Hyperemesis gravidarum

[GingerRH]

What warrants the diagnosis of HG?

I don't want to start minimising someone else's genuine symptoms if I'm just being precious.

Obviously I've read on google, in my head I've got it all. But as I said I could just be being precious so thought I'd ask for first hand experience to compare.

Have a look at the charity Pregnancy Sickness Support ..

Various symptoms warrant a HG diagnosis. For some, it’s severe vomiting multiple times a day with no real trigger. For others, it’s severe nausea & being unable to keep food/water down. Some people are diagnosed with HG due to severe nausea 24/7 only. It really varies.

Please don’t underestimate or belittle others pregnancy sickness. If they’ve been given a HG diagnosis by a medical professional, then that’s what they have. It is not your place to be ‘precious’ & judge.

For some people, even being sick 2/3 times a day is mentally difficult & physically exhausting. For many, the persistent & debilitating nausea leading to no eating & poor drinking is terrible. It is not for others to judge. You get through pregnancy your own way. And if people choose to take meds, that’s also not for anyone else to judge!

I have had two HG pregnancies. I do vomit significantly without medication. But with a concoction of meds, it’s well controlled. However, despite the lack of actual vomiting while taking my meds, the nausea is so overwhelming in the first trimester. I can’t eat & I barely drink. I’ve had several hospital admissions from it..

I was told I was so dehydrated from being so sick I couldn't even keep a drink down that I would have to take meds or spend my pregnancy in hospital on fluids (a drip). I would be sick if I ate or drank anything, if I smelt food or drinks even, and sometimes just spontaneously. I would wake up in the morning and immediately be sick everywhere, I was so weak I couldn't even get to the bathroom. Meds got me back to "normal" morning sickness so I could eat something and sip some fluids (but not water I couldn't drink water at all). I was badly anemic even after that and developed mild pica. The only thing that seemed to help was day time sleeping and the smell of bleach.

@Bol87 you've misinterpreted what I meant - I probably didn't explain myself correctly.

I don't want to think I have it because I have X,Y or Z symptoms (and don't have it - I'm just being precious with normal morning sickness) which then belittles someone genuinely struggle from suffering with it.

I'm not even sure I've explained that any better but hopefully.

I lost weight in one of my pregnancies, even on meds I was a stone lighter going into labour than I was at booking in (and I'd lost weight by the time I was booked in). I was told to take the meds ASAP in any future pregnancies, and that did help and I managed to gain weight with my other two.

@Jodie77 I'm literally nauseous from the minute I wake up to the minute I go to sleep.
I barely eat because I'm worried that I'm going to be sick again.

I've thrown up 3 times today. The last time there wasn't even anything there cause I haven't eaten anything.

I've been using sea sickness bands for the last week to try and stop the nausea but wether they're having an affect I don't know.

If you’re finding your nausea too much to cope with then it’s worth seeking help, it doesn’t belittle or take anything away from those with HG to do that, whether your sickness would fall under HG or not.

To answer your question, HG is diagnosed if there is severe nausea and vomiting which started in the first trimester of pregnancy, if there is significant weight loss, if there is dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, and if other causes of vomiting/nausea have been ruled out. Sometimes the PUQE (yes really) score is used to categorise the severity of HG, I’ve attached a copy so you can see how your symptoms measure up. But even if you come back with a low score, please speak to your GP or midwife if you’re struggling.

Sorry, meant to say, obviously most of that list you can't check yourself, and the diagnosis is something that is ultimately made by a doctor, it was just to give you an idea of what's involved in making the diagnosis.

@SpuriouserAndSpuriouser THANK YOU!

I don't think it helps that I hate feeling sick/being sick. Always have done. I'm that person that the minute they get a hint of nausea I would rather put my fingers down my throat and throw up so it goes away.

Which now I'm pregnant is a struggle as I don't want to be making myself sick every day.

I've tried ginger biscuits, worked for a day or two then stopped. Someone else said salt & vinegar crisps, again worked for a day or two then stopped. Then I read about eating before you get out of bed and green apples. So I've been eating green apples in bed since Friday all well and good until today and then the minute I get to work that came back up.

I think I just need some sympathy. My DM doesn't know because we miscarried during the summer so I swore I wouldn't tell her until we'd had a scan the next time round so trying to stick with that.

DH is very much of the 'you're pregnant not dying' breed, and has no sympathy as I essentially asked for this.

I was diagnosed with HG without vomiting constantly, although that was at 6 weeks and I was already on anti nausea medication and was vomiting without it. I was so nauseous I couldn't drink, so did end up in hospital once. Unrelenting nausea is awful, I found it worse than the vomiting and others have said the same.

@Teddyreddy 100% agree. I'd prefer to be sick one and then be done with it. It's the constant nausea that's bringing me down. I've not eaten a proper dinner in over a week.

I'm just over 7 weeks. Maybe I'll ring my community midwife and see what she suggests.

Don't leave it until your about to be admitted to hospital like me, @GingerRH if you are struggling now go now. Nobody gets a medal for being a martyr. I hadn't heard of HG and everybody kept telling me it was 'normal' when it really wasn't. Even if it is in the remit of 'normal' I don't think there's any issue with talking it through with your GP or midwife. That's what they are there for.

@Jodie77 I've text my midwife. I'll see what she says. Thank you x

Thanks for all the advice, spoken to my GP and they've prescribed me some antisickness meds so fingers crossed

That sounds promising, hope the meds work and you feel better soon

I was diagnosed with HG after I threw up a lot (generally 4 times a day) and had ketones in my urine. I was worried I was just being delicate about my morning sickness, because I know some women had worse HG than me.

Hope all goes well with your midwife- and if you do have HG (or even if you don't!), be kind to yourself and do whatever you can to ease your nausea. Ice lollies worked well for me to get some liquid down, but it's not really the right weather for it now!