Open Discussion about HG on Dr. Phil

[tatteredtoo]

Hey ladies, I just got the message from Kimber asking for a volunteer. (I assume I'm not the only one who got this since I'm not currently HGing and it was geared towards those who are) I hope some of you are up to sharing your thoughts and opinions about what is hopefully to come.
I was just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on this. Excited, nervous, what if they decide not to do it? What if it isn't portrayed the way you really think HG feels like if something on HG airs?
Has anyone volunteered yet? I hope that someone does, for the cause, if for nothing more, and I wish whoever does it the best of luck with it.

[jamilah]

Praise the lord! We need more attention on HG. I wish this would have come several months sooner. I had severe HG but lost the baby in my 23rd week. The doctor was not sure if it was just pre-term labor or incompentent cervix. I have one child who is 12 years old now. I had severe HG with him as well. My husband and I plan on trying again. Hopefully, this will help us in our future.

[mmichelle]

I am going to reply to her and volunteer. I just hope that it is portrayed as the horrible life altering situation it truly is.

[jesspinky1]

I think idealy they should have someone currently HGing, someone who had a successful HG pregnancy , and someone who suffered a loss due to severe HG.

[Cin]

Mere, please go ahead and volunteer!!!!

[krdoty]

I look forward to seeing how Dr. Phil will approach the topic. I assume that we'll be given a heads up before it gets aired, right?

[Mikey&Bree'sMama(src)]

I think this is really awesome, Mere, you're perfect for volunteering for this, with all the problems you've had even getting the PICC and then not being able to find a medication to totally relieve your symptoms.

I hope Dr. Phil approaches this the right way and talks about how many women aren't taken seriously about the severity of their symptoms. I can't wait to see this air!

[NoMoreHG]

I too received Kimber's email. Thankfully, I am no longer suffering... but am so excited that Dr. Phil has finally responded. I have been sending his show (and others) emails for months! There is so much that Dr. Phil could do to help so many of us. I have been devoting my entire being post-birth to healing my marriage and building my relationship with both of my children. So much healing has taken place, and I can only thank God for giving me the tools I needed and the time to do it. My career has now shifted from the work force (as a food chemist and safety specialist) to protecting my home front, here at home. I'm loving it... but HG really did steal more than a year from my life, and my family's. Dr. Phil could really help with addressing the depression issues along with family trying to cope with it.

[peanut]

I am glad that Dr. Phil is thinking of doing a show on this. I too have emailed him (I think twice) about doing a show on HG. I hope he highlights how devastating it is so us when people, especially our docs, don't believe how severe our symptoms are.

Lora

[tatteredtoo]

This news that there could be a show about it really, really has hit me hard. I read the email from Kimber and was SO elated. So, so happy that FINALLY someone MIGHT take us seriously (us being EVERY woman who has had to suffer through this with snickers and mockery and neglect and defeat and so many other harsh realities) and get the word out that it's not something we've just made up, it's REAL.
Then about 5 minutes after I started this thread, the other end of the spectrum hit me. I'm mad. Why did they take so long (Anyone, not just Dr. Phil's shows) to listen? Why wasn't there more out there in the first place, it's not like this is a disease that rose up out of nowhere this last decade! Why couldn't we have each have had our children until AFTER something like this happened so we could have more help, more support, more trust, more love instead of rejection at such a difficult time in our lives. I know some of these thoughts are really irrational so don't mind my rambling... I just don't know how to deal with the mixed emotions about this.
I'm so upset and SO happy at the same time. Yeah, my head is going to pop off, I don't even know what to do with myself. I went and sat in the shower and bawled until I could compose myself again.
I just hope and pray that if they do this for us... that it means at least one woman out there will suffer less because of the knowledge this might bring. She will know what HG is.

[octobermomma]

I volunteered...but I'm not as "shocking" as some cases are....I have no PICC....though I desperately need one. I just figured I could portray the fact of the vast differences in treatment from dr to dr across the country and how little is known about treatment in some areas. Seeing as how I am basically given a bandaid when what I really need is stitches, if you know what I mean!

[megs4413]

i'm about to pop so i'm not a good candidate to volunteer, but boy would i have loved to!

i would really love to talk about how many of us lose our babies because of this and the emotional fallout from all of that. so many of us have suffered from PTSD and PPD....and depression in the pregnancy....impacting our marriages/family lives/jobs/friendships. It takes a huge toll. I was absolutely suicidal during my pregnancy with DD and when I would have PTSD "episodes" i would get that same suicidal feeling. very scary.

i hope at the very least, it helps women who are currently suffering in silence to find a voice/name for their situation. I hope we get a lot of traffic here so women can get the help they need! I'm so lucky my mom found the HUGS site while I was pregnant....I'm actually not sure if I would have survived otherwise (literally) since the doctors were still telling me it was in my head. Without the HUGS site we wouldn't have known it was HG and we wouldn't have known there were treatment options. We started demanding the PICC and TPN from that point on and finally got it......it saved my life.

[jakesmom723]

I cried when I read about Dr. Phil doing a story on HG. This is absolutely great!! I don't think I qualify for it but I would love to talk about it. I had HG with my first bouncing boy, and 18 months later I am going through it again. Just recently, I had been hospitalized for 3 days, on home IV, had to put my baby boy into daycare b/c I couldn't take care of him. My hormone level was at 190,000 when it should have been only at 100,000. I am now taking both Reglan and Zofran to keep food down, and when it gets to around 5 pm...nothing stays down. The saddest thing is my MIL does not understand what I am going through, she never even had morning sickness!! I think she thinks it is a big joke. I can't wait until this episode airs, because I am taping it and sending it to all the people in my life that have no idea what it is like. I am so happy Dr. Phil is doing coverage on HG!!!

[Nixjem]

I'd go! they could fill the entire audience with all of us.....

From the E-mail Kimber sent I don't think I qualify to talk on the show as I have mild HG this time. However could you imagine if they were willing to fill the audience.

Just imagine: "Not only did these brave women here talking with me suffer from this terrible disease. But our entire audience and they are here to let you see just how many women have or are suffering from it."

& better yet end the show with our names, pictures of us and our children and our Hg stats.

I've been on the news before to talk about the Chernobyl Childrens Project and a study on adolecents. So talking wouldn't be an issue for me but I think they only want the most severe cases. (Makes for better tv ) I would love it if they were willing to cover it from more angles.

I've volunteered anyway.

[Jenny]

I emailed Robin from the show to talk about the differences in HG care 18 years ago and today, also about continuing an HG pregnancy after our son was diagnosed with a fatal condition and the doctor refused to treat my HG if I would not abort.

[Nixjem]

Oh, Jenny I'm so sorry.

[tatteredtoo]

It's so great that everyone is so open for discussion on this. I'm feeling much better about it today. I wasn't ever NOT wanting them to do it, just upset that so many have had to go through HG without any kind of recognition for their suffering. It's just sad. I compared it to an old woman wanting a wedding dress of her dreams but not getting it until 50 years later when her body is saggy and old and would never fit into that dress... happy that she got the dress and could give it to someone else to use who wanted the perfect dress, too... but sad that she still couldn't use it. Does that make sense? I am so happy very happy that someone else out there will get to have the knowledge of what HG is and how it can be treated, but still sad that I didn't have that for my pregnancies.

I am praying so hard that this really does happen. I think ANYONE who wants to apply should... because I know that Kimber or the producers will faithfully make the best possible choice in deciding who should or could do this for a show. The more she has to choose from, I think the better the choice will be.

[janiecw]

im so glad we are finally getting some attention on this, I probably wont volunteer because though ive had many problems im not neaarly as bad as many of the women on here and my hg now is pretty controlled with meds im actually almost fluffy now.

[KSmith]

I replied to Kimber's email the other day, and have spoken with one of the Dr Phil producers twice in the last two days . . . I am aprehensive about being their "spokesperson in the last trimester".

They were going to install cameras in my home yesterday . . . but where I am still at work, I am going to do a "video diary" for them. I just hope that I can do justice to the anguish that I have been through. Most of the time I try to put on a really brave face . . . but the wear of the lost weight, consistant vomiting, PICC, and everything else is kind of getting to me.

I have promised the producers of the show that I will try to show them the accuracy of the condition, and I PRAY that they do not twist my words into downplaying the symptoms. I too, feel like there are women more sick than me . . . and women who are in a darker emotional state than I am . . . but it is not because I am superwoman that I still work don't just sit in bed and cry . . . I just have a really great support system . . . both here and in my DH.

So . . . wish me luck . . . and please pray for me and the producers of the show that this condition gets portrayed accurately.

[dwtegli]

I for one am so proud of you for agreeing to do this. I know how hard and scary it must be. Just know that we are all behind you 100%. no matter how it turns out. I really hope and pray that the producers show the truth. all the ugly, disgusting details that would horrify anyone who hasn't been there.