How will I cope if this isn't just a bug?

[belindarose]

I'm 8 weeks tomorrow. Been nauseous (very) for a week and started being sick last night. I've been sick 10 times since then. Can't keep anything down. Smells of anything make me instantly sick.

DD had a vomiting bug at the weekend. She was sick a few times over a couple of days.

I'm hoping this is her bug...as it will go away soon. I haven't been able to function at all. Fortunately, sort of, today should have been a work day so I had childcare. I don't even know how I'll prepare her tea. It might be cereal tonight!

But if it isn't a bug, if it's the start of 'morning sickness' how on earth do people cope? I don't feel better after being sick. Just tired.

I reckon it sounds like a bug tbh. What was your pregnancy with dd like? It's unusual, not impossible but ime unusual to have a relatively Ok pregnancy with just a bit of sickness, and then go on to have what sounds like hyperemesis in your second.

If you are really unlucky and it carries on, the GP can prescribe some decent anti sickness meds, and most GPs will if you persist at them (many are reluctant initially).

So please don't despair. There are several sorts to try, promethazine, cyclizine and metoclopramide among them, as well as prochlorperazine.

It's a long list and soemthing normally takes the edge off at least! Or might stop the actual vomiting.
You will cope, don't worry. Hope you feel better soon xx

Can't keep anything down.

It's incredibly important that you keep your fluid intake up. Either take a little taste of water every 5 minutes or suck on ice cubes as much as you can take. Your body is tough enough to go without food, but dehydration could be a huge strain. You must get fluids in somehow. This is true whether you've got pregnancy sickness or a bug.

Even if you just hold water in your mouth your body will absorb it, so don't completely panic if it seems like you sick up every bit of fluid you swallow. Also, the walls of the stomach can absorb some fluids (I think). So get the fluids in and down as much as possible.

Talk to MW about how tough you're finding it.

I agree that dehydration is the thing which exacerbates morning sickness the most, also yes it is important to keep trying to drink but don't panic as you can get by even if it's just a little bit.

Food isn't so important. I had what I was told was HG during both pregnancies and found that if I managed to drink something, I sometimes felt able then to eat a bit. It made me feel much less ill if I had got enough fluid in me.
But for the time being I think you should assume it's just a bug and try to get as much rest as possible, lie down if you can, and if it's no better by tomorrow, get the GP out to give you something. I remember being given an injection of something in my thigh when I felt dreadful, which worked for long enough so that I could eat and drink a little.

There are things they can do.

Thanks. Hoping it is a bug. First pregnancy was okay. Quite a bit of sickness for a few weeks but certainly not like this. Thanks for the tips. I'll keep going with the sips of water.

Poor thing, that sounds horrid

If it doesn't clear up within the next day or two and you are still struggling to keep anything down, even if you are managing liquids but not food, don't waste time before going to the doctors. The best thing I ever did was take the advice of Mumsnet and went to the GP when I was throwing up 8-10 times a day was prescribed antiemetics, which made everything at least bearable! There are safe medications out there to help you get through it if it is morning sickness, there's no need to suffer without trying to find something that can help.

But good look, and fingers crossed it is a bug!