Hyperemesis Gravidarum Awareness Day 2020

.Today is HG Awareness Day

 Hyperemesis Gravidarum: a potentially life-threatening pregnancy disease that causes malnutrition, dehydration, and debility due to severe nausea and vomiting, and may cause long-term health issues for mom and baby.

 I have had it in 2 of my 3 pregnancies. It was far worse during my 3rd pregnancy. I was severely ill from 4 weeks of pregnancy up until the day after recovery from my c-section. I threw up 40+ times a day. I threw up not just food and liquids, but also acid, bile, and blood. I was a on picc line, and ended up going in for 3 picc line placements. I was on home health care. I was in the hospital every week for months to go in for fluids when I didn't have a picc line.

 I rarely left home. I was isolated a lot. I had to take an emesis bag whenever I left anywhere. One time my husband tried to get me out of the house, because i was crying and feeling so trapped, he hooked me up to my IV in the car and took me for a drive, but all I could do is throw up. I often couldn't handle being in the car. Many times when I drove myself to dr appointments I would throw up while driving. I would need change of clothes because this also meant that many times I lost control of my bladder, too.

I had side effects from medications.

 HG takes it toll financially, physically, emotionally, mentally, it's a dark night of the soul for 9 months. It took its toll on my other kids, my husband. My teenager often expressed his fear that I would die when he saw me at my worst. My 3 year old was always there to try and take care of me and sometimes was mad at me for not playing with her and being the mom I was before HG. HG hurts not only the mom, but her family, too.

 I had an OB that didn't take my HG as seriously as she should have and I ended up having to make a switch to a different OB that had a greater understanding and compassion for moms with HG. It made a lot of difference in my care. The stress I had before switching was overwhelming and it broke my heart, but that's a story in itself. Point is a doctor or midwife that understands it is crucial in helping HG moms get through it.

 I have complications from the aftermath of HG. I continued to have nausea and vomiting for a month after my baby was born, and I had to have emergency gallbladder removal surgery a month after my csection...during a pandemic, alone. I have major dental problems that I'm getting ongoing treatment for. I have PTSD, PPD/PPA. I am 3 months postpartum and still struggle with food, what I eat, and fear of eating.
HG doesn't discriminate. It affects pregnant women of any age, race, and it doesn't matter if you're having a boy or a girl.


 18% of women meet full criteria for PTSD and more will struggle with symptoms for years, even decades.
 
 1 in 3 babies does not make it to term.

 80% of families suffer negative psychosocial impact.
​
Babies face a 4-fold increase in neurodevelopmental diagnosis

 This is the condensed version of my story and facts about HG.
During my pregnancy I made multiple videos and blogs about my life with HG. Some of it is going to be used for an upcoming international documentary about HG being produced by the HER Foundation. They sent me these shirts as a thank you for my contribution to the doc. I'm thankful to be a part of it and be a voice for women with HG.

 Learn more about HG at hyperemesis.org

 Here's the  link  to all of my HG blogs and videos I made.

 I haven't covered my postpartum journey and aftermath, because it's overwhelming to me emotionally, but today I really wanted to share my voice., my story.

 I am a survivor. My two daughters are survivors. We are TougHGirls.

#hg #hyperemesisgravidarum #HGAD2020 #2020HGvision #raiseyourvoice #tougHGirls #postpartum #fourthtrimester #hgsurvivor #maternalhealth #pregnancy #globalhealth #highriskpregnancy #ptsd #postpartumdepression #hyperemesissisterhood #hgmom #hyperemesissucks

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