Hyperemesis gravidarum, also known as HG, is a condition of extreme nausea and vomiting. It is not a simple condition like morning sickness. It is many times more complex and extreme than that. Some women, who experience HG, vomit at least 50 times in a day. This leads to excessive stress and hydration in them. You cannot ignore the symptoms of HG and you have to seek medical intervention right away.
Many women fail to understand the difference between hyperemesis gravidarum and normal sickness and they usually get help only when the intensity of HG worsens in their body. Morning sickness is a natural condition in pregnant women and it goes off once women cross their first trimester (around 12 weeks). HG is quite severe and women experience it throughout their pregnancy also, in some cases.
Symptoms of Hyperemesis gravidarum
HG occurs in the first trimester and stays on in some women throughout their pregnancy. Mostly, it stays for about 20 to 22 weeks of pregnancy. These are the symptoms that you have to watch out for to know if you have HG or not. This will help you get it corrected at the early stages itself:
- Feeling nauseous all through the day
- Extreme loss of appetite
- Throwing up many times during the day
- Feeling dehydrated always
- Extreme sensitivity to strong smells and tastes
- Constantly feeling dizzy
- Visible reduction in weight
- Excessive amount of saliva formation
- Lack of interest to drink any fluids
- No motivation to care for self or others
- Confined to the bed always as you are unable to move around
- Ketosis and electrolyte imbalances
Watch out for these symptoms right from the first week of your pregnancy onwards; however, you need to be very careful from the 9th week onwards, because this is the phase when HG is at its peak. When these symptoms are left untreated, it can lead to a lot of complications in your pregnancy. Therefore, it is important to stay informed about these.
Support for HG
When you experience nausea, vomiting, dehydration and other HG symptoms for weeks or months together, it can impact your mental health as well. You are more prone than other expecting women to ailments such as panic attacks, stress and depression. This is where support groups online and in your hospital can help you a lot. You can join forums where other HG mothers are members. You can brainstorm different ideas on how you cope with your severe nausea.
Getting immediate medical help is very important when you are diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum. The usual treatments that doctors prescribe are steroids, giving your body enough fluids through IV, steroid injections (if needed) and anti-emetics. Doctors suggest various treatments based on the severity of your condition.
When you have lost the energy and the physical strength to care for yourself, indulging in physical exercises is ruled out. However, you can try out mental conditioning exercises such as yoga and meditation for about 30 minutes every day to bring the much-needed calmness in your lives.
