Hyperemesis - hand holding required please!

[maldivemoment]

Just discovered I'm pregnant and over the moon. VERY early stages (4/5 weeks) but I am DREADING having a repeat of last pregnancy where I could barely keep water down and was nauseous/vomiting for what felt like 24 hours a day. This time around I also have a 2 year old to look after which is already making me feel rather stressed. IF it's as bad as last time I can see me and little one having to move in with parents and husband visiting us at weekends!

With first pregnancy I started to feel unwell around week 7 and went downhill fast until around week 16 when I started to fell ever so slightly human again.

So, I am looking for inspirational stories from those of you who had hyperemesis first time around but it wasn't so bad with pregnancy number 2.

Failing that I need your advice if it has been as bad (worse ) with subsequent pregnancies. God, I feel sick at the thought...

Thank you in advance

Congratulations!!!!
No matter how horrible it is, it will be worth it when your wonderful dc is born.

I have 3 kids, HG slightly less bad the second time and worse the third. I think statistically it's more likely to be better rather than worse, but the main thing is, you know what is coming and you can make sure it's managed as well as possible.

From what I read about HG, the most important thing is to stop it getting bad in the first place as the worse it gets, the longer it lasts. If you had it in a previous pregnancy this is slightly easier because doctors tend to take you more seriously. So what I would recommend is to go to the doc pretty soon, tell them you had it last time and get them to prescribe you anti-emetics in advance so that you can start taking them as soon as it kicks in. And you can also make any arrangements with work/family so that you will have support planned so when it starts you can rest as much as possible without having to worry or feel guilty. Can your budget run to extra childcare/help round the house?

What treatment did you have last time and did it work?

Thank you for your kind words ES. I was prescribed Stemetil (at least I think that's what it was called) last time. (Tiny tablets that dissolve under the tongue?). However this was on the day of my 12 week scan when I had to leave the room 3 times to throw up (kind of took the edge off what should have been a wonderful moment!).

I've done some reading on hyperemesis since then and I think I probably left it too late because the medication seemed to have little effect. However I've also read that different medications work differently for different folk. Is there anything you would recommend?

My mum is an angel and she will take over if required but even the thought of it makes me feel guilty. And as for the thought if having to get up in the morning and make porridge for my little one...OH MY GOD!

Not seeing midwife for another 2 weeks but think I will make appointment with GP for this week.

Thank you

Cyclizine worked for me in that it kept the vomiting under control (though not the nausea). A lot of people have success with Ondansetron (Zofran) but that is very expensive so it seems to be only prescribed as a last resort.

Don't feel guilty about getting help. And your dc1 won't suffer any lasting ill effects from a few months eating whatever is easiest for you.

maldivemoment
join the hyperemisis support thread on this site plenty of past and present sufferers on there with all sorts of helpful imformation and loads of TLC