Sickness during pregnancy

[sashibeak]

Hey guys, I need some advice from some ladies or gents who might be able to guide me here.

I have a friend who is 3 months pregnant. She is 41 years old and is terribly sick all the time. Apparently, this sickness is a trait in her family. Her sister suffered from sickness throughout her entire 9 months!

Her doctor has said she is "managing" the problem very well, but the truth is, she isn't. She looks ghastly ALL the time and keeps throwing up constantly.

Any tips? She's thinking of trying acupuncture. I would really be grateful for an advice you can give me!

Many thanks!

[becca.utns]

She might want to try Sea Bands. They are available at Eckerds and probably any other drug store. They are wrist bands that work by applying acupressure to prevent nausea. I've heard they work really well for other preg women so I tried them and they do work! Good luck!

[eirthjona]

Just a small ? does she throw up before or after eating?

I found that if I ate something the it would turn into a grumble and not a heave. also is she keeping up iron and calsium if need be tablets are good or ask the doc for injections.

Belinda Mum of 4

[sphinx, BSN, RN]

Frequent small 'mini meals'.......don't know how much she's eating now, but I'd have patients who'd eat nothing but dry cheerios, or whatever worked for them. You have to experiment a little. Also, since you go all night without food, eat a little bit before even getting out of bed. With liquids, she should figure what she can tolerate and stick to it........be it jello, popsicles......sometimes those things are too sweet, italian ices aren't as sweet.......juices, whatever. And sip frequently. Is she keeping *anything* down? Is her urine concentrated? I imagine her Dr is checking her ketones, by well controlled, maybe the doc means she is not spilling ketones.

I work in homecare, and when a woman is spilling ketones and has lost weight, a lot of doctors will do IV hydration, esp if the pt cannot keep anything down even after trying PO or PR antiemetics. We do this in the home. Fluids, MVI, IV antiemetics if ordered. If the woman has poor access after being on service, occasionally a PICC will be placed. Very *rarely* TPN will be started. Sometimes tube feeds through an NG.

So it depends on how severe the problem is....some women do have ok results with the seabands someone already mentioned.

[rpbear]

She could try a dry diet. That is, drinking liquids only between meals, not with them. (also no soup, gravy, sauces etc.) It works for some chemo patinets. I bet at this point she would try anything!

[laughingfairy]

My mother in law swore by the "white diet" only white foods.

but she also said that she had to have something inher stomach before she so much as lifted her head.

My girlfriend and I kept a food journal for her and we were able to determine triggers for what made her ill. When that didn't completly narrow it down we started looking in the enviroment.Turned out her husband's after shave was a big culprit as well as the fabric softner I used. So it doesn't have to be all food related.

She was hospitilized with her first child, but her second one we got control of the vomiting in her third trimester andshe managed her third pregnancy with out much difficulty.

Me I wouldn't know...I was hungary all the time and craved meat that was way too rare...my sister is the same way.

The only thing I could not tolerate was any type of mucos.

[SnowymtnRN]

Home remedies: Ginger. Anything with ginger. Gingersnap cookies, Ginger Ale, ginger capsules from the healthfood store, anything like that helps curb the nausea some. However, like all the other posters said, it depends on her triggers. For me, it was small frequent snacks thru the day, not any real meals. With my first pregnancy i could tolerate crackers of any kind (salty seemed to help) and juice. I can't remember what it was with my second, but Ginger ale was a big source of comfort for me. I used to blend it with ice and make a slushie, somehow sucking on that ice with ginger in it helped SO much. This pregnancy, bread. Bread was the big easer for me.

Tell her:

drink sips of whatever she thinks she can handle. Nothing to sweet if possible.

suck on ice chips.

crackers, bread, tortillas, whatever.

frequent snacks or several small meals a day.

Sea Bands might help but i've never tried.

ginger foods and drinks (Ginger is a natural anti-emetic, so i'd definitely try some ginger capsules if nothing else)

Progesterone poisoning SUCKS. She can seek medication from her doc if she's honest with how sick she truly is feeling. I know that in some cases they do prescribe something, Phenergan for some although that's kinda outdated and something else. I'm blank right now but i'll try to remember. OH Zofran! that's it, a lot of people have done that with great results i've heard.

[sashibeak]

Thank you all SO much!! I am passing all these tips on to her! She is ready to try anything!

God bless you all!

Hugz!