Hyperemesis, Vitamin B, and Magnesium

I found this article recently and thought it was quite interesting:

THE MAGIC OF B COMPLEX-B12 AND MAGNESIUM INJECTIONS

Interesting because (1) it's simple therapy, widely available, and (2) it's written by a doctor who actually used the treatment with hyperemetic patients (i.e. it's not just vague theorizing).

Thoughts, anyone?

***

Over here, we are going through yet another round of illness - it's been insane around here this past month! I am victim #1, and DH looks like he's going to be victim #2. Fun stuff!

Have a great Ash Wednesday, everyone! I am giving up sugary stuff for Lent, so we'll see how that goes! I've already cheated with gummy vitamins (I could live off of those things!) and bread with honey, but I did give myself permission to eat honey and dried fruit and not to be too Nazi-ish about the whole thing. But the entire 40 days without dessert? We'll see.

***

Later note:

I am reprinting this article below, which I had THANKFULLY copied into a document, as the link is now dead:



THE MAGIC OF B COMPLEX-B12 AND MAGNESIUM INJECTIONS 
Dr. George M. Wolverton

 Early in my medical career, my family medical practice included obstetrics. During that time, I delivered approximately 1800 babies. Oftentimes pregnant women in the first trimester would get nausea of pregnancy, or morning sickness. Sometimes an even more unpleasant—and potentially dangerous—condition would develop.


Hyperemesis Gravidarum: “Extended Morning Sickness”

In those days it was not uncommon for a condition called Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) to develop. This is a situation where nausea with the first trimester of pregnancy continues with vomiting during the rest of the pregnancy.

The cause of HG is still not fully understood, but the condition is potentially dangerous for both mother and fetus. The pregnant woman often loses weight and becomes dehydrated, leading to nutritional deficiencies (including depletion of B vitamins) and other problems. Sometimes these women need to be hospitalized for up to a week or more to control the condition.

Treatment with Vitamin Injections 

Though Hyperemesis Gravidarum was fairly common at Clark County Hospital in those days, my practice rarely saw full-fledged cases of the condition. At the first sign of nausea, I instructed patients to receive weekly injections of betaline or Vitamin B Complex with B-12. I gave them extra Vitamin B-6 in the form of supplements. In addition, I would give them shots of magnesium, which is the cation of youth and which makes intracellular function so much better that the nausea of pregnancy would usually leave.

I would also give these women zinc with the first nausea of pregnancy. Well over 95% of patients fail our zinc taste test to determine zinc deficiency, meaning that most people are deficient in zinc. Utilizing the injections and supplements usually helped women get over their HG relatively quickly, giving them an opportunity to enjoy their pregnancy without “tossing their cookies.”

Vitamin Injections for Fatigue and Other Ailments 

I stopped delivering babies in 1983 and actually missed not doing so. As my practice began to age, people would come in with brain fog, chronic fatigue, and generally not feeling very well. I realized that the magnesium and B Complex injections, which had been so helpful for pregnant women, would also benefit many of my other patients.

I would show my patients how to give themselves injections of magnesium on a daily basis and also betaline and B-12 shots every other day, providing that they had enough internal fortitude to do so. Are the shots painful? Yes, but we teach patients how to use a local anesthetic called procaine in the injections so that the pain is not great. However, doing the injections does require you to be “captain of your own ship and master of your own fate,” as the old poem says.

Patients on vitamin injections would often come back to the office several weeks later, saying that they felt like they had dramatically improved. Much of the time, patients on this regimen will feel so much better that they are almost radiant when they come in, merely from “being their own doctor” and giving themselves their own shots.

Of course, I insisted that they follow our wellness program, which avoids chemicals in the food chain by eating organically. I also encouraged these patients to follow our Chelation Therapy program.


Specific Benefits of B Vitamins and Magnesium 

Vitamin B actually consists of several separate but interrelated water-soluble vitamins that are important for cell metabolism. The B Complex mixture we use in injections is a combination of several of these: thiamine (B-1), riboflavin (B-2), niacin (B-3), dexapanthenol or pantothenic acid (B-5), and pyrodoxine (B-6). We also include Vitamin B-12, or cyanocobalamin.

B vitamins help improve energy and are often helpful for people with problems like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, anemia, depression, memory trouble, and neurological problems like polyneuritis, among others.

 God (the Great Physician) knows all three trillion of the estimated biochemical exchanges going on in each cell of the body. Science only knows how to test approximately 1000 of these biochemical exchanges. B vitamins are believed to be effective in about one out of each five of the known biochemical exchanges in the body. I tell patients who come in with a battery of test results that are all normal—even though the patients feel horrible, with much fatigue and brain fog—that their biochemical deficiencies are quite possibly in the areas that can be corrected by these shots. We may not fully understand why they work, but the Great Physician does. We just know that they do work a large percentage of the time.

 Magnesium is also vital to cellular functions. I call magnesium the “cation of youth” because it helps keep the body’s cells young and working properly. Deficiency in this important mineral is relatively common. Magnesium helps with feelings of overall well-being. It tends to have a calming effect and thus can be useful to ADHD patients and also people with high blood pressure. In fact, when a patient comes in to our office with dangerously high blood pressure, oftentimes one of the first things I will do is to give them a magnesium injection, which helps the blood pressure come down relatively quickly. Magnesium injections often help people with headaches and migraines, in addition to many neurological and other issues.

 Sublingual B Complex and Magnesium 

For patients who for various reasons are not able to take these vitamin injections, sublingual, or under the tongue, drops of B Complex/B-12 and magnesium are available. I believe these drops are not as helpful as the injections, which deliver the nutrients directly to the tissues. However, the drops are better than nothing.

 The problem with taking the sublingual solution as opposed to the shots is that the shots deliver the nutrients into your body in 17 seconds, bypassing the “war zone” of the stomach and liver. It is the speed with which the nutrients get into the body that dislodges the “cation of aging” (calcium) from its intracellular place where it has replaced magnesium, which is supposed to be inside the cell. Calcium is supposed to be outside the cell. Chelation Therapy also helps magnesium and calcium stay in their proper places in the body.

 It is my conviction that the real magic of magnesium and Vitamin B Complex/B-12 injections is that they help the body to better function the way it was intended to function. These injections helped me successfully treat pregnant women with Hyperemesis Gravidarum without having to put them in the hospital, even with 1800 delivery patients. The injections have also helped countless other patients with a wide range of symptoms and diagnoses. After all, we all need more intracellular energy so that we can live longer, better, and accomplish our impossible dream, as they sing in The Man of La Mancha: 


To dream the impossible dream 
To fight the unbeatable foe 
To bear with unbearable sorrow 
To run where the brave dare not go […] 
To fight for the right 
Without question or pause 
To be willing to march into Hell 
For a heavenly cause

Chiropractic Care for Morning Sickness

I've finally found something that seems to work! For me, that is...

Here's my history:

When I was doing my research into naturopathic remedies for morning sickness, chiropractic care was one of the options that came up. However, I did not get a chiropractic adjustment during this pregnancy until two weeks ago. Why? Well, for the reason that I have a bartering arrangement with my chiropractor - she gives me an adjustment, and I cook her dinner. Need I say more, LOL? Cooking doesn't happen with morning sickness!

However, after hurting my back a month ago, my nausea skyrocketed - to the point of throwing up multiple times (this is at a time when I hadn't thrown up for several weeks). This is the first evidence I saw showing me concretely that spinal alignment affects nausea! I realized that I really needed to go to the chiropractor for my back, regardless of my nausea, and so I payed cash and went. Not only did my back feel better, but my nausea was greatly reduced. I was able to back off on the nausea meds considerably.

However, the nausea gradually crept up again - and then improved again with my next chiropractor appointment! So I have now seen three instances in which spinal alignment has affected my nausea levels (one negatively and two positively).

A couple of notes:

- An adjustment has not made my nausea disappear - just lessen.

- Also, the lessening was not permanent - repeat adjustments would be necessary to deal with nausea.

Would this work for everyone? Mmm... maybe, but I doubt it. Here are my thoughts:

- Remedies for morning sickness/hyperemesis seem to be highly individual. If you spend more than 30 seconds on the internet researching morning sickness remedies, you will find countless repetitions of, "I had terrible morning sickness until I tried [insert remedy here], and I haven't had any problems since!" Then one tries said remedy, and it has no effect. For example, ginger is lauded to the skies for morning sickness - for me, it just made things worse. So while chiropractic care might work for some people, I'm not going to say that it's a cure-all for everyone.

- As I said, this didn't cause my nausea to disappear - only lessen. When one is truly dealing with hyperemesis, a slight reduction in nausea just isn't going to cut it.

- And again, with this pregnancy I did not experience hyperemesis. What works for morning sickness (sea bands, ginger, protein snacks, etc.) is generally ineffectual or useless for hyperemesis. So it might be worth a try, but I'd use it in conjunction with anti-emetic drugs. Hyperemesis is not something that one wants to play around with and risk letting get out of control.

Anyhow, it's something to try! I'm going to try to commit to getting an adjustment every two weeks through this pregnancy, both for nausea and for breech/posterior prevention (and for an easier labor). So I'll post if I get any more insight into this matter! Please let me know if anyone else has used chiropractic care (or any other alternative care) for nausea successfully.

16 weeks, 6 days: Reporting on Results

Well, we did end up getting the call at 6 pm last night that our midwife had indeed been called to a birth - just in time for us to miss our visit! Bummer!! But at least we have it to look forward to again! I'll have to save my ultrasound questions for next week.

Anyhow, since we are kinda-sorta 'out of the woods' HG-wise (though I don't want to say that too loudly), I wanted to report in really quickly on the results of my HG protocol.

I do this with some trepidation, and I want any HG mums out there to remember the following: What did not work for me may just be the thing for you. So just because I say "this didn't work for me" is absolutely no reason not to try it. Please take everything with a grain (or a cup) of salt.

Finding remedies for NVP (nausea/vomiting of pregnancy) is rather difficult, for the following reasons:

(1) What works for mild/moderate NVP is usually useless for HG. For example, "eat dry crackers" may work fine for mild NVP. For an HG mum who can't eat anything without triggering a violent vomiting spell, it doesn't do a bit of good.

(2) NVP/HG is not predictable from pregnancy to pregnancy. It may stay the same, get better, or get worse - it's impossible to tell. Thus, when someone on the internet says, "I tried such and such, and I had no trouble at all the second time around!" it's just possible that she wouldn't have had any NVP anyhow, and that the remedy had nothing to do with it. Then again, she may have found her own miracle cure. But.....

(3) .... Remedies for NVP are usually highly individual, as stated above. What works for one mum may not work for another - or may make things worse! I found countless accounts on the web of "I tried {insert remedy here} and it cured me completely!" - but that is no guarantee of that remedy working for another mother.

(4) Since I don't have a "control" (i.e. an identical twin carrying a baby identical to mine under identical circumstances), I have no way to know whether or not some of the things that I did take and which seemed to be ineffectual might just have prevented the condition from being worse.

So, with all those caveats stated, here goes:

I never got around to trying these things, or trying them seriously:

* Acupuncture/Acupressure - too tired/sick to look around for a good practitioner, and didn't want to face the sticker price (most insurances, mine included, do not pay for any alternative medicine)

* Chiropractic Care

* MorningWell CD - kind of forgot about it

* Homeopathy - I did buy some Sepia 30C, and tried it a couple of times. I didn't notice any great difference, and gave up on it without going into it more seriously. The problem with homeopathy is that it is an incredibly complicated art, whose correct remedies depend both on the exact symptoms of the condition and the personal idiosyncrasies of the patient. There are at least 15 different homeopathic remedies for NVP/HG. My conclusion is that if one wants to try homeopathy for HG (and it can be wildly successful when it works - see the website Blooming Awful for homeopathy success stories for HG), one really needs to be under the guidance of a trained homeopath, preferably one with experience treating NVP.

* Herbs other than those listed below - there's a HUGE list of herbs for NVP, and I only got to about four of them.

These Things Were Counterproductive

* Breastfeeding - It works for some women. Not for me. Nursing while nauseated was... nauseating.

These Things Didn't Do Anything Noticeable

Another caveat, though... It's possible that without these things it could have been much worse. After all, my NVP this time was manageable with Zofran. It didn't go crashing out of control like it could have. So some of these things might be responsible for that fact.

* Omega-3's
* Milk Thistle
* Water with lemon
* Multivitamin
* Probiotics
* Legumes - Despite that article I posted, eating beans does NOT magically make NVP disappear (though it seemed to be an NVP-friendly food)

* Herbs - I tried the following herbs, with no noticeable improvement:

* Ginger: I tried dried ginger in pills (no improvement but caused heartburn and a dreadful aftertaste) and also as a syrup (tastes good, but no help)
* Wild Yam: Tried it as a tincture (put it in apple juice) and as a homemade decoction. No noticeable improvement, and I had to give up on it after a while because the smell and the taste were hideous. And with my pg-nose, I could smell that horrible stuff ANYWHERE in the house, even through the plastic bags. I had to get rid of it.
* Peach Leaf: Tried it as a tea. This is probably one of the worst-tasting herbs anywhere. Had to get rid of it for the same reasons as listed under wild yam. Blech. (But someone I know credits peach leaf tea with curing her severe NVP, so don't write it off.)
* Morning Sickness Balm by Mountain Meadow Herbs: They have some great testimonials on their site, but I didn't notice any improvement. This includes ginger, fennel, and peppermint tinctures.

One of the problems is that I don't like the taste or smell of herbal products even while non-pregnant. Herbal tea I always find repugnant. So adding nausea and a super-sensitive nose into the situation meant that herbal products were somewhat torturous to endure.

Also, a lot of the pills listed above were left off after a couple of weeks because I simply couldn't endure taking handfuls of pills every day (as Shonda Parker told me would probably be the case). So, as always, it's hard to tell what was helpful and what would have been helpful had I continued it.

I would probably try the same stuff above if I had it to do over again. You never know!

These Were Mildly Helpful

* Whole Foods Diet - This is a hard one, because if you have full-blown HG, you usually can't eat. So this is for mild/moderate NVP only. But since I could eat this time around, I did notice that processed foods made me sicker than whole foods. For example, though carb-only meals always made me sick, those that included high fructose corn syrup always made me much sicker than those with plain sugar (learned that switching between homemade and storebought pancake syrup). When I talked to Shonda Parker, she credited a pre-NVP whole-foods diet as the most important factor in NVP-prevention.

These Were Really Helpful

That's right, folks.... Cold, hard pharmaceuticals

* Zofran (Ondansetron)

* Bendectin replica (Unisom {doxylamine succinate} plus B-complex/B6)

Notes on Books

* Ashli McCall's Book "Beyond Morning Sickness: Battling Hyperemesis Gravidarum" was extremely helpful. I used it constantly as a reference for all topics HG-related, especially drug facts. If you want to go through another HG pregnancy, please get this book and keep it on hand.

* Miriam Erick's book "Managing Morning Sickness" was not as helpful. Her main advice, "Eat what sounds good" is kind of an intuitive thing anyway. You can definitely try it, though, if you want to keep up on what's out there.

And there you have it!

Morning Sickness Moonshine, or Black Market Bendectin: How to Make a No-Longer Marketed Anti-Nausea Drug

I've been meaning to post this for months! So here goes:

But first, a quick personal comment based on Anna's wise counsel in her last comment: The reason I was considering doing the doula training despite not being up to it is that this training is, remarkably, free - and the cost is generally $150-300 - so a chance to do it for free is quite a chance! But I have decided to be sensible and not do it. For one thing, I'm not dying to be a doula - I was just going to do it for fun and information. For another thing, Anna, you're quite right - I've noticed that a day of overexertion generally results in a few miserable days of going backwards, NVP-wise. For example, I spent most of the day after our move (when I really overdid it) throwing up. So farewell, doula training! Hopefully some other time.

Anyway, Bendectin:

Bendectin is an anti-nausea drug that was on the market in the U.S. from nineteen fifty-something until 1983, when it was voluntarily removed from the market by its manufacturers. The reason? Allegations that it was causing birth defects. That sounds quite alarming, but the evidence of history has not shown any correllation between its use and an increase in birth defects, and most OB's approve of its use. If you look at the graphs over time, you will see that upon Bendectin's removal from the market, the rate of birth defects remained steady while the rate of hospitalizations for NVP doubled. It has been thought that Bendectin was used by lawyers eager for financial gain as a reason to start suing, and so it was removed from the market.

So, is it safe? I don't know. I'm inclined to think so (after all, I'm using it!), but I have been a student of the medical/scientific world long enough to know that scientists can (and do) manipulate results to produce desired conclusions (i.e. "let's do a study to show that this drug is safe" instead of "let's do a study to see if this drug is safe"). So I'll leave the possibility up in the air, while the majority of my belief is that it is safe.

***

THEREFORE, YOU NEED TO DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION. Some people believe this medicine is safe; some believe it is hazardous to your child's health. If you decide to use this drug, make sure that you have done your research and come to your own conclusions. If you are unsure, err on the side of safety.

***

Bendectin is still on the market in Canada under the name Diclectin (and also, I believe, in the UK under yet another name), and there is at least one pharmacy that will mail-order to the US with a prescription. However, it's not really worth the cost and bother, since one can make it at home so easily. The only benefits of the real stuff are (1) convenience, and (2) time-release formula, which can't be duplicated at home.

And so, the recipe:

One Bendectin is:
10 mg Vitamin B6
10 mg Doxylamine Succinate, or Unisom - this is roughly half of one 25 mg tablet

* I always take the B6 in complex form (as B complex) rather than just B6. I also take more than 10 mg.
* There are two types of Unisom, so make sure you get the doxylamine succinate, and not the phenylhydrine gel caps
* Yes, Unisom is a sleeping aid, so you'll probably notice some drowsiness. It wears off in about 2 weeks, and I don't feel anything of it now (except for the normal exhaustion of pregnancy)

According to Motherisk (you can call them up and talk to them), here's how to start:
1 dose in the morning
1 dose midday
2 doses at bed time

That is for a total of 2 unisom, or 4 doses (each Unisom tab is 2 doses). You can move up to 6 doses (3 Unisom) if needed, and up to 8 under the guidance of a caregiver (and some people have gone higher).

Here are max dosages:
Vitamin B6 - 200 mg/day (don't forget to add your multi/prenatal in the sum)
Unisom - 75 mg/day (3 tabs, or 6 doses) - this can be variable

Here's what I'm doing right now:
1/2 tab Unisom, 50 mg B-complex, 8 mg Zofran morning
1/2 tab Unisom, 8 mg Zofran midday
1/2 tab Unisom, early evening
1 tab Unisom, 50 mg B-complex, 8 mg Zofran evening

That brings me up to 5 doses Unisom per day (2 1/2 tabs), and I'm hoping to be able to drop one soon.

Note: When you're ready to drop doses, do it GRADUALLY or you can quickly regress. Make sure you can handle dropping one dose before dropping another.

Bendectin is safe to take together with Zofran. That's what most people, myself included, do.

One OB I saw claimed that the max safe dose of Unisom is one tab (two doses) a day. That scared me, but after reviewing my notes from Motherisk and going onto helpher.org, I consistently found that 3 tabs/day is considered completely safe.

Does it work? Yes. It did fine for me on its own for about a week and a half (4 weeks-5 weeks). After that it just wasn't good enough on its own and I had to break out the Zofran. Supposedly, Bendectin suppresses nausea and Zofran the vomitting. Well, I can tell you that there's some cross-over there, but they're a good combination. They've made my life livable, at least!

So.... Make your own decision!

Introducing.... The World's Newest HG Blog!

An online HG-friend of mine, Anna, has recently created the newest HG blog on the market! These are few and far between, so take note and check it out! Here it is:

Anna's Blog: "My Hyperemesis"

Anna's story is really unusual in that, after suffering with severe HG, she experienced a rare complication - HG that did not end with the birth of her baby. Now, almost a year after her baby's birth, she is still heavily nauseated and on anti-emetic drugs. Take a few minutes to read her story!

Wild Yam: The Final Chapter (Maybe)

For those of you who haven't read this blog before, I have lately been on a quest to discover information about the usefulness of the herb wild yam for NVP (nausea & vomiting of pregnancy). I first discovered it in a few herbals when I was doing my initial research on herbs for HG, and it was listed several times as a resource for severe morning sickness. Several other sources recommended it.

However, I also discovered wild yam on many lists of "herbs not to take during pregnancy." Kind of confusing!

And so my quest began.

I have now completed enough research and asked enough trusted people for their opinion that I feel confident in my own decision: I feel that wild yam is safe for pregnancy, and I will be using it during any assumed upcoming pregnancy for NVP prevention and treatment.

As always, you are responsible for doing your own research and coming to your own conclusions. (Take charge of your health care! Hurray!)

Anyhow, here's how the votes stacked up, for anyone who's interested in knowing:

AGAINST Wild Yam Use During Pregnancy
- My consulting OB (surprise, surprise!)
- Most mainstream on-line pregnancy sources and books

IN FAVOR OF Wild Yam Use During Pregnancy
- My marvelous midwife
- A good friend of mine who used it during her pregnancy
- Online individuals who used it successfully for NVP prevention
- The herbalist at a local shop who recommends it routinely for NVP
- Aviva Jill Romm in her book, "The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy"
- Herbalist Susan S. Weed in her book, "The Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year"
- "The Dummies Guide to Herbal Remedies"

That's good enough for me! Wild yam is going back on my HG-protocol (not that it ever really left, but it was in limbo for a few weeks). I'm going to check out my options at Sprouts, run a dosage idea past a few people, and put it in my protocol to have ready for whenever it is needed! Hurray!!

Research Results: Motherisk Hotline

Last week I finally got around to calling the Motherisk NVP hotline, so I thought I'd just go ahead and post my notes from that phone call rather than trying to summarize it in paragraph form.

Motherisk is a free hotline based in Canada at the Hopsital for Sick Children. They give free information on several pregnancy-related topics, one of which is morning sickness. Unfortunately all of their advice is mainstream-pharmaceutical based (no herbs or naturopathic remedies), but they are a super resource for drug information. Give them a call!

And here are my notes from my call:

Motherisk NVP Hotline: 1-800-436-8477

Called and spoke to counselor on September 26, 2008

- They have no data on herbal remedies

- They also have no data on preventing HG (although they are doing a study currently to see if Diclectin is more effective if taken at conception rather than at first nausea)

- Thus, I just asked them how to replicate Diclectin

o Diclectin (Bendectin) is a combination of 10 mg B6 and 10 mg doxylamine succinate (Unisom)
- Must break a 25 mg tablet of unisom in half to get ~10 mg
- Can take more B6 – up to 200 mg/day (make sure to include multivitamin in total)

o Take one dose four times daily – one in the morning, one midday, and two at night

o Some women take more
- Six doses/day is common
- Eight doses/day also is done, but should be done under care of OB
- Max dose of unisom is ~ 75 mg/day

o Drowsiness from unisom generally wears off after 2 weeks (sometimes less, sometimes more)

o Try to take doses at the same time each day

o Try to time them before your worst times of the day

o Can mix with other anti-emetics such as Zofran

o When you think you are ready to drop dosage, don’t go cold turkey – taper off gradually
- Eliminate one dose per day at a time, and wait several days to make sure you are still
100% okay before dropping another dose

Website: Hyperemesis.org

There's really no need to promote this website, because it is unarguably the most famous and well-used website having to do with hyperemesis ever! Check it out here.

This is the website of the Hyperemesis Research Foundation, an organization dedicated to researching HG and providing information to healthcare providers and HG-mums and families. There is a wealth of information on this site: Commonly asked questions, drug and treatment information, forums for every HG subject under the sun, and every kind of information available.

Oddly enough, I hadn't really been around this site till lately. I used the site when I was sick to determine that I did have HG (rather than garden variety morning sickness), but I was too sick to do more than that and I just hadn't been back. This past week I've registered on the forums and taken some time to explore the site. It rocks!!

While surfing the forums I found a great little piece of HG-lore - it's a phrase called "being crackered," in reference to when someone (with great motives, of course!) tells an HG-mother to "try eating dry crackers"! In that case, you've "been crackered"! I loved it. I think we've all been crackered. Probably most conditions have their own form of being crackered!

If you haven't been to this website yet, check it out! It is an invaluable resource.

HG Plan #1

Note to Readers: I am currently in the process of getting the below plan revised and reviewed by various medical practitioners. I will publish an updated and approved version when that process is over. Please do NOT use this version, if you are tempted to use my plan, as I have already discovered some big errors in it (specifically in my formulation of Diclectin). Wait until I publish the updated version. As always, use at your own risk.


And here it is, ladies! My first official "hyperemesis prevention" plan. This is based off of much, much, MUCH research, although it is by no means exhaustive. I have posted it on My Morning Sickness for comments, and I will probably post it on hyperemesis.org as well. After that I'll probably run it by the Motherisk hotline and possibly email Shonda Parker (she does online question answering for a small fee). So you can expect this to change! I'll post a revised copy as I go along. It will probably take a while to get all the revisions done (unless I find out that I'm pregnant this cycle, and then I'll be working like the wind and contacting all resources at once, LOL!!!). I'd like to take off anything that is redundant, because, as you can see, there is a LOT of stuff on this list.

The hardest part (for me) was dealing with the non-major herbs. There are SO MANY of them for nausea!! So I've just lumped them all together rather than trying to deal with them exhaustively in this document.

If anyone has any comments, please let me know!

As always, YOU are responsible for doing your own research. ALWAYS do your own research and take responsibility for your own health.

And without further ado, my HG-prevention plan:

Pre-Conception

WHOLE FOODS DIET
Purpose: Cleansing
Dosage:
Brand:
Notes:

WATER WITH LEMON
Purpose: Liver cleanser
Dosage: At least once a day – as often as possible
Brand:
Notes: Recommended by Shonda Parker

VITAMIN
Purpose: General nutrition, folic acid
Dosage: One daily
Brand:
Notes:

PRO-BIOTICS
Purpose: GI health and general health
Dosage: Acidophilus (1 cap daily) and yogurt
Brand:
Notes:

OMEGA-3
Purpose: General health
Dosage: 1-2 capsules of fish oil daily
Brand:
Notes:

B-COMPLEX SUPPLEMENT
Purpose: Morning sickness prevention
Dosage: 1 B-100 daily or 2 B-50 daily (each contains 100 mg or 50 mg each, respectively, of all the B-vitamins, including B6)
Brand:
Notes:

MILK THISTLE
Purpose: Liver Cleansing
Dosage: 2 capsules daily
Brand: Thislyn is a good brand. Anything with 70-80% silmaryn
Notes: Recommended by Shonda Parker

As Soon as Pregnancy is Confirmed

WHOLE FOODS DIET, cont’d
Purpose: Cleansing, health
Dosage:
Brand:
Notes:

WATER WITH LEMON, cont’d
Purpose: Liver cleanser
Dosage: Lots and lots and lots and lots!!
Brand:
Notes: Recommended by Shonda Parker

PRENATAL VITAMIN
Purpose: General nutrition, folic acid
Dosage: One daily
Brand: Possibly something without iron
Notes:

PRO-BIOTICS
Purpose: GI health and general health
Dosage: Acidophilus (2 tablets with every meal) and yogurt
Brand:
Notes:

OMEGA-3
Purpose: General health
Dosage: 2-4 capsules of fish oil daily
Brand: Possibly NOW?
Notes:

DICLECTIN REPLICA:

B-COMPLEX SUPPLEMENT
Purpose: Morning sickness prevention
Dosage: 3 B-50 daily (each contains 50 mg each, respectively, of all the B-vitamins, including B6)
Brand:
Notes:

UNISOM (DOXYLAMINE SUCCINATE)
Purpose: Morning sickness prevention
Dosage: 3-50 mg tablets, taken with the b-complex
Brand:
Notes:

VITAMIN C
Purpose: Absorption
Dosage: Take a little bit with the B-complex and unisom
Brand:
Notes:

MILK THISTLE
Purpose: Liver Cleansing
Dosage: Increase to 3 capsules daily
Brand: Thislyn is a good brand. Anything with 70-80% silmaryn
Notes: Recommended by Shonda Parker

WILD YAM
Purpose: NVP prevention
Dosage: (1) 3 capsules per day – try PLUS by Mannatech, (2) 1-2 tsp. dried extract three times daily, (3) 2-4 mL tincture three times daily)
Brand:
Notes:

DANDELION
Purpose: Cleansing, health, NVP Prevention
Dosage: As directed on bottle
Brand:
Notes:

MORNING SICKNESS BALM BY MOUNTAIN MEADOW HERBS
Purpose: NVP prevention
Dosage: As directed on bottle
Brand:
Notes: http://www.mountainmeadowherbs.com/morning-sickness-balm-p-32.html?osCsid=8792a1b5dfaa82954bd35f5bd4534f0b

GINGER
Purpose: NVP prevention
Dosage: 1,000 mg every 2-3 hours as needed, no more than 20,000 mg per day
Brand:
Notes: Shonda Parker

ENTROX (PERILLA SEED OIL)
Purpose: NVP prevention
Dosage: 3 caps per day with meals
Brand:
Notes: Shonda Parker

ABSORBAID
Purpose: NVP prevention
Dosage: 2 caps three times daily with meals
Brand:
Notes: Shonda Parker

SPECIFICALLY FOR NVP

LEGUMES
Purpose: Supposedly helps deal with nausea
Dosage:
Brand:
Notes: http://www.karenhurd.com/morningsickness.html

GINGER
Purpose: NVP prevention
Dosage: 1,000 mg every 2-3 hours as needed, no more than 20,000 mg per day – or till you can taste it!
Brand:
Notes:

MORNINGWELL CD
Purpose: Supposedly helps deal with nausea
Dosage:
Brand:
Notes:

CHIROPRACTIC CARE
Purpose: For NVP
Dosage:
Brand:
Notes:

ACUPRESSURE/ACUPUNCTURE
Purpose: For NVP
Dosage:
Brand:
Notes:

HOMEOPATHICS
Purpose: For NVP
Dosage:
Brand:
Notes:


PHARMACEUTICALS
Purpose: For NVP
Dosage:Under an OB’s care
Brand:
Notes:

FALSE UNICORN TINCTURE
Purpose: For NVP
Dosage: ½ - 1 tsp. tincture or ½-1/4 tsp. (1-2 g) extract three times daily
Brand:
Notes:

OTHER HERBS
Purpose: For NVP
Dosage:
Brand: alfalfa, basil, black horehound, chamomile, ginger, lavender, peppermint, peach leaf, wild yam root, red raspberry leaf, yellow dock
Notes:

Website: Diclectin Product Page

Check out the website for diclectin.

What is diclectin?

Long story.

Long story made short... Diclectin is the same thing as Bendectin, which was produced in the United States until 1983 when it was voluntarily removed from the market following lawsuits alleging birth defects. You can find out more about the history of this drug here.

What is it? It's very simple - from the website, it's:

"a combination of 10 mg of doxylamine succinate and 10 mg of pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B₆) in a delayed-released formulation"

The FDA's subsequent testing revealed no teratogenic effects, and the overall conclusion is that Bendectin is probably perfectly safe. However, it still is not produced in the United States - only in Canada under the name Diclectin (Canada = Diclectin, US = Bendectin, UK = Debendox).

Thankfully, it's easy to remedy - mothers can simply combine 10 mg of vitamin B6 and 10 mg of Unisom to get the same thing (although it's not time-released). Many women do, and I would have no problem doing so.

This works for some women and doesn't work for some. It's basically a line of first defense - something to try before heading for the big guns.

Check out the website. It's extremely biased toward Diclectin (I wonder why!), but you can get some basic information off of it.

* The usual disclaimer: I am not a doctor, and the above is not medical advice. You are fully responsible for any medical decisions you take regarding supplements, and all decisions should be discussed with your midwife, OB, or physician.

Website: MyMorningSickness.com

Just found a new website for morning sickness, and it looks pretty neat! Here it is:

MyMorningSickness.com

The authoress, Wendy, offers an e-book, morning sickness forums, her personal story, free nausea-tracking charts, and a free instructional video clip showing how to make one morning sickness remedy. I haven't been all around the site yet, but it looks awesome!! And she has the most adorable family!! Definitely check this website out and look around.

I was especially interested in this site once I discovered that the authoress has a very similar life philosophy to mine. I love connecting with like-minded mothers, and with HG, life-philosophy is especially important. Many HG forums are wrapped up in the "should I abort, should I not abort" question, and thankfully that is blessedly absent from her forums. This is a great life-affirming site that will encourage and help HG mothers without encouraging them toward abortion.

Research: Legumes????

Check out this article! The authoress, who is a nutritionist, has an interesting and unique solution for morning sickness - eating legumes!! Does it work? Does it work for hyperemesis? Well, we can only try! Here's the article:

http://www.karenhurd.com/morningsickness.html

Motherisk Morning Sickness

I just discovered a great website for morning sickness and HG:

http://www.motherisk.org/women/morningSickness.jsp

Check it out! There is a free telephone hotline that you can call to get counseling for your morning sickness. There is also information, forms, and links to informative articles. I'm going to go through it more thoroughly later.

Check this out!

Research: Herbs II

I am going to digress from my digressions, for a moment, and take a little time to finish posting my research on herbs for hyperemesis. I have been meaning to do it for ages, so here goes. I think that my research is finished - or at least, my preliminary research is finished. My main problem is that there are so, so many herbs that I have discovered, that I don't know where I would start. That's where further research will come in.

Of course, as always, one of the main problems with herbs (and other remedies for morning sickness) is that they often just aren't powerful enough for hyperemesis. A "gentle soothing tea" for mild morning sickness isn't going to do an HG mum one bit of good. However, some of these herbs do hold great promise, and, as always, I prefer to try natural remedies over pharmaceuticals.

I am going to repost my original entry on herbs, and then just add in my additional material - that will save me a lot of time looking back and forth to avoid duplications. Here goes!

ALFALFA

I don't have any research to back this up - this was just testimonial evidence from a woman on the Arizona Birth Network who said that she used it to tame severe morning sickness. Alfalfa is very high in vitamin K, so that might perhaps have something to do with it. Whatever works!!

Recommended personally by Jessica Wild, doula & student midwife

ANISE

"Anise infusion makes a great morning tea that also curtails morning sickness."
- Jaqulene Harper-Roth, "The Pregnancy Herbal," p. 58

BASIL

"After trying every antinausea drug she could find, she tried a tea of basil leaves - and her vomiting ended. Since I wrote that article, I have heard of numerous doctors who recommend basil to stop vomiting."
- Kathi Kevill, "Herbs for Health and Healing," p. 94

BLACK HOREHOUND

"This herb has a good reputation as a treatment for the nausea of motion sickness. I believe it's also useful as a treatment for vomiting due to pregnancy or nervousness. Try black horehound alone or in this combination: one part black horehound, one part camomile, and two parts meadowsweet. Meadowsweet contains an aspirin-like compound, so if a little aspirin upsets your stomach, you might replace this herb with ginger and/or citrus rind. Try a cup or two a day."
- "The Green Pharmacy," James A. Duke, Ph.D., p. 401

"Black horehound in tincture form can help prevent vomiting. Add one half teaspoon to one cup of hot water and sip two to three times a day."
- "Hey! Who's Having This Baby, Anyway?" Breck Hawk, RN & Midwife

CABBAGE

"Raw or cooked cabbage, cabbage juice and/or sauerkraut are old-time remedies for stomach distress. Sauerkraut juice in particular is reportedly soothing to the overactive intestines that contribute to morning sickness."
- "The Green Pharmacy," James A. Duke, Ph.D., p. 401

CHAMOMILE

"Herb teas to try: peppermint, chamomile, and red raspberry."
- Shonda Parker, "The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy, p. 170

"German chamomile reduces the feeling of nausea and calms the stomach. It can be taken in tincture form - five to ten drops in hot water - or as an infusion, one cup before getting out of bed in the morning. Do not exceed this amount per day."
- "Hey! Who's Having This Baby, Anyway?" Breck Hawk, RN & Midwife

CHINESE HERBS
These really should be in a whole category by themselves, as they really are a discipline distinct from traditional herbalism. I know absolutely nothing about them; however, I have heard them repeatedly mentioned in the quest for morning sickness herbs. Can't hurt to give it a try!

GINGER

This is the main herbal remedy for morning sickness, so I'm going to devote an entire blog entry to it later.

LAVENDER FLOWERS

"Prepare nausea-preventing tea infusions like ginger rhyzome, lavender flowers, peppermint leaf, peach leaf and/or wild yam root."
- Christopher Hobbs, L.Ac., "Herbal Remedies for Dummies," p. 240

LEMON JUICE

"Drinking water with a wedge of lemon squeezed in it is refreshing and liver cleansing."
- Shonda Parker, "The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy," p. 171

MILK THISTLE
Have seen several references for this - it seems to be mainly preventative. I've been taking it myself for several months as a preventative.

"I have found milk thistle (standardized to contain at least 70 - 80% silymarin) to be invaluable in preventing morning sickness. I began taking 2 tablets each day two months prior to this pregnancy and increased to 3 tablets daily when our pregnancy was confirmed. Milk thistle is liver supportive and protective. I feel this is why it worked so well to prevent the nausea and vomiting I have had with every other pregnancy. This would be especially helpful for those moms who vomit bile during pregnancy."
- Shonda Parker, "The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy," p. 171

PEACH LEAF

"Dried peach-leaf tea relieves nausea and morning sickness as well...."
- Jaqulene Harper-Roth, "The Pregnancy Herbal," p. 58

Recommended personally by Jessica Wild, doula & student midwife

"The Chinese use the laves and Europeans use the bark of the peach tree to make a tea for morning sickness. The leaves contain the compound benzaldehyde, which should be of some help in relieving this condition. If you opt for bark, don't use more than a teaspoon."
- "The Green Pharmacy," James A. Duke, Ph.D., p. 401

PEPPERMINT & SPEARMINT

".... a peppermint or spearmint infusion first thing in the morning lifts the spirit and acts as an effective antinausea remedy. Spearment infusion also soothes evening sickness due to hormonal imbalances. Drink 2 cups every 3 hours."
- Jaqulene Harper-Roth, "The Pregnancy Herbal," p. 58

"Several years ago, when I was at a concert, the promoter sought me out and asked if I had anything for nausea - quick. The band was ready to go onstage, but the lead singer was doubled over behind the curtain, vomiting. Fortunately for her and the anxious crowd, I had a vial of peppermint waters with me. This wasn't anything fancy - it was similar to the peppermint flavoring you can buy at grocery stores. The singer took this remedy and in ten minutes, she appeared onstage, all smiles, and went into her first song."
- Kathi Keville, "Herbs for Health and Healing," p. 94

"Herb teas to try: peppermint, chamomile, and red raspberry." - Shonda Parker, "The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy, p. 170

PERILLA
Don't even know what this is - have only seen one reference.

"In Chinese medicine the herb perilla, taken as a tea, is used for morning sickness."
- Christopher Hobbs, L.Ac., "Herbal Remedies for Dummies," p. 240

RED RASPBERRY LEAF
Found a lot of references to this one. It's also a known uterine tonic, known to prepare the uterus for labor and make for easier labor (just for that, I'm planning on downing it by the gallon next time!!).

"Red Raspberry leaf is a classic uterine toner and pregnancy tonic. It prepares the uterus to function at its best. The leaf can ease morning sickness and gently aid digestion."
- "Heart and Hands" by Elizabeth Davis (p. 47)

"Herb teas to try: peppermint, chamomile, and red raspberry."
- Shonda Parker, "The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy, p. 170

"Tea made from raspberry leaves has been widely recommended for curbing the nausea of morning sickness.... the tea has a persistent reputation as a treatment for women's conditions, from menstrual cramps to morning sickness and labor pains. Raspberry leaf is said to contain a constituent, readily extracted with hot water, that relaxes the smooth muscles of the uterus. I'd suggest drinking up to three cups a day. Or combine it with ginger, mint, and a little lemon for a very pleasant antiqueasiness tea."
- "The Green Pharmacy," James A. Duke, Ph.D., p. 401-402

WILD YAM ROOT

"Wild-yam-root infusion or decoction is slower acting, but far safer, than any over-the-counter medications for severe or persistent morning sickness."
- Jaqulene Harper-Roth, "The Pregnancy Herbal," p. 58

YELLOW DOCK

"Yellow Dock: 25-50 mg per day. This is one midwife's first remedy to try."
- "Relief for Morning Sickness" (website unknown - forgot to record it)

RECIPE FOR ANTI-NAUSEA HERBAL TEA

Mix 1 teaspoon each

Fresh ginger
wild yam root
orange peel
lavender flowers

in 4 cups water. Simmer the herbs for a few minutes, then steep the mixture for 20 minutes. Drink 1 cup of the tea 2 or 3 times daily, before meals. If you prefer, mix 2 teaspoon each of the individual tinctures in 1 cup of water and drink 1/2 cup, 2 times daily. Taken from "Herbal Remedies for Dummies" by Christopher Hobbs, L.Ac.

OR

"Mix one part raspberr and peach leaf mixture to two parts peppermint and one half part grated ginger root. Add one quart cold water, heat to simmer, and infuse for twenty minutes."
- "Hey! Who's Having This Baby, Anyway?" Breck Hawk, RN & Midwife

Research: Prescription Drugs for Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Hello, everyone! It's been a busy week! We are slowly cranking our way through a month replete with weddings and graduation parties - I'd say we're about two-thirds done, and the rest should be fun and stress-less. But what a busy month! Hopefully things should slow down in June for a couple of months.

Today I thought I'd do a quick research post about prescription drugs for hyperemesis gravidarum. However, rather than being a collection of knowledge, this is primarily an admission of ignorance - I really don't have much to post.

When I went through my own bout of hyperemesis gravidarum, I had two things working against me - (1) no maternity insurance, and (2) ignorance. The first part of that duo still makes me mad. What exactly do they think they are doing by denying maternity care to their clients? (almost all private insurance refuses maternity care) And what are we supposed to do when we have our babies? Have them unassisted on the side of the road? Sheesh. (Side note: And when we finally did get maternity care through Joe's work, the minimum payment was so high that it was cheaper to pay our midwife in cash. Insurance. You gotta love 'em.)

The second part of that, ignorance, was the result of something that I'd read in a book, and which turned out to be patently false - a statement saying that after the thalidomide nightmare, drug companies had stopped putting out anti-nausea meds for pregnant mums because one could never be sure what it would do to the baby. Well, that is quite false! There are a myriad of options out there. When we met with our midwife for our first prenatal, at 13 weeks, and she said, "You know, you can go to an OB and get a prescription for anti-nausea meds," we just stared at her. And, of course, at that point it was an exercise in futility, because we had no maternity insurance at that point. They would have "paid for maternity-care-related emergencies," but considering that a lot of HG-mums have been hospitalized repeatedly for HG with their insurances still refusing to pay, we knew we didn't have a chance of getting them to pay for anti-nausea meds.

Short story long. Anyhow, moving on.... There are a ton of anti-nausea drugs on the market. Most of them have not been proven to be safe for both babies and mums, but they seem to be safe and are thus used. And, after all, when HG is life-threatening, it's better to use the drugs than to watch the mum and baby both die. If I get HG again, I will have no problem with using drugs. I want to try naturopathic remedies first (acupuncture, homeopathy, chiropractic care, etc.), but if those don't work, I will not balk at using prescription drugs.

In terms of "drugs," there is first of all the Vitamin K/C combo mentioned in another blog entry. Check it out. I'm going to ask our consulting OB about that one. Another one is Vitamin B complex supplements. Those didn't do a thing for me, but I think that they were just too little, too late (when you're too sick to keep a pill down, pills don't do you much good). However, there are Vitamin B injections. Vitamin B is also packaged with other supplements specifically for morning sickness (called, I think, Unisom - someone correct me if I'm wrong). Good place to start.

In Ashli McCall's book, "Beyond Morning Sickness," there is a really good appendix of anti-emetic drugs, which I highly recommend. You'll get names, categories, methods of administration, risks, benefits, side effects, etc. Highly recommended.

This website also has a ton of info on drugs for HG:

http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1075.htm

One of the problems with drugs for severe HG is that the drugs do a better job of stopping the vomiting than they do the nausea. The vomiting may be what's dangerous to your body, but the nausea is what's dangerous to your mind. Most of us would prefer to sit around all day throwing up rather than deal with the nausea which can drive one to utter and complete despair (Amen, ladies?).

The most popular drug on the market right now is Zofran, and it seems to be a great thing (although it doesn't work for everyone). It is class C, meaning that it hasn't been proven safe (or unsafe), but lots of moms have used it and love it. The biggest problem with Zofran is that it is incredibly expensive to manufacture (it's about $50/pill without insurance), and insurance companies HATE paying for it. A lot of them refuse point-blank to pay for it, even when the mum is hospitalized due to lack of it (I hate insurance!!). So keep it in mind - having a supportive OB willing to fight for you is essential.

One of the main problems in getting proper medication for HG is simply trying to find a supportive OB. If you have one who brushes you off, tells you it's "all in your head," tells you that this is normal, or sends you home with Vitamin B or dramamine (when those have proven insufficient), that will be your biggest problems. There ARE treatments and drugs available - but you will need a knowledgeable and compassionate OB to work with.

When HG-mums come in and are super-dehydrated, one of the first steps taken is usually replacement of fluids by IV. This will usually provide some relief; however, that relief generally fades after the treatment. IV treatment alone is not generally enough.

If a mum is truly unable to keep anything down, including meds, there are a variety of long-term IV treatments (PICC lines with TPN nutrition, etc.) that can be used. These are usually not a lot of fun but are workable and will get you through.

Remember, if your OB is not going to fight for you, find one who will! Treatments do exist for all levels of HG.

Well, I'd better go do something productive!! Love to all!!

Hyperemesis Gravidarum: A Primer

Today I thought I'd just post some sketchy notes on the subject of "I've got HG - what on earth do I do now?" These notes may be of marginal value, coming from someone who had only a moderate case of HG. However, I'll do my best

Determining if you have Hyperemesis Gravidarum

(As opposed to normal morning sickness, that is.)

Well, it's pretty easy to tell. If you're desperately searching the internet for remedies for the "morning sickness" which is taking over your life and driving you to despair, or if you are too ill to be on the internet and are just hanging out in bed throwing up, there's your answer.

Morning sickness, like most conditions, occurs in many manifestations all over a continuum of intensity. There's no exact dividing line between "morning sickness" and "hyperemesis gravidarum."

Here's a good description of HG, taken from the Hyperemesis Research Foundation Website.

"Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a severe form of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. It is generally described as unrelenting, excessive pregnancy-related nausea and/or vomiting that prevents adequate intake of food and fluids. If severe and/or inadequately treated, it is typically associated with:

- loss of greater than 5% of pre-pregnancy body weight (usually over 10%)
- dehydration and production of ketones
- nutritional deficiencies
- metabolic imbalances
- difficulty with daily activities"

Check out this website

http://www.hyperemesis.org/index.php

It will give you all the basics about hyperemesis - how to get help, how to find a care provider, lots of resources, etc.

Order this book

"Beyond Morning Sickness" by Ashli McCall

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Morning-Sickness-Hyperemesis-Gravidarum/dp/1419640933/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210178718&sr=8-1

Ashli has been there, done that, having had HG four times. This is the best book I have read so far on the subject. If you can, order a couple - one for your immediate family, one for extended family, and one for your care provider.

This book provides tons of information on how to deal with HG, find a care provider, decide on treatment and drug options, etc.

There are other books out there, but I haven't read too many of them yet. This is the only one I can recommend having read it.

Get an advocate

You are probably too sick to do the work that needs to be done in caring for your health. Hopefully your husband will fill this role; perhaps your mom or sister or a friend. You need someone who will do research, call doctors, go to appointments with you, etc.

Ask for help

This is something that your advocate can do for you. You will probably need help with housework, childcare, etc. Ask for the help you need!

Find a care provider

Your advocate can help you with this too. Ask for recommendations from friends, or have your husband/advocate call doctors' offices to ask if they are willing to treat a client with HG. Do not settle for anything less than persistent, aggressive, and compassionate treatment. Three BIG warning signs with a care-provider: (1) He/She tells you that this is just "normal morning sickness," that it will go away eventually, that you need to just get some fresh air/eat crackers/drink ginger ale/etc. (2) He/she tells you that it's all in your head/that you must really not want this baby/etc. (3) He/she suggests abortion as a remedy. Shocking as it may seem, this is not too uncommon. Many OB's do not want the high work load that comes from dealing with an HG mum, and pro-abortion doctors may recommend an abortion to "solve the problem" and get you off their hands.

Stay hydrated

If you can eat, eat whatever you can and don't fuss about nutrition. For the first couple of months after recovering from the worst of my HG, I was only able to eat ice cream and barbecued pork. Prenatal vitamins didn't happen for months (couldn't even think about trying to get those puppies down). Eat what you can.

If you have moderate hyperemesis and are only able to keep liquids down, try the following: diluted Gatorade, jello, and nutrition drinks such as chilled Boost, SlimFast, Ensure, etc. (nutrition drinks will also help make up for not being able to take prenatal vitamins, if you can't manage those). Drink something often (perhaps hourly) to keep something in your stomach. Remember, keeping those liquids down will keep your blood sugar up and will keep you hydrated - both low blood sugar and dehydration will make the nausea much, much worse.

If your HG is more severe, this will not work because liquids will not stay down. In that case, have your hubbie drive you to the hospital NOW.

While dealing with the medical establishment, you may have a great experience or a crummy one. It's kind of a toss-up. Be prepared for doctors and nurses who may be patronizing, contemptuous, unsympathetic and impatient - who think you are taking up bed space and crowding out patients who are "really sick." This is part of HG, unfortunately. HG tends to fall into the category of diseases which are dismissed as being "all in one's head" (other diseases in this category would include depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, etc.)

Don't give up hope

This WILL be over at some point. You WILL have a beautiful baby, and you will feel WONDERFUL. Hang in there!

For those of you in more desperate situations, please remember that abortion is never the answer. You will replace temporary suffering with a lifetime of pain. There are ways to effectively treat hyperemesis - all you need is a good care provider and time. No matter how dark these days are, there is a beautiful baby waiting at the end of the tunnel.

Prepare to be frustrated

If you are like 99.9% of HG mums out there, you are going to be bombarded with the most frustrating comments in the world. This is not the fault of the comment-makers - it is just the fact that HG is an unknown disease, and most women have had morning sickness of some sort which makes them feel like they "know what you're talking about." Here are some comments to expect:

"Oh yeah, I had bad morning sickness. I couldn't eat onions for weeks."
"Go outside and get some fresh air. Stop thinking about yourself so much."
"Eat something! You can't think of just yourself. Your baby needs food."
"Just get up and get active. Go for a walk. You'll feel better."
"We've all been there."
"That's just the way it goes!"

Unfortunately there's no way to stop these comments, so just find another HG mum and commiserate. :)

When all is said and done, HG is just one heck of a miserable experience. It is one long, hellish experience that leaves most women scared to death of pregnancy for life (I know it has for me). HG ladies, if you see anything I should have added to the above, please let me know and I'll add it pronto.

Love to all!

Research: Homeopathy II

Okay, back to some actual research!! I have tons of this stuff, and it really needs to get onto this blog.

For my second entry on homeopathy, I want to post notes on the "Nausea and Vomiting" section of "Homeopathic Medicines for Pregnancy and Childbirth" by Richard Moskowitz (1993). Despite its nauseatingly pro-abortion bias, this is a great book and is highly recommended by reviewers. I am just going to post my notes on his section, in hopes that they can be of use to someone. The best way to use it is just to take your symptom-picture and match it as best you can (it probably won't be exact).

Dosages: First, try an over-the-counter strength (6x, 12x, etc.) - these can be bought at Sprouts and other natural-foods stores. Give each remedy several tries; if improvement is seen, continue to use; if not, move on to the next remedy that you think might work. If higher dosages are needed, you may have to get a prescription from a homeopath (which, considering that American mainstream medicine doesn't acknowledge homeopathy as valid, is rather odd!).

(1) Sepia

- Most often helpful for ordinary nausea and vomiting of pregnancy
- Nausea intensified by smell or thought of foods
- Woman may be irritable with friends and loved ones
- Need to be alone, quiet, free of responsibilities, cared for
- Physical exercise is often impossible; nausea is aggravated by physical effort
- Aggravated from not eating - relief will be seen from eating a small bit of food
- Commonly exhibit intolerance of fatty foods
- Bearing-down pain or discomfort
- Dosage: Sepia 12 or 30 may be given 3x/day or more often for several days consecutively until better; then weekly as needed. With Sepia 200, try 3 dosages/24 hours, repeating weekly if necessary (using Sepia 12 or 30 as needed in between)

(2) Pulsatilla

- Another good one for pregnancy-induced nausea
- Typical symptoms like intolerance of warm rooms with improvement in open air
- Sensitivity to overeating, fat or rich foods, bread, milk, fruit

(3) Nux Vomica

- Nervous hyperstimulation (?)
- Typical keynotes such as drug abuse or intolerance, constipation or other autonomic dysfunction, and insomnia

(4) Ignatia

- Context of grief, sorrow or disappointment (relationship ills, etc.)
- Associated with contradictory symptoms (symptoms that don't make sense) and evidence of nervous excitement (insomnia, trembling, etc.)

(5) Phosphorous

- Useful for complaints heightened by an overactive imagination with exaggerated fears and tendency to somatization (mind-body connection)

(6) Natrum Mur

- Background of grief, sorrow, or disappointment and resulting sense of grimness and rigidity

(7) Cocculus

- Symptoms aggravated from riding in boats, trains, etc.
- Woman is sensitive to smell or the thought of food
- Tendency to insomnia from emotional excitement

(8) Colchicum

- Symptoms are intolerant of movement (makes nausea much work)
- Marked intolerance of smells
- Woman will lie or sit motionless and as far away as possible from strong odors
- Tendency to bowel irritation with diarrhea
- Chilliness with sensitivity to cold or damp weather

(9) Ipecac

- Severe and constant nausea unrelieved by vomiting
- Useful for the most severe and advanced cases in which patient is unable to eat and may need hospitalization and IV fluids
- Good for when other remedies have been ineffective
- Ptyalism (profuse salivation) is a guiding symptom

(10) Symphoricarpus

- For the most advanced or desperate patients with deathly nausea and paroxysmal or intractable vomiting (sometimes enough to produce blood)

***

I recommend getting the book from the library, as my notes may be insufficient. Also, Dr. Moskowitz gives a sample case history for each remedy, and reading these may even be more useful than reading the symptom pictures!

There are other homeopathic materia medica that I have found on-line and in books, so I will post notes from each source as I have time. I'm hoping to be able to get my mind around some of it so that I can start to have a feel for homeopathic remedies for nausea and vomiting.

My strongest feeling, though, would be that it would be best just to go and see an experienced homeopath, especially in cases of hyperemesis gravidarum. When one is trying to deal with hyperemesis, one is too ill to do the necessary research, shopping and testing, and a homeopath would have a much better feel for remedies than an amateur. However, it's always worth a shot! Should I ever be blessed with another little one I am going to be seeing a homeopath, so I will post notes from the experience at the time.

Cheers!

Research: Homeopathy I

And it's been another week! This week I have been so incredibly busy that I almost forgot I had a blog at all! Seriously. Caleb's had a cold, and I've been working like mad on a cake for a friend's baby shower. I always forget how labor-intensive one little cake can be! And it's all going to be EATEN within an hour of showing it! Aaahhhh!!! Well, I'd better head away from that subject... it is that way that insanity lies. :) But seriously, I'm having a blast and have learned some new techniques. Oh, and we also put a bid on yet another house (this is #3). It's at the beginning of a short sale process, so it will truly be an act of an omnipotent God if we ever get our bid accepted.

Anyway, it's been forever since I posted any hyperemesis gravidarum research - ever since I blew myself out with that big essay on herbal remedies (which needs to be updated). I thought (assuming C. gives me time) that I'd write for a few minutes on homeopathic remedies for morning sickness.

Homeopathy is a healing modality that is not currently recognized by Western medicine. It is based on the "law of similars," that is, that a substance which causes a certain set of symptoms, will, properly prepared in minute amounts, cure the same set of symptoms. So, for example, onion causes itchy, burning eyes. A homeopathic preparation of onion would be used to cure conditions which included itchy, burning eyes (allergies, etc.). Make sense?

I too would reject homeopathy, as most western doctors do, except for one small problem - it works. I've seen it work on many occasions. Most notably, I have witnessed the power of Zicam, a homeopathic preparation of zinc, to prevent and mitigate head colds. I also know many people who use it regularly with great results. Many midwives carry homeopathics, and homebirth midwives are the last people in the world to use remedies that don't work. Further proof of homeopathy is that it works beautifully on children and animals, two classes of beings who are not open to the placebo effect.

The problem with homeopathy is that the remedies are not particularly easy to prescribe. The remedy will be based on the patient, as well as the malady. Therefore, two people suffering from the same condition may need entirely different remedies based on their personal constitutions. That's where a homeopath comes in handy, although careful self-prescription is possible.

Another lovely thing about homeopathics is that they are pretty much side-effect free, unless you want to go into the stronger doses (200C).

So.... homeopathy and hyperemesis gravidarum! There is one amazing story of a woman who was able to control her HG with homeopathics - I can't copy the hyperlink properly, but go to this website, click on "homeopathy" on the side bar, and read Kerry's guide to homeopathy and the story of her second pregnancy:

http://www.hyperemesis.org.uk/

This website is a great resource, and this story was a very exciting find. The OB with whom I have signed up for baby #2 (assumed) shares an office with a naturopath who will be able to prescribe homeopathics, and I'm definitely interested in trying this out.

Well, I have a whole folder full of photocopies of info on homeopathy for morning sickness, but I don't think I will start there now. Our baby has now slept almost three hours (he's sick - normally he only sleeps 1.5 hours), and I know he'll be up any second. I don't want to be interrupted in the middle! So now, having given an introduction to homeopathy, I will continue next time to go straight into the research. Till then!