The Hyperemesis Files

This is the last episode of Series 3 and the last ever episode of the Hyperemesis Files Podcast (although I never say never). On today's show I am joined by Rowan. Rowan is 25 and lives in Lancashire with her husband Alex and her 18 month old daughter Olia Daisy.

Rowan is an exceptional guest speaker and details her journey with such elegance and openness. 

Together we discuss her initial thoughts about her sickness, from "I am just too weak to do this," to "This is just normal though?" all the way through to finally being administered steroids the final medication on the HG ladder to stop her unbearable suffering.

What is really very important about our conversation is the aftermath of HG as Rowan is still now experiencing un-diagnosed symptoms such as sickness, nausea and not being able to eat. Her story is here to inform not to scare as she acknowledges that she is "one in a million". But her journey has not ended after birth and she is now under the care of 5 professionals who are all trying to understand why these symptoms never went away.

On a personal and emotional note I want to thank everyone for listening over the last 3 series and for supporting the podcast.

The time has come for me to move on to other ways of raising awareness that enable to me to do more in less time and whilst I have enjoyed every second of bringing these episodes to you, they do take up a large amount of my time.

Thanks for listening. Charlotte x

On this week's podcast I am joined by Danika. Danika is a mother of one from Somerset in the UK. Danika's story is really telling of just how bad the treatment of HG women in certain areas/hospitals/post codes in the UK can be!

Her treatment ranged from being told they were going to check her for alcohol and drugs to make sure that is why she wasn't being sick to being left in A&E for hours to being admitted to the Frailty ward!

In this episode we talk about termination, access to medication once available being suddenly taken away and thoughts of wanting to die.

Danika also very bravely discusses her recent miscarriage and how despite this and everything she has been through with Hyperemesis in her first pregnancy, she is still positive for another child in the future.

On this week's podcast I am joined by Jeenie, a mother of three from Canada. Jeenie is the CEO and Head Trainer of KeepFit Women a fitness and health brand. 

In our chat we spoke predominantly about her third pregnancy (her first two being milder versions of the severe Hyperemesis she would go on to endure) and how she battled with her own identity.

Whilst Jeenie's care was over all really very good, this didn't detract from some of the feelings and intrusive thoughts we all get with Hyperemesis. In other words, even with incredible care you can't escape the destruction of HG.

We talked about her husband, who was essentially her carer, surviving an HG pregnancy during a global pandemic and how she managed to keep her company and brand going when she was unable to offer her usual fitness content and positive mental attitude.

Thanks for listening and we hope you come back soon for more!

For more information about Jeenie's fitness brand please visit https://keepfitwomen.com/

On this weeks podcast is Danea. A mother of two from California, USA. 

Her two Hyperemesis experiences were 11 years apart, and her second pregnancy was a complete surprise after failed IVF attempts with her new husband. Whilst they both had children from a previous relationship they were desperate to have a child together.

Danea's second pregnancy took place right at the height of the Global Pandemic, and whilst she remembers being able to get through her first pregnancy with the help of medication, this second pregnancy was so so different.

Finally fitted with a Zofran Pump and a PICC Line, Danea was hopeful that she would start to feel better, and yet her Hyperemesis plagued her right up until labour.

Numerous problems, dismissals and the ordeal from the Zofran pump falling out several times, by the 32 week mark Danea was done. It was all too much. But she had to fight through until she went in to labour and of course now is enduring the problems of HG and the aftermath. 

NB: Danea speaks about a warning from her Doctor to minimise taking Zofran. This is common but please be assured that the studies the Doctor was referring to have shown a minimal increase in cleft palate and the benefits in the opinion of HG Charities and Campaigners like myself certainly outweigh the risks. 

For more information on Ondansetron/Zofran and this minimal risk please visit the HER Foundation or the Pregnancy Sickness Support website.

This week I am joined by Sophie, a young mum of one from the North of England.

Sophie tells us about her first and possibly last experience with Hyperemesis in particular focusing on having HG during a global pandemic.

Possibly due to the COVID-19 restrictions, Sophie's HG journey to treatment and care was fraught with dismissals, being shipped off to A&E multiple times and being past pillar to post.

Sophie credits both her Mother and her boyfriend for their support at home, but talks about the added pressure of not being able to have the support in hospital, often having to be alone at appointments and of course when she was admitted overnight.

Her courage and strength though this time is admirable and she talks about not really knowing what was going on or what was happening to her.

Now her daughter is here she has taken the time with the help of her mother to look back at her treatment and is quite clear in the fact that she will be complaining to the relevant people about her care.

Her daughter was born at 35 weeks, again another traumatic experience for her and we talk together about the lost opportunities and missed experiences of our HG pregnancies.

This week I am joined by Megan who is currently living in Australia and has suffered with Hyperemesis twice with both her pregnancies.  Originally from America Megan has experienced pregnancies in both countries,

Megan's symptoms were horrendous and at one point went in to early kidney failure and was told at one point that if she went home from hospital she might suffer a cardiac arrest.

Megan's pregnancies were very close together and of course one of them being recent meant that she was pregnant during the Global Pandemic.

Megan's story is difficult to listen to but very powerful and emotional 

In this Series of the Hyperemesis Files we are going to be concentrating on different viewpoints and aspects of the Hyperemesis journey.

In Episode 1 I am joined by Michelle who is the founder of Fat and Pregnant. Michelle and I go through her 5 pregnancies, her first being when she was just 16 and her last in July 2020.

How different were her pregnancies? Did she suffer with Hyperemesis during all of them and how were her pregnancies different based on the gender of her baby?

Listen to find out!

Michelle and I also talk about being a plus sized woman and how "weight" effects the treatment of women with Hyperemesis and in fact, I am sure, most women's health problems.

Michelle is really honest about how she thinks her size went against her and how as a plus sized woman in pregnancy you are treated differently.

This week my guest is a mother of two daughters. She has had four Hyperemesis pregnancies two of which ended with a termination.

As my final guest of 2020, I am honoured that she has decided to share her story with me and the rest of the Hyperemesis community, especially as we all know that termination is still a subject that is taboo.

Please do listen to this episode to learn more about why Hyperemesis sufferers sometimes have to make this decision. My guest interestingly has had two termination experiences which really do capture the dilemma and the torment for sufferers. On the one hand we are forced to do something we wouldn't usually do but we have no choice and on the other hand wanting a pregnancy, having everything in place and being let down by medical professionals.

As termination is discussed there is a trigger warning for this episode.

If you have suffered loss from Hyperemesis please do visit the Pregnancy Sickness Support online forums specifically for loss and termination.

This week my guest is Lara, a mother of two who works as an art psychotherapist in a hospice. Lara's story is very complex and raises lots of important issues.

Her first pregnancy was a typical "HG pregnancy", not being told about medication, being offered it but then being told not to take it and being dismissed by health professionals and maternity workers.

We speak about how she managed to block out her first pregnancy as she longed so much for more children.

Her second pregnancy was a nightmare. This time she did take medication but again felt like she wasn't given enough information about what she was taking and which drug was actually working.

Her numerous experiences with A&E, horrendous and quite simply abusive comments from health care professionals and a traumatic experience where she was left in a wheelchair to fend for herself, Lara's husband made the decision to take advantage of his private health care and get his wife some help.

Lara's time in private health care was a positive one and whilst she never felt "normal" she was able to go back to some kind of normality.

Lara's career as an art psychotherapist in a palliative care hospice has given her a unique view of hyperemesis - seeing the similarities between the end of life and this horrendous illness.

We also talk about mental health, anxiety during and after pregnancy and her primal instinct to want more children and how that has been taken away from her.