GSE
Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) (Severe morning sickness) symptoms and treatments
Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) (Severe morning sickness) symptoms
and treatment
One to three percent of pregnant women suffer
from an EXCESSIVE amount of nausea and vomiting that interfere with nutrition
and hydration. You should consult a qualified medical
professional if you are vomiting more than three times a day, are unable to
retain any fluids you drink, and are progressively losing weight. HG can be
devastating for the mother and detrimental to the baby when the mother is unable
to keep anything down and has to be hospitalized for intravenous feeding.
Check your own symptoms against
this list as a general indication:
• Severe and persistent vomiting
• Dehydration -
signs of dehydration listed below:
Ketones in urine
(easy to test yourself with Ketostix - available online)
Decreased blood pressure
Increased heart rate
Pinched skin returns slowly.
Flushed dry skin
Dry eyes
Dry Mouth
Coated tongue
Trouble thinking clearly/confusion
Decreased urination
Dark urine
• Loss of weight (anything over 5% of your pre-pregnancy weight)
• Tachycardia
(rapid heartbeat)
• Constipation
• Difficulty eating and drinking
• Extreme fatigue
• Nausea aggravated by physical temperature
extremes
• Increase in saliva resulting in difficult
swallowing
• Slow or inpaired thinking
• Decrease in attentionspan
• Blood electrolyte levels abnormal
• Decreased Motivation
• Decreased physical performance
• Increased anxiety
• Symptoms aggravated by motions
• Poor skin tone
• Dry, shrunken tongue
• Need for intravenous nutrition
• Aching eyeballs, difficulty focusing, rapid
vision changes
• Boredom
Evidence suggests that the hormone LEPTIN plays a role in
severe morning sickness
(
Aka N, Atalay S et al, (2006). "Leptin and
leptin receptor levels in pregnant women with hyperemesis gravidarum". The
Australian & New Zealand journal of obstetrics & gynaecology 46 (4): 274-7;
"Cervero A et al, (2006), The role of the
leptin in reproduction". Curr. Opin. Obstet. Gynecol. 18 (3): 297-303 .
Zofran for HG?
Used for HG, many women have found prescription Zofran
(Ondansetron hydrochloride)
effective at helping them stay
nourished and hydrated
• Zofran is an antiemetic - effective at stopping nausea and vomiting;
• Zofran works by blocking the hormone
SEROTONIN -
which causes vomiting.
Selective
serotonin-3 (5HT-3) antagonist.
5HT-3 receptors are mainly found in the
small intestine (and in the CNS to a lesser degree). By blocking this receptor
you decrease the nausea. The 5HT-3 receptor is responsible for the nausea (seen
as a start-up side effect of the SSRIs). Stimulation of the 5HT-3 receptor by
the increased serotonin (as a result of the SSRI) causes nausea, which is
resolved when this receptor is desensitized (usually within the first month
after starting the SSRI).
Zofran
Safety?
The FDA labels Zofran as a
category B.
given to medicines that have NOT been studied in pregnant humans, but do
not appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies.
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women
- and so this drug should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.
Studies on pregnant rats and rabbits given Zofran have revealed no evidence of
impaired fertility or harm to the fetus.
Possible Side Effects of Zofran
(official
Zofran site:
http://us.gsk.com/products/assets/us_zofran_tablets.pdf )
• Headache
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Fever
• Malaise/fatigue
• Lightheadedness
• Drowsiness
Precautions for Taking Zofran
Do not drive while
taking Zofran
A history of any of the
following problems may affect your being able to take Zofran
• Stomach/intestinal problems
• Liver disease
• Allergies
Save Money BY Buying Generic Zofran
Zofran (Ondansetron
hydrochloride) is very expensive
(~$900 for 30 tablets). Many
insurance companies will not cover the cost of Zofran. Ask your doctor for the
generic brand of ondansetron, which is much cheaper.
Alternative Drugs for Nausea
Emitrol
(no
prescription needed)
Bendectin. A
combination of Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and an antihistamine,
doxylamine (antihistamines calm the labyrinthine inner ear);
Available in Canada as Dicletin or you can buy the ingredients separately and
combine them); FDA declared "Safe and effective for nausea and vomiting of
pregnancy."Compazine
(Prochlorperazine)
and Phenergan (Promethazine ) - these are
phenothiazine -like drugs, meaning they
act centrally in the brain to relieve nausea. Technically, they're
sedative-antihistamines, like the
doxylamine in Bendectin.
