I know a lot of you have been wondering what happened to the Bluenose Couponer. I’d first of all like to apologize to my readers for my absence. It is not something I planned on and have missed blogging immensely.
The Beginning
In November, my husband and I found out we were expecting our second child. We were thrilled and excitedly started planning for our new addition. By December, what I thought was morning sickness had set in. It started as only a few hours of nausea a day, but quickly evolved into 24/7 nausea that prevented me from eating, drinking, and sleeping. The nausea was worse than any I had ever experienced. I struggled to look after my 2-year-old or perform even the most basic tasks, such as folding laundry or showering. It was at this point that I sadly had to give up blogging. Even looking at a computer screen caused me to dry-heave. I couldn’t even write a farewell post.
After a few weeks of this, I gave in and asked my family doctor for help. She prescribed me a medication used in Canada to safely treat morning sickness. I didn’t even drink caffeine during my first pregnancy and here I was putting pharmaceuticals in my body for my second! The Mommy Guilt was strong. The medication gave me a couple of nausea-free hours each morning. The rest of the day I spent lying on the couch, unable to move for fear of the crippling nausea and dry-heaving that even the smallest movement triggered.
The Downward Spiral
I had experienced morning sickness during my last pregnancy, but this was so much more. I felt that something wasn’t right, but everyone (including doctors) kept telling me nausea during pregnancy is normal. I was told to eat small bland meals, sip fluids through a straw, snack on crackers, drink ginger ale, etc., etc., etc. Nothing helped and I started to lose weight at a concerning rate.
Then, the vomiting started. Everything I swallowed, even my own saliva, threatened to come back up. I spent my days hugging the toilet, with my toddler rubbing my back and bringing me stuffies in an attempt to make me feel better. Eventually, I ended up in the emergency room due to severe dehydration. Nothing, not even water, would stay in my stomach for more than 10 minutes. I was barely conscious by the time they hooked me up to intravenous fluids and anti-nausea medications.
The Diagnosis
Once I was rehydrated and the medications had stopped the constant heaving, the doctor came in to talk to me. She informed me that I had hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a condition that causes severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. HG effects only a small amount (1-2%) of pregnancies and can cause dehydration, weight loss, nutritional deficiencies, and metabolic imbalances. As scary as this diagnosis was, I was relieved that someone was finally agreeing with me that what I was experiencing was not normal morning sickness.
After my diagnosis, my morning sickness medication dosage was increased, but I continued to struggle. The nausea was ever present, and while the medication stopped the worst of the vomiting, there was very little I could eat without triggering lengthy rounds of dry-heaving. The only foods I could keep down were Coke, dry toast, and Cheerios. Not exactly a healthy, well-balanced diet, especially for a pregnant woman. I relied heavily on family to help care for my son. I told my obstetrician that while the worst of my vomiting had stopped, I still wasn’t functional or able to eat, drink, or sleep due to the nausea. She simply dismissed me and told me nausea was normal during pregnancy. She then crackered and gingered me and refused any further medical treatment.
The Turning Point
With the support and encouragement of family and friends, I started the process of transferring to a new obstetrician. It took a several weeks, but I was ultimately approved to have my pregnancy monitored by a new doctor. My first appointment with her brought me to (happy) tears. She told me I didn’t have to be nauseous all the time. There were plenty of safe treatments we could try and we would work together to make me as comfortable as possible. She confirmed that HG is not in my head and it is not morning sickness. HG is a medical condition and therefore must be treated with medical interventions. This single appointment was the turning point in my pregnancy. I immediately started a new medication regime that actually worked. My nausea went from being completely crippling, to being the equivalent of mild car sickness.
I still have bad days, and I still have plenty of things I can’t eat without nausea and vomiting, but I am functional more often than I am not. I can eat meals with my family, play with my son, and do non-strenuous chores around the house. I even manage to cook the occasional meal, which had not been possible for months due to severe food smell aversions. I am finally gaining weight at an appropriate rate for pregnancy and ultrasounds show that my baby girl is perfectly healthy and growing like a champ.
Why Am I Telling You This?
I want you to know that hyperemesis gravidarum exists. I want to you learn that it is NOT morning sickness. It is a debilitating condition and it can be life threatening. In fact, one third of HG pregnancies don’t survive. It has been a recognized medical condition for well over a century, but women suffering from HG continue to be dismissed by medical professionals. We are accused of exaggerating our symptoms, or purposely making ourselves ill for attention. Trust me, NO ONE wants HG. NO ONE wants to vomit until her throat bleeds.
As long as HG is kept quiet from the public and myths about the condition persist in the medical community, women will struggle to obtain proper treatment for themselves and their unborn children. Education and research is key in finding safe, effective treatments for HG and decreasing the mortality rate associated with the condition.
Educate Yourself
If you would like to learn more about hyperemesis gravidarum, visit the Her Foundation, a non-profit organization devoted to HG education and research.
If you are suffering from HG, visit Her Get Help Now. Also, feel free to send me a message. I will do my best to lend moral support and point you in the direction of some great online support groups. Sometimes it just helps to know you’re not going through this alone.
If you know someone suffering from HG, please offer non-judgemental support whenever you can. Advice and information for friends and family can be found here.
What’s Next for Bluenose Couponer?
I am going to attempt to blog again, now that my HG symptoms are mostly under control. I probably won’t be as on top of things as I was previously, but I will do my best to share the latest coupons and weekly deals. I have updated the printable coupons page and I hope to be back to posting regularly next week. I will also be creating a Deals of the Week post on my Facebook page for my followers to comment with deals they find and to help with anything I may miss. I appreciate your help and understanding and I look forward to helping you save your hard earned dollars again!
Bluenose Couponer 