How I Overcame Extreme Morning Sickness

Pregnancy is one of the most wonderful and fulfilling journeys a woman may ever experience in her life, but it can also be one of the most challenging.

Some women go through pregnancy like a breeze. Others can barely make it through the day. If you belong to the second group, you’re not alone. I hope this made you feel better. It probably did not. I had to try though.

Part of being pregnant is dealing with changes in your body and body functions, aches and pains, and this little thing called morning sickness. If you are unlucky like I was, it’s more like extreme morning sickness AKA Hyperemesis Gravidarum

This is my experience dealing with extreme morning sickness and how I overcame it.

A little fact to start. Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is not really talked about. Maybe it’s because it only affects 0.3–3% of pregnant women. But it is a leading cause of hospitalization in early pregnancy, so I think more women should be made aware of it.

Getting pregnant with my first child, I had no idea what to expect. I always thought I’d be one of those confident pregnant women who made pregnancy look so effortless. I’ve heard of morning sickness, but never to the extreme that I experienced it myself.

Why is it called morning sickness in the first place when it can strike at any given time? I have no idea. I’m going to need somebody to change the name so it can be more reflective of what some of us get to deal with.

Rant Over, Back To This Thing called Morning Sickness

My first few weeks of being pregnant were normal for the most part. I experienced extreme fatigue which was my first clue. The missed cycle confirmed my suspicion. I also lost my appetite early on as well and dealt with a little bit of morning sickness (mostly when I was brushing my teeth in the morning). Besides that, I thought I had everything under control. Boy, was I wrong!

Disclaimer: I’m sharing my experience and some tips because I wish somebody had done so for me. Had I known all the facts, I would’ve been better prepared to deal with everything that came my way. I am not a doctor. Please seek medical assistance if anything feels wrong during your pregnancy. 

Related: What No One Tells You About Being Pregnant

Hyperemesis Gravidarum Hit Me Full Force And I Was Not Prepared.

Week 9 of my pregnancy is when things started getting bad. I really started feeling the effects of morning sickness and I had no idea what was happening. I decided to look up my symptoms and realized that it wasn’t just morning sickness, I had hyperemesis gravidarum (extreme morning sickness). This is the kind of morning sickness that has you running to the bathroom multiple times, day and night to relieve your stomach. It gradually got worse.

I spoke to my doctor about it, and she told me to keep my diet bland, consume clear broth and of course, keep up with my fluids (easier said than done).

From week 10 to week 17, things went from bad to terrible. Those were the worst weeks ever. I’ve never found myself so sick in my life, and I don’t wish that on my worst enemy (not that I have any, that I know of).

The Constant Throwing Up Took a Toll on My Body and Made Me Weak.

At that point, I had to cease all activities because all I could do was throw up and lie down. I could barely eat, drink, or sit. Something as little as a sip of water would upset my stomach and send me straight to the bathroom. There was no energy left in me to do anything else.

The smell of food automatically triggered my nausea. Needless to say, cooking was no longer an option. And because I was throwing up all the time, I wasn’t retaining anything in my stomach. I became dehydrated which earned me a trip to the emergency room for an IV infusion to replenish my fluids (Yay).

Things were so bad that my doctor prescribed 3 different anti-nausea medicines to help control the nausea and vomiting which I reluctantly took in fear of hurting my unborn baby, but I just could not handle to constant time spent hugging the toilet. Eventually, I realized I did not get the relief I was hoping for so I slowly weaned off of them.

Week 18 to Week 20 of Dealing with Severe Morning Sickness

Hyperemesis gravidarum did not seem to want to go away and I thought I’d have to deal with it for the entirety of my pregnancy. It started messing with my mind and every day that I woke up unable to do anything but puke my life away I was getting sadder and sadder. I just could not understand.

Never in a million years did I think one could get so sick from being pregnant and it took a toll on my mental. I found myself crying often, being snappy with my husband who was helping me, and wondering if my child would survive. Worse, I was thinking all kinds of negative thoughts. There was no light at the end of the tunnel (so I thought).

I Was Very Depressed

Thankfully by week 18, I started seeing some improvement in how I was feeling and the number of times I was feeling nauseous and throwing up. I slowly started regaining my strength and was able to get out of bed and start doing things around the house. I also started eating and drinking my water without my stomach being so upset. My mood was improving. Things were looking up.

Week 20 of my pregnancy is really when I can say I saw the light and I’m so grateful to be out of that hole. I’m not sure I’d be able to survive another 20 weeks of this madness. But if this is you right now, know that you too will come out of it.

What To Do To Better Deal With Extreme Morning Sickness

Dealing with morning sickness is not easy, Severe morning sickness is even worse. If you find yourself in a similar situation, don’t freak out. Talk to your OBGYN, and they will advise accordingly. Depending on how extreme your symptoms are, they may prescribe medicine to help relieve your nausea and vomiting.  If you are not comfortable taking meds while you’re pregnant, put your big girl panties on and let it run its course. Whatever you do, do not take any over-the-counter medication unless you get the okay from your OBGYN first.

These Preggie Pop Drops provided a huge relief for me when I felt nauseated. I wish I had known about them much sooner. Anything with ginger can be of relief as well. Things like “Ginger Ale and ginger tea” are worth looking into. You may also want to look into these Anti-Nausea Bands as well. They provide relief through pressure point therapy.

A Few Things To Keep In Mind About Extreme Morning Sickness

When dealing with extreme morning sickness, the days will seem long and the nights short. Do not stay alone. It is good to have a companion who can help you get through the days, not only physically but also mentally. It is easy to fall into depression when you are so sick for so long. Being alone and depressed is not a good combination. 

I am forever grateful to my husband who took over when all I could do was lay in bed and hug the toilet. He made sure I ate, had everything I needed, and encouraged me to push myself past the sickness. He also gave me space when I needed it. That person for you may not necessarily be a significant other, but it can be a family member or a friend. 

Also, make sure you don’t keep to yourself. Share what you’re going through with someone who cares for you. It can help you keep your mind off what you’re going through at the moment. When I started sharing with my friends, I slowly felt myself getting to a better mental space.

Drink plenty of water, no matter how difficult it may be. This is one of the most important things. If you don’t have enough fluids in your body, you may become dehydrated. Dehydration can be dangerous for the baby. Make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day (easier said than done with hyperemesis gravidarum, but you still have to try. Have sports drinks or Pedialyte readily available to help replenish your electrolytes after throwing up.

This water bottle came in very handy to help me keep track of how much water I was drinking throughout the day. It holds 32 oz and keeps your water cold the whole day. This tumbler is a great alternate option.

Dealing with Extreme Morning Sickness Is Hard But there is Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Take it from me! I am grateful to finally be on the other side and share my experience with you. As I am finishing this post, I am currently 26 weeks pregnant and this whole thing just seems like a distant bad dream.

I truly hope it helped shed some light on what it’s like dealing with severe morning sickness and how you can stay positive through it all.

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