5w2d

[Brenda]

Hey there!!

I hope this post shows. I have posted about four or five times and for some reason at work I get caught in a log-in loop.

I am 5 weeks 2 days pregnant and I feel good. For those of you who don't know me as Cinnee1 from the Hugs board, here's a little about me. I have a 21 month old dd who was a hg baby. I was so terrified of getting pg again but yet here I am. I was on uni-som/B-6 and Zofran pretty much my entire pregnancy. I had a horrible doctor and did not have meds until 20 weeks. I'm wondering if this time I will be better. I am working full time until November, when I get laid off. Please pray I make it there.

I am feeling pretty good with only very mild neausea here & there. I am so torn about being happy I am so far HG free and yet thinking "this is not right I must me miscarrying since I am not sick." I am wondering ig HG hits later and later with each pregnancy. I am hoping it doesn't and this is how I will be the whole pregnancy. But yet I thank GOd for every day I wake up and don't have hg.

I am taking 50mg B-6 3 times a day and 1/2 unisom twice a day and a full unisom at bedtime. I am keeping up on my fluids and trying to eat. Nothing really sounds good but I am forcing myself. I am just so scared HG will come back.

Any suggestions welcome!!! I hope this posts.

Brenda

[aaronsmommy]

Congratulations!!!!!

I am hoping the best for you.

Aimee

[Brenda]

Thanks Aimee. I appreciate it!!!

Have a great day!! Hope all is well with Aaron.

Brenda

[Ivydragon]

Wow, Brenda! Congratulations! Do you have a Dr. lined up? How about Zofran or another med ready to go, prescription filled? When is your first DRs. appt? Are you resting as much as you can when you get home? HG seems to vary as to the exact onset. My 1st pg I was in the hospital at 6 weeks! My 2nd I was able to hold it off for a week and a 1/2, and that what knowing maybe a 10th of what you know now. The beginning of HG can certainly come later in this pg.

Keep faith that you are not miscarrying. I know what that worry is like, and I know what it is to miscarry, and there is nothing you can do to prevent. Worrying will not prevent miscarriage, but worrying WILL make your HG worse . . .

So, *sigh* you're going into that beautiful red and gold leafed autumn season in Michigan. Enjoy it!

Huge hugs, Andy

[Brenda]

Andy,

Thanks. I am so scared. Today I am 6 weeks and starting to feel more nauseas. I am getting so scared. I had my great doc all set and they got me my Zofran script right away. I have not filled it yet because she gave me a few samples. I am doing 1/2 a unisom morning and afternoon and a full at night with 50 mg B-6 at each one. I am trying to eat every few hours, but drinking is a battle. I just can't tell you enough how just depressed and scared I am. I am obsessed with the notion that HG will suddenly hit. I just keep thanking God everyday it doesn't and faithfully praying that it won't. I just need to make it thru the middle of November and I will be off work and I just know I can handle HG at home better.

Please pray for me and any further advice you have is much appreciated.

I am looking forward to fall and all the color changes, I just hope HG doesn't ruin it for me.

Thanks a bunch. I needed to hear from you guys, without you guys I don't know if I would have made it thru my last pregnancy!!!

Brenda - Praying for May to come!!

[Ivydragon]

As I near my 10th anniversary of my 1st HG diagnoses in early October this year, I can tell you that next year you will get that strong first smell of Autumn, and you will instantly remember HG, but it should only be one year. Enjoying Autumn this year will probably be brief for you, but it will probably be one of the joys that you can absorb this fall.

How much sick leave do you have saved up? Rest at home as much as possible. If it looks like you're getting dehydrated, get an IV, or take 1/2 or 1/4 of a Zofran starting now to see if you can stay more hydrated taking Zofran early. Don't wait until you first throw up. Even used w/ cancer patients, Zofran is found to be most successful at controlling vomiting if it is taken before the Chemotherapy session is even begun ~ for controlling the vomiting that comes after!

Try every hydration trick you know of. Slushy beverages, hot beverages, thicker ones, thinner ones, carbonated ones, flat carbonated ones, sips of liquid all day, goal markings on the side of your container, straws poked through saran wrap so you can't smell the liquid, high fluid fruits to snack on. Baths so you can absorb water through your skin, etc.

Dehydration plays havoc on several levels. 1. It perpetuates the vomiting cycle. 2. It makes you feel like you cannot cope, cannot survive, cannot endure. 3. It makes your Zofran less effective on your vomiting!

If you think you are getting dehydrated, go in for an evening or weekend IV before you get too low. When you are home you are to rest! Your job in life right now is to make a baby, and you have to work, too. Not an easy task! Do everything you can to do pretty much nothing else.

I have watched so many HGers in your shoes. Watched them try to hold back the wall of HG like a wave that is coming to crash down upon you. It will either crash huge, or it won't. You are prepared, you are educated, you are knowledgeable. You have options. You have a good Dr. You have plans in place. If you worry too much, it will make the HG worse. It's like waiting for labor at the end. You know it's coming, but you'd rather just be in the middle of it than knowing it's coming. If HG was here, you'd endure, but waiting is almost worse.

Every day that HG hasn't hit is one more day closer to holding your baby that you don't have to vomit! You are already 6 weeks in, 34 weeks from holding a baby you can call your own. Take things one day at a time. Try not to be scared, try to be brave and patient.

Huge hugs, Andy

[Brenda]

Andy,

Oh Andy!!! You have a way of putting things so well. I completely agree with the way you described HG as a wave. I am just waiting for it to strike hoping I can keep my head above water.

I have no sick leave at work. I basically have to make it another 6-8 weeks and then I get laid off. I am trying to rest as much as possible when I am home and my husband has been awesome thus far. I am 6w3d and so far so good. Just nausea. The hard part is trying to pack some food & drink to take to work. But I suppose I will manage. I am still holding on to hope that this is just "morning sickness" and in another 6-8 weeks I will be fine. I know it's not likely but I'm still praying.

Thanks again. I am just so grateful for your time & support. I need people who understand.

Brenda

[stephanie greene]

Brenda,

I am so glad to hear that you are doing well. I know the fear of HG getting worse. I posted when I was 5w 2d and I was exactly where you are( although not working...you are so amazing!) with mild nausea I am now 9weeks! still doing ok. Have not thrown up! With my first I was already at the hospital! I am struggling to eat and drink and I force myself and it always helps. I have waves of bad times when I think HERE IT COMES...but then in a few hours it calms back down. Try hard to stay calm. Breath and rest. Pray and pray. You really can do this. 6-8 weeks will be here sooner than you think!We are all here for you and praying for you too!
Stephanie

[Kschwintz]

BRENDA!!!!!
Congrats!!! You were such a source of support for me during my pregnancy. Good luck and I hope HG isn't as bad this time. How is Miss Isabella?
Take care

[Laurie]

Andy always knows *just* what to say, doesn't she? I'll just ditto everything she said.

I'll also say that my 2nd and now 3rd pgcys were much more mild than #1 but that's not always the case with HG. But, it might give you the hope you need to hang on. I've had the bad nausea and lack of appetite with #2 & #3 but haven't been vomiting and hospitalized like with #1. So it is possible.

You can do this! You are woman, hear you roar!!! teehee Hang in there!

[Brenda]

Kim,

Hey. I am trying to hang in here. I am 8w3d today. Not doing as well as I'd like but I am alive. That's my new motto... I'm alive. I don't really know how I forgot this much of the hell to want to get pregnant again, but I did. Now I remember why I said I was done. I am pushing DH to get fixed now!!!

Bella's doing great. She having a tough time because I am always so miserable. She watches a ton of TV and eats only foods I can tolerate, but she's being a trooper. I feel bad because I have no patience or energy to play with her and I tend to yell a lot more which bothers me. But we are doing OK.

How's Ainsley?? What's she up to these days??? How's your job?

Brenda

[Brenda]

Laurie,

Yes, Andy can say things in such a way. Without you guys what would I do??

I do feel this HG is better because I am not throwing up but I forgot how bad the neausea is. I am just taking it one day at a time. How are you handling it??

Any tips for taking care of other kids???

Hugs
Brenda

[Laurie]

yeah, lots of tv. I know what that sounds like but it's what I have to do. Fortunately, my DS is 4yo and old enough to kinda keep an eye on Jillian for me when they're upstairs in the playroom so I don't have to climb stairs all the time. But when it was just me and Luke, it wasn't easy. We did watch a lot of tv & read books as my eyes could tolerate it. Something else that I've recently found (if your DD likes stories) is have DH buy a tape recorder and have him borrow some books on tape from the library. Playdough and coloring is fairly safe (though my DS shoved some in his ear at 2 1/2yrs, just after DD was born, and it took 3 trips to the DR/ER to get it all cleaned out...NOT fun...so maybe that's an idea for later...lol). Puzzles are good quiet play.

Also, don't be afraid to rely on others! If you don't have any friends with kids, make them! Go to some La Leche League meetings (they're once a month, some have evening meetings too for working moms) and beg for help. I met lifelong friends in LLL 3 1/2 yrs ago and we're all still meeting in a playgroup. If you have a mother/MIL/grandma/neighbor who can help out with DD for an hour here or there, TAKE it.

((((hugs)))) (oh and you asked about me - my update is on another thread)

[Kschwintz]

Brenda,
I certainly hope your HG is not as bad this time. I am STILL recovering from my last pregnancy, so I doubt I will ever get pg again.

On the other hand, toddlerhood is just about the most hilarious thing I have ever witnessed. Ainsley has so many things running through her mind at once, she doesn't know what to do. Last night, she was singing her "ABC's" in her sleep!! And, she NEVER shuts up!! It amazes me how much she talks!!! It is still hard for me to believe that she does not have any major problems after all we went through. She still has a small hole in her heart, but we will know in November if it has disappeared.

How's Bella? Email me pics (when you feel up to it!!)....
kim@preeclampsia.org
BIG HUGS!!!

[Brenda in Canada]

I'm not far behind you - I'm about 6 1/2 weeks right now. I've had HG with all mine and this is #4! I will say that the Diclectin I take it keeps me out of the hospital and although I am still miserable with nausea 24/7, it is manageable as far as not losing too much weight. My last pg I tried to tough it out without meds and that was a big mistake. So without meds I would probably end up in the hospital, but with meds things are livable - depending when you ask me.

I can totally relate to the waiting and being so scared about getting pg. We decided to try again this past winter and it took about 8 mths for me to get pg. Every month I had to start acting as though I would be pg and I would brace myself for HG. Then when I knew I was pg I braced myself and spent 5 days nausea-free. It hit me at 6 weeks which was what I was expecting. Now I'm in the middle of it and trying hard not to get too down. It's hard when I think it's been less than a week of it and I still have so far to go. I try just to take one day at a time and remember that it does eventually lessen. Someday I'll be posting that I'm feeling a lot better - right???

Just wanted to let you know you're not alone!

[anna8660]

Hi Brenda,
I came here to post myself and here you are already, I feel I am in great company!! Well first let me tell you congratulations!! I am very happy for you, I remember you being like me and saying once was enough and never again and totally not understanding the repeaters, until you held little isabella, and then you knew tyou would do it all over again!! I was the same and even when I was preggo with quin and saying no never again you told me I would see and it would change, and it did!! I am actually thrilled to be pregnant again

Hope all is well, how are you feeling?? Is it as bad, when are you due?

[Ivydragon]

Brenda,

You asked for childcare advice? Well, after Aaron returned home to me, we spent lots of time reading books together, and napping together. He also emptied every single video we had, dumped them in a pile and proceeded to dump out every single cassette we owned as well. (The casettes are STILL not all back in the right place, and it's been 7 years!). I'd let him eat and snack with me, and we watched TONS of TV.

I can attest that this behavior did not rot his brain, although Anna (in utero) loved the rythmic sounds of Dr. Seuss so much I had to change what I read to Aaron so she'd stay head down and not stay breech! I memorized several Dr. Seuss classics during that time of my life and knew way too much about Sesame Street, but all ended well.

I have heard several women say that they just shut themselves in a room w/ snacks, beverages, and safe toys, so that regardless if they sleep or not the child is safe.

Hows work going? I know very well when you're getting laid off and when that will hit in your pg and I'm going to be holding my breath! How are you faring?

Huge hugs, and sorry I was gone too long, trying to get here more regularly.

Andy