Pregnant Fifi Box reveals she’s been bedridden with hyperemesis gravidarum

Posted in Pregnancy Health.
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Broadcaster and The Project panellist Fifi Box has opened up about how incredibly difficult her pregnancy has been, revealing she’s been suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). 

Hyperemesis gravidarum strikes again

This is the same pregnancy condition that the Duchess of Cambridge has endured during all three of her pregnancies, and Amy Schumer suffered right up until the birth of her baby Gene. Women with HG suffer from severe vomiting and may have to be hospitalised due to the risk of dehydration.

Fifi – who is already mum to five-year-old Trixie – announced her pregnancy in February.

“We’re having a baby!!” she posted on social media. “Trixie and I are over the moon/jumping out of our skin/can’t stop smiling/floating on air/dancing in the streets/walking on sunshine and every other metaphor that conveys absolute pure joy.”

She noted then that she’d been pretty unwell, but as her pregnancy nears its end, she’s revealed that it wasn’t a standard case of morning sickness.

“HG has made this much wanted and longed for pregnancy an incredibly tough journey and I’ve been happy to hide away and keep it to myself but now that I can see the finish line in sight, I feel it might be of some benefit to other sufferers to discuss it so no one else feels alone,” Fifi’s just posted on Instagram.

“This is the reality of how I have looked every day for 9 months, debilitated by nausea, bedridden and at times hospitalised. The easiest way of describing HG is ‘severe morning sickness’. But as fellow sufferer @amyschumer said ‘comparing HG to morning sickness is like having an arrow through your skull and saying it’s like a minor headache.'”

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I’ve had a lot of people curious about my pregnancy condition hyperemsis gravidarum (HG) and wondering what exactly is wrong with me. HG has made this much wanted and longed for pregnancy an incredibly tough journey and I’ve been happy to hide away and keep it to myself but now that I can see the finish line in sight, I feel it might be of some benefit to other sufferers to discuss it so no one else feels alone. This is the reality of how I have looked every day for 9 months, debilitated by nausea, bedridden and at times hospitalised. The easiest way of describing HG is ‘severe morning sickness’. But as fellow sufferer @amyschumer said “comparing HG to morning sickness is like having an arrow through your skull and saying it's like a minor headache”. It is a terribly isolating journey of chronic nausea with no relief. I have felt poisoned every second of this pregnancy, it’s like having gastro every minute, every hour of every day for nine months. It is possibly the greatest mental and physical challenge of my life. And the only way through it is my daughter’s smiling face every day, the support of incredible friends and family, and knowing that each day I’m getting closer to this much wanted, longed-for baby angel 👼🏼 So for any other sufferers out there I hear you, I feel you and I know what you’re going through 😘

A post shared by Fifi Box (@fifi_box) on

Terribly isolating

Fifi says being so very sick has left her feeling depleted as she shared a collage of selfies taken from her bed over several days.

“It is a terribly isolating journey of chronic nausea with no relief,” she explained. “I have felt poisoned every second of this pregnancy, it’s like having gastro every minute, every hour of every day for nine months. It is possibly the greatest mental and physical challenge of my life.”

Noting that family and friends have provided an anchor during this horribly challenging time, Fifi gave a shout-out to other HG suffering mums.

“The only way through it is my daughter’s smiling face every day, the support of incredible friends and family, and knowing that each day I’m getting closer to this much wanted, longed-for baby angel,” she wrote. “For any other sufferers out there I hear you, I feel you and I know what you’re going through.”

“Not long now mama”

Fifi’s followers and friends were quick to rush in and post supportive comments – and their own HG experiences.

“You have been so strong through all this Fifi. I feel like this Bub is going to be sooooo special to make up for it all,” her The Project co-star Lisa Wilkinson wrote.

“Not long now mama. You are amazing,” Carrie Bickmore posted.

“Yeah I almost died multiple times from HG and used to pray to a higher being that my baby would leave me so that I could not feel like death. Worst 9 months of my life x 2,” one follower empathised.

“Every time someone offered me a ginger biscuit I wanted to punch them in the face,” another HG alum wrote. “It’s so horrible and so so tough. No one truly understands how challenging it is unless you go through it. You’re nearly there and you’re bloody amazing!”

“Oh Fifi it really is the worst,” follower Lucy Durack posted. “I had HG the whole time I was pregnant with my daughter Polly. I was truly awful. But the benefit was the SECOND she was out I felt incredible and I could barely believe I felt so good again as I had forgotten it was possible to feel good and normal but it IS and you are NEARLY THERE!!! You are a warrior.”

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