Crystal's story
Crystal, Christchurch
In 2020 I fell pregnant and was severely sick and lost 15kgs in only 3 weeks. I went for my dating scan and baby measured 7+6 but didn't have a heartbeat. Was told I had to wait a week and come back for another scan to see if any changes. I thought I had already been through it due to being so unwell for 3 weeks straight little did I know that was nothing and the next 3 weeks that followed was the most traumatic time I've ever experienced and I wholeheartedly believe the Healthcare system failed me. I went back a week later for another scan to find no heartbeat or growth. So I had two options, a medical abortion or a surgical abortion. Due to me already have gone through 4 weeks of being so sick I decided to opt for the surgery abortion in hopes that it would be over fast and I'd hopefully not be so ill
anymore. I was admitted on ward at Christchurch hospital and I was the last person to be seen that day, I waited about 2 hours before I was seen. I wasn't allowed to have my Mum, my support person in the room with me during the procedure. I was told before they began to let them know if I could feel anything during the procedure and if I could that they would administer fentanyl straight away, prior to the procedure I was given only paracetamol and a pill to help me dilate.
I could feel everything they were doing and I was screaming in pain like I've never experienced before in my life (those rooms must be super sound proof because my Mum directly outside the door couldn't hear a thing.) The nurses or surgeon didn't give me any fentanyl even when I was screaming in pain they all just blankly stared at each other.. I went home that day thinking the procedure was a success and that I'm not pregnant anymore. Well turns out I continue vomiting and being really sick for another week, so I went to see a GP who got me to do a pregnancy test and blood tests to find out my levels were still high and that my pregnancy test was positive. I was referred an emergency scan and they found a fetus still inside of me. And after that I just had to suffer and roll with the punches until my body did its thing.... 
2021-2022 - My First Successful pregnancy, found out I was pregnant at about 4 weeks due to what I thought was morning sickness. Turns out I had HG. I had never heard of this before. I lost an extreme amount of weight, I was on a cocktail of anti nausea medications which never helped. I went to the hospital for fluids and iv anti-nausea on so many occasions and often felt unheard and even sometimes gaslight by the nurses and doctors. One time I was in the ed for 2 hours vomiting non stop before they even gave me 
any iv anti-nausea medication.. my spew had traces of blood I was that unwell. I experienced severe HG my entire 38 week pregnancy, even during birth I was so sick but thankfully as soon as I birthed my son it was all over and nearly all forgotten looking down at this precious wee human being... I found the Hyperemesis Peer Support support group towards the end of my pregnancy and it was so nice to know I wasn't alone. My son is now just gone 3 and I couldn't be more proud.
2022-2023 - Second Successful pregnancy, same thing but was much more difficult due to having an infant and being a first time Mum. I was transferred to Christchurch Women's Hospital quite a few times for monitoring and they accommodated for my infant and his Dad as well because I was breastfeeding and that was amazing. The whole experience was horrible though. It took a toll on my relationships, a massive toll on my mental health, I remember being 22 weeks and seriously considering termination and even was in a dark enough space of thinking it'd be easier if I just committed suicide. Throughout both of my HG pregnancies on a good day I'd spew 2-4 times, and on a bad day anywhere from 20+ easily, very rarely did I get a day break from being sick. He is now coming up to his 2nd birthday and I feel very blessed to have both of my boys, becoming a mum is the best thing I've ever done, although no walk in the park I wouldn't change it for the world.
Chrise's story
Chrise, North Shore, Auckland
In early 2021 I found out I was seven weeks and expecting identical twins! Within a week of this I became bed ridden and debilitated by nausea and vomiting. I spent the next two weeks in bed, unable to tolerate anything by mouth at all. No food, sips of water would have me vomiting neon bile for an hour. any movement whatsoever made me vomit, and just the slight smell. Even the fridge (clean fridge too) opening at the other end of the house would send me. My partner was not allowed in the room as his scent would also send me into fits of gagging and vomiting.
I lost 10kgs in the first 2 weeks and realized this was not just typical morning sickness. I was completely incapacitated. I spent the days laying still in silence and darkness willing and waiting for this to pass, but it just would not shift. At times I wondered if I was dying, I felt like this would be so harmful to my babies in utero and then also in my darkest moments, considered terminating my deeply wanted and five years in the making pregnancy as I just didn't know if I felt I could survive this.
My partner and family were extremely frustrated with me, willing me to eat, sip water, take meds, get up and move, shake it off. See doctors, have a shower. My boss was losing his empathy and demanding I return to work I could not for the life of me muster up the capacity to do any of it. I was stuck in my body trying to fight these waves but failing. I had been prescribed anti-nausea at some point by my GP however I couldn't keep them down. And on and on the cycle went. I eventually managed to say to my partner I need to go to urgent care, as I felt like I couldn't take any more of this. I got to an after-hours clinic vomiting and shaking the whole way, gagging on the smell of exhaust fumes from the cars around us, where I was seen by male doctors and told that I have morning sickness and prescribed more anti-nausea medication. I valiantly tried again to keep medications down and returned to bed for another week. I felt so defeated and that I must be so lazy and useless to not being able to handle morning sickness and pregnancy. At this stage my LMC midwife came on board and advised me I probably had HG and recommend I muster myself at after-hours again to receive iv fluids. Once again vomiting and shaking the whole way I got there and was treated by male doctors who gave me a printout on morning sickness. More kinds of anti-nausea and some IV fluids. This did not touch the sides for me and later that night I returned home and felt much the same. Again defeated. A few days later I started turning 
green. I had lost 15kgs in a month.
I had BV, thrush, low blood pressure, and I felt my body was starting to succumb. This time I said to my partner, “I think we need to go to the hospital.” I arrived in ED and was immediately given IV fluids and IV anti-nausea (which I reacted to) so was admitted into the ward for five days. Once they got control of my dehydration, malnourishment and nausea through IV, we realized one of the anti-nauseas I had been trying to take didn't agree with me and had been exasperating my sickness. So with that off the table, I eventually became able to tolerate things via my mouth again and with this, was able to manage my nausea and vomiting better. The feeling did not stop until the end of the pregnancy on the most part, but the medication helped me be able to live more comfortably I was able to eat plain things and drink water again for the remainder. And then of course my two beautiful girls came into the world and the rest is history.
I recall it as the sickest and lowest I have been in my life. Unbearable and misunderstood, By my family, doctors at Urgent Care and work colleagues. It impacted my job severely. By the third trimester I no longer had a job, partly because of the HG. It wasn't until I was admitted to the ward that I found out I had hyperemesis - or even what it was. There was a ward full of women suffering with the same 
thing as me and I wasn't alone in this experience. Thank God for those understanding nurses and doctors (females, may I add) at the hospital who knew what was happening to me.
My advice is: don't delay to seek medical care when you become unable to look after yourself sufficiently and advocate for yourself until you get the right care for you! The medication can help when you get it right. Also shout out to all the woman who experience HG with other kids to look after at the same time. I can't even comprehend!
Of course it was all worth it and is a distant memory now. But HG is no joke and the lack of understanding about it creates so many challenges. Sending my love and support to anyone going through HG. A hard battle but worth it!
Nicole's story
Nicole, Hawke's Bay
My name is Nicole and I am based in Hawkes Bay. This is a story about my pregnancy (IVF Embryo transfer #2). I had a community based midwife. Nausea started at about 4wks and ended at 37wks when I had the c - section. I was officially diagnosed by my amazing GP around 8 weeks. My symptoms were, nausea, vomiting which let to weight loss with dehydration and malnutrition. It started off with nausea which quickly changed to vomited and by wk16 I had lost 10kg. I was prescribed anti nausea medications which helped, it seemed one would help for a while then the next and so on. I tried steroid which gave me some help keeping food down and energy up. I was refered to dietician who provided me with fortisip but I couldn't keep that down. Due to needed many IV lines my veins were blowing, so I got a PICC Line. Overall I had two of these due to reactions to the tubing, and
Sepsis. I then progressed to a NJ tube (feeding tube), but unfortunately again I managed to vomit this up. They are not sure how this happened. But it did. I was nearly 36wks by then and running out of options so they decided for a emergency c section the next week. Advice: Taking medication on time and as prescribed helped, de stress but keep mind busy. Take note of foods that upset you.
Words of support for current HG mums is fight. Fight for your rights, to be heard and seen. If you feel like treatment is not working or something is wrong. Keep telling the medical staff.