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Coping with HG

Support is Vital

"The support I received over the past 6 weeks helped get me through what has been the toughest time of my life. Having someone who really who really understood the condition give advice helped us through and crucially, at times, gave me really useful information I didn't get from my own medical practitioners. In my experience, HG is such a debilitating and lonely struggle, the more support you get the better chance you have of surviving it" - Lisa, from London.

Support is Vital

"The support I received over the past 6 weeks helped get me through what has been the toughest time of my life. Having someone who really who really understood the condition give advice helped us through and crucially, at times, gave me really useful information I didn't get from my own medical practitioners. In my experience, HG is such a debilitating and lonely struggle, the more support you get the better chance you have of surviving it" - Lisa, from London.

Physical and mental health go hand in hand, and it’s not unusual to suffer mentally when you’re feeling unwell for so long. 

A 2016 study reviewing all relevant research to date (meta-analysis) shows a significantly increased frequency of depression and anxiety in women with HG. 

Knowing this, it is so important to be mindful of your mental health, and to seek medical attention if you feel your mental health is deteriorating despite treatment of your symptoms.

If you are depressed, having suicidal thoughts, or considering termination because you cannot cope any more, please reach out to your GP or maternity hospital and tell them you are very concerned about your mental health.

Ask for a referral to the perinatal mental health midwife or team (there is one in every maternity unit), and if needed, a referral to a perinatal psychiatrist (not in every hospital, but every unit should have a referral pathway). 

 

Day-to-Day Mental Health Tips

Avoid thinking ahead more than the next few days. Torturing yourself with ‘I have 20 weeks of this left to go’ is not helpful. Take one day at a time and at the end of the day acknowledge that you have one less day to get through.

If you’re able to watch TV then watch your favourite films or series, or perhaps something new. If watching a screen makes you nauseous, try radio, audiobooks, or mindfulness/meditation apps. 

You may find music therapeutic, or adult colouring-in books, finding something which can entertain you in those moments of relief will help with the isolation and boredom.

Lying alone in bed or on the sofa can make you feel isolated. Having friends who can come over for a while and just be around will help a lot with the loneliness that many people feel. If you are okay to talk on the phone, call friends or family to keep you company, or if you can’t talk in real time or can't look at a screen for too long, sending messages or voicenotes can help too. 

 

Useful Resources 

Our support group is a space to share your experience with other HG sufferers who have been there; you can also ask for recommendations for professional mental health support.

HSE details on perinatal mental health teams

Counselling in Primary Care CIPC.ie This is a service provided to those over 18 years old with a medical card, on referral from GP. Up to 8 sessions of free counselling. provided by a qualified counsellor/therapist, can be availed of through this opt-in service. 

Psychological Society of Ireland can be used to find a chartered psychologist. 

Aware provides support & information for people who experience depression or bipolar disorder and their concerned loved ones. Freephone 1800 80 48 48.

The Hyperemesis Research Foundation (USA) have detailed descriptions of perinatal mood disorders and PTSD on their website. 

 

 

Thank you to our friends at Pregnancy Sickness Support for allowing us to adapt some of the content above.