Nausea meds - does anything work?

[BackwardsInHighHeels]

I'm 10+1 on my first pregnancy and have had mega severe nausea with occasional vomiting since week 4.

I've been to my GP about it twice, the first time it was the locum who was patronising and dismissive and basically told me to take time off work and rest.

The second time I went, my GP didn't really listen to me because he was too busy talking to his staff (who were in and out of the room several times) and taking two telephone consultations with other patients (one who had a sprained ankle, one who wanted test results) and prescribed maxolon but wouldn't discuss safety or other treatments with me which worried me because I've had several major allergic reactions to drugs before (including hospitalisation because one made my stomach bleed).

Since it's more an anti-sickness drug rather than an anti-nausea drug and I'm very rarely actually sick I haven't taken it because I'm paranoid about it making me even sicker and don't feel like it's the right treatment for what's wrong with me.

I had my booking appointment on Friday and the midwife suggested I go back to the GP to get an anti nausea med but I've felt too shitty to get out of bed today and don't have the energy to deal with it.

The midwife mentioned a drug that you put in your gum which I know I've had before but can't remember what it's called. Has anyone had it, or been prescribed anything else for nausea that worked? I'm at the end of my tether. I know it'll pass eventually but I'm so exhausted and tired of feeling sick all flaming day and night and I can barely work and it's just getting me down so much :(

I've tried all the non drug things I can find on the interwebs and among my frIends but nothing is working and I just can't deal with another three or more weeks of this.

Hi HighHeels Sorry you are suffering and Docs less than sympathetic. Cyclizine helps with my nausea. Doesn't help with vomiting though, although it does the opposite in other people. I also had metaclopramide for a few days. Didn't work but did with other people. Ended up in hospital, which is where I got the Cylizine. The under the tongue stuff is bucastem, a form of Stemetil which you can also get as an injection and as tablets. I've also had this but it didn't work. Again, others swear by it.

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Hi,
I totally sympathise with you :(
Im 36 weeks now but had bad morning sickness until over 20 weeks, I was sickj quite a few times but it was more the actual nausea that was the problem. I was put on that tablet that you put under your gum (cant remember what its called either) from 6 weeks when I thought I was suffering MS but I actually had a severe D&V virus as soon as I got over that the actual MS had started so I continued to take them they didnt take it away completely but did help alot.
About 16 weeks I started feeling worse and found the tablets werent working as well, I saw my GP who said they are for more early pregnancy so I was swapped onto a different tablet that you actually swallowed, Im sorry I cant remember the name of this either but I know there is a few different ones they can try.
I fould these didnt work to well but in the meantime found out I had another virus which had got into my middle ear and given me vertigo so I felt constantly sea sick, so was given a different tablet specifically designed for that. It helped a great deal and I just stopped taking them when I felt better.
Its difficult because obviously not taking anything in pregnancy is best but I lost alot of weight and was told that because the baby had nothing to eat he was taking calcium out of my bones and using my reserves so I felt dreadful. I tihnk if its affecting you badly then keep going back to the Docs until you get to see someone who will help you.

I hope you get something that helps :)

It's not exactly a drug and it's not effective for everyone but my GP prescribed Gaviscon, specifically a double dose first thing inthe morning followed by single doses at various points in the day depending on how bad it is. It could be worth a try and if it doesn't work then look to other treatments, it worked for me and I had nausea but little actual sickness.

Hi nitnatnaboo

Thanks for the info. I used to get bucastem when I was a teenager - had terrible period trouble and frequently had epic episodes of D&V requiring injections or other meds.

I guess my body really doesn't deal well with hormones :(

Thanks justbeingmummy and CBear6.

Am going to go to the GP tomorrow so will ask about gaviscon and bucastem.

I had severe sickness but was prescribed Avomine by my GP. He explained it was orginally a travel sickness pill but has been used for years in pregnant women.

It did stop my sickess but it's pretty much a sleeping pill too so I had to get my head down and sleep lots - not a bad thing after throwing up all my food for a couple of weeks. In the end I used to take it about 6pm, let it get in my system, eat my evening meal about 7pm then get to bed. There was enough of it still in my body to allow me to eat a little bit of breakfast then I would take it easy all day (play with DS, potter about) before I could take another one in the evening.

Hope you feel better soon.

I have hyperemisis and have had three different medications, first i started with cyclizine, which worked for a week then stopped and had to go back and got bucastem,worked for a week, then got given another one that goes up your bum not sure what its called as i couldnt keep the other ones down, eventually given bucastem and the bum one together, and then hospitalized, after going to hospital and getting iv fluids it stopped me being dehydrated which had stopped my medicines from working properly and made me even more sick, so once i was rehydrated and given all three of the above medication to take at once it stopped me from being sick all day, but even now im still occasionally sick and also best policy just keep away from food that makes you sick, I cant even smell vegetables without being sick so you just have to follow what your body tells you.

xx

Hi, I think vitamin B6 is supposed to help with nausea and sickness in pregnancy. My nausea did improve after I took it but maybe it was the placebo effect! x

Ask for ondansetron. The original brand name is zofran but you can get a generic which is cheaper I think. Its only licensed for chemotherapy and radiotherapy patients so some doctors are reluctant to prescribe, plus its expensive, but you can use it in pregnancy so if your doctor refuses, insist on a referral to an obstetrician and work your way through them till you find one who'll give it to you. The other thing to remember is that you may need a combination of drugs. I needed ondansetron to stop the vomiting but I still needed to take buccastem at the same time to limit the nausea. This was my effective combination of drugs, yours may be different, especially with your drug sensitivities. You need to see a doctor who is 1. interested 2. has time for you 3. has indepth knowledge of the condition. This rules out the vast majority of GPs. If you had any other rare condition, you'd expect to be sent to a specialist. For some reason the medical profession things its ok for pregnant women to be fobbed off with useless pills and platitudes like try ginger. Sorry I'm on a rant, it just make me so angry that so many of us get crap healthcare for HG.