Long story short: I’ve struggled with CONSTANT vomiting since 6 weeks with my very first pregnancy. Some ladies say “oh, me too” but when I say constant, I mean weeks not keeping food or fluids down. None of my doctors would take me seriously, they would act like I was taking my medicine wrong or eating/drinking the wrong things.

It took showing up at triage half dead at 17 weeks and 45 lbs lighter than my pre pregnancy weight; no potassium left in my body, magnesium steady falling, liver enzymes ridiculously high, hemoglobin so abnormal they considered a blood transfusion. I was admitted for a week (and developed C Diff from the sudden overwhelming of nutrients) to get my labs normal and immediately discharged with the same “take your medicine” speech. Zofran, Zantac, and Phenergan around the clock and I still get dehydrated within 2/3 days and have had to go back to triage for fluids 5 TIMES the remaining 3 weeks of the month because I still can’t keep up with the amount of fluids my body needs with this vomiting.

At our 20 week scan we learned our baby girl is only measuring in the 8th percentile (not surprising as I’m still approximately 25 lbs under starting weight), has a hole in her heart, and a small amount of fluid on the brain. Our first MFM appointment is on Tuesday (22 weeks) and I don’t know what more I can do to get these doctors to take my baby’s size seriously.

Every doctor, my OB, triage, nurses literally say “eating doesn’t matter as much, just keep at least 3 cups of liquid down a day”. CLEARLY that mindset is not working and has not worked the last five months and now my baby is in danger. I don’t know what else to do, I can’t control this vomiting. I can force myself to eat but I cannot make it stay and these doctors don’t seem worried at all about my not eating despite my baby measuring so small.

What Can I do!? Why is this not more of a concern for the doctors? Concerned enough to refer us to MFM but not enough to explore options to try to keep these nutrients in my body for baby!? It’s driving me insane with worry. I’m so depressed. I’ve been a sick lump for months and now these complications and I’ve tried so hard to advocate for my growing little girl.