and being told the illness was all in my head didn't help. I truly needed IVs and treatment but didn't receive any. I did not even receive any compassion. I switched drs near the end of my first trimester. He was more understanding but by then the worst had passed. I finished the pregnancy weighing exactly one pound over my pre-pregnancy weight so obviously I didn't ever get an appetite back. I too, loved the old **FOODMENT DQ Mister Mistys END FOODMENT**. I was heartbroken to find they had changed the formula by the time I was HGing again since it was one of the few things I could tolerate the first time.

Even by my next pregnancy in 1995 things had not improved much. I was put on home IV therapy and given compazine but that was the total extent of the treatment I received. The best was that I wasn't told I was sick because of my mental state.

Given the severity of my last round with HG (in 2005/2006), I suspect I would not have survived if I had been that severe back in 1988.

Having personally experienced the changes in treatment for HG over a twenty year period I can say that we have made great improvements although we still have a long way to go.

If you are willing, perhaps you could check out the HG research that is going on right now. You should be able to qualify for the genetic research. It is painless and will hopefully provide some much needed insight into the causes of HG. I know I do not intend to fight the HG monster again but I participate in the hope of helping even one person who suffers from HG and most importantly because I have three girls who may one day face the HG monster themselves.

Thanks for commenting and I hope we will continue to see you around.

Donna

[MichellevsHG]

Thank you for your story of hope!

When I returned to work after an ER visit, a co-worker came up to me with a similar story as yours. Her daughters are 19 and 21 now. She suffered terribly and managed on shots of kytril every other day. There were many days she came to me in the halls at school - touched my hand and really wanted to know how I was doing. It meant a lot to me to know she knew exactly why I was crying.

Big to you!!

[teddi]

After the Dr Phil show that talked about HG back in April we have some members join (moms long done with HG) and share their stories.

I am so glad you shared iwth us. It really is wonderful and heartrending to read your story and moms (that I will some day be one of) decades later. Very hopeful.

Welcome to our forums!