Stacey's HuGStory
My name is Stacey. I was so excited to find HuGS the other day. It's always reassuring to know others have gone through what you're going through. Here is my story:
My husband I and had been married 9 months when we found out we were pregnant. We had been trying for 6 months so we were elated! Since we were trying to get pregnant, I had been eating well, exercising, and getting in shape for when it happened. I had all these plans for being healthy and active during my pregnany. At about 4 weeks I began to get really nauseous. I actually thought I had a virus of some sort, since I had been feeling so great the first few weeks. The nausea got so bad, I started missing work and called my doctor. He prescribed phenergan over the phone. I took my first phenergan and immediately threw it up. This was the first time I threw up, but I was relieved, because it made me feel better. Unfortunately I continued to throw up several times and it just got worse over the next few days. Over the next few weeks it was harder and harder to keep anything down, especially fluids. I began to dehydrate and ended up being admitted to the hospital a few times for I.V. fluids. It was at this point (about 6-7 weeks) I had to quit my job permanently. If I saw any food, smelled any smell, even changed positions or stood up I would violently throw up. Just walking outside, watching t.v, or getting in the car would made me throw up.
By the end of my first trimester, I had lost 17 lbs. and was hospitalized for 8 days for a Central Line placement in my chest, and to try to stop the vomitting (we were in the hospital at this time for our 1 year anniversary!). I began I.V. phenergan, reglan and zofran, but even that didn't help much. My doctor also tried steroid therapy that research has shown to work in alot of HG women. It didn't phase my sickness. We were sent home with me hooked to an I.V. for TPN (liquid food) and 11 doses of medication around the clock. I was on TPN and had home health for many months (I was hooked to this I.V. 16 hours a day). I was so sick and weak my husband and mother would have to help me to the bathroom and would have to bathe me - I couldn't do it myself. There were so many nights I pray and cried to God to let me die because I thought I couldn't stand another moment of being sick. The only relief I got was when I was asleep. I was this sick until about 26 weeks. At that point the vomitting eased up a little, but I still had to have I.V. medications (when I took them by mouth I threw them up). I was able to eat a little and drink a little. From 26 weeks until I delivered I didn't gain any weight but I was able to maintain my weight. I was still extremely nauseous, but I was thrilled to be off the I.V. pump. Finally, I delivered May 5, 1999 a beautiful, healthy 6 lb. 3 oz. baby boy. As horrible as it was, it was so worth it! Sadly, though, to this day I don't refer to my pregnancy as my pregnancy. I call it my illness, which is exactly what it was to me. I feel like I was very lucky, though, because I had a very supportive and loving husband, a supportive family and a wonderful doctor who took me very seriously. I know some HG women don't have that.
My husband and I would like to have another baby one of these days, but we can't figure out how to do it with me being so sick and having a child to take care of. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. If you are going through HG right now and need someone to talk to, please don't hesitate to email me: dennard@airmail.net.
Thanks!
Stacey
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