What next?

A place where partners, fathers, friends, and family members can discuss experiences and difficulties regarding loved ones' Hyperemesis.

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What next?

Postby Blake » Mar 26, 2005 1:16 pm

First I'd just like to say thank you for this awesome site and all of its contributors here on the forums. My wife is pregnant with our first baby, and unfortunately (as you could probably guess since I'm on this site), she has HG. She's in her 12th week now, and she's gone to the ER twice been admitted once, and I'm guessing we're going to be heading back in the next couple of days. The IV's seem to help her not throw up temporarily, and she even throws up less in the days following the IV, but then it slowly goes back to the usual. Nothing seems to help the nausea. We've tried Reglan, Phenergan, and Compazine....none of them make her feel better, but the last two just make her sleep a bunch which I guess is better than being awake and feeling really bad. Her pre-pregnancy weight was 230 and she's now down to 195, making for a grand total of 35 pounds dropped.

Anyways...that's just to give you an idea of where we're coming from. I'll number my questions for convenience. I guess my main question is...

1) What next?

2) Should we just keep going back to the hospital every week or two for IV fluids? And if so, how frequently should we go back, and how do we know when to go back?

3) Her aunt had HG for all 9 months, and as we enter the second trimester it seems only to be getting worse, not better. If it continues into her second and third trimesters, is there any option to get her more nutrition than the IV fluids? As far as eating right now, she can sometimes have a few pretsels or saltines, a granola bar here and there and maybe half of a slim-fast once in awhile.

4) This relates to the last question, but I've read people talking about being on some type of line...I forget what it's called, but it sounded like a home IV/feeding tube type thing. Where can I get more information on these types of options, and should we be asking the doctors about them? At what point in the pregnancy would they start to be necessary if she continues hardly eating anything.

Thank you so much for all the info
~Blake~
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Postby mammaclare » Mar 26, 2005 2:52 pm

OKay, here goes:

1. She needs to try B6/Unisom and Zofran. There is a sticky on the B6/U regimen in the 1st Tri folder. As for Zofran--it is a staple in the "diet" for an HGer. She can have up to 32 MGS a day in either 4 or 8 mg tabs. If she can't keep down pills then there is a version called ODT that dissolve in yoru mouth.

2. To know when fluid is ABSOLUTELY needed, go get some Ketostix at the pharmacy. If she has moderate or large ketones in her urine, she needs fluids. If she can't drink enough to get them down then she needs an IV. I would ask for home health to have a 2-3 day IV at home as opposed to either the ER (don't usually get enough in one visit) or being admitted (being in the hosp sucks, in my opinion). I did that about 5 times in the worst of my HG and I was so glad to be at home.

3. My peri's position on weight loss is that as long as you aren't losing after 20 weeks, it is okay. If you are still losing, or not gaining some back, by 20-22 weeks, then she advocated an ng tube (feeding tube to your tummy through your nose) or a PICC line (see 4) with TPN. So, if she were seeing my doc, you guys would get the "eat what you can, when you can, no matter how weird or unhealthy it is" talk and also be told not to worry about the baby for another 6-8 weeks or so at least.

4. The line you are referring to is called a PICC line (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter). It is an IV that is inserted in a vein in your upper arm, above the elbow. It has a catheter that goes into the vena cava just outside of the heart. It is a saving grace for many on here, but is not without risk. There is a risk of infection with a PICC line--less so if you are only running fluids and more so if you are running TPN (nutrition). My personal opinion is to work with the peripheral lines (normal 2-3 day IVs) if you can get away with it but ask for a PICC if you are constantly needing the fluids. You can ABSOLUTELY have home IV's without having to get the PICC line--so maybe ask your OB about it. You can get teh Zofran IV when she has a line in, which works well for some women.

5. Okay, I am adding my own thoughts here. I know you didn't have a "5"! Be her advocate. She is weak, miserable and probably feels like a failure at being a wife, a failure at being pregnant or simply depressed and miserable. It is so easy to just give up and suffer...it is harder to demand better care or new options when you are sick. So, that has to be YOUR job--you are doing her such a service already by coming to this site and reading about HG and wanting to help her. She is lucky--not all husbands are so concerned or attentive. Please send her here to read and learn and get support when and if she is up to being on the computer. We will embrace her and cry with her and help her (and you) through it.

Gotta run--my own HG wonder boy is screeching over the monitor!
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 Blake » Mar 26, 2005 3:25 pm

Thank you so much!!! That is all exactly what I needed to know...it's particularly good to know about the 20-22 week weight loss thing...that gives us a lot of relief for the time being, and hopefully as we draw closer to that, things will get better. My wife couldn't agree with you more about the hospitals sucking part, so the home IV sounds like the perfect solution...and the keytone test too.....and we'll definatley give Zofran a shot....basically everything you said was exactly what we needed :D :D :D....I told her about the site, and even set up an account with a baby ticker in the signature and all :) For now though I don't think she's feeling up to it...but once she does I'm sure she'll be on here a bunch.

Thanks so much again...we've had great doctors so far, but even the ones who know lots about HG don't have all the info that's on here...I really really appreciate it!
Blake
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Postby emily » Mar 26, 2005 11:49 pm

Clare,

What an awesome reply! Listen to this girl! LOL I really hope things start getting better soon Blake, you have a lot more information now to use.

Emily
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Postby pippa » Mar 27, 2005 6:01 am

Blake, I just want to give YOU a hug. My husband wouldn't be caught dead on a support group site getting info for me. :)

And yeah.. what everyone else said. And WHATEVER sounds good, go get it. Sometimes the craziest things will actually stay down once in a while.

~ pippa

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Beanie 1.10.00
^i^ Sprout ^i^ 6.01
Buster 3.07.02
Bug 8.10.03
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Postby teddi » Mar 27, 2005 10:11 am

Blake,

Clare gave you lots of good starting points.

I'll also throw it out there as your wife is now past the 1st tri- one other option is steroid therapy. For some women it just totally gets the HG under control. For me it helped (though it didn't cure the HG) for a while when I was hovering at less than 95 lbs. It is generally not started until about week 11- 13 for fetal development reasons.

It is just IMPERATIVE that your wife stay as well hydrated as possible. Dehydration itself causes nausea and vomiting. The cycle will only worsen...if already she's been in the hospital 3 times..she really may need home IV therapy or some kind of regular outpatient IV treatments. With my last pregnancy I had a PICC line and did IV fluids at home, myself (it's not that hard!). I can't tell you what a tremendous difference it made not just going through the cycle of just waiting to get "so bad" I had to be in the ER. Some sort of regular IV treatment really might help you be able to "control" the HG much better.

I totally commend you for taking iniative and coming here and looking for info. Your wife really needs you now more than ever. She needs you to be her advocate. Sometimes HG makes you so sick you can't even really convey what you need or how badly you feel.
Teddi
Bert , 3/2000 HG#1, wk 6 - birth, GB removed @ 16wks
Chloe & Kaylie, 12/2004 HG #2, wk 7 - birth, pre-E/pancreatitis
~Angel babe~ March 2012
~ Baby Chuckles~ July 2013
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Postby PamelaRose » Mar 27, 2005 11:52 pm

Hi, Blake. Clare spelled it out for you beautifully! You mentioned going into the 2nd trimester...that 12-week mark seems to be some magical milestone in the morning sickness world, but HGers are a different breed. Weeks 10-14 tend to be the most difficult, and your wife is right in the midst of that now. After 14 weeks, you may start to see SLOW improvement--many women are feeling at least human again by 20 weeks or so. I also read that your wife is dealing with numerous pokes to get IVs started. I dealt with this time and again (and after 4 pregnancies my poor hand and arm veins are still punishing me for the torture), and finally getting a PICC the last time through was a life-saver. I highly recommend that you ask about some sort of central line to avoid further trauma to her dehydrated little veins. As far as a fluid schedule, it depends. Most popular here are daily home fluids, which are monitored by home health nurses and usually administered by HGers and/or their spouses (my husband runs a mean bag of fluids!). Other women set up a schedule with their clinics or ERs to go in and get fluids ever few days, as needed. It's really about recognizing the signs of dehydration and staying on top of it; getting an IV boost and then spiraling down is not optimal treatment, and meds will not work if the body is not well hydrated.

If you're interested in getting in touch with an HG family from your area, send me an email and I'll line it up. Good luck!
Pamela

4-Time HG Survivor
*Brody (8-11-98 )
*Avery (1-24-01)
*Reilly (12-16-02)
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Postby izhak » Apr 01, 2005 5:16 pm

Blake:

I have, and am there. my wife also has HG and is in her first pregnancy. She spent 8 weeks in the hospital. Kept getting discharged, and then went back within 12-48 hours.

All I can tell you is use this website as much as you can. You can vent your frustrations and feelings, but more importantly, get lots of good advice from people who have been there.

If it gives you some added hope, my wife has been puke free since Jan 3 or so. She has been home since Jan 7. OK, there were like three puke episodes. One of them was here brushing the back of her tongue. :wink:

When she got out on Jan 7, she was taking up to 16 pills per day. Today she has cut it down to 6 pills per day. She does have nausea and sleeps ehough for the both of us, but she is not in the hospital. She is able to go to the mall, to friends and familey. She is able to go out to a restaurant (very well). And, she is now happier about being pregnant, and starting to purchase stuff for our boy in the works.

Blake, hang on. It does get better. Both I and my wife whish the best for you and yours.

Izhak

P.S. sending you a hug.
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Tring to survive HG

Postby Tracey » May 19, 2005 7:07 pm

Blake,

Your an amazing man to be trying to help your wife by using this site. I am in my 31st week and still suffer effects of HG. MY husband is actually the one whom signed me up on this site as I was to ill to get to the computer. He also tried to get as much info. as he could desperatly trying to help me. I can't tell you in words how much I love my husband for his support. I'm sure your wife feels the same. Men like you are few and far between. I believe the home health care was a godsend for me. Not having to go to the hospital every few days was a great help both physically and mentally. I hope your wife has recieved some help by now and that she is doing better. My heart goes out to her on so many levels.
Please keep your chin up and hold hers up for her if necessary. It really does get better. GOD SPEED TO YOU BOTH!

Sincerely,
Tracey Conover
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Surviving HG

Postby FirstTimeDH » May 19, 2005 8:41 pm

My wife has had HG for 8 months, booked in for C-S in 6 days and 11 hours. WOO HOO!!

One thing to add to the totally excellent advice here Blake:

Regardless of how she feels physcially, your wife will eventually get the nesting instinct and want to clean the house. Mine has said to me that "I've got 9 months of grode to clean up". I've learned a whole set of new skills keeping the place "liveable" (a fairly loose term, since I'm an avid outdoorsy type and don't mind the odd wardrobe underfoot) but the mum-to-be just goes nuts at this time of her life and has a need to clean worse than Mav & Goose's "need for speed".

My point is this: Don't let her work too hard and get weaker. She needs to keep her strength up no matter when she starts to feel better. Her emotions will be up and down, and she may need to be restrained gently and put to bed if necessary - the house & dirt must take second place to her strength and the baby's health.

While it may be admirable for the mum-2-b to pull a Ruiz from Black Hawk Down (bullet in the chest, but telling his CO "don't go back out there without me"), the simple fact is, she is in more danger from her own too-high expectations than from the amount of dirt on the underside of the pantry shelves. She can clean all she likes once baby is born, but HG wipes them out so much that she really needs to conserve her strength, even if she is having a caesar.

Best of luck, don't hesitate to go to the hospital for fluids. We even took a camping mattress one time because they had no beds available, and Di spent all night on the examination table because that was the only space available. After that, we always took a mattress so she would at least be comfortable while they poked and prodded at her shrunken veins, trying to get a line in...

Keep us posted.

Justy
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Postby Chedasha » May 20, 2005 9:14 am

Theres been some great advice in this thread for you!!

Its great to see so many supportive partners out there. I think this makes ALL the difference for the HG wife/partner.

I know my sisters partner was very supportive. I told them all the information they needed and he believed it and did what was neccessary for her.

I think that you just make sure your wife knows she is not alone and that it can end just as fast as it began. BUt when this is noone knows.

Here in Australia we dont have all that home therapy available. So yes my sister just went back to the local hopsital each time.

She did end up with Pre Eclampsia at the end thus had the baby at 37weeks which I think was a relief in the end.

I hope it all goes well for your wife and she makes it through with her sanity intact.

At one stage they send this psych doctor to see my sister and he had just had a few days of food poisioning so my sister said to him.. take that food poisoining you have and triple the intensity and let it last all day every day for months and months and you may have some idea of how I feel. He never doubted her again lol

Kat
DD Estella Dawn 06/06/2011
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