New Here- 14 1/2 weeks and suffering

[iamsteph]

Hi everyone. Just looking for more information on HG and found this site. I am 14 1/2 weeks pregnant and have been suffering with HG since approx week 5. I have spent three days in the hospital and am now on my second bout of house arrest as per my dr.'s orders. He wants me here until a minimum of 16 weeks and I am starting to lose my mind. This is pregnancy #2 (pregnancy #1 was 8 years ago with no complications) and each week my dr. says, well, lets all hope it goes away by next week. Each week that passes I get more and more frustrated. I am now on Zofran which is controlling the vomiting but not the nausea. I try different patterns of eating and forcing myself to eat whenever I can. I lost five pounds before my first hospital stay and have only gained one back. Therefore, at 14 1/2 weeks I am only 104 pounds. Has anyone found any eating patterns or anything even remotely helpful? Were most people put on home/bed rest? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? AHHHHH

thanks
steph

[annie1005]

Hi, Steph! Sorry you're having such a rough time. Sitting around all day being sick can get really depressing. I can definitely relate! I'm 16 weeks today and have been out of work for about 6 weeks so far. My Dr. didn't order me to stay in bed, but everytime I move, I start to vomit again, so I can't really go anywhere anyway. Mostly, I sit in a recliner and stare off into space. Even magazines sometimes require more energy than I seem to have. Can't really offer any advice re: eating or schedules other than to try different things and follow your cravings. If anything sounds even remotely good, it's a lot more likely to stay down than forcing yourself to eat dry cereal and toast all the time. Also, I'm always sending hubby to the store for new foods. I find that I lose my appetite for something once I've thrown it up a few times. You also may want to look at asking your Dr. to add something to the Zofran. There are lots of meds that can be tried and sometimes combinations can be helpful. Of course, I'm still searching for the right combo. myself. Adding phengren to the zofran did allow me to keep more down during the day, so I'm not as dehydrated and malnourished as I once was.

There is light at the end of the tunnel; unfortunately, it's a different time for each Hg sufferer so no one can tell you when it will be. I know it can be pretty hard to think into the future. Some days it's all I can do to get through the day. At least know you're not alone in all this. The gals on this board are really wonderful. I'm sure others will have some good suggestions for you.

Hugs and well wishes.
-Annie

[Natalie]

Hi there
I just wanted to write and say I can really empathise with what you are going through. I had HG from week 5 'til week 20 and then nausea again in my 3rd trimester. Be encouraged though because IT DOES END. The only thing that (sometimes) worked for me was eating every 1 and a 1/2 hours on the dot. I would set my alarm clock and get up twice during the night too- I prepared sandwiches beforehand and cut them up into quarters (good for me psychologically!). It often came back up but I stuck to it as much as I could. I used to dread the the time when I knew I would have to eat, but towards week 20 I found I was going a morning without vomiting, then a day, then 2 days. It was 1 step forward and 2 back but I got there. You may be one of the lucky ones who doesn't get it all the way though the pregnancy. Also, I would find one thing that wouldn't make me vomit and stick to it for weeks at a time. I won't type it down in case it makes you gag and go running for the sick bucket but I'll reply with what I ate if you do want to know.
All the best, and keep on keeping on!
Natalie

[Ivydragon]

Welcome to the forum. There is a forum for 2nd Trimester gals where you fit right in! The 2nd Trimester is one of the most difficult to endure mentally. You're no longer in 100% survival mode and you've realized you don't know when this will end. So tough.

You're finally on Zofran?! How long did it take them to get you on Zofran? How much Zofran are you on? Have they suggested combinations such as B6/Unisom? There is a post in the 1st Trimester Forum that is all about B6/Unisom/Zofran that would be good for you to read.

Small frequent snacks. Try keeping liquids separate by half an hour from your solids. Rotate foods so that you're not throwing them up several times in a row. Proteins and carbohydrates often work well and slushy beverages, too. Ultimately you have to do what works best for you. If you want us to be more specific, we can tell you what worked for us exactly. Many times foods low on the glycemic index are better for HGers to eat.

See you in the 2nd Trimester Forum!

Hugs, Andy

[PamelaRose]

Hi, Steph, and welcome. Glad you found us here--if nothing else, knowing that you're not alone will make a big difference.

It's very unusual for HGers to be able to leave the house at all (aside from medical visits) during the worst of it. Most aren't put under any restrictions by doctors, but by their bodies. I recall asking my OB in a tiny, pathetic, sick little voice at 7 weeks if I could still work. He snorted and said he didn't see how that would happen. He was right! Your doctor's orders are sound; if you push your body, you will end up spiraling back down, and you've come so far! It will get better--most women see at least a lessening of symptoms during the 2nd trimester. Some see HG completely leave, and others begin to see at least some good days again. Check into the 2nd tri. folder to get great info and support from others at your stage now.

As for food, if it sounds good, eat it. Run through lists in your mind of the kinds of foods--there's a list somewhere here of food categories. No matter how bizarre or non-essential it sounds, if you're craving it, it has the best chance of staying down. Andy gave you great advice on spacing out eating and drinking (though for me I couldn't handle liquids separately); essentially, it's whatever works for you. Good luck, keep us posted on your progress!

[iamsteph]

thank you so much for all of the advice. My doctor was on top of things and got me on the Zofran pretty early, however he has had signficant difficultly getting the insurance to pay for it. You would think after they spent all that money on a hopsital stay they would do anything to keep me out... not the case at all. I guess I am one of the "luckier" ones, the nausea is quite severe but the vomiting is a bit more contained and I am not vomiting multiple times each day as I was. I can see how second trimester is tougher, I feel kind of defeated and each night when I pray that I will wake up feeling better the next day only leads to disappointment when I don't. Oh well, I guess it can't last more than 9 months, right ?

[theannex]

Has anyone found any eating patterns or anything even remotely helpful?

Andy's already mentioned the main one that worked with me, keeping liquids and solids separate by at least a 1/2 hour. The other thing I did was eat my biggest meals about 45 minutes after my last Zofran dose. It seemed like that was the time when it was most effective and I could keep the meal down without feeling horrible. It took me a while to catch onto this pattern, before I just assumed that taking Zofran every 6 hours, I could eat whenever. During the worst, that was really not the case.

I would agree with trying to combo the Zofran with something to combat nausea. I had a Dr. who never suggested B6/Unisom (or Meclizine), so I don't know if they would have worked. However, half doses of Phenergan (12.5 mg) really helped with my nausea during my bad nausea time (evenings in the 2nd/3rd trimesters.)

Sending you big hugs, you've made it through the worst. Just take it one day at a time, and you will get through the pregnancy...

[iamsteph]

thanks again for all the advise. I was just thinking (because that is all I do while sitting/laying at home) and I know that I have my glucose tolerance test in a week and a half. How do the drs handle it if you are not able to complete it. I know my dr. wants me to eat a snickers bar fo rthe three days prior to it and then I have been told you have to drink some type of glucose liquid. what do they do if you can't do this? are there other tests they can do or can they test you later on?

[babykismet]

Steph~ I am a little confused by what your doctor is telling you. First of all, there is no special preperation for the first test in the doctors office. I think it takes about an hour. You drink the sugared drink in 5 minutes. Wait an hour, or is it 30 min, and have a blood test. That is all. The drink tastes like an orange pop. Why would the doctor have you eat snickers bars for three days prior to testing? Plus you have HG. Tell him to think about what he is saying!
Second, I had mine at 26 weeks. I thought that this was the norm. Not too much earlier or it GD won't be detected. Do you already have borderline blood sugar levels? Is that the reason for the early testing?
I read on this site that apple juice or jelly beans can be subsituted for the drink at the doctors approval prior to testing day.
Also, I failed my test and had the three hour test...and failed that and had to do insulin injections. Anyway. I wasn't that crazy about the clear drink. And I definantly couldn't stomach the cola drink. But I think it is all about the "smell" and what you can handle. The clear drink made me light headed and dizzy plus it stands to reason that I had to fast for 12 hrs prior and I had blood sugar problems ontop of my HG. It was a no-win situation for me.
As your doc why he wants to do the test so early on you and why he wants you to eat snickers. It just sounds a little off to me but he might have a method behind his madness.
Hugs,
~Diana

[MamaLily]

Steph -

I agree with the others that the 2nd tri is often so hard emotionally. I also had very severe nausea - even when vomiting was limited. Frankly, I think I'd rather vomit than feel nauseated. By the time I vomited a lot, I just thought, "Well, here we go again." Certainly not pleasant, but that constant nausea is something else - very hard to think through.

I really hope you'll join us in the 2nd tri folder. There are quite a lot of women there right now who are experiencing some of the same things that you are. I'm not pregnant right now, but I'm one of the moderators in that folder. And it would be great to have you there with us.

Talk with you soon!

- Anna

[amylds]

Steph,

My first pregnancy I was sick all the way through labor and this second one looked to be even worse. I was on IV home care and IV zofran (weeks 8 thru 21) but still couldn't gain weight because of the nausea. At week 20 my home care nurse asked if I'd heard about solumedrol. I said no. She said I should try it. It's a steroid. After doing some research, I found that there are several studies that show it's safe after the 1st trimester so I tried it. By the end of the first day the nausea was mostly gone and by day three I was off hydration and zofran and had ENERGY and an APPETITE!!! It's been amazing. I'm now on a really low dose which I'm taking orally and I feel great. I'm going to try to get my PICC line out this week and be off the methylpred (solumedrol) within the week. Before I heard about solumedrol I thought there really wasn't any hope for HGers beyond zofran which is a miracle drug when it comes to survival but doesn't do anything for comfort. I wish more people knew that solumedrol was an option! Good luck! Maybe it will work for you. I've never felt better.

Amy

[mokibeth]

Oh I love you all, I'm almost 15 weeks and just found out my reason for yacking my guts out for the last 12 weeks is HG, well, at least now I know right? I'm sorry to all of you who are suffering or who have suffered but I'm SOOO happy y'all exsist. I work with 500 women and haven't found a single one who has suffered with HG. (Now they actually belive I really am sick since I've been on house arrest for a week.) Zofran is fantastic but my insurance barely covers it after much begging by my doctor and have been in IV therapy 3 times (is it a little vacation to anyone else?). I try to keep my sense of humor about it but if one more lady tells me to "eat a soda cracker" I'm likely to go crazy. I'm going to try the phenergen/zofran combo, heaven knows I have both in abundant supply. Thank you for being sick too...it means a lot to me.

Hugs and Zofran-
Casey

[OldMom]

I am also glad to know that I am able to read the thoughts of others who can really relate to what I am going through. I am in my 17th week now, and finally feeling some relief.

How many have had severe nausea, but been able to control the vomiting with HG? I didn't think it was possible until this pregnancy.

Anna, as apposed to your observation that you would rather vomit than be constantly nausus; I have done both, with both at the same time, and vomiting is absolutly the worst. If it were like the flu or something, where when you vomit, you feel better for a little while, then I might agree.

Do many of you have post term babies? I have "cooked" my children over the 40 weeks each time, and I believe it has something to do with the trauma of the HG. None were showing signs of post maturity, they just took longer than 40 weeks, ( 41 1/2 and 42 1/2).

[PamelaRose]

Hi, Jennifer! Nice to see a new face. Congratulations on the new little surprise, too.

You asked about controlling vomiting but still having severe nausea. That is a very common scenario for many women--anti-emetics control vomiting at least manageably, but they're left with constand, uncontrollable nausea. It's probably the number one treatment question we get - "How do I control nausea?" Wish there as an easy answer!

The whole vomiting versus nausea question intrigues me. I admit that when I first found the HuGS forum and read the stories of women who rarely vomited but faced constant nausea, I wondered what they were complaining about. I figured my unending vomiting was far, far worse. Then my last baby came along. I got good, proactive treatment with her pregnancy and had vomiting under control at 11 weeks. But the nausea! I trudged through the rest of the pregnancy begging for mercy! I still don't know which I "prefer"; on one hand, at least there were a few blissful minutes after vomiting when I could pass out and be at peace until my stomach started up again, while the nausea never ended; but on the other hand, I couldn't function when I was vomiting non-stop and was able to with the nausea. Ugh. In the words of my dear sweet high-school students, it all "sucks."

And on the topic of HG and term babies, I don't think there's any real trend. Many HGers are induced early if HG lingers, but most go to natural delivery. My first two babies were 42-weekers, so I know what you mean. They showed no signs of being post-term, so we just had to conclude that my body's a slow cooker! In fact, my baby was induced at 39 weeks due to continuing HG weight-loss, and she was not nearly as strong or "term" as my other two had been. Guess my body had the right idea all those torturous "overdue" weeks!