Pregnancy is supposed to be a happy time, but not if you are diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidation. This condition only affects about 1% of all pregnant women, but for those affected the nine months of pregnancy feels like a lifetime.
Hyperemesis is described as severe morning sickness, but I think it should be called all day, can't stop vomiting sickness. I found out I was pregnant in the E.R. of my local hospital after throwing up for about 12 hours straight. I was severely dehydrated and received 3 bags of fluid while I was there and given the news that I was pregnant. I was sent home with congratulations and told by the doctor that it will pass soon. I saw my regular OBGYN and started taking prenatal vitamins and doing all the healthy things they told me to do. I felt nauseas all day long. Then I started throwing up again about a week after my hospital visit. I couldn't keep anything down. I remember once eating a French fry and little while later that French fry was back with a fury. This went on for six months of my pregnancy. I had to visit the E.R. two to three times a week to get re-hydrated.
Most of the time the E.R. had to call down nurses from ICU to do my IV because no one could find a good vein due to all the sticks I'd had previously. All of the nurses and Dr.'s in my local E.R. knew me by name when they saw me coming. Not to mention I had to quit my job because of the sickness which put a strain on my finances as well as my marriage. As you can imagine this was not the happy pregnancy I had always envisioned.
Later, after the birth of my new son I ran into pregnant women who talked about how sick they were. When I asked about there sickness they responded by saying I vomit once a day usually. Others talked about how sick they were and though they felt queasy most of the day, they never actually got sick. It was at this time that I realized that these women had no idea what “sick” really was when it came to pregnancy.
Now, I do not say these things to downgrade the sickness of pregnant women. Getting sick, even once, is not fun. Especially when you have other children to care for. The problem I had is when I talked about how sick I was I was greeted with “oh yeah, me too” or “oh that's to bad”. All the while these people had no idea how sick women with Hyperemesis really are. Unless you have witnessed it first hand you have no idea what these women go through.
After my battle with Hyperemesis and having to quit my job during my pregnancy I have decided it probably wouldn't be in my best interest to have any more children. Many people frown on this because they do not understand the things I endured while I was pregnant. The truth is I probably would endure all of it again for another child, but my pocketbook just can't afford it. My doctor gives me a 50/50 chance of having/not having it during other pregnancies but right now I just can't afford the risk.
To all the pregnant women that have been diagnosed with Hyperemesis I feel your pain and I encourage you to hang in there because it will be over soon and you will have a beautiful baby as a result.
