BP Very Healthy Life Style (Suggestions)

[jjbeck]

Any advise for those with Hyperemesis? Because of the HG, I still have many many food aversions. Not just the taste, but smell and sight as well. MY DH cant even bring into the house many foods.
Pre PG, I always ate very healthy. Always avoided processed foods etc.
Now that is all I can stomach...frozen foods. I have never eaten these foods before PG, but now it seems to be all I can eat. with the exception of some fresh fruits and veggies. Also, I have gastroparesis, the processed foods seem to be a bit easier to digest.

Thanks

Jen

[kim]

Jen,

As my doc said, "Anything is better than nothing." He didn't seem to mind that the only things I could eat were Poptarts and Tator tots for 8 months. The only alternative is tube or iv feeding....
Take care,


Kim
Ainsley Kathryn 11/26/02-36 Weeks Preeclampsia
http://home.austin.rr.com/schwintz

[akemt]

I'm with Kim,

My doctor finally got the point where he said, "Eat whatever stays down." SO, for one month, all I could drink was Chocolate milk (couldn't handle chocolate or milk alone) and for another month, all I could drink was decarbonated 7up. I drank carnation instant breakfast to try and keep my vitamins coming in. But, other than that I mostly ate cold, bland cereal, rice and bread. I was able to eat bagels and cream cheese for a while. THe problem was that once I found something I could eat, I ate alot of it then grew an aversion to it! I know it is hard. One day I even ate an entire box of small chocolate hostess donuts one by one. I had one and it stayed down, so I kept popping them about every 20 minutes and that is all I ate that day, but it worked! lol I only did that one day, but it was a nice break to eat something that had some taste to it and I didn't throw up once that day! lol go figure. I know it can be hard, just hang in there you will make it through!!!

Catherine (22)
DH Britton (27)
Emma Margaret (03/02/03) 37 weeks from PIH & oligo

[alysa]

[My opinion/suggestions for helping with Hyperemesis

When I was going through morning sickness I too had to eat frozen foods, although this is not the healthiest, I think it was due to not being able - or not tolerating the preparing process of cooking and the smells along with it. There are healthier choices if you are tolerating these foods I liked "Lean Cuisine", or I think it's called "Amy's organics" (frozen entrees). Look through your selections to try and avoid unnecessary food preservatives and lower sodium amounts (frzn./processed foods can contain higher sodium amounts). I for some reason loved watermelon and nectarines, and frozen beef - Go figure? Smelling the scent of a lemon slice helps some before getting up. Try to eat something small before getting up from bed helps. I was prescribed medication for nausea (though chose not to take it. I think if your keeping food down at all and still ok hometreatment is best. - talk to your dr. if med. is something necessary to consider if you feel it's out of control or your dehydrated etc. - and look into the type of med. that it's considered safe and if it is helpful for you.)Try, if you can, the healthiest alternatives for your cravings or tolerable foods. What might help you also - if your able to take your prenatal vitamin - ask for one without iron (if ok by doc.), iron from natural source is actually healthier; iron in a supplement can actually cause stomach upset in some. There are specific prenatals that can help nausea that includes the essential folic acid, calcium and B6 - I took this for a short period. Or ask your doctor first before or if you can add B6 to your current prenatal (do not overdose on vit.B6 though; see the Note at the bottom of this reply) I wouldn't limit yourself to vit. b6 alone, as you don't want to become deficient in another vit. - this is info. I have learned and helped me through my nausea/vomiting period. I was not able to return to normal eating until into my 3rd month -when I started to take more vitamins and eat more balanced.

If your really not tolerating food here's some other suggestions (healthy ideas to try) that might be tolerable:

• Try Knox gelatin packets and make your own jello with 100% juice you can tolerate (apple juice, white grape juice, fruit punch)
• Try Rice Milk instead of milk if possible (it's easier on the stomach, though milk is good as well; I like "Rice Dream" in original or chocolate best). I mix with some protein powder (a good one I like is "Balance" in vanilla or chocolate- or look for another that's all natural if possible - (Note:DO NOT get the Muscle building stuff!) If you can, add this to your tolerable foods for more nutrition
• "Ensure" Plus I like too; maybe not the healthiest choice (has some artificial flavoring & cornsyrup etc.)-for occasional use as an alternative to protein powder

I hope my suggestions can help - always ask your dr. if they are something they agree with.

Here's some helpful info on managing Hyperemesis taken from Webmd.com:

Home treatment measures for morning sickness include:

Changing what, when, and how much you eat.
Taking certain dietary supplements that are known to reduce nausea during pregnancy.
Avoiding nauseating foods and smells.
Trying acupressure, which seems to work for some women.
If you have severe, persistent nausea and vomiting (hyperemesis gravidarum), see your doctor or midwife immediately. This uncommon complication of pregnancy can lead to dehydration and malnutrition, sometimes requiring prescribed medication or hospitalization.
Also:
Vitamin B6 for morning sickness

Studies suggest that taking vitamin B6 supplements for morning sickness significantly reduces nausea, though not vomiting, for some women. Experts do not yet understand how vitamin B6 affects nausea.

A typical dose of vitamin B6 for morning sickness is 10 mg, 4 times per day. Talk to your health professional before taking vitamin B6 for morning sickness.

Note: Intake of more than 100 mg a day of vitamin B6 can cause temporary nerve damage.

Alysa

Chloe (4)
Isaiah (Feb 04)

[angela]

I have not posted since the arrival of Hadley (July 29th), however I do check in EVERYDAY! I am responding to the segment of this topic about information in books, articles ect. I too could not find any up-to-date info on Pre-e or even PIH, has the foundation thought of creating a book or talking to a publishing company to have their info added to an updated book that is already on the market?

Sincerely,
Angela

[taras mom]

Jen, I didn't have HG, but Ensure really helped while I had morning sickness. For some reason, I also found it easier to keep everything down if I added a little lemon juice to my water.

Carol (38)
DH Bill (40)
Tara Mairichi
12/7-12/9, 2002
The Mightiest Little Angel

[taras mom]

Anne, publishers can be pretty clueless about evaluating reader comments (I could post some horror stories). They usually respond to numbers, however, so if enough of us go through our pregnancy books and suggest corrections, we should see improvement.

Carol (38)
DH Bill (40)
Tara Mairichi
12/7-12/9, 2002
The Mightiest Little Angel

[laura]

Heeeey, post some horror stories, Carol, I'm intrigued![:D] What do you DO anyway that you know this neat stuff????

Laura-28
DH Jack-30
Allie 5-13-98 (35 weeks-pre-e)
Baby Camille 4-17-03 (36 weeks- htn and oligo)
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/c/camilleandallie/

[kim]

Okay, I just have to jump in about the hyperemesis advice. I suffered from SEVERE hyperemesis from week 5 until I delivered at 36 weeks. I would vomit up to 30 times a day. Was frequently admitted to the hospital for rehydration, etc... My body was eating up all of its own muscle. B6 did NOTHING for me, and I didn't take a single vitamin while I was pregnant [:0]...

Eating crackers or Ensure or protein powder simply isn't feasible for someone with hg. It's not morning sickness and it cannot be compared to it. My biggest pet peeve is when someone says "Oh, I threw up once or twice, too." HG is a disease in and of itself, separate from morning sickness.

Things like "lemon slices" would have made me vomit. Eating small meals made me vomit... All I ask is that for people (including dr's and nurses) research the victims of hg before offering advice to them.



Kim
Ainsley Kathryn 11/26/02-36 Weeks Preeclampsia
http://home.austin.rr.com/schwintz

[jjbeck]

Alysa, Thanks for your input. Trust me, I have tried all of those things a long time ago. I have been on Meds since 7 wks. Zofran, zantac, remeron...even steroids...all for vomiting. Hyperemesis is quite different than morning sickness...as Kim said. Those morning sickness remedies such as crackers, ensure, lemon...just do not work ( be careful when advising crackers to a woman with hyperemesis ;) Right Kim?)
I will give Amys Organics a try.
I only use milk with my morning ceral. Rice milk though can be very irritating on my stomach ( this is what I use pre pg).

My docs too, say anything is better than nothing. Especially after my last pg. No meds helped my severe HG, I was hopitalized 5 times and had to have home health care with that dreaded IV PICC. That pg I could not eat or drink a thing. I was so starved. ANyway, this pg was going the same way until I was treated with the steroids which really turned things around. I did not vomit nearly as much and had a huge appetite...only it was for not the healthiest of foods. I gained 40 pounds in my 1st tri...unlike my last which I lost 30 in my 1st tri.

I do worry about what I am eating now, especially since I have developed high BP.

Thanks again for you input.