Advice on medication for morning sickness please

[Cornberry]

I would appreciate some advice as I'm in a bit of a quandary. I've been signed off work for the last couple of weeks with bad morning sickness. I'm 8+4 and feel monstrous all the time. It feels like having stomach flu with no end in sight. I've barely moved from bed for two weeks and it feels like one long nightmare. I feel sick all the time, and end up sobbing every day because if I don't eat I feel really really ill but I am struggling to swallow much so I end up having to force myself to eat things while nauseated. I also have hypersalivtion and I'm unable to swallow my saliva so I'm literally spitting up pints every day.

The main problem is that I have a terrible stomach ache pretty much non stop regardless of what i eat ( mostly cereal and mash). When I first went to the Doctor he prescribed me something called Promethazine and said don't worry about the fact that the leaflet says do not take while pregnant which really put me off. I'm reluctant to take medication unless I'm desperate but especially at this critical stage for the baby. My OH is urging me to take it because I'm so ill but the thing is my problem isn't vomiting. I'm only sick about once a day atm and I think the Promethazine is to help you keep food down? My problem is the nausea and pain in my tummy. At my booking appointment the MW said I should consider some drugs but the ones she mentioned were cyclazine and something else - not what my GP gave me.

Should I take the Promethazine? Will it help with the feeling sick and constant stomach ache? I'm basically incapacitated and groaning in bed all day and now wondering if I should take whatever might help :( many thanks for any advice. (Sorry for long post)

[MrsCK]

The reason these medications say not to use when pregnant is because there is barely any research. It would be unethical to test on pregnant women if side effects are unknown. However...I believe medicine has come a long way since the days of thalidomide for example. You are not the only pregnant woman to ever have taken anti sickness meds and any problems do get documented.

I had HG for the first 16 weeks. had it not been for the anti sickness meds I probably would have ended the pregnancy. I know that sounds awful but I was not coping at all. Crying into the toilet bowl daily made me feel like a failure as a woman.

Take the medication. I hope it helps

[hopefull2424]

Ive been the same. I'm now 15 weeks and I'm still the same. So I caved yesterday and took the meds. It meant I got one good night's sleep and have had a bit of a appetite today. So I may take another one tonight and see if it does the same. Hope your feeling better soon x

[jacla40]

I think Promethazine is a type of anti-histamine. I was given it in hospital when I was admitted for hyperemesis. When I was released I wasn't prescribed anything and struggled on for the whole pregnancy with nausea and vomiting. No one suggested medication for me and I was clueless.

I ended up very depressed and a counsellor told me I had symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress from the experience so you have my fullest sympathy.

When I had hyperemesis in my second pregnancy I was much more clued in and was lucky to have a young, progressive doctor who prescribed cyclizine. It made me feel dopey and out of it so I didn't take it for long but it helped me a lot and luckily my symptoms improved hugely at 18 weeks.

I think you should seriously consider the meds for your mental as much as physical well being.

Hope you feel better soon.

[jmojo]

I was exactly the same from 5 wks. I had cyclazine (I asked for it). I don't know how I would have gotten through otherwise as even with that, drinking fluids was a daily battle. Later I added in Ranitadine for heart burn, and shortly after stopped the cyclazine as the nausea subsided to a level I could cope with and the vomiting settled down.
I am 16 wks today and the ptyalism (spitting) is finally settling this week. It is the most disgusting and depressing thing to have. The Nausea got much better about wk 14 although some nights I still get it, but it is nothing in comparison to what I had.
I barely left the sofa/bed for 10 wks. But now I feel so much better and all I can say is keep going. Sleep lots, I found sips of sparkling water worked and strangely plain popcorn and also cheese, small cubes of it every now and then. My phone and the computer made the nausea worse so I avoided them and read lots of books. Everyone is different though.

[Fleeceblankets]

I was exactly the same, not vomiting so much but extreme nausea basically 24/7. I didn't go to work for about three months.

The nausea lasted into my fifth month and by the sixth it dissipated somewhat but then I'd lost all appetite and food still kind of disgusted me. I cried every day! I was so depressed.

I took cyclizine from around 16 weeks onwards. It helped a little bit but not massively, tbh. My gp wouldn't prescribe it in the first trimester (she wasn't scaremongering, she just wanted to encourage me to get through it without medication) but when she saw me at 16 weeks - I looked awful -- and I asked for an unfit to work certificate, she gave me a prescription without me even asking.

[Cornberry]

Many thanks for your advice ladies. Did you take them for the length of the pregnancy and do you think this pattern means I'm likely to continue feeling this way for the duration...?

[HaveTeaWillSurvive]

Much sympathy cornberry, I'm 7 weeks today and was sobbing to the doctor on Friday as I'm in exactly the same boat. I now have the same meds but haven't started taking them as it feels 'wrong'. I got a sick note saying to work from home for a fortnight so I'm going to try and tough it out a while longer but I am utterly miserable and DH thinks I'm being silly.

Are you taking pregnacare? I read online that some people really can't stomach it so I stopped on Thursday gave myself a two day break and am now just taking folic acid alone. I have to say I have felt marginally better today and yesterday, possibly psychosomatic but might be worth a shot as every little helps

[insancerre]

I had hg both pregnancies and the gp gave me avomine which is a travel sickness pill
I honestly couldn't have got through my pregnancies without it
I had it with my first and took it for about 5 months
I demanded it with my second when the hg kicked in again
I could hardly get out of bed I was vomiting so much
It did make me very drowsy though

[Cornberry]

havetea I was taking boots prenatal tablets for weeks and then when I began to feel really sick about 3 weeks ago I stopped and started taking just folic acid same as you. Problem is Im so worried about nutrition that I feel I have to take the proper vitamins so started trying again a a few days ago. They're huge so I cut them in half and take them while I'm eating rather than on empty stomach and that's helped keep them down. When I can't face them I take the Folic acid.

I totally understand your point of view about the meds. My fear is reports that this can carry on for weeks and weeks and may not even have peaked yet. I'd been resisting the drugs for two weeks buy based on advice on here today tool a Promethazine tablet with much trepidation. It really has taken the edge off and I've managed to eat better this evening. Did knock me out though. I decided to trust it because frankly the damage to my general well being is starting to concern me - the relentlessness of it. I agree with the comment above that the sickness is actually traumatic as it's so prolonged and when we're feeling so fragile. I don't feel pregnant I just feel horribly sick. Anyway I tried one today and it's definitley taken the sting out. Made me more able to get out of bed and walk down the hall without retching. I know it feels wrong. Might be worth it after all. Good luck xxx

[HaveTeaWillSurvive]

That's great cornberry didn't mean to come across as opinionated on the whether or not to take them bit, just that I understand why you're worried.

I'm also really concerned I feel this bad at week seven, with DS I didn't really feel better till about 16 weeks and think that's why I'm trying to hold out a bit longer before starting the meds. Plus the doctor I saw was pretty poor and just said 'nothing's 100% in pregnancy and you're past the 6week point which is the really dangerous time anyway'. This was not really the best way to reassure a hormonal woman - I then cried as I feel pathetic for not 'toughing it out' this time round, and got a box of tissues thrust at me

[Maxis1]

Sorry to hear you are all suffering so much! What worked for me was peppermint. I was eating tic tac non stop for the first 3 months and a friend of mine swears ginger did the trick for her.

What I found out the hard way was that my stomach doesnt like me taking pregnancy vitamin or any kind of meds with food. that made me throw up every time so I switched to taking them just before I fall asleep at night and thankfully I havent had any issues since.

Good luck! It can only get better right ;)

[jmojo]

Keep going guys, and if it makes you feel better, I know for a fact that the wives of at least 2 of the consultant obs that I worked with took meds for morning sickness! None of yhe eomen I saw taking them had a negative outcome from thrm either.

[jmojo]

Sorry for the typos

[Allstoppedup]

Also had HG from 4 weeks to about 16 and ended up in hospital because I just thought that was what morning sickness was!

I was on cyclizine and metoclopromide and they honestly were the best thing ever. After such a long time of so much vomiting and nausea they really helped.

It's scary because you do read the risks and feel so protective of your baby but really you feeling like crap, being stressed, not eating or sleeping is bad for a baby too. You need to look after yourself.

As PP have said, most warnings are there because they ethnically can't do drugs trials on pregnant women but the drugs they do use are usually widely and safely used.

I hope you feel better soon, it really is awful feeling that rotten all day long.

[Cornberry]

Didn't seem opinionated at all havetea ! We are on the same page. I wanted to resist as long as possible but I started to feel like it was no longer best to suffer this much when there might be something I could take to make it easier. I usually don't like taking any drugs unless completely necessary so I recognise your instinct to resist. Fingers crossed there ain't still months is this to come xxx

[Allstoppedup]

Oh, and my DSis is a midwife and said she would take any anti sickness meds in a heartbeat.


and the cause of all my sickness is currently 13 months and snoring away next to me, apparently no worse for the weeks of me being hunched over a bowl and more weeks of antiemetics.

[butterflycats]

Bless you, I'm 8 weeks and been vomiting for last 2 weeks. I'm also a GP with an interest in gynaecology, and it does my head in how so many GPs think it's just feeling slightly sick and don't take it seriously! I'm on regular metoclopramide and cyclizine just to give me a bit of relief (still off work though), and can promise you I wouldn't prescribe them or take them myself If they weren't safe. Promethazine is the first go to tablet for pregnancy induced nausea and vomiting and is safe so please feel able to take it. Any more info please pm me xxxxx

[urterriblemuriel]

Hi cornberry, sorry to hear you're feeling so crap - bad MS is just the worst. I took cyclizine with both pregnancies from wk7 to around w25, and have two happy healthy beans now so no side effects at all that I'm aware of. Also, they make life bearable again :)

[urterriblemuriel]

Sorry...pressed retun to quick.

In the middle of MS it seems like it'll never let up, but it will pass and however hard just keep trying to remind yourself that it's a positive reason for being ill.

[kavv0809]

So sorry to hear you're suffering OP. .

I have been on cyclizine, prochlorperazine and metoclopramide (sp?). My only word of caution is that the metoclopramide should only be prescribed for twelve weeks max. My GP had me on repeat for it and it was only the vigilant pharmacist at Boots that raised the issue which stopped me taking it throughout the pregnancy. Not a fault with the drug though.

Basically if one doesn't work try another until you find what works for you.

[kavv0809]

And as others have said, it's a balance of risks but I certainly didn't feel bad about taking them and my beautiful DDs are happy and healthy thank God. Really hope you find what works for you.

[Cornberry]

I can't tell you all how helpful your replies are. The fact that it's potentially for months to come and worry for the baby makes it unbearable so it's good to hear from people who have come out the other side. Thank you all so much xxx

[Giantbabymama]

Hi Cornberry, I'm a bit late to this, but I also took meds for sickness which started at week 7 and basically destroyed me until about 23 or 24 weeks. I am expat so the names might be different, but I took navidoxine which just turned me into a zombie so I couldn't work, so I then went on Premosan which got me through up until about week 17 when the symptoms started to reduce.

I don't think I had hg as the vomiting wasn't that much, I just felt so dreadful - couldn't move from a lying down position or sometimes even move my head because it would bring on overwhelming nausea, the way I would describe it is like very bad travel sickness or inner ear infection.

I know it's scary taking meds and worrying about the effects, but babies are tougher than people think and you need to keep yourself well too. I am now 37 and a half weeks and apart from occasionally feeling a bit yucky due to shrunken stomach, the sickness has gone and baby is fine as far as I'm aware.

[insancerre]

Just to add my 2 are 25 and18 now and both fit as a butchers dog
And have been since birth

[RockingDuck]

had shocking HG with 2 of my 3 pgs.
My heart goes out to you - because it's utter depressing and a shitty disease
you feel guilty as everyone thinks pg women 'glow'
plus women who don't understand / men just think you should deal with it
serious morning sickness that keeps you bedridden is affecting your life

the drugs are safe. Sadly many GPs are unsympathetic and not up to date with the NICE guidelines

It can be worse to get dehydrated and malnourished -
none of the drugs on the thread helped me at all, I needed a drug usually prescribed to stop people with cancer form vomiting; I wound up in hosp being rehydrated at week 9 both times

if I hadn't fought for Ondansatron I'd have been back and forth, I couldn't keep anything down.

there is a HG support thread on MN somewhere, search under pregnancy
they have lots of advice regarding food ideas, and dealing with GPs who don't know the NICE stuff

I drew a massive calendar and viciously crossed off every pukey day and after the beaut baby arrives - the sickness vanishes

I will say - protect your teeth as best you can with mouthwash/ cleaning them as often as you can.
Hope that you feel better soon X