Hyperemesis: if you had it in a previous pg have you had it again and how did you cope?

[cheritongirl]

I have one wonderful ds who is 7 months now and I know i would like more children but had awful hyperemesis in my pg for the first 5 months - was hospitalised twice and in bed for 2 months so can't imagine going through that again with a toddler! Any advice and anecdotes gratefully received! thanks
p.s. i know i posted this in the pregnancy section too, but no one replied!

I've never had much more than mild nausea in either of my pgs so I'm afraid I can't help, but have you seen www.hyperemesis.org.uk/?

Yes I did, though not quite as bad as first time.
Apparently all the research says that the sooner it is treated the milder it is likely to be, so I went to my GP and demanded drugs before I even started throwing up. Having been very reluctant to prescribe the first time ('sickness is perfectly normal blah blah blah') they handed over the prescription without demur.
I think the second time I was more prepared for it and went with the flow - the first time I was always ringing up work and saying 'I'll be back in a couple of weeks!' because I couldn't believe how long it took to recover. The second time I just accepted I was going to be off work for a couple of months.
I was lucky as my dd (18 months older than ds) had a full-time nursery place at my dh's workplace nursery so it was pretty simple for him to basically take responsibility for her. I am sad as to how much of her babyhood I lost through being ill, but hey, that's life and it was well worth it for ds!
If you are working and are young enough to be prepared to wait a little before the second, it may be worth giving yourself long enough between pregnancies to really re-establish yourself at work. I think 2 HG pregnancies have pretty much fucked up my career, to be honest - I'm not sure how I'm going to rebuild it from where I am.

But of course it was worth it.

If they haven't answered yet by the time I've finished this very long post, stick around for Peachy (Peachyclair) and Piffle, both of whom have HG experience and are extremely helpful in sharing it.

Hope this helps.

I had hyperemisis with my ds too (now 2.5), as in and out of hospital every week for 5 months (on drips, injections, etc). It was awful. I have decided I am not having anymore for other reasons but did wonder how I would manage if I did.
I think what was worse than the condition was the complete lack of empathy from everyone. I had comments such as
you can't be sick if you haven't eaten anything (paramedic)
you need to be more positive it's all psychological (wardnurse)
you may not have again (had it twice and mum and nanna both had it 3 times over)
it's not hereditary (see above) (also ward nurse)
I know you can't keep anything down but try these diarrolyte (gp)
you look awful - like a skeleton (sil)
you're pregnant no ill (colleague)

That link of klaw's looks great. Wished I'd had that when I was pg!!
You would manage, as you can see my mum and nanna both had three (close in age too) and they had no help. I would see be as easy on yourself as possible, accept all help with ds, and get lots of sleep.

Kay - I got told off by a radiographer for not having a full enough bladder for the scan and when I explained about having been sick 3 times so far that day (it was 9am) she said 'You know you're making yourself sick by not drinking enough'

Not to mention 'Have you tried ginger?' x 1000000

I think the first time round I felt enormously guilty because as you say there is a lack of empathy, so you feel like you are failing to cope with what everyone else manages perfectly well.
The second time I'd worked out what a load of b*llx that is.

Ah yes good old ginger!!!

You are spot on, I did feel incredibly disappointed, I had a colleague at exactly the same stage of prg who was a picture of health - I did feel like a failure and I think a lot of that was from lack of support.

Cheritongirl- if you have another at least you know what you may be in for.

I too would push for the drugs! They are so reluctant to give you them and I was confident or energetic enough at the time. I would get them injected whilst in hospital and then because I couldn't have them at home it was like a vicious cycle.

Hospitalised on drip three times in first pg, once for 6 days which was vile. But once on Cyclazine after week 26, vomiting manageable for remainder of pg - only stopped after delivery...

This pg, GP ready to prescribe cyclazine as soon as needed, which happened more or less on the dot of 15 weeks, just as first drip feed needed in 1st pg. Taken a few weeks to settle, and again still sick every day but getting manageable. Full fat coke works for me - advised by hospital (I hate it, I don't know why it works but it does). Plus this time, GP has given me forified drink so even if I can't keep anything else down, at least getting some nutrition.

Different opinions about age of siblings - my DS is now 16 months and so gorgeous he reminds me it is worthwhile. TBH, finding it easier this time around because you know what you are facing, whereas first pg no one could reassure me it wouldn't get worse.

Did you get drugs to take home with you or were you only given IV anti-emetic drugs in hospital ?

I was v sick with first pg and discharged from a 3 days in hospital with tablets. They worked reasonably well.

Second pregnancy I asked for the same drugs as soon as the vomitting started but they didn't work for me that time so I ended up in hospital for 4 days and was discharged with MUCH stronger anti-emetics which worked well for me.

You need to take control of the situation yourself, I managed to keep working except for the short time in hospital, but you need to demand treatment and not be afraid to take drugs that have not been tested on pregnant women (i.e. cause the GP and pharmacist to worry about prescribing them)

There are so many myths truly believed by people who have never had HG themselves.

Lets bust those myths:-

It does appear to be hereditary - My mum and her mum both had hyperemesis in all their pregnancies so I'd second whoever said it is hereditary and you are more than likely to suffer it again. Thankfully I've just got boys so I haven't passed the curse on to a daughter.

You can be sick on an empty stomach- it tastes foul and hurts and it's not good for you.

It isn't all in the mind - I bloody well wanted to be able to go to work each day and look after ds1 without asking for help. I certainly had no subconscious desire to be "looked after" in hospital whilst my mum/MIL interfered with the running of my home and my career went down the pan.

All ginger and arrowroot do is make things taste a bit more pleasant on the way back up !

When you say you can't keep anything down, that's exactly what you mean, even water comes back up so dioralyte isn't gonna work !

You are ill, not just pregnant ! (thanks MIL for giving your ds the impression that his dw was being a lazy cow, hoping for an easy time by exaggerating how crap she was actually feeling).

I had it first time all the way through the pg but it slowed down after about 5 months. Have had it this time as well and I am 18 weeks now. Still have it although it is getting better.

You have my every sympathy. I will not be having another baby as I don't think i can go through the hyperemesis again

getting broody, my dear

I'm now 32 weeks into my 3rd pregnancy and had HG with all three. I spent in total about 3 months in hospital with each of first two then after two admissions this time insisted on Cyclazine once in 2nd trimester (was advised it can cause problems with development if used before 12 weeks). I think once they know you have a history of HG they are a bit more understanding, I was told by GP 'all women vomit when they are pregnant' with my first one!?! Once you have seen a beautiful healthy baby can from an unhealthy pregancy it puts your mind at ease too. Now that I have stopped being sick I have managed to put on nearly 4 stones!!!, with the other two I struggled to put on a stone.

I was hyperemetic both times, tho thankfully not bad enough to be hospitalised. Like others on here, I was on cyclazine throughout both pregnancies. I was desperately hoping that things wouldn't be as bad the second time around, but they were. However, as others have said, on the plus side, you've been through it before and you know better how to deal with it. I ate little and often in my second pregnancy (having tried fasting on my first - big mistake). Most of it came back up, but I did find that I felt better the more I ate, although it is horrible eating when you are so nauseous.

Agree that it is best to be pro-active - assume the worst, and get the necessary drugs in before it all goes pear-shaped.

My older son was only 18 months when I was in the throes of sickness with my second pregnancy, and I do feel bad about what he went through. I'm a SAHM, so there were many, many days when the poor mite just sat and watched me while I lay on the sofa puking and crying (and feeling hugely sorry for myself - not very admirable behaviour!) Of course I don't regret having DS2, but in a parallel universe, I think I would wait another couple of years to have the second pregnancy, so that the older child would be at school, or at least be old enough to understand that the mother is ill, not just bad-tempered. I'm sure my son thought I'd had a personality transplant, and definitely was very upset by the whole experience.

ooh ladies thank you so much for your words of wisdom - do keep them coming if there are more out there..
in reply to questions:
at the moment I am a SAHM but may well get a PT job soon and am about to embark on some studying too.
I think the drip i was on was just to rehydrate, not anti-emetic, they kept trying to give me anti-emertic tablets which of course came back up!
It is soooo good (although not nice for you of course) to read that other people got driven crazy by all the crass things people say and feeling like a complete failure.
Good advice that i should be very pro-active, i was so scared and worried last time i just agreed with everything a doctor told me and i think i also got very depressed (had just moved to a new city, no friends etc bit of a nigthmare!) which didn't help.
And yes, i guess i am prepared for the worst...
lulumama - i am a bit broody but it can be put on hold for a wee while longer!

It is worth pointing out that the IV drip is a treatment rather than preventative - basically your body gets itself in such a state (the medics here can explain the whole keytones thing better than I) that you have to effectively give over your digestive system to the drip until your normal processing can cope again. It replaces the fluids, salt, sugars etc that are essential that you can't get because you can't eat or drink, and more importantly that you lose every time you chuck up. Original GP did the whole 'it is only pregnancy you know' thing and prescribed totally pointless anti emetics you had to keep in your mouth for 30 minutes! However, after throwing up on midwife, got carted off to hospital pronto where they gave me injections of Cyclazine for five days - and a massive lecture about letting it get this bad ! So I agree with others, shout to get treatment quickly! This time, fab new GP just got the injection sorted within 30 seconds of me saying 'I am being rather sick' Once injections got on top of it, tablets are working but they have killer side effect on me of total knockout pills.

And yes, it is all too possible to be sick on an empty stomach. I found ice worked a bit - couldn't keep water down - but when it comes up still frozen you know things are bad!

It is worth it, but for the next person who says to me 'so you won't be having a football team then love?' I will vomit on their shoes!

I am in the same boat, although not ready to have another one, I would love one... but just can't face going through it again, it was such a miserable time.

But at least I can look back and laugh. Especially at the reminder of the crass things people say. All ginger did was make my vomit taste of ginger.

I had hyperemesis with first two pgs. I survived the first because I was a teacher on summer holiday when I was going through the worst bit (really good timing- was severely sick from 7 weeks to 16 and only had to deal with a small part of that time at work since in the US, summer vacation is usually 8 weeks). I was a SAHM for the second, and it was WORSE. My DD watched A LOT of television as I spent most of the day with my head in the toilet. I was too afraid to take drugs the first time, but had to the second for survival. It cut down vomiting from 8-10 times a day to 2-3. Still felt wretched and still needed to get IV fluids twice. It lasted until 18 weeks.

This pg has been different- I've been nauseous/ill, but with much less severity. It's been manageable with careful attention to constant small meals. I imagine it it more of what is usually felt in pregnancy, but maybe a little worse. I'm 17 weeks and not feeling great yet, but I still feel fortunate.

My children have been really great about it (except of course when they are imitating me vomit) and I think they get used to it after a while. The guilt is still there, but they do get by.

Hi all, I am new to this website and glad to find a few of you out there who went through the same thing i did. I was sick from about 5 weeks on and was hospitalised once. I wasn't offered any medication at all but think i would have been too nervous to try it. i have a lot of regret about the way my pregnancy was - i was a miserable wreck for 8 months. i barely left the house and spent most of the first few months in the bathroom!!!! i wonder now if i will be able to cope again. i was a nervous wreck about hurting the baby and even though i now have a beautiful healthy baby girl and i am a very nervous and anxious mum and i think it is partly due to the hyperemesis.
One thing i am interested to know - did any of you with hyperemesis have very fast births, especially for a first baby? i went from 2cm dilated to birth of baby in under 2 hours. The only other person i knew of with hyperemesis had a similar experience.

mumtodd I am the original poster and amsorry to say that i did not have a quick labour at all - 27 hours in the end but hey, at least i wasn't throwing up!

These kind of things are said to me all the time. It is so patronising to be told (while in hospital for the SECOND time in as many weeks) that yes you are going to feel sick as this is what happens when you are pregnant... (this knowledge imparted by a ward nurse when she explained why she felt I didn't need the nausea medication I was requesting...). Lets just say I lost my temper there and then (my hormones are not helping me keep my emotions in check...) I asked her what the H*LL she thinks I have been lying in hospital on a drip for two nights for... medication came soon after, but why, oh why!?!

As for a particular receptionist at my GP, she is lovely and willing to help but as soon as she hears that it's to do with pregnancy she becomes a brick wall. She would not even pass a message onto the GP for me and allow him to make the decision on whether he needed to speak to me. Needless to say the GP phoned me immediately after my fiance drove down there personally to ask for help,

It's been so hard being stuck at home either puking or in a drug-induced sleep. Phoning my GP has become so stressful, I just dread it and leave it to the absolute last minute. It shouldn't be like this, surely?!

Hyperemesis with No 1 (boy) and No 3 (girl) - full hospitalisation, drugs, drips etc from 6 - 20 weeks.

Frequent sickness and constant nausea with No. 2 (boy) and No 4 (due March) up to about 22 weeks, but not hyperemesis. Still fairly debilitating but in a different league.

So it is possible to have a second pregnancy without hyperemesis!

I would add that when it rapidly became clear that No 3 was a serious hyperemesis jobbie, I was much more persistent with the GP/ ward nurses to get rehydrated/drugged because I knew what I was up against much better and knew that in order to keep going with the other children, I had to be drugged! I just kept going back to A & E until they sorted me out.

Hi I'm pg with no3 and have had hyperemsis with all including this one. I'm 7/8 weeks atm and suffering badly.

My Dh and I cope by making plans regurding child care, housework ect. Basicly the plan is I lay on the sofa trying to keep my fluids up whilst he does evrything.

Its working well atm because with my last pg I was in hospital from 6 to 12 weeks and then in and out after that.

I have druggs from gp and I just try really hard to keep them down.
I do feel down a lot of the time because I cant look after Dc and I'm normaly an active person.

Dh takes me out for a drive and that helps. I sit and throw up into nappie sacks and we enjoy the view

i was about 6 weeks pregnant when i started to get sick and i was still throwing up on the operating theatre table while having a csection.....

it is just the most horrific thing to go through and yes, people are COMPLETELY unsympathetic. my brother got married and i couldnt go (it was overseas) as i couldnt travel and they still havent forgiven me. SIL made sure to point out how many other pregnant guests were coming. like, i was just being pathetic and not making an effort.

am deeply impressed by all you ladies who have had subsequent pregnancies, you are way way braver than me.

Hyperemesis with dc 1 (girl) but no hyperemesis with dc2 (boy). I felt sick with him 6-16 wks but only actually threw up maybe once per day and not at all some days, whereas I was constantly puking with dd.

ps I can't get Klaw's link to load, but if it's the Blooming Awful website I cried when I found it. This was in 2002/03 and I just came across it.