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Losing tons of weight from morning sickness?

659 views 29 replies 6 participants last post by  my3beasties 
#1 ·
I am 11 weeks along and have lost more than 10 pounds so far--four in the last week!

I'm a big girl to begin with, so I'm certainly not wasting away, but definitely worried about nutrient depletion and the babe. My MW knows what's going on and doesn't seem concerned. A few weeks ago I begged her to put me on Zofran but she wasn't having it. Which I guess was a good thing.

I've had terrible "morning sickness" with my other two pregnancies, too. With my first the food aversion and vomiting weren't this bad, but the whole thing lasted 22 weeks and didn't go away completely until my DD1 was born. Second time around, I was throwing up a lot more (8-10 times a day) but I still feel like I might have been able to eat more than I am now. That lasted until week 14 and then ended completely.

I'm only throwing up about once a day this time around, but I'm barely eating. I just can't stand it. Almost everything makes me gag. I did the Unisom/B6 thing for awhile and it didn't help, forced myself to eat more and eat some protein and it just made me barf more, and am now just pretty much resigned to starving myself. I drink as much liquid as I can handle (35-40 ounces a day) and eat as much as I can bear without gagging (usually a total of 1/4 cup miso soup, a handful of fruit and a rice cake in a day).

I still have enough energy to function. Am nauseated 24 hours a day but not dehydrated (don't feel like I am). I'm still pooping daily and peeing 3-4 times a day.

Just wondering if anyone is in the same boat. Seeking a little reassurance in general. And if someone could knock me out and watch my kids until I get to 14 weeks, that'd be great too
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#3 ·
:Hug

and hold on?!?

i had five days w/ the flu when i could barely eat anything and it started to terrify me- but i realized that my body was giving up protein and other nutrients to the baby as i lay there immobile and mostly brain-dead.

my midwife always laughs that i'm so paranoid about not giving the baby enough b/c i don't get morning sickness (and can i just be totally honest, i always wish i lost some weight b/c the constant gain from the beginning makes me feel like a fat cow and i don't want to throw up, but wish i didn't just get fat straight off.....) and she says babies get what they need.

rest. do what you can. you'll probably make up for aversions in the 2nd trimester, but i have a dear friend who is HG til 7 months or even a little later, and so was my MIL, and they have big strong healthy babies w/ very limited diet.
 
#4 ·
totally agree w/ the last line too....... i laid in bed for 2 hours this morning while a friend hung w/ my kids, and they're INTENSE and i'm just not able to handle it right now......

i've got a friend who's due in a month who's only gained 8lbs totaly. she lost 35 at the beginning. ?!?

and everything looks great for her too. sorry i'm not speaking from my own experience! hopefully someone else will join in for that!!!!
 
#5 ·
That all really helps, HoP. Thank you. I've been trying to hold off on this pity party but I just needed some love!

Plus, my MW is just so blasé about the whole thing. It's always been my least favorite part of working with her. I feel like she just doesn't GET how miserable I am and how little I'm eating. But obviously she's right.
 
#6 ·
I ate practically nothing from week 5 to week 8, and went from 97lbs to my current 91lbs (about 6% body weight). I'm starting to be able to eat at least one to two semi-whole meals (by that I mean most of a sandwich or some yogurt and fruit, or bean dip with chips haha) a day, and a few snacks. I understand how terrible you feel, and it really does make it worse when no one will join in your pity party or they just say "you're pregnant! At least you'll get a baby out of it!".

DH almost got socked in the face one day for not caring enough about my aversion to food, then he got a stomach virus the next day. Poor guy threw up three times in 24 hours and you would have thought it was the end of the world! After that, he definitely paid more attention to how crappy I was feeling...said he "understood how awful throwing up and feeling nauseous feels". I am now a princess in his eyes lol

...don't you guys wish everyone who doesn't join in the pity party would get a stomach virus for a day?
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Oh, and on a serious note, the baby will get whatever it needs as long as your body is storing it. If you can still take some vitamins, they're pretty essential right now for the water soluble vitamins that your body doesn't store. I think prenatals are a crock and a massive business if you have a good diet, but if you're not able to eat then you kind of need them. Also, from everything I've read, you'll be fine as long as you're staying pretty hydrated (which you are), and you're not losing more than 10% of your body weight, which can be detrimental to you more so than the baby. If you're losing weight steadily and the midwife won't get you anything, I suggest visiting someone else. Ondansetron (zofran) is safe during pregnancy, even early pregnancy, and even a few hours of sanity from the nausea would do you wonders.
 
#7 ·
I've lost over 10lbs too(almost 15 now, at 11+1). Same thing, horrible nausea. My Dr. did (gladly) put me on Zofran which has been hugely helpful (as in, I can get out of bed) but my appetite is still low and I haven't stopped losing weight.

My doc is also not worried about the weight loss as I also have extra weight on me, and has stressed this is common. I also lost weight with my first. Ultimately, your baby is sucking all of the nutrients it needs out of your body, so it's usually only you that "suffers"... anyway, both pregnancies now I've been told it isn't something to stress over unless the baby isn't growing well.
 
#8 ·
I'd also agree with Fragolina and say that if the Nausea is really making you miserable then finding someone who will get you the Zofran would probably be a good idea, even if it does nothing for the weight loss. Being miserable sucks and there's no reason to carry on that way. I can't imagine it being a good thing for any baby to have a suffering Mama.
 
#9 ·
Thank you guys so much! Yeah, since this is my third pregnancy dealing with this, you'd think I wouldn't have the same worries and concerns every time. But of course I do!

My MW's take on the Zofran is it can help with vomiting but not nausea. She reserves it for cases of HG which she defines as not being able to keep anything down, period. I was borderline HG with my second pregnancy--barfing constantly but still keeping down a handful of cals a day. But I never got seriously dehydrated so she didn't want to do Zofran. I totally agree with you guys that it seems ridiculous, and if I'm not getting better in the next few weeks, I'll prolly go elsewhere to get it. All my friends that had serious MS eventually took it and they're all like "why are you suffering for no reason??!!"" And I'm not really sure of the answer to that
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The support is really nice. Thanks guys. The first trimester is such a raw and desperate time for me. I feel like I'm gnashing my teeth half the time like a crazy, wounded wild animal. It really is hell, and I get more than a little depressed.
 
#10 ·
I understand your Midwife not wanting to dose drugs needlessly, and I respect that over medical professionals who throw drugs at every situation whether you need them or not, but she's wrong about it not helping with the nausea.
I'm nauseated 24/7 without it, and generally do not throw up (only a handful of times this pregnancy - the not throwing up is actually worse to deal with IMO because there's no relief), and the Zofran absolutely helps keep the constant sick feeling at bay. Before I got my script I was literally non-functional, and the one day I didn't take it in the morning before I went to work I was soooo miserable until I could come home and get that dose.

Also this:

"I feel like I'm gnashing my teeth half the time like a crazy, wounded wild animal."

...is exactly how I feel. Hang in there!
 
#11 ·
That's good to know. I had a few friends tell me that as well. The days I do throw up a few times are usually better than the days I don't. The constant strong nausea is just so terrible and a far cry from feeling queasy. I appreciate the cautious approach to medicine, too and I'm definitely in that camp the vast majority of the time. But there are times when you need a little relief. This definitely feels like one of those times.

So you can decide on a daily basis when to take the Zofran? You don't need a systemic build up or something?

I've been bearing this for so long and am hopefully very near the end. I'll have to think on this. Thank you!
 
#12 ·
My OB said to take it as needed... I'm on the low dose (there's a 4mg and an 8mg) and it's recommended up to 3 times per day (I was advise to TRY to space them 8 hours apart to avoid constipation problems, but I could take them closer together if I really needed to). The Pharmacist concurred with this info.

I felt the results shortly after taking the first one (maybe 40 minutes later) and it started to wear off just about 9 hours after... so no, not a build up type med. At least for me. I was on 3 a day from 8-10 weeks, and now at 11 weeks I take two a day about 12-14 hours apart (one when I get up and one before I go to bed, because I even get nauseated when I'm asleep! - no need for an afternoon dose) and it makes my life so much more tolerable.

All the same, I'll be so glad when this part is OVER!
 
#13 ·
Oh honey, if you can keep zofran down, get some relief!

My bff has 34 wks of HG. To the point of ivs some weeks, shots, patches, because she couldn't keep the zofran down. Because of her experience I feel like I could never seriously complain, but 24/7 incapacitating nausea is it's own beast, too.
 
#14 ·
There's even wonderful Zofran ODT where you just let it dissolve on your tongue and you don't have to worry about fluids or swallowing anything :)

And it's true, Zofran works on serotonin receptors so it helps with the perception of nausea as well as the action of vomiting...and you have those same receptors in your intestines which means it could potentially slow down "movement". I'm such a zofran advocate, I think it's a wonderful drug for kids and adults, and the drug of choice for chemotherapy-induced nausea, because it just works *so well*.
 
#15 ·
I need advice!! So after four days of not keeping any food down but miso soup, I called my MW again yesterday morning in desperation. I've lost another four-ish pounds-- like 14 total.

I haven't tried to eat much the last few days--I've pretty much given up on food. I can keep plenty of liquid down but any food at all makes me feel so terrible (and by food I just mean stuff like rice cakes and fruit) and I eventually throw up until it turns to dry heaves.

My MW is not concerned. She maintains that she reserves Zofran for when people can keep nothing down (including liquids) for 48 hours. She scolded me for not trying to eat more and said I needed to try Unisom and acupuncture again as those things were "working for me." They really didn't seem to make much difference and the Unisom made me so tired and out of it.

She said it's completely normal to throw up several times a day and I should shoot for eating and throwing up rather than not eating.
I feel so much worse when I eat!! It's not just the vomiting, which also feels terrible.

She said she might put me on an anti-vomiting drug, but that it would do nothing for the nausea.

I am 12 weeks today. So discouraged and miserable and this isn't exactly my first rodeo. This is the same MW who delivered both DDS and she is amazing every other step of the way. Can be a little clinical and unfeeling for sure, but I trust her judgement so much when it comes to the big day.

I don't even know how to begin on going over her head and worry it could create a rift between us. I'm a very nonconfrontational person and also have a lot of self-doubt when it comes to going against her. There were plenty if things I'd fight/refuse with my OB, but fighting the naturopathic/MW side is very tough for me.

I do have a friend who has some Zofran left over. But would I really go behind my MW's back? Maybe I could just try it for a day to see if I really get any relief, then level with her.

Feeling way too sick to deal with this bs right now. Any advice greatly appreciated!!
 
#16 ·
Oh sweetheart. I'm really sorry she won't budge on this and is being so difficult.

There is absolutely no reason to be so miserable, and she's wrong for lecturing you and making you feel bad about things that are not working for you.

If I were you I'd take your friends Zofran and at least see if it helps. If it doesn't, oh well and she never has to know about it. If it does, I can't see a reason she'd have to know about that either. You don't HAVE to get it from her, and you're not after narcotics - it's a common and widely used drug that is very hard to abuse, my doctor didn't even look at my chart before she authorized a script renewal (the NP who originally wrote it was from a different clinic in a different healthcare network)... Calling your family doctor or making a visit to a walk in clinic complaining of excessive nausea/vomiting would almost certainly land you with a script.

I understand your loyalty, I do, and I'm sure she's great with births but right now that woman is not taking care of you, it's OKAY to take matters into your own hands.
 
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#17 ·
^^^what she said. go behind her back. see if it helps. i can't believe she won't just let you TRY it to see if it makes a difference! to me, that's very insulting, if she's right, letting you try it won't hurt, but if she's wrong, you're suffering undeservedly.

this is the sort of care i'd be offended by in a Dr's office- dismissing the mother's concerns, pressuring her to do what isn't working, etc. not okay in my book!
 
#18 ·
Thank you guys so much. I really need your strength on this!! Hubby is a listening ear, but has less backbone than I do when push comes to shove
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Part of the problem is my MW is also my family doctor--she's an ND and is who we all see. So that's out. I'd need to find a random clinic or something. Or see how long I could make my friend's last... I'll start asking around here to see what my options are.

I do also think my MW might be right that I've made things worse by eating so little. That things prolly would be getting better bit by bit if I hadn't let myself starve so long. I feel like a really am kind of a weenie for giving up and I don't really have a barometer for normalcy on that.

Anyway. I'm just stalling , most likely. I am so grateful for the support. I can't thank you all enough.
 
#19 ·
Ditto. This isn't a hard birth that you need tough love to get through a few miserable hours, this is a chronic health concern which has a low risk, high benefit treatment available that won't affect your pregnancy or birth outcomes negatively. I get trying to stay hands off, trying to manage with diet and rest ... but there comes a time when if the natural approaches haven't helped it's time to switch strategies. Go behind her back without fear or guilt: she is choosing to discount your needs.
 
#20 ·
I really appreciate all of the reassurance. You guys make so much sense. Whenever I talk to my MW about this on the phone I just end up feeling like such a whiner. But I never asked for drugs during either previous misery sickness stint. I don't know if it's really worse this time or if I'm just getting too old for this $hit.

I've been eating a little more per her revommendation, barfing more and feeling worse. I think I'm ready for the Zofran! If I feel tons better when I start taking it, that should give me the gumption to tell her what I did. If I don't feel better I just won't take more and she won't need to know. Ok! Time to be brave.
 
#23 ·
So I have an update. A good one. Called my MW again this morning and she was pretty unsympathetic but then she called back and asked me to come in. Bloodwork comes back tomorrow but my urinalysis showed lots of ketones in my urine and I had lost 8 pounds since she last saw me 12 days ago. She took it very seriously. Finally diagnosed me with HG and put me on promethazine.

It's apparently an anti-vomiting and anti-nausea. It's Group C which I'm not thrilled about, but hopefully I won't have to take it for long. Anyone have experience with it? She said very briefly that she thought it was safer for pregnant women and made more sense for HG than Zofran. I'm not sure what her beef is with Zofran, but I'm feeling good proceeding with her plan at this point. Hoping to feel better very soon! Also got to hear babe's heartbeat again, which was reassuring!
 
#25 ·
Some people do feel more comfortable with promethazine vs ondansetron, especially in the first trimester. I can say that if you need it long term (God forbid you experience HG that long!), you should stop taking it in your third trimester, because it does cross the placenta and has been shown to cause platelet aggregation in newborns when taken within 2 weeks of birth. Other than that, it's very safe for you right now. So glad you finally got a response! I'm sad that it took so long and that you had to have ketones in your urine before she would be willing to prescribe something for you, but small victories
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It will most likely knock you out though. I used to use it to get to sleep sometimes instead of for nausea!
 
#26 ·
@HoP thank you so much for the support!! It is such a huge relief!!

@Fragolina thank you so much for weighing in! I remembered you were knowledgable about this stuff and was hoping to hear what you thought. Glad to hear my MW is not alone on this, because it seems like the general consensus on the internets is vastly in favor of Zofran. She also wouldn't rely elaborate. It's like she has something personal against Zofran or something
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Threw up the first pill but was able to keep all subsequent pills down. It is definitely helping big-time with the vomiting and food aversion and a little for the nausea too. Woo hoo! But yes, it really knocks me out. After taking the first pill yesterday evening, I literally laid down on the floor during my two year old's sleep routine and waited for hubs to finish with 4 yo and come in. Then I went to the kitchen, wolfed down two spoonfuls of peanut butter and literally dragged myself to bed, where I had horrible jumpy limbs for a whole before I could fall asleep. It feels so strange. I was just out of it. Been taking half doses most the day today but am up to a full now that evening is here.

It was heaven to eat food today. I was still nauseated and it wasn't much, but such a huge relief after all this starvation and barfing up bile. Feeling so grateful for modern medicine right now
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