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.

frustrated yes definitely a good idea to get some ketosticks to use at home. All chemists/supermarket pharmacies should have them because they're important for diabetics. If your ketones are raised, especially over 2 (i.e. 3 or 4, which is the maximum) you should go to A&E. As you say, ketones in your blood or wee is a sign of starvation (and indirectly of dehydration). They reach your wee later than your blood so there can be a bit of a 'lag' between when things get worse and when they start showing up in the pee test. Ketosis itself makes you feel very ill - and, ironically, makes you throw up - so once you have a medium or high level of them it is very hard to break the cycle yourself, you need a drip and some serious drugs. Personally I managed to get back from 2+ a couple of times on my own, but anything higher than that and I always ended up admitted to hospital for a bit to bring it down.

Hi all. Haven't had time to read all the recent posts sorry. Busy trying to prepare for going in for induction tomorrow. I am faffing like my Mum and husband can't cope for 5 mins without me! Sure they'll be just fine! So this will be my last post as it were. Thanks to you all for the support during my pregnancy. There have been days when I really couldn't have coped without you!
I will pop back when I can so Lucinda, please make me a space at the pink castle! Lots of love to all. xxxxx

Goldie will be thinking of you tomorrow. So pleased the end is well and truly in sight for you. Please do let us know when you've reached the pink castle. How exciting!

Goldie The best of all possible luck with that induction.
Welcome, Veremy and Sycamore.
Oh, no ,it seems that lots of people were suffering horribly last night. It is so dismal to be puking in the night, when everyone else is asleep. I do hope everyone is a bit better today.
Sycamore(Sorry have to ask, is that intentional, the name?) can get some
kesosticks asap.
Kali Oh no, bile run, who needs it at that stage in pregnancy, I am anxious about you, and I am clucking and saying again how you shouldn't be trying to struggle on at work.
Barmee Poor you, too. Remarkably annoying comment that, from the midwife. How are you managing the stairs, too?
Washngo Who asked that? if only!
Tay Great news.
Sorry to anyone I've rudely ignored.
Lucinda
xx

Hi Lucinda, the paracetamol is helping a little but still a hands and knees job by the end of the day more often than not unfortunately. Ah well!

Hi lucinda no it wasn't intentional, but it is strangely fitting.

Thanks for clucking Lucinda! I'm sure you're right that I shouldn't really be at work, but it cheers me up so much still. I would stop immediately if it felt like a burden and in any case I've only got just over a week to go - in theory Monday 12th November is the beginning of my leave, but in practice next Wednesday is my last teaching day (because then there's 'reading week', which is basically half term). This week I only have to go in twice - today and tomorrow.

Today is so far going better than yesterday. I have made it into work and I have not yet been sick. I do still think that I am probably going to end up back in hospital before the end of this pregnancy, that just seems to be the direction of travel, but for now I am counting every day that does not include A&E or a drip as a victory!

Does anyone know if there's a hormonal reason for the vomiting getting worse again at the end? Something really feels different for me - not just the sickness, but also the bump and the baby feel a bit different, perhaps the very beginnings of preparation for the end? Fingers crossed this might mean a nice prompt arrival.

Hope everyone else is OK and can't wait for an update from goldie!

Hello everyone. Kali glad you're having a better day today and have been able to get to work.

Well I've been to the consultant and cried all the way home. I think this might be the lowest I've felt. She just wasn't interested and didn't want to know. She told me I needed a thyroid function test as it was probably that rather than hyperemisis I have, prescribed me ranitidine and when she measured my bump she had the tape measure upside down and backwards (DH was at the end of the bad watching). She didn't want to know about the SPD and said while I could still walk it wasn't even a consideration. Even when I told her I can't walk by the end of the day she said they wouldn't consider doing anything early and told me to come back on my due date. I can't believe it-I was so sure we were going to get answers today or at least have some idea of when the end might be in sight. Kali I hope your consultant is better!

Quick question: anybody that has taken ondansetron suffered bad headaches.
I've been fine up until a couple of weeks ago, I've been getting bad headaches on the verge of migraines every day at around the same time. I'm now guessing its the ondansetron.

Oh barmee I'm sorry, what an idiot, and how disappointing, you must feel right at the end of your tether. Do you have a good midwife you can talk to about how low you are feeling? You are dealing with a lot and your emotional/psychological state ought to be a consideration as well. I just don't think anyone who hasn't been there has any idea how demoralising it is to feel sick/be sick/constantly worry about being sick day after day after day for months. And re: the SPD, I do resent my crutches and feel ugly and self-conscious on them (and a bit of walking joke as am so pregnant too) but at least when you are on crutches and can still barely shuffle along it is really obvious that there is a major problem. I found even in a rheumatology clinic, where they must see a lot worse, they were really kind about it.

What was her rationale for suggesting that you have an underlying thyroid issue? My thyroid results went funny for quite a while but I was told (and my father who's a retired endocrinologist confirmed) that this is often a secondary effect of hyperemesis and doesn't usually indicate underlying thyroid disease. Did your doctor give a reason for thinking differently? In my case I also pointed out that I didn't feel remotely hyperthyroid (rather the opposite!), and it doesn't sound like you do either.

Anyway I'm sorry you had such a grim appointment. I think it is easy for professionals in these circs to forget how much a patient can have pinned on their appointment, how much they may have been holding out for it desperately and that even if you have good reasons for turning them down you need to be gentle and offer clear explanations. Or even some sympathy and encouragement! There's a difference between a doctor who makes you feel dismissed and one who says "I know this is really hard but I think it is better for the baby if you can keep going for a bit longer" (or whatever). I try to remember when I see students for supervisions or tutorial meetings that what is just one routine appointment for me among many might be a really big deal for them and that even (or especially) the ones who seem bolshy or difficult can be in a state underneath.

Do you have any signs of anything happening? Any chance things might kick off naturally for you quite soon?

Kali So glad you've only got two days - I'm sure you don't look ugly on crutches, I'm sure you look lovely and tragic .
I'm speechless about Barmee's bad experience with the consultant - how insensitive and thanks goodness for Kali's father's expertise in this.
Hugs and gentle cyber pats, Barmee. It is too bad having Hyperemesis and spd together without being cheerfully 'Oh, it's all due to something else'. Let's hope the thryroid thing is as Kali suggests.
Veremy How are you today? I hope you've been able to leave the bathroom? Really sorry you are suffering so at nineteen weeks, let's hope it turns around at twenty.
Sycamore Any luck getting kesosticks? Without, I'm sure you know that if your urine becomes dark, that's a sure sign of dehydration, and I think sometimes there's a weird, fruity smell too .
We need MOH's expertise about the headaches and Ondansetron,and about whether the sickness recurring is hormonal. I wonder if there is a big surge of hormones at the end? I heard somewhere that you can have 100 times your normal level of female hormones by the end.
Hope everyone's coping today and everyone manages to have a non head-down-the-loo night tonight.
Lucinda
xx

Cluck, very quiet on here. I hope everyone didn't spend the night in the bathroom .
Lucinda
xx

lucinda no, not yet, but have had slightly better few days. Trying not to eat or drink too much in one go is helping. Wee isn't dark. But will try and remember to get some tomorrow, so I have some in for the weekend, as that seems to be when I get worse.

Hello hope everyone on here is ok and not suffering too much. Thank you all for your advice, I feel a bit of a fraud on here as I am hardly suffering at all since coming out of hospital! I really feel for those of you who have suffered so much for so long, you deserve easy births and lovely well behaved babies :)

Afm I have finally got appointment with dr tomorrow for repeat meds and am just hoping I will come out with a new prescription!

barmee you can make a complaint about your consultant for not listening to your concerns and be very assertive you want another consultant appointment with someone else as soon as possible.

I have my first consultant appointment on Thursday, hope he's good.

As for my ondansetron, I have stopped taking it for a couple of days and my migraines have disappeared however my nausea and vomiting has worsened again to the point of everything I eat I vomit.

I think I will have to put up with the daily afternoon migraines :-(

Hope everyone is having good days rather than bad xxx

Hello all

just to update dr gave me my repeat without too much hassle. It was a bit bizarre though I told him about hospital etc and asked for repeat cyclizine as still felt bad when I've not taken it. He asked if I got heartburn so I said yes. He said that might b making me sick so he'd prescribe gaviscon. I asked if I could still have cyclizine and then he asked if hospital had been able to tell me what was making me sick. He actually asked if I knew what was causing it!!

so I pointed to my 6 month bump and said I think it might be this!!

It was all a lot easier after that and at least I won't have to pay for my gaviscon! :)

hope everyone is ok it's very quiet on here x

Does anyone have any tips on how to stop it stinging when you've been sick through your nose? (there was me thinking I was getting better... Not been such a good day today :( ).

Glossy flower - I also have been suffering headaches thy came on 2 weeks ago at Week 14 - I don't usually suffer from headaches I've been taking 8mg zofran since week 8/9 - I go to bed with them and wake up with them, hoping if I can drop down to 4mg maybe they will clear if it's the zofran.

Still vomit free after steroids but not feeling well enough to be re intergrated back into society just yet - hoping if I make it another week or so I will broken the back of it and try ad get my life back ... Taking b6 in the morning but only 30mg wasn't sure of how high i could go in an effort to prevent relapse into vomiting everything . Anyone have an idea or positive stories of b6? Acupuncture probably hast helped as much as it did 2 previous pregnancies but it has been up against a much bigger beast!

Washngo- you are only 3 weeks ahead of me? I'm 16 and your kind of my point of referernce how are you feeling!!

Hope everyone is doing ok x

Wdobbsand *Glossy How awful about the migraines - I remember MOH saying you could take quite high doses of B6 safely and that it really seems to help with other drugs. I've heard B vitamins generally help with migraines too, sadly not for me. I've been looking on her website for info on B6 but can't seem to find the bit in question. I hope they aren't bad to the point of making you puke, that would make the Ondansetron pointless?
Apple The doctor hadn't heard of Hyperemesis, then? . I'm so glad that the meds are working well for you.
Why Oh, horrors, poor you, how dismal. I didn't find anything stopped the stinging that I can think of - rinsing out my nose with water didn't seem to help.
Sycamore I have got a scrawled message for you, can't read it! Anyway, I'm glad that urine so far isn't turning into that alarming builder's tea colour!
Hope Everyone's comparatively OK, and apologies to anyone I've rudely overlooked.
Lucinda
xx

just a quickie, madly busy, been on holiday and off for family wedding in Scotland tomorrow, just to say to wdobbs that I do know of women who've had good results with B6 and you can safely take up to 200mg of it according to the following paper, here's the relevent paragraph, the reference is EBRAHIMI, N., MALTEPE, C. & EINARSON, A. (2010) Optimal management of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. International Journal of Women's Health, 2.

Pyridoxine or vitamin B6 has been studied extensively for its antiemetic property. Two randomized controlled studies reported that vitamin B6 significantly reduced the severity of NVP symptoms in women with moderate or severe nausea and vomiting, when compared with placebo.32,33 Although no relationship has been found between B6 status and the incidence of morning sickness, using 10?40 mg/day appears to reduce the severity of NVP symptoms.32,33 Its effectiveness for reducing the severity of NVP has been used as a parameter in several studies to compare the effec- tiveness of ginger in reducing NVP symptoms with ginger appearing superior to B .30,34,35 The B dose can be adjusted according to maternal weight and severity of NVP, and maternal doses of up to 500 mg/day can be used without increasing maternal adverse effect or jeopardizing fetal safety.35 However, a dose of up to 200 mg/day, as suggested in the 2007 Motherisk NVP algorithm, is the current recom- mended high dose. Concerns about maternal toxicity have been reported with dosages much higher than 500 mg/day, and in the 2000?6000 mg/day range.35

you can download the full paper from sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos/documents

lucinda sorry, I don't know much about hormones and migraines beyond what you probably already know yourself from bitter experience. I have heard of others having ondansetron headaches. It's just another low blow from HG.

sorry for swiftness will read all posts properly when back from scotland

whyis I find i have to firmly blow my nose, and snort a bit to clear it. Past that I'm not sure what can help.

apple it sounds like your doctor forgot to read your notes before your appointment. Although not sure how a 6mth bump can be missed by a doctor. Perhaps he was checking that another cause wasn't found and he'd not been informed.

I feel the nausea is being kept at bay just at the moment, but feels like it is just under the surface, and if I cough too hard I will be sick. not helpful when I still haven't got rid of a lingering cough after my cold and I have a stubborn headache right in my forehead that won't do one. And I can't take anything for it. paracetamol is not an option

I'm liking the Halloween sicky smiley [henvy]

Thanks guys - tried plenty of rinsing +blowing, bit of a balance tho as it also made me feel sick again! Didn't realise being sick through your nose was so common, i've never found it an issue before, even when I was being sick a lot. But dh says he's always sick through his nose. It was the way even my eyes seemed to burn afterwards that was really unpleasant :(
One bright side I've found: dissolving my nasal passages yesterday seems to have calmed my over sensitive sense of smell today! :)

frustrated - nice of Mn to give us a smiley specially for the hg thread isn't it --> [henvy]

MOH Have a wonderful trip and thanks so much for that expert information. I remembered you'd written on B6 before.
Being sick through the nose, migraines as a side effect from meds, increased risk of spd if laid up too long - the illness seems to attack from all sides.
I wonder if Goldie's golden baby has arrived?
Barmee and Kali I hope OK? Kali Is that it with work for you now? How is the [henvy] in our sense of the smiley?
Oh, dear, nothing more from Veremy after that [hsad] night on the bathroom floor at twenty weeks post.
Lucinda
xx

Hmm. I've had a thought (dangerous)

Well hearing about vitamin b6 I remembered a few years ago I was prescribed it for depression. I took it for a while but can't remember if it worked. I've had several relapses of depression, been on several different medications, counsellors, CBT etc ... But I'm just wondering out aloud if vitamin b6 deficiency has anything to do with having hyperemesis.
I don't think I've ever had my b6 levels taken so I don't know if I am deficient, but just read up on deficiency symptoms and have most of those - depression, sore tongue (I have a weird embarrassing thing called geographic tongue) and used to have bad skin.

Does anybody else relate to the same? Maybe it's an unknown cause of HG.
I did hear women living in western countries are more likely to have HG than those in developing countries...could be under reporting or could be we eat lots of processed foods.

Looks like I was on the right track!

www.helpher.org/hyperemesis-gravidarum/theories-research/deficient-nutrients.php