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
My wife survived two HG pg and we have two fantastic little boys.
Christopher 8/6/01
Nicholas 4/6/04