1st preg. and sick

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1st preg. and sick

Postby stephj » Jul 09, 2004 3:39 pm

this is my first pregnancy and i am around 7 or 8 weeks pregnant not exactly sure. my first appointment is not unitl july 20th. i was fine up until about 2 weeks ago when i started geting morning sickness the wouldnt go away. i am constantly nauseaous to the point that i can even think of food let alone eat any. i am also extremely weak all the time. i'm not sure if i have hg becuase i havent seen a doctor and i also dont vomitt that much i'm not sure if its because i just cant eat or what. i have also lost 8 pounds in the last week. i am really worried about the baby and i just feel like this cant be heathly for it so i called the hospital (military since my husband is in the army) and they just told me not to worry unless i get dehydrated. i just feel horrible and dont know what to do. :cry:
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Postby PamelaRose » Jul 10, 2004 12:16 pm

Hi, Steph, and congratulations on the new pregnancy. I'm sorry to hear you're struggling right now--HG is never a pleasant wake-up call! We've got a few military wives here who've navigated that care system, so don't despair.

HG takes many forms--some women vomit nonstop, others vomit occasionally, and some face mostly debilitating nausea. The clinical definition has nothing to do with the amount of nausea or vomiting; instead, it's diagnosed by weight loss and ketonesis. If you're feeling weak and dizzy and dry-mouthed, please have your ketones tested. This is a simple urine test that measures protein in your urine. As your body dehydrates, it starts to break down muscle to feed itself, and that's where the ketones are spilled. If you're spilling ketones, it means you have to get fluids. That's a scary proposition the first time around, but it really will make you feel so much better. Either call your doctor's office and tell them you need an appointment right away to check for dehydration, or go to the ER and tell them that you need your ketones checked and possibly fluids. It is best to be proactive here; the longer you wait, the longer the rehydration course and the greater chance of harm to your baby.

There are many medications that HGers use to help control their symptoms. Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet at this point, but there are many options to make you feel better. Zofran is the most commonly used, and if you're stateside it's probably readily available to you. Phenergan and Reglan are also commonly used; many women find that a combination of a couple meds works best for them. The most important step is finding a doctor who understands HG and is willing to work with you. Keep calling and pestering until you get results--you have every medical reason to be worried about yourself and your pregnancy.

As far as the baby goes, he or she is just fine in there. It seems impossible, but your starvation and dehydration really doesn't affect that baby at all in these early weeks. They really are little parasites, and your body is putting the baby first and is depleting its stores to keep the baby going. But it's up to you to keep yourself going, and for that you must demand medical care. If your doctor won't listen, drag yourself into the ER and park it there until you're taken seriously. This is not in your mind, and it's not going to go away or get better without medical intervention.

Let me know if you need anything else; we've got a great 1st Trimester forum here with women at the same stage you're at, and they'll have great ideas and support and you talk to your doctors. I'd be happy to set you up with someone to talk to from your area, so just e-mail me and let me know if this interests you. Hugs, and best wishes - You are absolutely not alone!
Pamela

4-Time HG Survivor
*Brody (8-11-98 )
*Avery (1-24-01)
*Reilly (12-16-02)
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Postby mammaclare » Jul 14, 2004 8:24 pm

Steph, I was one of the HG gals who didn't vomit much (7-8 times a day at the worst, only occassionally past 18 weeks) but was really crippled with the most intense nausea. I spent a lot of days actually WISHING I would puke thinking I would feel better. I had 5-6 hydrations at the ER and home and was on Zofran until I delivered. If I had to do something different it would be to really try the B6/Unisom and not dismiss it and hunker down in what we call "survival mode".

Please make sure to get the best care you can and go in for more fluids if you need to. I actually lied at the ER one of the times because I knew I needed the fluids even though I hadn't vomited that day--just wasn't able to put the water glass to my mouth without dry heaves. I told them I had vomited hourly, and they rushed me back for the IV start. Sucks that it can come to that but the other option was several hours of waiting in the stinky waiting room.
Clare
Mommy to Rory Benjamin 8-28-03
And Kieran Alexander 12-15-06
HG Babies-Week 5 to The Bitter End!
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Postby caleighbelle47 » Jul 15, 2004 2:32 am

I haven't thrown up that much from HG either, definately more nausea than anything. I too had to lie in the ER to get the IV's I needed. They seem to think you can't be dehydrated unless you've been throwing up. No one ever seemed to understand that I just couldn't drink water. Chances are you're already dehydrated, so I reccomend getting an IV. It makes a big difference, although it doesn't last very long because you usually become dehydrated again pretty quick. One nurse told me as I left the ER to come back as soon as it got bad again, even if it was only a couple of hours later, probably the only nurse I saw who understood HG (her friend had had it several times.) Just try to do whatever it takes to stay hydrated.

Angela
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no vomiting

Postby IslandDreamer » Jul 17, 2004 4:11 pm

Hi,

Sorry to hear you're joining the HG club. I, too, had little vomiting but was incapacitated with nausea. I lost little weight, relative to what I hear online here, about 5-8 lbs by week 10. I get the nausea, ketones, weakness, and can't think AT ALL. I definitely had hg, even though I didn't have the vomit and weight loss (my body goes quickly into starvation mode when pregnant). In fact, I hardly vomited because I just couldn't stand the thought and just stopped putting anything in my mouth. Oddly, water was one of the worst triggers for me.
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Postby PamelaRose » Jul 17, 2004 11:13 pm

Just as HG varies in manifestation, so do tolerable foods and drinks. We could all devote pages to odd combinations that worked and what absolutely did not. I remember being so terrified when a simple sip of water with my first HG set off hours of vomiting. It just doesn't seem natural that a body can't accept water, but it's a strange fact of HG. Of all the frantic contacts I receive from HG families, among the most common are concerns that the sick woman "can't even hold down WATER!"

Some women handle liquids best, others can't. Some do best separating their liquids and solids, and others have to combine them. It's so individual, and that's the mystery of HG. You'll find every conceivable pattern of HG here, from women who need to eat constantly to avoid nausea and vomiting to women who are on TPN for months and do not eat or drink anything but still vomit endlessly. I truly believe that the key to successfully treating your illness is to find another HGer whose symptoms and progression mirror your own and learn from her successes and failures. Such a frustrating condition!
Pamela

4-Time HG Survivor
*Brody (8-11-98 )
*Avery (1-24-01)
*Reilly (12-16-02)
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