Hyperemesis Support

[LucindaE]

We need a new thread.

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.

I used to include extracts from MOH's wonderful website
sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos/
but I think that makes this link less visible so am merely putting the link. The information on this site is invaluable.

I would like to thank MOH MOP Ovaltine Caramellokoalalover (I think she's changed her nickname) Fluffy, Horsey Kali and Everyone who has given such invaluable support and advice on previous threads.

Remember when you are at your worst, 'This Too Shall Pass'. It really will.

glossy I was admitted to hospital very early on (5 weeks) and the consultant was convinced it must be twins because I was so sick so early. They scanned me twice, once at (just) six weeks and again at eight to look "for the other one". But mine is definitely just one as well!

Like you I felt movement very early, around the 11/12 week mark even though it's a first pregnancy. At the time I thought it might just be because I'd lost a lot of weight, but the baby has certainly continued very wriggly. There is apparently a correlation between HG and a very effective placenta. A good placenta = a very well oxygenated baby, so that might explain the extra movement maybe?

Hope your improvement continues.

Can't believe that baby is still inside plastic! You must be beyond ready to get on with it.

Barmee Oh no, you poor thing, it's too awful and dramatic. Will you be sleepng downstairs? OH had to carry me upstairs once when I managed to twist both ankles in a ludicrous accident, but I wasn't pregnant at the time. and a lack of sleep, and nauseating heartburn, you must feel life is picking on you. I expect you will curse if I say, 'This Too Shall Pass.' Hugs tentatively offered.
Plastic Hurry up, Baby Plastic!
Glossy I know just how you feel about twins, and no wonder with your cousin being the lucky one. Goodness, imagine somebody with a Hyperemesis tendency having triplets (shock). The hormone levels, the suffeirng. I'm glad you;ve got some energy and that manager is having twinges of conscience. So she should!
Kali You are a star for still being able to work at all. I'll never forget your awful experiences during those first few weeks, my goodness.
I hope Take2 and Tay are doing OK?
Mother hen goes off, clucking nervously, and leaving a supply of flying cyber hugs, pats and soft cushions... Apologies to anyone I haven't mentioned.

Lucinda
xx

Lucinda thank you, hugs gratefully accepted, and no cursing - a timely reminder of the HG mantra which I am now repeating to myself!

I won't be sleeping downstairs-the cat and I would definitely fall out then-unfortunately we don't have a downstairs toilet so I have no option but to get up them. Have discovered this evening I can crawl up on hands and knees. Have tried (and failed) to get hold of my midwife all day today and thinking I may ring the hospital this evening-baby seems to be having a very sleepy day today whereas I can usually set my watch by the movements. Maybe it's just over excited at me finally being on maternity leave - I know I am!

Plastic thinking of you. And everyone else come to that-hope you are all having a good day today xx

12 weeks now.. and I think a slight improvement in last few days - all confused by the awful labrinthitis thing I seem to have.

12 week scan tomorrow...

Enjoy maternity leave barmee! I've got another 3 and a half weeks to go.

kali it will come round quickly if its been anything like the last few weeks for me ( although that is looking back I suppose rather than at the time!)

Take hope the scan goes well today.

How is everyone this morning?

Very quick post, babyplastic arrived safe and sound yesterday evening. A beautiful baby girl, born at home after a short but intense labour. So relieved to not be pg anymore!
Oh and I wasn't sick all day yesterday, or in labour- go figure

Is it hyperemesis if you don't actually vomit?

I'm 8 weeks pregnant today and just have nausea all the time. I'm still eating and drinking (mostly toast and peppermint tea) but it seems to be getting steadily worse.

I just can't do anything and it's so frustrating! The house is becoming trashed and walking the few blocks to get DS from school is a huge ordeal. I told his teachers I was preg the other day because they were starting to look very concernedly at me!

It just feels like the few minutes right before you vomit (overwhelming nausea and mouth filling with spit, etc) all the time, but I never actually throw up.

I know this is probably not even CLOSE to what a lot of you have gone through , I'm just so frustrated.

Oh and congratulations on your lovely DD Plastic :)

Congratulations Plastic So pleased for you!

cheerfulyank it sounds like the start of HG, or maybe a milder version. There's no agreed definition of it, and as far as I'm concerned it doesn't matter if pregnancy sickness meets the diagnostic criteria for HG, if it impacts so badly on your health and wellbeing and ability to function, it should be taken seriously and it should be treated. When you say you're not vomiting, you're only 8 weeks, so there's nothing to say that you won't vomit at some point. My HG escalated quite rapidly at 8 weeks, (fortunately I had a great consultant who had prescribed the fabled ondsansetron so I was able to keep it under control). In any case, that nausea is torture. I think most women are agreed that they would prefer to vomit a few times a day but feel ok in between, rather than have the constant nausea, I know I would have. There are antiemetics you can try, although none of them really stop the nausea completely, some of them might help, and any relief is welcome - btw I'm assuming you've tried ginger, seabands, crackers yada yada all to no avail. You can ask your doctor for antiemetics, but be warned that a lot of doctors are completely hopeless, don't know how to treat and behave as if you're an unfit mother for even thinking of taking medication in pregnancy. Some are great though, it depends on your doctor. If your doctor is reluctant, I would tell him/her that you're vomiting even if you're not just to get the prescription. With some of them you have to be practically at death's door to get a simple first line drug. There are tips on getting treatment at sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos/treatments/obtaining-treatment-1. The first and second line drugs used in pregnancy are all considered to be so safe as to barely merit a discussion, there's more information about that on sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos/treatments/obtaining-treatment-1

If all else fails you can get avomine (promethazine), phenergan (promethazine), valoid (cyclizine) and buccastem (prochlorperazine) over the counter at a pharmacist, as long as you dont let on you're pregnant, or get a man to get it for you. They're used for travel sickness and migraine. For more information about medications and hg in general see sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos/documents, the documents are downloadable and show treatment algorithms and safety data for medications in pregnancy.

Good luck and commiserations. Let us know how you get on and feel free to ask anything. If you want any copies of documents that aren't on the website in full text versions, contact me through the your comments page.

plastic congrats on your gorgeous daughter, enjoy the pink castle complimentary buns and champagne.

Congrats plastic so pleased for you!
cheerful sorry to hear you are having a rough time of it. It may be the start of HG.
Hyper just means excessive and emesis means vomit so technically you haven't got it, but if I were you I would try and get that nausea under control before it develops into hyperemesis.
Mine started about 4 weeks I felt slight nausea, and went off food completely. I turned my nose up at everything. It was very gradual where after a couple of weeks of feeling nauseous I'd relieve it by purposely making myself sick and feel better. Then I didn't need to make myself sick I started being sick once or twice a day until boom I could no longer keep any food or water down at all. I even sucked slowly on a hard boiled sweet which made me vomit. Since then I am still vomiting several times a day, really struggle to eat much - I'm eating less than a child would be - and feel so weak still my family on bad days have to help me wash and dress. I am 12 weeks now.
So please try and control it early before it gets you as it's really not pleasant.
Let us know how you get on. Xxx

Plastic Congratulations on your baby girl, and a home birth, too. How wonderful that your sufferings are at last over and that daily puke can be a fond [I don't thnk] memory. I am so happy for you. Welcome to the Pink Castle at the end of the Hyperemesis board. Wonderful view from here, isn't there?

CheerfulYank Welcome, sorry you are suffering, I can only add my agreement to the excellent advice given by others. I didn't vomit until around nine weeks, and then it al spiralled out of control within a week, and I so agree with MOH and Glossy that it's best to get it tackled asap. That constant nausea is so awful. Do tell us how you get on at the GP's. I do hope you won't need them, but remember to get kesosticks, sorry MOH if you already mentioned them, but buy some kestosticks from a chemists just in case the vomting does start, you can get dehydrated so quickly and need to go to A and E for redydration. I did a test on myself with a migraine recently, I'm not pregnant but despite drinking water every time I vomited, within twelve hours I was showing 3+ ketones, and that requires urgent treatment for a pregnant woman. I know what you mean about peppermnt tea. I drank the fresh stuff picked from the garden and brewed a snail by accident .
Glossy It's awful that you are still puking several times a day. What meds did you say you are on? It must be so exhausing, and I remember you said you'd lost a huge amount of weight already.
Barmee Would the cat sleep on your head? Mine does, given half the chance. How awful to have to crawl upstairs, as one did years ago...I think it's a great idea to contact midwife, there might be something they can suggest. Has baby woken up again?
Take Good luck with scan. You are out of the first tri, anyway, and for sure that is the worst. Excuse my ignorance, but what is labinthitis?
Hope Everyone is OK.
Lucinda
xx

Hello all (and hey cheerful - nice to see a familiar face from the May 2013 thread!)

Am 10+6 and just been to see my GP after the escalation of near-constant nausea from six weeks turned into vomit-after-drinking-water-or-eating-anything-at-all hopelessness....

I've been prescribed promethazine - anyone have any experience of using this?

Also been told I have a raging urine infection too - it doesn't rain...

Thanks so much for this thread, btw!

Great news Plastic! So thrilled to hear that. Babies are so much better out than in!
Scan went fine thanks - still a happy baby in there, I felt so awful in the scan - was slumped on dh in waiting room and then the midwife offered me a bowl...
Labrinthitis is an inner ear infection (no pain), just imbalance thing - feel like I am constantly swaying on a boat, had it for 2 weeks now and makes the sickness worse. I had it for 6 weeks in previous pregnancy but hope it will go sooner as I am definitely in better health generally.
Had a good day today after an awful awful day yesterday, hoping I have turned a corner.
So sorry Cheerful to hear of your severe nausea - it is awful even if you are not sick, I would really try to go on some medication, like Cyclizine, may really help.
Such a struggle isn't it?
Poor you Beaver, not long til you are 12 weeks... keep going.
ps sorry to be dim but can't work out how to do bold type or those smiley faces etc?

Hello all sufferers! Yep, this too shall pass, honestly, although I can sympathise its really awful for a few of you atm. I can remember how terrible the nauseous feeling was, and the bloody smells even now.

I've had HG with both pregnancies. My second being the worst, I had it all the way through, with it only ending at the birth. I even considered terminating the second pregnancy as dealing with a toddler and HG was impossible, as I couldn't even bear to feed DD1, and had to have my neighbour do it.

Dd2 suffered no ill effects though, and was a whopper at birth. Both my placentas and umbilical cords have been described as 'excellent'??! They even had junior doctors and student midwives coming in for a look, god knows why. They also said that girl babies are more likely with HG.

The only thing that helped me ease HG and finally get out of hospital off the drip was full sugar coke and salt and vinegar crisps. Which was shoved on me by a very experienced obstetrician, and one of the midwifes.

Best of luck! X

Plastic - congratulations that's brilliant news!

Take3- glad to hear scan went well and hope you are still feeling better.

Beaver33 - I too have a urine infection that I didn't get rid of as my last lot of antibiotics was interrupted by violent sickness and couldn't keep them down. Hoping to get prescribed more tomorrow. Apparently uti's make you nauseous so am hoping to feel dramatically better (optimistic?) once it is sorted!

plastic so many congratulations - for your wonderful new baby and for having made it through a really rough pregnancy - massive pat on the back (present??) required I think!!

Lots of new folks on here....sorry to hear you are all feeling rubbish.

cheerful You sound a lot like I was in my first pregnancy. I started out feeling nauseous/vomiting in the morning at around 6 weeks and this escalated into full time nausea. I did vomit quite a bit during the day too eventually but from what I remember mostly between 10 and 14 weeks. I agree with others pre-emptive meds sound like a good idea and don't worry about definitions -anyone miserable with constant nausea deserves help and support. If you find mint tolerable could you try polos etc? In 1st prey I found them v useful esp. with helping to tolerate smells. Mint sweeties like aero etc I also found tolerable.

beaver I have used promethazine in both pregnancies. This time started out at 100mg but now (at 20 weeks) down to 25mg/50mg. I find they really help with the vomiting for me (down to once a day rather than 6/8) BUT not so effective with the nausea (ondansetron did help with that). They also make you very tired to begin with but I found that wears off. Another useful thing ...as Lucinda says if you can't get to the docs to refill a prescription you can buy them over the counter.

glossy I have felt exactly the same as you re. the twins and having a miserable prey. when others find it a breeze. Don't beat yourself up!!

Am becoming CONVINCED there is link between HG and big placentas/wriggly/large babies. I had 20 week scan today and baby wriggled so much sonographer said it was 'wild'. Had similar experience to junebug with first placenta - midwife brought it in a bag to show me in recovery and said 'aren't you glad you didn't have to push this out as well?'.

take3 washngo and everyone I hope surviving x

Tay wow, 20 weeks already! That's come round quickly, although it probably doesn't feel like it for you!.

How is Everyone else? Thinking of you all often.

I'm really struggling again-and not just because of the hyperemisis! Took me 3 days to get hold of the midwife (finally spoke to her yesterday) and she told me to see the GP today. I'm being referred back to consultant care and midwife has said she's not sure about letting me go over 40 weeks. My list of medication reads like a pharmacy stocktake now-cyclizine, ondansetron, calcium and vit d supplements as well as preventer and reliever inhalers anyway and then as of today adding in gaviscon and 2 paracetamol 4 times daily! I must rattle when I walk, lol! not to mention whooping cough and flu vaccinations booked for next week. Makes my head hurt! Still, 36 weeks today so not long now!

Hooray Plastic so pleased to hear that baby plastic is safely here and that you are feeling so much better.
Barmee nearly there! You have done so well, just think you'll soon be able to survive without all those meds-it will be like being normal again! How exciting!

Tay my HG was nothing compared to some but I'm having a big baby and am carrying lots of water, they obviously thrive while we are vomming and shrinking! Love to all. x

Hi all, thanks for all the good wishes, it seems strangely inappropriate to be on this thread now. I haven't slept more than two hours since Tuesday night, I have had stitches and I have sore nips from feeding- yet I can honestly say I feel the best I've felt in 9 months! Thankfully I seem to have lost the HG straight away, I can eat normally and my sense of smell has reverted to normal.

It was a shit journey to get here, but I've made it, I hope all of you get through it too. I will never do it again, that much is certain, but with my baby in my arms I can honestly say I don't regret having done it this time.

Good luck to you all still going through it, I will lurk I'm sure - barmee, Kali , goldie you are nearly there!

Lucinda keep up the good work, this thread has been of great support. And MOH too, thank you for all your hard work.

plastic thanks for sharing your support, I'm pleased for you that you feel better, gives us 13 weekers a little bit of hope!
lucinda I'm on cyclizine three times a day and ondansetron three times a day although I can sometimes get away with taking them just twice if I time it right. I've also been prescribed fortijuice supplement but really struggle with those.
The vomited is easing off, but I'm struggling to eat much so I'm feeling very weak. Unfortunately I have managed to catch a cold so have had to come home to my husband as my dad recently had a bone marrow transplant for leukaemia, he's still very much immunocompromised so I can't risk giving him my cold.
I have been looked after well by my mum and didn't want to come home, although my husband does try hard it's not like having your mum to look after you is it.
So with the cold aswell I feel like an elephant has stamped on my head.
tay when I had my 12 week scan the sonographer told me my placenta was very good. Whether that means large or what I don't know.
What I do know is while I'm suffering, vomiting, wasting away my naughty little baby is thriving and all snug in there!
I've felt so desperately ill I wanted a termination. But when I had that scan and saw baby moving because it didn't like being poked I could never go through with it.

Hi everyone, I've never posted on a page like this for anything before but from what I've read there's some lovely understanding and morale boosting being done here.

I'm 8+5 and have HG. It's my 2nd preg and 2nd bout of HG and bad as it was last time round, this time is worse. I've been taking cyclizine since 5+8 which do help. I'm still sick 1-3 times each day and pretty much nauseous all day but it's a big improvement on puking 20+ times each day. I'm lucky to have had very understanding doctors in both pregnancies who got me treated immediately, this time around with the GP testing my urine the minute I walked in her office and sending me straight to hospital for IV treatment.

Currently I'm stressing myself out about work. I'm due back on Monday and just don't know how I'll cope. I've had 1 week off sick and the last 2 were pre arranged holiday. I have to attend so many meetings, often with clients, and these can last a few hours. It seriously wouldn't be acceptable for me to graze on food, yet the main way I'm keeping my sickness down is by forcing myself to eat every hour; and even so I've lost another couple of pounds in the last week.

Does anyone have any tips? Advice? Stories where it all worked out fine? DH thinks I'm worrying for no good reason, but he works for a giant company that would let employees have 6 months off sick on full pay. Mine is more likely to try and get rid of me...at least in my mind, although clearly the HG makes me more negative than I usually would be! Last preg I was signed off week after week and eventually left work at 12 weeks but that's just not an option this time round.

Sorry for the looong essay, hope there are some nuggets of help out there you can share with me, thank you all x x

Weird Welcome, really sorry you are suffering. I hate to say it, but for most people, working during the first tri just isn't an option when you have hyperemesis - I am not sure about employment law these days, I used to know it better, but as a pregnancy rated condition, wouldn't your employer be guilty of sexual discrimination and open to challange over unfair dismissal if they sacked you out of hand? I'll post again with the link for MOH's website Pregnancy Sickness SOS, they might well have the answer to that query.
It's worth asking the GP for different meds if your still being sick several times a day, a lot of people on here find Ondansetron much better than cyclezine, but I do have to warn you, it does give people awful constipation and you have to get those glycertine suppositories for that. As this is your second bout, I'm sure you don't need me to advise you about getting in those kesosticks, etc etc. Take heart, as I am sure you know too - if you can survive the first dreadful bit, it gets much better for almost everyone.
Glossy Poor you with a cold, too, that makes it all much worse. Take heart, ou are due to come out of the worst stage shortly.
Plastic Thanks so much for kind words and I am so happy that you are feeling halfway like yourself again.
Barmee Oh dear, it's too bad. It's been a real marathon for y ou and Kali.
if you'll forgive the expression, running being impossible for you at the moment.
Goldie Lovely to hear from you. I hope all goes well.
Have to go to dentists now but before that I hope Everyone is coping and I'll post MOH website link for Weird
Lucinda
xx

Weirdhttps://sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos/. Our MOH is a mine of informaton, and will probably knows about Hyperemesis and unfair dismissal. Someone else on here is bound to know better than me as well. You'll find a lot of support on here for sure.
Before I go to that dentist, sympathies for all those with urinary infections, how foul, and it's such a vicious circle with those.
JuneBug Thanks so much for lovely message of support, I remember you well.
Lucinda

xx

Wouldn't you know it, did my usual trick iwth links lol, here we are again
sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos/.
lLucinda
xx