Has anyone had HG and gone on to have a normal (or properly managed) pregnancy?

[IngridBergmann]

I've had two really horrid pregnancies, where I felt very very sick until about 20 weeks each time (improved after that).

I was on various drugs which didn't help much tbh - cyclizine, stemetil, phenergan.

I've heard about better drugs, but don't know how readuly available they are or if they work for everyone.

I'd love one more child, am getting on a bit (late 30s) and every time it nearly happens I get PTSD symptoms, I am so afraid of feeling that sick again.

So I thought I would ask if anyone else had managed it - I mean gone on to have another child but with a better pregnancy, either because they just didn't feel so sick the third time, or it was managed better with stronger drugs?

Was it hard to get the doctor to prescribe in the light of previous experience? I was never admitted thankfully but did have to have injections on occasion as I was in a crisis.

Both were boys...and tbh I'm a bit worried if I had another (girl or boy) it might even be WORSE this time.

Any stories appreciated, thankyou x

I had HG til about 16 wks with my first but as I live in Spain and wasn't really aware of what HG was (neither are the doctors) I had no treatment. Lost about a stone and felt shit but then it resolved itself anyway at about 16 weeks. He was a boy.

I'm now 24 weeks with a girl and have been much worse this time but knew I needed some medication. The only thing they give here is metaclopramide so I'm on that, have been since 7 wks. From about 20 wks it's stopped the sickness by and large but makes me drowsy and if I try to come off it the puking starts. Think I'll be on it for the duration.

Was your HG worse in your second pg? I've read that it often is. Know what you mean about the PTSD, I was worried I'd be ill again and it's been awful. I won't be having any more kids. Maybe speak to your doctor about it all and see what they might be able to offer?

Sorry, that was all a bit depressing.
x

thankyou, Pipoca - that's really helpful and a really nice post.

Sorry you're going through it. I'm not sure if it was worse in my second - it felt like it but then it's hard to see objectively at the time!

I wondered about metoclopramide, I take it sometimes when I feel sick for other reasons and it sometimes works, sometimes doesn't...but definitely worth a try. I don't know if they would give me it over here, they are a bit reluctant in pregnancy to give people anything at all.

I wish you a happy rest-of-pregnancy

Thanks for understanding x

Just wanted to add my pennies worth!
Had HG with both my sons (aged 5 and 3) and was very scared about doing it again. Ummed and ahhed for ages and in the end decided to go for it. I am now 23 weeks pg with the third, and I would say I have had severe ms as opposed to HG this time; and have coped much better. I did a lot of research before getting pregnant and credit the the things I have done differently with me being not as ill.
Firstly, I lost a lot of weight last year (2 stone) and got extremely fit. I was not so big anyway, but got down to a very good weight by doing a mainly protein and veg/nuts diet. I eliminated carbs altogether and took lots of omega supplements. In a nutshell, I was in a very healthy place before I got pregnant. I went to the docs pre pregnancy and discussed my options and got my GP to write in my notes that the minute I got pg, I was to be given a prescription for cyclizine, and she documented a sliding scale of treatment options which any GP would be able to access when I came in ill. I also got a letter from my friend's husband (who happens to be consultant obstetrician) at my local hospital saying I could be admitted anytime I felt I needed to come in for rehydration therapy. By doing these things, I felt I had taken some sort of control over my potential illness.
I also started taking milk thistle and vit B6 pre natally as well as the usual vit supplements. I got pg immediately and went and got my script for the cyclizine. I competed in a national athletic competetion at 8 weeks; which was a big goal for me, and I refused to allow myself to be sick before that point even though in both previous pgs I had already been in hospital. After the competition (which I won!) I became quite unwell, but have managed very well at home. I was still able to get my children here and there, and carried on training, despite being sick a lot. I have found that exercise has helped me immensely. So from that point until now, i have been on cyclizine 3 times a day, and scaled them down at 16 weeks, so am now only on 1 every 2nd day. I have found ways to cope with it (as everyone does), like drinking coconut juice (vita coco-amazing stuff) and eating butter cream mints. It has not been easy but way more manageable this time. One tip I got from the Help her website was to eat a ton of protein, much better than carbs. I will crave carbs (bread etc) but I will make myself a boiled egg and that will sit in me much better. At one point I was whooping 12 eggs a day-very odd as I know I could never have managed to eat eggs in previous pregnancies! I have also done acupuncture and bought a ms hypnotherapy cd which I can recommend. I have not had any admittance to hospital at all and have gained a whole stone-better than the 2 stone loss each pg that i have had!
I wish you all the best-HG is the most terrible thing I have ever been through; my husband will be getting the snip after this pg so I never every have to feel so ill again. But they are worth it, and life plays a cruel trick on us when some people can be so ill, and others not at all. No fair!
jennyx

apologies for essay!

Wow - no apology needed!!

That's amazing. I did wonder if it was partly the fact I eat quite badly, don't exercise (apart from everyday running about etc) and probably have some minor vitamin deficiencies...I also don't drink enough water.
I know when I was pg, being hydrated made me feel so much better.

I'm very impressed with your proactive approach, it must have made you feel so much more in control and less a victim of the sickness - that's part of it, it can seem to be this huge monster, so much bigger than me, and I can't fight it.
So that would probably help a lot.

I know I was very stressed during my pregnancies as well, as both times the father didn't want the child. So all that compounded the fear and anxiety.
If I do have another I will make sure it is with someone supportive and helpful.

Thankyou very much for explaining what you did, it's absolutely inspiring.

I had hg all the way through ds pg among other problems, I spent 5 months in hospital and was bed bound. DD I actually went two weeks over and felt great all the way through I wasnt even tired at the end. Good luck whatever you decide.