Home IV therapy

[tilly2321]

HI there,
I had HG with my first pg and we are ttc right now (find out next week if I am pg). I had to go in twice last time for IV's on days where things got really bad and I couldn't keep anything down. I just felt so great for about two days after the IV's and by the second time I got one, I was well on my way to recovery. I think it could have been the timing since I was also around 12 weeks, but who knows. Anyhow, what does home iv therapy consist of? Does a nurse come to your house every day, every other day? When does a doc usually prescribe it? After you have to go in for an IV? I have a two year old and won't be able to go and stay in the hosptial for several hours like last time. part of me thinks that if I started this early, then I would be OK? Just curious about the details of this type of treatment.
Thanks in advance.
ELaine

[HBofHG]

Elaine,
I think it's great that you want to have another baby!!
My Wife had HG for both of her pregnacies, and obviously the second time we were better prepared for what to expect, with the first pregnancy neither of us knew what was happening to her, and it was, needless to say a very stressful and upsetting time, I am happy to say we now have two wonderful little boys to show for it. HG usually starts between weeks 6 and 7, and ends around weeks 12 or 13 (usually), for my Wife it started at week 6 for our first, and at week 7 for our second. If you have had HG for your first pregnancy, the odds are it will happen again, but not always. For each pregnancy my Wife had to go into the hospital for IV treatment 2 times, after the first time we were sent home from the hospital, and about 2 days later we were right back in because she was so severely dehydrated, and needed a second treatment, and after that second time she was prescribed a home IV by her doctor.
Home IV therapy consists of the insertion of an IV that is meant to stay in the arm for an extended period of time without having to be re-done, where it is done and how the IV is put in is entirely up to the facility that you happen to be in at the time. My Wife had hers put in by a home nurse the first time (she was at her mothers house), and at the hospital the second time. My Wife also had to go on disability for the entire time she had HG, as there was no way she would have been able to go to work in that condition. Depending on your insurance they will usually approve an agency to have a nurse come by twice a week (at first), and after everything is all settled, then once a week to change the dressing and make sure everything is fine with the IV. Of course there is a number you can call 24/7 if you have any ??'s at all. Eventhough this is a very debilitating condition, most ins. companies will not approve a nurse to come by daily to check in on you, (but if you feel the need- push for it) nor would they want you to be in the hospital every three days the have an IV administered there, that would be a strain on you as well. Once the IV is in, the company (at least for my wife in both cases) will have all of the supplies that are needed, delivered to your home, or wherever you happen to be. Then the IV bags will have to be changed (they go through everything step by step for you) every 4 or so hours at first, then it will gradually decrease to 12 hours (or more) as you near the end of HG. The thinking here is that you need much more fluid when HG begins, and less and less as you move towards week 12.
You could change the bags yourself, but it would be a big help if a family member, or close friend could help with this, it is not hard to do, but you would feel better having the support.
I know this does not sound like fun, but this how it was for us, and everyone's situation will be different.
We were also very fortunate to have the help of my parents and my mother-in-law (at whose house my Wife stayed while she had the home IV), I took a few days off from work, but I couldn't take a month and a half off from work (wish I could have though). We had to put our first son in daycare a few days a week to give my parents a break who were watching him during the day him throughout this ordeal. My advise is to contact your ins. company and find out how they would deal with a patient who has HG, what's covered, etc. Find out from your employer what options there are if you do get HG again, in my Wife's case her doctor was the one who got the disability ball rolling. HG is a medical condition, albeit very rare. You also may want to make sure you have someone to watch your little one, daycare, etc. Your doctor should also be prepared IF you have HG again, and he or she might have some ideas as well. Well, I think that's enough for now, that's basically what home IV is all about, again, your situation may be entirely different, but that is what it was for my Wife. I hope I answered your question, just one more thing, by the time you change your new baby's first diaper, your HG will already be a distant memory!!

-Geoff

[Ivydragon]

Tilly, being well hydrated does help you to function and feel better - and dehydration definitely plays tricks on your mind, so being well hydrated means you cope better, too.

What meds were you on during your last pg? Sounds like you had mild HG if you were only needing to go in twice for IVs. I was in 3 times w/ my 1st pg. I know it's still miserable, but you might be able to get a handle on it early on if yours was not a severe case.

Sometimes home health care will just do a new IV placement every few days. My son was also in day care or with relatives for 6 weeks. I just could not care for him, and I WAS home during most of that time. He was between 18 months and 2 years old when I got pg and went through the worst of my HG, and remembers nothing.

Hugs, and ask lots of questions! Go ahead and ask in the preparing for HG folder, or ttc folder - mostly so that when others have the same questions they'll know where to look for the answers. Thanks!

Andy

[Ivydragon]

Geoff,

I just had to say hi, and welcome to the board. It's so nice to have guy in the forums. My husband is supposed to be moderating the Father's forums, so if you post there I'll make sure he'll be around to correspond with.

I know how wonderful it is to have a supportive husband - your wife is very blessed.

Andy

[cthmschler]

When does a doc usually prescribe it?

Elaine:
It differs with your doctor AND with your insurance company. My mid-wife told me that my insurance company's usual protocol was no hospital admission or at-home therapy until at least 3 ER visits for hydration. They pushed the ins. co. for me this time, both because of my previous history and because I was back in the ER less than 24 hrs after my first ER visit, severely dehydrated and with dangerously low potassium levels.
Ask your doctor what they do, if you're afraid you'll get really bad this time. Did you try any anti-nausea drugs last time?

[HBofHG]

Teresa,
You are so right, it does differ between doctors and ins. companies. My DW had HG with both of her PG, and both times she had to go into the hospital for IV therapy 2 times before the ins. company would approve home IV.
The first time we thought her doctors (she has two wonderful OB/GYN's that work as a team) were kind of insensitive to our situation, I was calling at all ours of the night/morning to advise them of my DW's condition, the one doctor that got the brunt of my frustration must have thought I was a raving lunatic, well, when your wife is suffering like she was, it's amazing how forceful you can be when you want her to get the best care!! As it turns out, the docs had an idea that my wife had HG and knew the drill, they were trying to keep us as calm as possible until they could get something going with the ins. company & home IV. I think what got us through both HG's (the first expecially) was that my DW had been going to them for a long time, and they had a very solid doctor patient relationship, and 2) her docs knew their stuff. After we found out that we did have HG, we talked to the docs about what it was, treatment, etc. I also apologized to the one doc about my terse phonecalls when my wife was really feeling bad, the doc responded by saying it was no problem, and that it was nice to see a husband so soncerened with his wifes well-being.