Hyperemesis Support

[LucindaE]

I hope everyone suffering from the Horrors of Hyperemesis will find this thread useful as a source of support and information.
There's no TMI on here - can't be by definition - and nobody should feel ashamed of moaning as much as they feel the need to.
MOH's wonderful website is full of useful information on this illness:
//sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos
Another invaluable website is:
//www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk
If you need help in obtaining medication, phone them on:
024 7638 2020
Lastly, the NICE guidelines on treatment are useful:
cks.nice.org.uk/topics/nausea-vomiting-in-pregnancy
//cks.nice.org.uk/nauseavomiting-in-pregnancy
I would like to thank everyone who has given such invaluable support and advice on this and on previous threads.
It has been suggested that I add some practical tooth cleaning advice: a lot of sufferers find using a child's small toothbrush and strawberry toothpaste far less nauseating.
On my image of a pink castle: that is an image I use because when I was little, my family had a Snakes and Ladders board with an image on the last square of a pink castle in the clouds. As Hyperemesis is so like a grotesque version of Snakes and Ladders - eat a meal, go up a ladder, first thing in the morning bile run, down a snake - I have used the image of that pink castle on the last square of that Snakes and Ladders board as a metaphor for the happy end of Hyperemesis.
Remember when you are at your worst, 'This Too Shall Pass'. It really will.
So many women on this thread have thought they couldn't get through this, but they did.

[LucindaE]

Here is the glossy new thread. No need for virtual social distancing, at least. There are lots of virtual cushions available, so help yourselves to a few and collapse here.

[Anyat212]

Thanks Lucinda just checking in.

Hope everyone is coping

[LucindaE]

Waves to Anya212 I hope everyone is gettng by.

[MyBabyBoyBlue]

Hi everyone - I just popped back to say thank you to everyone for all the support. I'm now 19w4 and I think I might be over the worst. It seems to have settled into what my friends tell me normal morning sickness is like - the nausea is constant and always there but not debilitating anymore and I can now eat - in fact now if I don't eat i feel awful whereas before if I ate or drank anything it came back up. I'm still hoping the nausea clears up but if it doesn't I can live with it as is! Hope everyone else is doing ok xx

[LucindaE]

MyBabyBoyBlue Thanks so much for your enouraging message. I am so glad the thread helped and that it is a lot better. I hope it gets a lot better still, as it so often does.

[RockinRobinn]

@MyBabyBoyBlue mine carried on getting better I think the turning point was around 24 weeks. The whooping cough vaccine did make me feel really nauseous again for a few days but then it cleared up thank goodness.

[RockinRobinn]

I'm 6+2 today and the constant nausea is setting in 😭 no vomiting yet but as soon as I feel nauseous I'm trying everything I can to limit it. Food aversion is kicking in too. I was so hoping that it would just be normal pregnancy sickness this time around but I fear not. Even when I'm waking at night I feel sick.
No real point to this apart from woe is me!
Hope everyone is coping ok.

[MyBabyBoyBlue]

@LucindaE @RockinRobinn thank you both, thats v encouraging to hear!

[RockinRobinn]

Any tips to get rid of the metallic taste in my mouth? I can't remember if anything helped last time...

[SFA21]

Hi - hope I can join this thread,

I'm 12+4 today and struggling so much I've just been miserable for 6 weeks - sick every single day, bile in the morning, then after any food. I can keep water down so not sure if I would even be classed as having HG. But I can't get any work done even working from home, feel irritable all the time and lost over half a stone. Please someone tell me this gets better 😓

[LucindaE]

SFA21 Welcome. It does indeed get much better for almost eveyone. You are probably going through the worst bit. Hyperemesis does typically last a bit longer than normal pregnancy sickness, which in fact, often goes on to longer than the textbook 12 weeks anyway. This level of sickness is not normal. It is good that you can, though. Are you on any anti sickness meds? Do ask for some if not. There are a number that are safe in pregnancy. There is lots of support on here.
Here's my usual spiel: Most sufferers find that they improve a lot at some point between weeks 14 and 20. Even those who are unlucky enough to suffer throughout generally are not as ill later on as they are in the first part. A good anti acid can make a surprising difference to the sickness. Kesostix are worth buying online or from a chemists, as while they aren't they best test of dehydration, hospitals take them seriously. Some drinks that have helped others: full sugar flat coke (if you don't find it too acid), ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, Lucozade, apple juice, Ribina, Dr Pepper, soda water, Elderflower water, tonic water, ice cubes, Iron Bru, lemonade, lemon squash, orange squash, orange juice (if not too acid), fizzy orange, 7Up, isotonic drinks, sips of chocolate milkshake (maybe soya), fizzy water, apple juice, Robinson's fruit drinks, Rubicon sparkling mango drink , raspberry Lucozade sport and frozen ice cubes of flat Lucozade sport . Foods of a sort include tinned fruit, cuppa soup, nibbles of crisps and chips, cheap ice cream, Scotch pancakes, bagels and biscuits and slices of melon and mango.
RockinRobinn Sorry that the nausea has kicked in badly! For the awful taste in the mouth, I used to suck barley sugar, which I got from an old fashioned sweet shop, but which I think can be bought online.
Parma Violets and Travel Sweets (I don't know if they still do those: I used to buy them at a chemists) are other options.
Mother Hen waves a wing to all.

[SFA21]

@LucindaE

Thank you so much - I'm not on any anti sickness as I was worried they would say I wasn't bad enough- but think I will try and get a GP appointment next week. I do find ice lollies are helping so I will try your other recommendations too! It's nice to know I'm not alone in this as well and that it will get better

[LucindaE]

SFA21 I'm so glad you are going to ask for anti sickness meds on Monday.
Here's the Due Dates list.

DueDates
Xbambi 16 February TWINS!
BuffyFanForever 13 March TWINS!
ChubbyMumFromSkye 13 March
PhotoMum4 18 March
Anya212 28 March
BB2021 4 April
Tiff94 4 April
doritodiva 12 April
bunhead 13 April
Dimpous 13 April
Funkypolar 19 April
Tiff94 21 April
ohidoliketobe 1 May
QueenBee95 2 May
Fruitloops34 5 May
Firsttimemum21 14 May
SweetpeaOrMarigold 18 May
Jlw2020 19 May
Snapple21 30 May
kingfisher657 24 June

[RockinRobinn]

@LucindaE thanks for the recommendations I'll have a look and see what I fancy/feel like I can stomach to help with the taste in my mouth.

[LucindaE]

RockinRobinn With any luck, you'll find something that works.

[RockinRobinn]

Really struggling today, feeling so low. The nausea has ramped up by a ridiculous amount even to talk or walk around for 30 seconds is really hard and unbearable.
Still no vomiting but I literally think it's because I'm doing nothing and it's still such early stages (6weeks) I don't remember it being this intense last time.
Got a GP appointment this morning and I'm hoping that they'll be able to give me something to help even though I'm not vomiting yet. But I'm in survival mode.

[catgamerlady]

@RockinRobinn
Hope your appointment goes well.
I went to see my Gp last week and was given meds although I still ended up in hospital this weekend with dehydration.

Still, I feel better after all the fluids even if the sickness and nausea are still here.

Meds didn't stop the symptoms for me but they have taken away some of the nausea which has made me feel more human.

Good luck!

[RockinRobinn]

@catgamerlady thanks for the hand hold I think I just can't believe I'm already going to have to take a day off work. I was hoping for at least a couple more weeks 😭
I know this will be temporary but it being bad earlier this time is making me worried.
Last time cyclizine didn't get rid of the nausea but it allowed me to function without vomiting all the time.

[Littlejayx]

Hi all, it’s a thread I didn’t want to join (as lovely as you all seem) I’m on week 15 of relentless vomiting and nausea 🤮. I’ve lost almost three stone now and have been in hospital 5 times. I’m also homeschooling my daughter with a partner who works away.
As selfish as it will sound does anyone have any wise words to help me through this???

[RockinRobinn]

GP was great and gave me cyclizine based on my previous experience of HG and feeling constantly ill this time. So much better than the last GP I spoke to. And I've booked the evening off of work.
Hope everyone else is coping ok ❤️

[RockinRobinn]

@Littlejayx so sorry to hear you are in such a bad way. That must be intense not being able to rest at all if you're having to home school too!
What medication are you on? Really rest was the main thing that helped me last time.
Have you visited pregnancy sickness support website?

[snapple21]

@Littlejayx what are you taking? You might be getting to the point to push for steroids. I'm currently on my second course at 23 weeks.

[Littlejayx]

Thank you so much for replying 💖

I’m on cyclizine, but honestly it made me feel like a living zombie and then just stopped working 😩. I’ve just tried to stop trying to push through it now and just rest as much as possible.

I just worry I’m doing the baby harm being like this, like they aren’t getting what the need 😩

[catgamerlady]

@RockinRobinn glad it went well! Hope it helps you!

@Littlejayx that sounds awful 😢 I really hope your symptoms ease soon. Anyway you can factor in more rest time?

[Anyat212]

@RockinRobinn

Sorry to hear you are struggling, for the metallic taste ice lollies helped take that away for me although I didn't have that problem for long. Lemon sherbets were another thing as well. I still deal with an unbelievable amount of salvia 24/7 drives me mad. I know it's easy to say but don't worry about work or how early it is, you just need to focus on riding through this and feeling better. I know it's disappointing when it's kicked in earlier though (I felt the same this time around). I'm glad you've been given Cyclizine though. Hope you feel better soon.


@Littlejayx

I would definitely agree on the steroids, has your GP/the hospital docs not mentioned this treatment for you? Clearly the Cyclizine isn't working and you need something much stronger. I can't believe you've lost all that weight and are expected to just plod along AND home school! I would definitely get in touch with your GP explaining your symptoms and this cannot continue. You do have to be quite firm with them unfortunately and it's not the easiest thing to do when you feel so rubbish. They might recommend a combination of meds to take before going to steroids, but you definitely need some extra help. Do not think they can't help you any more as there are many other meds safe to take. It could even be worth getting in touch with Pregnancy Sickness Support and see what they can recommend? I'm lucky I've never needed steroids in either pregnancies but I know a lot of people on these threads how found them effective.

In terms of getting through this (aside from the med / steroid talk!) just try to take each day as you can. Eat what you fancy / crave and eat in smaller amounts if needed. At my worst I'd usually have a jacket potato with beans for example, eat a bit, put to one side and eventually I'd have eaten it all rather than trying to eat it in one go and being sick shortly after. Do not worry about baby getting what it needs, they will take everything they need from you. Just be aware of your water intake (sure you are aware with you being hospitalised though).

Do you have any other support around you? I know it's difficult with covid but do you have a support or childcare bubble which could help out with home schooling? To give you time to rest up.