Finding a Doctor

You may not be very pleased with the treatment your doctor is offering for your Hyperemesis Gravidarum. It occurs too often, there is not enough awareness and education on HG. However, there has been a network set up in two places (that I know of thus far).

Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) Facebook group

• First, you need to be added to the group. It may take a little while, there are only 4 administrators for the +7,800 members. 
• Next, when you open the page, at the top you will see "Pinned Post" by Angela Hawkins. (Remember to read the rules!) Click on that. 
• The last link offered in the pinned posts is titled " Need a doctor? Check our list." 
• Click on that link, look up your location information, (worldwide) and call the doctor!

Help Her Referral Network

• Go the the website here.
•  Enter your location information. (worldwide)
• Find the one(s) closest to you and give them a call! 

What if there isn't a doctor near me?

Sorry, but you may need to "blaze the trail." If you are in this situation, go to this website here to see a list of interview questions to ask you doctor. Remember you are putting your life and your baby's life in his/her willingness to help you with your HG. Trust your gut and pray!

How to get ready for your first doctor appointment

They say that first impressions are very important. If you are getting ready to meet your doctor for the first time, here are some of my suggestions. (In addition to interviewing the doctor beforehand with the questions mentioned above.)

• Write down your medications and dosages. This may not apply to you if this is your first Hyperemesis Gravidarum pregnancy unless you are taking unrelated pregnancy medications.  If this is not your first time, write down what medications you have tried, regardless of their efficiency in treating you.
• Write down or be prepared with a firm number of the average amount of times you vomit a day, and include what your minimum and maximum ranges are. When you say "I throw up all the time" there is much room for interpretation. When you say "I throw up on average 20 times, the fewest being 10, the max being 30," they take you more seriously and it's very clear that you're not dealing with morning sickness.
• Don't be afraid to speak up. Your doctor may start rattling off morning sickness treatments. For my first baby, when I didn't know what HG was, there was a nurse in the office that was very rude and didn't listen. She obviously didn't have any patience for my supposed over-dramatic, first-time-pregnant woes. When I went in to get fluids, the first time she sent me away, telling me to go and try a list of remedies that I'd already tried. The second time I went in, she did the same thing, but this time I interrupted her with "tried that." She seemed to think it was a contest and started naming off a total of at least two dozen different remedies. When she started repeating herself and couldn't think of anything more, she said, "Wow, you really have tried everything!" Guess what? I got the fluids. If your doctor or medical professional is taking the conversation in a direction you don't agree with, be courteous, but get them back on track. 
• Keep it together. You're about to see the person that you're literally putting so many hopes and trust in, hoping that they'll help bring an end or balm to your suffering. That plus pregnancy.....you're prone to get emotional. Try to keep the tears at bay, especially if your doctor is a man; a gender who tend to feel an urge to flee when women are crying. 
  
  
  Keep your answers concise. Doctors are often behind schedule, and are trying to get around to see the appointments as fast as possible. They may be harried, and may not want to take a long time to discuss your treatment. If you try and abbreviate as much as you can without leaving important details out, they will be less prone to interrupt you or stop listening to what you're saying. This relationship will help you to get to all of your concerns and make for an open environment. 
• Write down your questions. When I'm pregnant, I have an ongoing memo or note on my phone listed "Questions for Doctor." In between appointments, I always think, "Oh, I should ask about that," and then completely forget what I wanted to ask in the appointment itself, even if it's been a hot topic in my thoughts for weeks. This shows that you are coming to your appointment prepared, and that you value your doctor's time. Not to mention helping to get your questions answered despite a pregnant/mommy brain! 
• Be courteous, but remember you're paying for this appointment. More times than I could count in my first pregnancy, I waited a loooong time to be seen, and then my doctor tried to do the 30 second appointment and get the heck out of there. It took me a while to get the courage to say, "I'm sorry, before we're finished, I have a concern." Or something to that effect. I felt like I was imposing on his time and wanted to help him catch up at my own expense. When I realized what I was doing, I stopped myself by realizing I was paying for this time, and I needed to take advantage of it to get the care I needed. Now, if you have a found a doctor that says, "Do you have any more questions?" until you run out of questions, in my book, you have found a winner. I did for my second pregnancy, if you'd ask me, I'd tell you the sun rose and set on my doctor!!
• Send resources. If you are "blazing the trail", send the helpher.org resources to your doctor ahead of time. Do it with plenty of time before the appointment, and then follow up at least three days (beginning of business day) before to see if your doctor has read it. If they haven't, ask them to, call back the next day and see if they're gotten to it yet. Be kind and respectful, because you don't want to come off as over bearing, but you do need him/her to be prepared to help you. 
• Send your patient records. This is common sense, but I thought I'd put it here to help ease your mommy brains!