Raise Your Voice
HGPharm12 Blog Posts, Uncategorized HER Foundation, hyperemesis gravidarum, maternity, medicine, morning sickness, nausea, obgyn, ondansetron, vomiting 0
May 15, 2020, will mark the 3rd annual International Hyperemesis Gravidarum Awareness Day. Events are being planned around the world to increase awareness and support, because while we know that this is not just morning sickness, the rest of the population needs to know too. This year’s theme is “Raise your Voice; Hear Us! Believe Us!” I, coincidentally, wrote the following blog before that theme was determined, so while events for the special day will be broadcast through the virtual world, here is my advice on ways you can raise your voice during your time with Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG).
Hyperemesis Gravidarum takes away your life, or at least the life you knew prior to getting pregnant. Even though it drains the energy from your body, do not let it silence your voice.
Literally utilize the authority you have to use your voice!
When it comes to HG, very few women instantly have support from their social network and medical team. To begin, make a list of the people who can actually help, keep the list accessible, and give yourself permission to accept their offer to help or to ask for help when needed. If you do not have family, your family cannot comprehend your situation or they do not live near you, think about who else you can count on.
During my first HG pregnancy, my then-husband was deployed to Norway to do cold-weather training with the US Marine Corps. While I had a job, I had not lived in the area long so I did not have anyone with whom I could ask for help in my physically desperate situation. Once I became completely debilitated, it was actually my husband’s classmate and his wife who drove me to the hospital to get rehydrated, and then I stayed with them until my husband returned from his deployment. Additionally, it was my coworkers who both encouraged me to see a doctor and convinced me that I had more than standard morning sickness. My family, who lived on the other side of the country, assumed I was simply exaggerating my “morning sickness.” Even if they understood, I doubt they would have been able to stop their life to ensure I was staying hydrated. My story is not unique, and countless women have told me about their near identical experiences, fighting to stay hydrated and finding unique ways to avoid isolation.
Even more important than your social support is using your voice with your medical team. I say “team” because there is almost always more than one medical professional involved during your care during HG. At least there should be! Most women have their obstetrician and within that practice are the technicians and office staff. Do you spend hours in the front office or exam room waiting for your appointments? Are you one of the lucky ones with a home health benefit, where a nurse comes to check on you at home? When you’re in the hospital, either in the ER or admitted as an inpatient, do you know you can ask for a case manager to help you with communicating with your insurance company? A social worker might be available to offer resources regarding paying bills and childcare if you have other children. Your medical team might include:
One reason we don’t question our doctors is that we just don’t know what questions to ask. Here is a list of questions to have available when it comes to talking to your medical providers about hyperemesis gravidarum:
Years after being malnourished during my three experiences with hyperemesis gravidarum I became a pharmacist. I can still remember clearly my lecture that taught us about enteral nutrition and total parental nutrition (TPNs). I was amazed to find out that there were alternate ways to receive nutrition during pregnancy. These methods do come with risks and challenges, such as the discomfort of a nasogastric tube (NG tube) or an infection where the tubing enters the body, so they might not be right for everyone, but I should have at least been offered a discussion about it. Learn from my experience and be sure to ask about alternate nutrition and balancing electrolytes too.
Know what services your insurance covers. Questions to ask include:
As so many of us have experienced, HG often lasts through the entire pregnancy, and some survivors are even left with years of mental and physical challenges. If you are currently suffering from HG, use your voice to benefit yourself and your family. If you’re a survivor, tell the world on May 15, 2020! #2020HGvision #HGAD2020 #HGaware2020!