Two beautiful babies. And a LOT of drugs. This is what it took for Caitlin Boyes to make it through her twin pregnancy.
The mum-of-three wants the world to see what pregnant women with severe morning sickness REALLY go through just to make it through the day. And it’s daunting – and expensive – as hell.
Now she’s on a mission to have the most expensive drugs added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) so other expectant mums don’t have to suffer with hyperemesis gravidarum, especially if they can’t afford to pay.
Welcome to your pregnancy nightmare
Caitlin had hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) during her twin pregnancy – the same illness that’s plaguing royal mum-to-be Kate Middleton – and says the experience was “horrific”.
“Here is a snapshot of the medications I was on for the HG symptoms of nausea, vomiting, heartburn, insomnia, anxiety/ depression, headaches/ migraines,” she writes on Instagram.
“Nothing helped a great deal but they did seem to take the edge off some of the symptoms and limit my admissions to hospital and keep me and the twins progressing through the pregnancy.
I was still unable to work, mother or do basic tasks for 7 months. I am so glad my HG journey is over and so sorry to anyone else that has to go through it!”
Caitlin is trying to get the government to subsidise the most expensive medications and is supporting an online petition that’s already attracted almost 42,000 signatures.
“Some of these medications including ondansetron aren’t on the PBS for HG and are expensive and sometimes unaffordable for HG sufferers. Please help by signing the petition to get ondansetron on the PBS for HG,” she says.
“It very nearly killed me”
Samanatha McCall started the Change.org petition after her own debilitating battle with hyperemesis gravidarum.
She relied on family members to pay for the drugs, which cost more than $30 for a packet of 10. The mum-to-be needed three tablets a day for almost her entire pregnancy and ended up in hospital when she couldn’t afford the medication.
“The dehydration and malnourishment very nearly killed me. No one should not be able to take medication that is required to keep them alive because of the price,” she says.
“Ondansetron is on the PBS but only for those who are going through chemotherapy. I would like to see it added for women who suffer Hyperemesis Gravidarum during pregnancy too.”
You can sign the petition, which will be delivered to the federal government, online at Change.org.
Then take a look at our previous article about hyperemesis gravidarum to see what pregnant women with this illness go through.
