Mother with the same extreme morning sickness as Kate Middleton is smoking CANNABIS during her fourth pregnancy – after it eased chronic vomiting while carrying her third child
- Sammy Warnes, 30, from Leeds, alleviates morning sickness with cannabis
- She turned to the class B drug after learning about its use in an online forum
- Mother expecting her fourth child, said her last is healthy despite smoking
- She and partner Gav, 32, are expecting the addition to their family in May 2020
A pregnant woman who suffers from the same extreme morning sickness that the Duchess of Cambridge experienced, told how she eases chronic vomiting by smoking cannabis.
Sammy Warnes, 30, from Leeds, who considered an abortion when she suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum while pregnant with her daughter Arabella, now three, claims she found a cure for the problem.
She turned to cannabis, having a puff or two on a joint with a ‘minimal’ amount of tobacco, until the symptoms disappeared at 25 weeks – after strong medication from her doctors failed to work.
The former catering worker said her daughter was born fit and healthy, so when she experienced the same symptoms with her current pregnancy, she once again ignored expert advice.
Sammy Warnes (pictured), 30, from Leeds, who smoked cannabis throughout her last pregnancy, revealed she’s puffing joints throughout her fourth pregnancy also
Now 15-weeks pregnant with her fourth child, Sammy said she she has no choice but to resort to smoking cannabis a few times a week to alleviate her symptoms.
She spends £10 every three weeks, and gets her supply from the internet.
The expectant mother came across the idea on an online forum about severe morning sickness, which included messages from other mothers-to-be using the Class B drug.
She said: ‘The thing is, the prescription drugs do more damage. There’s risk of birth defects, so they’re quite scary to be fair.
‘One of them was making my body do random movements. That stuff panics me.
‘It’s actually saved both me and my baby’s life. This time round has been ten times worse.
‘I’ve had to give my job up because I just couldn’t do anything.
‘With just two puffs I’m able to be a parent to my daughter. I only do it a few times a week.
‘I can do normal things like go to the shops, take her to nursery and just be a mum.
‘Beforehand I was just being sick or waiting around to be sick.
Sammy (pictured) began smoking the class B-drug to ease symptoms of hyperemesis gravidarum after strong medication from doctors failed to help
‘I was just knackered. People will say, “Oh she just wants to be a druggie”. But it’s not that at all.
‘But I don’t get high off it. It’s a couple of puffs with a minimum bit of baccy.
‘There needs to be a conversation about this so other women know there’s something out there that can help them.
‘Unless you’ve been through it you don’t really get it.’
After experimenting with cannabis a number of times throughout her teenage years, Sammy decided to use the drug again when she was ten weeks pregnant with her third child in 2015.
Doctors had prescribed her Domperidone, a drug used to relieve nausea and vomiting – but she claims the symptoms would return after 20 minutes.
Following weeks of sleepless nights and chronic vomiting, she decided to Google any alternative ways to combat her illness.
She discovered several forums suggesting cannabis as a solution, she claims.
‘I decided to do my own bit of research,’ Sammy recalled. ‘It was all getting too much.
Sammy (pictured) got the idea of smoking cannabis while pregnant from an online forum, she said there are good days when she doesn’t need the drug
‘I wanted to see if there were any old-wives tales or old fashioned tips that would help me out.
‘Then I found quite a few forums on women using cannabis to stop their morning sickness.
‘I was so desperate I thought I’d give it a go.
‘I was a bit nervous when I first did it, but I was reassured by all the things I read on the forums.
‘I think anyone would be at first. It was to medicate my body, not to get stoned.
‘I’m not abusing it or trying to get blazed. Some days I have good days and don’t need it.
‘Other days I am throwing my guts up and need a couple of puffs.
‘I got some a few days later and as soon as I took it the symptoms just went away.
The 30-year-old (pictured) revealed her daughter Arabella, now three, was born fit and healthy weighing 6lb 2oz, despite warnings from experts over smoking while pregnant
WHY IS IT NOT SAFE TO SMOKE CANNABIS DURING PREGNANCY?
Research on the health effects of cannabis is limited – but some studies have shown an increased risk low birth weight and stillbirth.
The NHS warns that regularly using cannabis during pregnancy ‘could affect your baby’s brain development’.
And the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists state that ‘marijuana should not be used in any form during pregnancy’.
Its guidance says: ‘Marijuana used during pregnancy is associated with attention and behavioral problems in children. Marijuana may increase the risk of stillbirth and the risk that babies will be smaller and weigh less than babies who are not exposed to marijuana before birth’.
‘It wasn’t just a case of me feeling sick the whole time. I couldn’t do anything at all.
‘It was amazing – it helped me get out of bed in the morning.
‘It literally worked straight away.
‘I just couldn’t believe it.
‘I didn’t tell my midwife as to be honest I didn’t want to cause unnecessary stress,’ she said.
NHS guidelines state using cannabis regularly during pregnancy could affect a baby’s brain development and smoking with tobacco increases the risk of the baby being born small or premature.
But Sammy claims her daughter, who arrived in June 2016, weighing 6lb 2oz, is healthy both mentally and physically’, and she stopped taking the drug,
After discovering she was pregnant again in August this year, Sammy was hoping her chronic morning sickness wouldn’t make a return.
However, she soon returned to her doctors to complain her hyperemesis gravidarum had returned when she was six weeks pregnant and she was signed off work.
Sammy said: ‘I was put on the tables again but the same thing happened.
‘The sickness would disappear for about 20 minutes but then I’ll be back to hugging the toilet all day.
Sammy claims her friends and family have shown support for her choice to ease morning sickness with cannabis
‘I’ve had no choice but to take it. It worked so well last time.
‘This time the sickness was ten times worse and I was considering having a termination.’
Despite the taboo surrounding smoking cannabis, Sammy said she has both the support of her friends and family.
She continued: ‘I smoke it in my back garden in the mornings.
‘My family are very anti-drugs and when I told them they initially kicked off.
‘But when I told them the full story, they were like, “If it works for you that’s fine”.
‘My partner is really supportive. He noticed the difference straight away.
‘My half-siblings are supportive too. They have family members who use it to treat cerebral palsy and cancer.
‘I’ve never told a midwife because I know I’ll get stick.’
‘Now I can do a food shop, do the house cleaning and take my little girl to nursery,’ she said.
‘When you can’t do that and you have that extreme sickness it’s just awful.
‘The tablets have side effects of birth defects. That is known. My little girl is fit and healthy and is getting along fine at nursery.
Sammy (pictured) believes thousands of pregnant women are smoking marijuana but are afraid of telling their midwives
‘I’d rather just take a couple of puffs of weed. There are thousands of women doing the same.
‘But there isn’t a conversation about it because they are scared their midwives will grass them up to social services.
‘I want to speak out because there is something out there which can help other women.
‘There’s chat about cannabis being used as medicine for chronic illnesses.
‘I just want to help and tell other women.’
As many as eight in every ten women experiencing morning sickness as a side effect of pregnancy with symptoms improving or disappearing around 14 weeks.
But those who experience hyperemesis gravidarum can see symptoms last for half of their pregnancy.
NHS guidelines advise those who experience severe symptoms to contact their midwife, doctor or hospital to seek treatment.
Sammy and partner Gav, 32, are expecting their child together in May 2020.
WHAT IS HYPEREMESIS GRAVIDARUM?
Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is defined as severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
Celebrities who’ve been open about their own battles with HG include:
- The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton
- Kim Kardashian
- Kourtney Kardashian
- Debra Messing
- Kelly Clarkson
- Tia Mowry
- Tori Spelling
- Amy Schumer
It affects up to two percent of pregnant women.
HG symptoms usually appear between weeks four and six and peak at 9-to-13 weeks.
Up to 20 per cent of sufferers experience symptoms up to weeks 14-to-20, however, most have relief in the later stages.
Unlike morning sickness, which affects up to 80 percent of pregnant women, HG causes severe dehydration and prevents sufferers from keeping any food down.
Other symptoms include:
- Losing five percent or more of their pre-pregnancy weight
- Reduced urination
- Headaches
- Confusion
- Fainting
- Extreme fatigue
- Loss of skin elasticity
- A rapid heart rate
Some HG cases require hospitalization where women can receive IV fluids and nutrition.
HG’s cause was thought to be hormonal, however, research suggests it may be due to genetic variations.
Source: American Pregnancy Association
Source: Read Full Article