Hyperemesis Gravidarum Support and Research Forums

(My disclaimer: I am NOT suggesting that anyone discontinue taking your meds. This idea is probably completely WRONG. I'm just asking here because I don't know who else or where else to ask!)

Here's my question:

Has anyone tried to survive a severe HG pregnancy with only hydration or nutrition therapy - and without medications?

I'm just wondering because I talked with one of the sickest HGers I've ever known and she said that the best pregnancy (of her 5 severe HG pregnancies) was the one when she didn't have meds. Keep in mind that the term "best" is relative - she was still on TPN until delivery and could never function at all during pregnancy. She was horribly sick, but she felt that not taking the meds somehow made a difference. Maybe she felt better because she didn't have to fight off the side effects of different meds. I don't know.

I'm wondering if it would be possible to begin daily hydration early on (at the earliest stages of NVP) and then progress to TPN if necessary. Is the point of taking meds to make us comfortable or merely to keep us from getting dehydrated & malnurished? I never felt much relief from any medication. Steroids controlled my weight loss and vomiting, but I don't think anything really touched the nausea. So, as long as I'm going to be horribly sick with or without medications, would it be worth trying it without them? IVs could prevent dehydration and TPN/tube feeding could prevent malnutrition.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone has ever done this or heard of this. I realize it's random...I've been thinking about it for such a long time and wanted your opinions/experiences!

- Anna

That's an interesting thought Anna. I've kind of wondered the same thing before. Especially for someone who has found little relief from meds. It seems like there was girl here who was pregnant or ttc and wasn't going to use any meds, just natural remedies, hydration, and tpn. I don't remember who it was, but it would be interesting to see how it goes...

My worst preg was my first, when I wasn't offered any meds. I got an IV for a day, and then was sent home on bed rest for 2 wks. I was miserable the whole 9 mths. I was never offered TPN during any of my pregs. I don't know how I survived. This time I've been on Zophran, and it's made a world of difference. It makes me wonder if TPN would have made a difference. Since this is my first preg w/meds, I'm just praying that I have a healthy baby, like my 2 girls are.

Good luck w/the choices you make.

Danielle

I have not been on any meds for the last two weeks, except for some Reglan and Zofran in my IV one time. I had tried everything but steroids before that and nothing worked enough to be worth the side effects and money spent on the prescriptions. I finally told my OB I wanted no more of the meds, only agreeing to Zofran in my IV that one day because I was throwing up every 3-5 minutes for several hours.
Now, I, by far, have not had the horrible HG pregnancies that a lot of women have had here, I know my case has not been as bad as a lot of other women so maybe that is why I am willing to stop meds, I don't know.
All I do know is that when I was popping pills several times a day, not only would I gag on them going down (or dissolving in my mouth) but I would then go through the next few hours with false hope, thinking that maybe this time they would make me feel better and they never did.
Unfortunatly, Zofran through an IV does make the vomitting stop (but doesn't touch the nausea) but my insurance won't cover it unless I am in the hospital or infusion center so I can't have it all the time. I hate Medicare!
I just typed out a bunch of rambling and don't know if any of it makes any sense but, that's my experience and I am surviving ok now with no meds and just IV fluids.
Ruth

My own experience is, like most people's, very mixed. It just seems like different things work for different people at different times, and the only way to know what is right for you is to experiment and see what works. For me the meds help about 10-15%, I think, but for now that's enough to keep me on them. Good luck,
Jane