Hi August mamas!
I'm a 2x HG survivor hoping to avoid it this time, wondering if there is anyone else here in the same boat? I know I could go to an HG board, but I just don't want to do that just yet. I'd love to share this journey with other August moms who understand and want to support each other. I am 5 weeks now, due about August 19th.
Hi Crafty--thanks for responding! I am sorry to hear this pregnancy is starting out sicky too. How many weeks are you? What are you doing to ease your tummy?
I have started taking a low-dose phenergan in the evenings, and it has really helped. I am trying to remain active while I can and eat high protein. Although my stomach feels uncomfortable, I am in no way ready to claim HG just yet. I'm still walking around, living my life day to day.
Thanks for the hugs and support! I hope you don't have to endure 30 weeks of sickness again. I am happy to support, suggest, recommend, or help however I can.
~songbirdsparkle
Hi SongBird and Crafty- I too was very, very sick 1st time. Nothing started until 7 weeks, but from 7-20 weeks was not fun. Even before getting pregnant, I took very little OTC meds or prescribed meds. I tried so hard to hold out from medications, but I started Zofran at 9 weeks, plus some unisom at night. Both helped some. I lost 10 lbs during my 1st trimester and during one visit with OB, was told either I had to start getting some fluids in me or go to the hospital. She gave me to the end of the week and recommended potato chips and lemonade (weird right?) I guess the salt from the potato chips makes you thirsty enough to drink and lemonade has enough sugar to boost your blood sugar. It was not a cure all, but it helped get me to start keeping down more water and when dehydrated the nausea is so much worse. Thankfully I did not end up in the hospital even though the nausea and vomiting continued. I know that for others it can be much worse.
Songbird- I am crossing fingers really tightly that my new Paleo lifestyle (which I started over a year ago) is going to help with the nausea. My diet is vastly different from what it was with my first pregnancy (i.e. my protein intake is way more than it was previously which was mostly grain-based carbohydrates).
Crafty- I remember getting really anxious, worried and upset when i was at my worst. It was really frustrating to feel hungry but not want anything to eat or worry that the next thing I ate would just come back up. I don't know if i have any words of wisdom, but I hear you.
Today I woke up pretty sick to my stomach. I thought, this is it! I had a half a banana with some almond butter and honey spread on it. That got me to an hour later when i had eggs. Its about 2 hours later now and i am having sunflower seeds, nuts and dried fruit. which seems to be taking the edge off again.
Other things that I am doing, which had some positive impact the first time, ginger tea and pressure points. If it gets bad this pregnancy am seriously considering acupuncture. http://www.birth.com.au/Accupuncture-accupressure-and-aromatherapy/Nausea-vomiting-point
I am sick and throwing up NOTHING all day. I am really struggling. I have damaged my ribs twice now. SO MUCH PAIN. I cannot move hardly at all. Im literally a vegetable. Its awful. I also have had congestion SINCE getting pregnant!! 8 weeks tomorrow. Im a big ball of miserable!
Jillgayle- I have heard of high-protein, gluten-free, and Paleo diets helping women beat severe ms or HG. I was gluten free for a few months before I got pregnant, but now that I am starting to feel sick, I have been deviating from that and eating things I KNOW I shouldn't. I really need to stop that TODAY.
Mykidskisstrees- that sounds just awful. Do you have a doctor or midwife suggesting or prescribing anything for you?
Crafty-are you still there? How are the phenergan and B6 working for you?
As for me, I am doing ok. I am only 5w4d or so, and yesterday was the first day I felt nauseous all day. I think the main reason I am still able to eat is that I don't have any smell aversions right now. I am drinking water as I can and a 1/2 water, 1/2 gatorade mix. With my first pregnancy, I was on the floor at 6 weeks. With my second, I was hospitalized at 8 weeks. I celebrate everyday I go with no vomiting and still standing. I am taking a lot of supplements right now, but I think I'm going to change up today. Here is what I am taking and doing to combat HG:
1. 100mg B-6 1x/day (I'm looking for a smaller dosage I can break up
2. 150 mg Milk Thistle (naturopath wanted me to "hold off on it" but acknowledged it's probably fine to take during pregnancy). I will try to take this 2x today
3. 12.5 mg phenergan nightly
4. I think I might add a probiotic today.
You've probably already seen this thread. Sorry mods, if it is not okay to link to it: http://www.mothering.com/community/t/618836/preventing-reducing-morning-sickness-and-hyperemsis-gravidarum-herbs-more. If any of you ladies have any other ideas, please post them here! I'd love for us to be able to help and support each other as much as possible.
Songsparkle- I definitely am not doing as well as I should be on the paleo right now (i.e. just ate a nice big christmas cookie at work). I am trying my best, while trying not to beat myself over it. i am 6 weeks today, woke up this morning opened the fridge, got a whiff of a roast duck my husband made and almost lost it. I didn't thankfully, and like you, am glad for each day without throwing up. I am starting back on my probiotics today too. I use PB8 made without wheat or gluten.
MyKidkisstrees- I am so sorry that youre feeling so awful! I remember feeling so tired of feeling that way. I hope you find some relief and that it passes quickly :)
Songsparkle- I definitely am not doing as well as I should be on the paleo right now (i.e. just ate a nice big christmas cookie at work). I am trying my best, while trying not to beat myself over it. i am 6 weeks today, woke up this morning opened the fridge, got a whiff of a roast duck my husband made and almost lost it. I didn't thankfully, and like you, am glad for each day without throwing up. I am starting back on my probiotics today too. I use PB8 made without wheat or gluten.
OK, I feel a little better about the junk I've eaten the past couple of days. 
I think a part of me is just trying to eat whatever I want whenever I want in case HG comes on full force, in which case I won't be eating what I want until August. I hope you stay on this thread so that we can learn more about how a Paleo-mom combats NVP and also because we are at about the same point in our pregnancies!
I definitely hope to stick around! I have to say one of my worst days so far was after eating thai rice. It was definitely the rice. I don't know why i did it, but i wanted it so bad. I was really sick to my stomach, but the simple carbohydrate cravings are awful. The thing is, I know that by eating rice or wheat i will start a downward spiral of wanting it more and more. I have heard that upping my intake of sweat potatoes might help with that craving, so I had a large one last night with chicken and it seemed to work. I am also trying to stay really, really hydrated maybe I can get ahead of HG, or is that just wishful thinking?
I definitely hope to stick around! I have to say one of my worst days so far was after eating thai rice. It was definitely the rice. I don't know why i did it, but i wanted it so bad. I was really sick to my stomach, but the simple carbohydrate cravings are awful. The thing is, I know that by eating rice or wheat i will start a downward spiral of wanting it more and more. I have heard that upping my intake of sweat potatoes might help with that craving, so I had a large one last night with chicken and it seemed to work. I am also trying to stay really, really hydrated maybe I can get ahead of HG, or is that just wishful thinking?
Very interesting that you are craving simple carbs too....what are you drinking to stay hydrated, just water? I know in my HG pregnancies, water was really hard to drink, but it's okay so far. I've also been drinking diluted gatorade type drinks. I really believe it's possible to stay ahead of HG. I hope I can still say that after this weekend.
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So again with the simple carbs...I can't understand why it's supposed to be bad for nausea/ vomiting, yet when we feel sick that's all we want. I got through the first months of my first pregnancy with bread and pepsi, so Crafty, I really understand, and I feel for you. Once I get bad, I don't want meat either--at least not "real" meat. I'll just leave that right there, lol. I actually stopped talking to my mother, I got so tired of hearing her trying to push protein shakes on me. Honey, hang in there and eat and drink what you can as much as you can.
As for me, I am doing alright today. Yesterday, I was a mess. At my daughter's swim class at 4:30 pm, I discovered not only had I not combed my hair that morning, but I had also not fully removed the shirt I slept in the night before! So I have no idea how I am supposed to get and keep it together tonight. I am a performing artist, and I actually have to SING every night this weekend. I don't know how I'm going to pull it off. It's hard enough trying not to burp into the microphone, but now I have to try not to vomit as well. I could take phenergan, but then I'd be too sleepy to drive home. I am going to put on "Magic Schoolbus" for the kids and take a nap....
I have a generally awful time with vomiting throughout the pregnancy, but never to the point of HG. My nausea this time has been horrendous and I've got tons of aversions to smells and foods, but I've only thrown up a few times (7w4d now). I'm just mostly feeling miserable and trying not to get sick more. 
Never heard of the Leaky Boob. Is that a blog? Hugs to you too, HeatherB.
One big thing I forgot to mention! When I had HG with my 2nd, I had a few of these digestive enzymes that I noticed helped a little, although I was way too far gone for them to make a big difference, but unlike ginger, acupuncture, and a host of other things, I noticed they did make a difference.
So this time, I take a digestive enzyme every time I eat. I've been taking them for about a week and I notice that even though I am more nauseous than I was a week ago, my food moves through more quickly and doesn't just sit churning in my stomach.
The Leaky Boob is mostly a breastfeeding blog with a healthy side of crunchy parenting. She wrote a great piece about her and HG after the news about the Duchess of Cambridge.
Hi Crunchymom! There are different levels of HG. There is a definition here at number 6 http://www.helpher.org/family/faqs.php For me, I was medicated for both my pregnancies and couldn't even keep down water. I lost 15% of my body weight, and it was hell. I am sorry you are feeling nauseous so soon in your pregnancy. When I started getting nauseous at 4.5 weeks, I started getting pretty nervous, but here I am at 5w5d, still hanging in there.
It's kind of surreal for me when I am at my worst moments (in the floor) to have my 7 and 5 year olds come up to me and try to help. They hand feed me when I am weak, get me drinks, cool towels, etc. It's crazy to think I was in the floor with them and now they are so big and healthy and smart, helping me. Just thinking about that helps me through.
How are you other ladies doing?
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