Surviving Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Pregnancy is often described as a time of joy and excitement, but for me, it was a fight for survival. I have three beautiful children, and with each pregnancy, I experienced hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), something I had never even heard of before it happened to me.

From the very beginning, I was extremely sick. This wasn’t normal morning sickness. I was throwing up more than 30 times a day. I couldn’t keep food down, and I couldn’t even keep water down. Even the smell of anything around me would make me sick. My body became very weak, and I was constantly dehydrated. I spent my entire pregnancy in bed. I couldn’t take care of myself or do basic daily things. Even sitting up or walking a few steps felt impossible. My days weren’t about preparing for a baby, but they were about trying to survive. Doctors tried different medications, one after another, hoping something would help. Each time, I hoped it would finally bring relief, but nothing worked for me.

Trying Everything to Survive: I was put on a Zofran (ondansetron) pump that was attached to my body. It gave me medication all day and night, and I had to carry it with me everywhere. Even trying to rest was uncomfortable because I was always connected to it. Even with all of that, the medications, the pump, and the hospital visits, I was still very sick. The vomiting never stopped. The only thing keeping me going was getting IV fluids every day. I was in and out of the hospital all the time.

Feeling Alone and Misunderstood: What made everything harder was how alone I felt. I didn’t understand what was happening to me, and the people around me didn’t understand either. My family and friends thought it was just a normal pregnancy. Many of them would tell me to try ginger or drink more water. They meant well, but I couldn’t even keep water down. Hearing that made me feel even more misunderstood.

The Impact on My Life: I was so sick, I couldn’t work or function normally. Being constantly in the hospital and stuck in bed made it impossible to keep up with anything. It affected me not just physically, but emotionally  too.

Facing Preeclampsia: During my first and last pregnancies, I also had preeclampsia. My blood pressure became very high and hard to control. I was told I needed to be induced right away. After everything I had already gone through, this was very scary. I was already weak and exhausted, and now I had to go through labor under serious risk. The induction was long and painful. I was scared and tired, and I didn’t know if my body could handle it. But I kept going. In the end, my babies were healthy, Alhamdulilah. Holding them in my arms made everything feel worth it.

Why I’m Sharing My Story: For many years, I didn’t talk about what I went through. I kept it to myself. But now, I want to share my story because I know there are other women going through this and feeling alone, just like I did.

Hyperemesis gravidarum is not just “morning sickness.” It is serious and can be life-threatening. More people need to understand how real it is.

If You Are Going Through This, Advocate for Yourself: One of the biggest things I learned is that you have to speak up for yourself.

If you are going through this, here are some things that can help:

• Speak up early about how sick you are
• Be honest about your symptoms.
• Ask about treatment options like medication or IV fluids.
• Keep track of how often you are vomiting and how you feel.
• Get a second opinion if you are not being taken seriously.
• Find support from others who understand
• Rest as much as you need without feeling guilty.

You deserve to be heard and taken seriously. I am sharing my story so that no woman has to feel as alone as I did.