Hi! I'm Andy. Although I administrate here, I will also be moderating some folders, and this is the most important one to me. I will always be checking in here, first, to see how you all are doing.
My 2nd pg, I was told (before conceiving) that every pg was different, and that I wouldn't be as sick for another pg. They were right - every pg is different, and they were wrong! It was WORSE! I was on B6/Unisom before conceiving (now we know that Unisom before conception isn't neccessary), and held off the start of my HG, but not for long. We'd been in a stressful car accident just after finding out I was pg, had just moved out of my parent's basement, and I found myself back on my Mom's couch, miserable. The Phenegren that had helped in my first pg was given to me again, and I reacted badly, hoping in and out of the ER. So they gave me Reglan, and I reacted badly to that, too! I couldn't hold still, it did nothing for my vomiting, and I literally didn't know which end to present to the toilet first because it makes anything you eat move through your digestive tract faster than usual. FOODMENT: When you're eating satline crackers and drinking mint tea - well, it certainly shot right through me (if I didn't throw it up fast enough).
I begged to be admitted to the hospital (against their recommendation), and was. They told me I'd be home the next morning, but I was not. I had to have glucose added to my IV fluids, I was certainly sicker than they thought. Unlike my first pg, IV fluids didn't bounce me right back to feeling ok - I didn't eat for three days, every IV infiltrated in 24 hours, and by the time I left on day 5 I had 11 or 13 IV marks in my arms. (It's been 7 years, and I don't remember exactly how many anymore, and can only find so many tiny scars left.) It was on my last day there they finally gave my Zofran. I ate breakfast, ordered and ate lunch, and went home. I ran out of Zofran and relapsed horribly, and after that had to add injected B6 to my Zofran/B6/Unisom regimen. As long as I stayed on this religiously, I was able to stay out of the hospital. I weaned very very slowly, but was never able to wean off any of these until delivery.
I remember so exaclty those few days where knowing that Phenegren failed me, and that I'd reacted to Reglan, knowing no idea what was going to happen to me, never having heard of Zofran, and knowing none of my options. I was so uneducated about HG, the internet held very little information, most of which was terrifying, and I felt incredibly alone.
That's why my main focus is 1st trimester gals, preparing protocols and 2nd trimester gals. I never want another HGer to feel that horrible feeling of not knowing what they could try next, that they are alone, that no one understands, and that no one knows exactly how they feel.
I'm a huge proponent of early intervention. I've watched pregnancies for the last three years, and have seen from other's experiences many options that can work to help prevent the worst, and how to cope if nothing will prevent the worst. I do plan on gathering the info and getting it posted, but in the meantime, feel free to ask questions - lots of questions, because anyone here is automatically my priority.
Hugs, Andy