Hyperemesis Gravidarum
As many of you reading this know, I suffered from severe Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) while I was pregnant with Kenneth. HG has been making its rounds in the news this past week because Kate Middleton is suffering her 3rd HG pregnancy. A lot of these articles are describing HG as severe morning sickness, and that just doesn't sit well with me. When I was pregnant and sick I heard a lot of Dr's describe it as "really bad morning sickness." I had 1, yes ONE Dr. in the whole practice that I went to refer to it as Hyperemesis. Shocker that she was the one who also took me seriously and came up with a treatment plan that kept me (and baby) alive.
What I am wondering is why, even in the medical field, people are so uneducated about HG. The amount of nurses and Dr's that told me to "just drink more water and you wouldn't need to come back here" is horrifying. I was so sick I thought I was going to die at some points, but oh, just drink more water you say? Or the ER nurse that said if I didn't think about vomiting then I wouldn't. Why isn't this something that people learn about in nursing and medical school? Why is it so hard to get proper treatment and to be taken seriously? It is hard enough to go through HG, but it is even harder when the people who are supposed to be helping you are actually doing the opposite.
My HG ended the moment Kenneth was born, but I am still dealing with the aftermath of it 5 months postpartum. I am absolutely terrified of vomiting. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do when I end up sick one day - Dustin might have to check me into Rogers. (kidding, but not) I have nightmares that involve me laying on the bathroom floor and continuously vomiting until I wake up in a cold sweat. The thought of another pregnancy makes me sick to my stomach when I really think about it, and that saddens me to no end. I still get random bouts of nausea and am paralyzed with fear. I'm sure as time passes, these wounds will heal, but they are still very real right now. I look at my precious baby girl and know that she went through hell too. We survived together and we will continue to thrive together. If you are still suffering postpartum, know that you are not alone.
You can read my complete HG story here if you're interested in learning more about it.
You can also learn more about HG here.
What I am wondering is why, even in the medical field, people are so uneducated about HG. The amount of nurses and Dr's that told me to "just drink more water and you wouldn't need to come back here" is horrifying. I was so sick I thought I was going to die at some points, but oh, just drink more water you say? Or the ER nurse that said if I didn't think about vomiting then I wouldn't. Why isn't this something that people learn about in nursing and medical school? Why is it so hard to get proper treatment and to be taken seriously? It is hard enough to go through HG, but it is even harder when the people who are supposed to be helping you are actually doing the opposite.
My HG ended the moment Kenneth was born, but I am still dealing with the aftermath of it 5 months postpartum. I am absolutely terrified of vomiting. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do when I end up sick one day - Dustin might have to check me into Rogers. (kidding, but not) I have nightmares that involve me laying on the bathroom floor and continuously vomiting until I wake up in a cold sweat. The thought of another pregnancy makes me sick to my stomach when I really think about it, and that saddens me to no end. I still get random bouts of nausea and am paralyzed with fear. I'm sure as time passes, these wounds will heal, but they are still very real right now. I look at my precious baby girl and know that she went through hell too. We survived together and we will continue to thrive together. If you are still suffering postpartum, know that you are not alone.
You can read my complete HG story here if you're interested in learning more about it.
You can also learn more about HG here.
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