Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Nausea turned into vomiting at week 8.  Good thing I had a routine check and my doctor prescribed me some Diclectin. It helped a bit, but I was still feeling quite awful throughout the day, and worse at night.

Then it hit me. REALLY hit me.

All I could remember was it was after dinner sometime in the middle of August. I got so sick and threw up. An hour or two later, whatever supper that didn't come up the first time, came up. And then it came again. And again. Whatever came up was no longer my dinner. I had no clue what it was.

From that day on, it was the same every night, and then it spread into the day. I can't even remember what day it was, but one memorable day went something like this:

• Woke up and decided I'd go into work late - so tired from throwing up most of the night, and also famished and dehydrated from throwing up the night before.
• Made toast with peanut butter, but as it went down, I felt the dryness of the toast along the walls of my esophagus, and soon after, it came back up.
• Hungry and thirsty, I thought eating some fruits might help: cherries and some juice. Nope. It came back up, and it almost looked like blood.
• Ok. How about hospital food - Jello. Nope. It came back up.
• I gave up. No work today. I decided to just lay on the couch.
• By around noon, I was starved. I decided to try making some oatmeal. It worked and stayed down and filled my tummy a bit.
• Around 4-ish, I threw up.
• Ate dinner.
• Vomiting started around 8 and continued to 12-1 am at 1.5-2 hr intervals. The usual.

This went on for a few weeks.

I went for my 12 week check, and I got B to drive me. I just didn't have the energy to drive. I was diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum - a condition characterized by sever nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and electrolyte disturbance. I lost 14 lbs. The doctor gave me Zofran. I was a bit hesitant with this drug since birth defects have been reported while taking this drug during pregnancy. However, I'm already at 12 weeks and many things have already formed so I didn't think it was too bad. I also decided not to take the full dosage. I also couldn't either. I sometimes vomit it back out.

The Zofran helped some days. On a good day, I could keep a meal down for 2-3 hours. On a better day, it went something like this:

• Wake up at 8ish, and dry heave over the sink.
• Take Zofran, and eat breakfast.
• Go to work.
• Around 11, grab toothbrush and toothpaste and head to washroom.
• Look into toilet and throw up.
• Rinse mouth, head back to desk and have an early lunch and take Zofran.
• Around 3 (if lucky, 4), grab toothbrush and toothpaste and head to washroom.
• Look into toilet and throw up.
• Pack up and go home - throwing up twice at work calls for leaving work early. Plus, I was still on short term disability. I get compensated for the missed work anyways.
• Home. Take a pill and have dinner.
• Sick all night with a trip or two to the toilet. 
• Bed.

I considered myself a disable. I worked mostly from home and tried to show up for work whenever I could but eventually went on short term disability.

I ate whatever could stay down, and most were junk food. Why eat a carrot when it will come back up? The menu varied - McD's, instant noodle, congee, and roast beef (it was the only meat and healthy food that I could stand). I did find green Lifesaver candy and Sprite Slurpee calmed the nausea a bit.

The smell of saute onions and cooked bean sprouts will send me to the toilet with vengeance.

At week #, I called Health Link and the RN advised I was dehydrated and should go into emergency. So I went. I was in the waiting room outside the ER for a whole day - more on that story later. Another rant.

Around 16 weeks, I was finally feeling better, at least the vomiting was happening in the late afternoon and evenings. Unfortunately, at my routine check, my urine sample showed I had an UTI. The antibiotics went me to the toilet throughout the day all over again. I never had a antibiotic side effect before. Why now?

Now at 20 weeks I'm feeling much better. I am still on meds since I still feel nauseous. I take Diclectin during the day and for evening, I take a Zofran, since I still feel most sick in the evenings. My vomiting sprees are now mostly in the evenings and less frequent, and often on weekends. Baby doesn't want mom to enjoy her days off work, I guess. 

HG is no joke. It is seriously the worse thing ever. It's like an extreme stomach flu 24/7 for weeks, and in my case more than two months. Throwing up feels horrible. I read on other blogs where other ladies say it's all worth it at the end. I have yet to decide on that. I can't believe some did it all over again with baby #2. Crazy. I don't think I want to be pregnant ever again. After this baby, it will only be fur babies.

Showing Symptoms

Prior to knowing I'm pregnant, I felt normal, which made sense; otherwise, I would have known  I was pregnant.  However, shortly after I confirmed I was pregnant, things begin to happen.  It's like I jinxed myself or something.

Dizziness
Once in a blue moon, I'd get light headed, especially when I haven't ate for a while and I could feel my blood sugar is low.

Pregnancy dizziness is different.  Out of nowhere, and sometimes more than once a day, things seem to spin.  You feel safer sitting in a chair or staying in bed.  I'm just glad they last less than a minute.  No big deal.

Tiredness
I'm tired - all the time.  However, I don't want to sleep, but I do just want to lay on the couch/bed all day.  It really sucks going to work.  By the afternoon, I'm half laying on my desk and my brain is a pile of mush. The only thing I could concentrate on is the clock.  When will 5 o'clock come?!

Nausea
The common symptom, and I have to say the worse symptom.  A well known term for this is "morning sickness".  In my case, ALL DAY sickness except the one hour after waking up.  Being nauseous is really the worse feeling.  Nothing tastes good.  All you could think of is throwing up.

Heartburn/Acid Reflux
Although this symptom often shows its ugly face near the end of the pregnancy because everything is pushing up, I am unlucky and got it right from the start.  Never had reflux/heartburn in my life, it was surely something glad that it's only temporary. All I can say is, it hurts.  It really hurts.

Breaking the News

Breaking the pregnancy news before the first trimester is often considered taboo.  In the Chinese culture, it is believed that if we talk about the little one, s/he will be 小氣, and it will result in bad consequences.  In other words, a miscarriage could happen.

Although I'm not superstitious, I do believe things could go awry during the first trimester, with or without reason.  To keep it quiet was just to prevent disappointment from happening.  However, we decided to let some people know:

1. My parents. 
2. My in-laws, B's parents. 
3. People at work: boss and project manager.

My Parents

I already told my mom with my questionable pee stick #1.  If she knows, my dad will know.  A girl telling her mom first is quite typical I guess.  When the blood test confirmed "my situation", I pretty much just confirmed it with my mom, ending the guessing game.  

My In-Laws, B's parents

If my parents know, it's only fair we share the news with B's parents.  We told them after the blood test confirmation.  At first, they thought the news we were going to share was B getting a promotion.  After saying no, they guessed I was pregnant.  And like all soon-to-be-grandparents, they were ecstatic. I then got the "you need to be careful and eat healthily" talk, while B got the "you have to watch out for your wife more" talk.  It's all good.

My Boss and Project Manager

I believe it's very important to have a great relationship with the people at work, especially the boss and project manager.  That relationship could only be built on by trust and reliability.  I foresaw that I might not be a very reliable worker for the next while, likely due to morning sickness, and possibly having to turn down some work due to my "situation".  Therefore, I felt it was only right to give them a heads up.

So late Friday afternoon when more than half the office had emptied out, I went into my boss' and project manager's offices and broke the news.  Both were shocked and happy for me.  Neither of them saw it coming.  They often ask when I plan to grow the family, mostly for them to plan ahead with work distribution, but I often say not for a while, I don't think.  Oops.  Sorry guys, it came sooner than expected.

So yes, the news is out to some important people.  I think I will share the news with the friends when things have settled and the whole situation is stabled.

Acceptance

So it is true.  I am 5.5 weeks pregnant.  Although I don't feel physically pregnant, I have already accepted the fact there's a little one growing inside me.

Was it planned?  No, not really.  However, we did stop preventing it from happening (if you know what I mean).  However, I did hope that we could start trying in Japan... rolling around on tatami mats sounds like fun.

Since pregnancy didn't even cross my mind in the last 5 weeks, I:

• had a large glass of wine.
• ate beef tataki.
• binged on sushi.
• barely took folic acid supplements.

The consulted with the doctor.  All of the above were ok.  However,

• no more wine - no problem, I don't drink often anyways.  I was just really stressed that day!
• no more extreme raw beef - I will bear with well done steak for the next eight months.
• no more sushi - sad.  Just sad.
• take folic acid supplements or maternity vitamin supplements daily - not a problem.

Additionally,

• continue to exercise.
• eat healthily.
• perform work tasks that I feel fit.

Being pregnant doesn't seem too bad.  In fact, I am forced to live a healthier lifestyle.  All the better, right? 

Hon, I'm Pregnant...

For most of May and June, I was planning my autumn trip to Asia, including Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.  I researched hotels, attractions, cities, and transportation options. I even had a Excel spreadsheet of a timetable all set up.

July came.  In my head, it was a good time to book flights, especially when I plan to go to Asia in October.  However, something didn't feel right.  I didn't feel physically or emotionally ill.  It was just something did not feel right.  Based on "calculations", maybe I should take a pregnancy test.

Pee Stick #1 - July 11, 2014

When I first peed onto the stick, it showed the one dark red line, which made sense.  Pregnant or not pregnant, there will that one line.  Then within seconds, the other line faintly showed.  In complete denial, I waited fora bit longer (as per the instructions on the box).  The second line wasn't getting darker nor did it go away.  I went downstairs to where B was watching tv and our conversation was something like this:

Me: Hon...

B: Yeah?

Me: Um... I, uh... um...what do you think this means?  *hands over pee stick*

B: (first confused with this plastic stick, then read the labels and saw the lines) You're pregnant.  (and no, there was no enthusiasm in his voice).

Me: You think so?  The line is quite faint.  Maybe it's a mistake?

B: It's faint, but there is a second line there.  You're pregnant.  We're going to have a baby.

Me: I don't know.  I got two sticks.  I'm going to try it again in a few days.  To me, this is too faint.

As you can see, I was in denial.  I took this photo and immediately emailed it to my mom.  I then called her to check her email and had her call me back. All I got was, "Are you pregnant?  I never peed on a stick so I don't know.  Go see a doctor."

Helpful.

Pee Stick #2 - July 15, 2014

I was going to wait a week before taking the test again, but I couldn't.  I want confirmation.  I wanted to go to Japan!  Waiting over a weekend was long enough. If I was indeed pregnant, my body must be overflowing with pregnancy hormones by now.

A second line was present and just as faint.  What does this mean?!  (Yes, I was still in denial, while B had already accepted the fact we're pregnant.)

To really confirm it all, after work, I went to a walk-in clinic on the same day to get a blood test form. I went in when it was near last call for walk-in patients.  At the front desk:

Me: It's nearing 4:30, do you still accept walk-ins?

Receptionist: Um (a little reluctant).  What are you in for?

Me: I think I'm pregnant.

Receptionist: Oh! In that case, we will have to fit you in!

I was a quick case: just had to give me a form.  Easy.  I went straight to the lab for the blood test. Yes, I wanted to know ASAP!

I got a call from the clinic the next morning, and the nurse reported, "Your test results came in, and you are very pregnant.  Congratulations!"

Huh.

So I guess no Asia trip this year.  All the places I want to go in the near future are now put on hold... for a very long time.  Instead, another type of journey starts now.