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.

[LucindaE]

Pinapple Lovely to hear from you and I am really sorry that it hasn't gone, poor you. I do hope it goes yet, a lot of people would say being sick once or twice a week was awful even in the first tri. I'm glad you got a laugh about puking and peeing because we have to see the funny side, awful as it is! I;m glad the meds are helping at least.
Kali, Tay Plastic and Eveyone, How are you today?
Barmee I wrote a message for you and my handwriting is so abominable I can't read it...
Goldie So glad you passed test with no diabetes! I believe it's a horrible test where you have to drink glucouse quckly?
Lucinda
xx

[LucindaE]

Barmee That's right, how horrible that you have to go for that test, and I hope it isn't as foul as it sounds. I am really sorry that you and Kali are suffering from pain, it really is too bad as well as Hyperemesis, and I hope that something can be done about it, you need to be able to rest.
Lcuinda
xx

[kalidasa]

Well hospital was tiring but OK. Also embarrassing moment when I was trying to book a scan and was convinced I was about to throw up and the appointment-booking lady had to hurry me down the corridor to a loo and throw the cleaner out of it! Actually I just retched badly but it was a really close call.

I saw a nice Irish doctor I remembered from being in hospital, who also remembered me. He wasn't very helpful about my back as I'm waiting for a rheumatology appt anyway, so he said to ask them about it. But I had 2+ protein in my urine which he said might mean a UTI of some kind. This might explain why I've been feeling so rough the last few days. I don't think I really have SPD or whatever it's called as I can open my legs OK and the worst of the pain is actually quite high in my back. But if my body is fighting an infection of some kind maybe that's why. They've sent off a sample to analyse anyway.

I also had to have yet more blood taken because my thyroid levels were still funny last time. He said this was almost certainly linked to the hyperemesis and nothing to worry about but they need to check.

Finally, he has booked me in to go back in three weeks for all the results, and also for yet another scan, a growth one this time. He said he was pretty confident the baby is fine as the bump is just the right size, but that he likes to do a growth scan when the vomiting has gone on so long.

I got back from the hospital and slept for several hours so I think I just need to take things really gently for a while and wait to see what they say about a possible infection. Thanks for support everyone and sorry to hear about your SPD barmee.

[Littleplasticpeople]

kali sorry you have been feeling so rough, hopefully if you can gt the physical symptoms treated your mood will pick up a bit too.

pineapple don't try to wean yourself off the drugs if you aren't ready, anything so stop the vomming!

barmee very wise to finish work earlier, not sure I could have carried on for much longer and I actually stopped at 29 weeks as I'm a teacher and that's when we broke up for the summer hols.

I've had a bad day today, puked up breakfast as I dared to deviate from a boiled egg. Won't be attempting cereal again. And then puked up lunch too just for good measure. 33 weeks today, I guess I'm going o one of the unfortunates who throw up through the entire pregnancy.

[AmyInWonderland]

Tay, or anyone else who took/takes Phenargan - can I ask a question? What was your dosage? I'm on 25mg once a day and still puking - just wondering, in slight desperation whether it's possible to take more. I know - I should be asking my doctor this (and won't take any more till I have) - but just wondering if it's possible and only really thought of it today once the docs were closed - stupid. Hope everyone is doing ok today x

[WaitingFor12]

Hi everyone

Looking for a bit of advice, went to the dr again today and been diagnosed with HG. I've been suffering so much past few weeks, I am 9 weeks now. Doesn't help when DH and DM tell me to "just toughen up"!

I got prescribed 2 weeks worth of ondansetron. Have any of you taken this and did it help? The pharmacy didn't have it so have ordered it in for tomorrow. I hope it's going to work.

Hope everyone is managing through this awful time.

[Littleplasticpeople]

sorry you're in this boat Waiting. Yes I had Ondansetron from 8 weeks. It certainly helped, I was sick less and felt a bit better. But it didn't totally stop the vomiting, and I still felt awful I'm afraid. It also made me incredibly constipated. I'm sure others will come on and say similar, it's a helpful drug for most of us but by no means a cure.
If it's any consolation, you are almost certainly currently experiencing the worst bit of the pg in terms of HG, in a few weeks you will start to emerge from the horror that is the first trimester [hugs]

[washngo]

Hi all. Hope everyone is coping and not had a bad day. Missed yet another good friend's wedding today so felt pretty down about that. Really struggling to keep morale up. My mum took ds and dd to their cousins' house today and apparently ds suddenly started crying his eyes out and when my mum asked what's wrong he said "mummy's gone home to see daddy without me". Of course I had done no such thing but was at my mum and dads having a sleep! But poor wee thing, he's obviously really confused by all this :(

[LucindaE]

Waiting Welcome, eveyone's very nice here, you'll get lots of support from the women on here, sorry that you are suffering and that people are being dismissive, MOH has a wonderful website //www.pregnancysicknesssos which might help change their minds about it not being serious. Lots of people have found Ondansetron really helpful, the only thing that worked for them.
Kali Oh dear, how horrible about the retching, well done for holding on for so long, I wouldn't have been able to wait until getting to the loo. I do hope it's a UTI not SPD, both are awful but one's easier to get rid of.
Barmee How did the test go?
Amy Sorry meds not working and you have to wait until Monday - how is the puking today? Don't hesitate to demand different ones if the meds aren't working. How are the ketones( clucks anxiously).
Washngo Aah, poor you, missing more fun. Hugs. It will be worth it!
Pinapple and Plastic how are you? Goldie?
Apologies to anyone overlooked.
Lucinda
xx

[LucindaE]

Waiting Sorry that link didn't come out. Trust me, I'll try again.
sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos/home
Lucinda
xx

[goldie32]

Hi all. Hope today isn't too bad for you all. I'm having a tired, miserable weepy kind of day agin. Didn't sleep too well, some silly woman and her fella from down he street having a very loud arguement at 1.40 am, and once I wake up it takes hours for me to go back to sleep! Grrr! 30 weeks tomorrow and hoping not to go to 40 and definitely not 42! Think it would be easier to have a baby now instead of a bump, bak ache and a face like a smacked bum! All of which I 'd glady swap for a small person! Love to all. xx

[BarmeeMarmee]

Hi everyone. Goldie, Wash, Kali - hope you are all feeling a bit less down today. Thinking of you all.

Waiting I have been on Ondansetron since week 7 (I think - they are all blurring into one a bit!) and am now 28 weeks. Taking it along with cyclizine but it has definitely helped.

Everyone else how are you all today?

Lucinda the GTT test was far worse than I remembered (had one at 38 weeks last time) - I could barely swallow the liquid they make you drink - every mouthful made me retch - but I did it in the end. Glad I made DH come with me though - I was sooo lightheaded and not really with it by the time they did the second blood test that I wouldn't have wanted to be there on my own. We took DS swimming yesterday (the Olympics have convinced him he can swim bless him!) and the relief for my hips in the water and generally getting away from the heat was amazing. Bliss! Hope you haven't had any more migraines?

Hope you all have a good day!

[kalidasa]

Hi all. Barmee I think I've managed to dodge the GTT test, which I was dreading. I was meant to have it done weeks ago but when I called up and explained that I was vomiting whatever I ate/drank first thing every single day they said there was no point if I was just going to chuck up the Lucozade as then the test wouldn't work. So they said to call back when the vomiting stopped, which it finally has done, but I think I'm off the hook now because there's been no sugar in my pee at all since and the doctor on Friday didn't mention it at all. Fingers crossed!

I am still feeling really low and getting a bit worried about it now. I just feel so negative about everything, even the baby. I don't even enjoy him moving any more. I really hope I start to feel better again soon. You'd think I'd feel better not worse now I've stopped being sick every day, but instead I just feel filled with how much I loathe everything about being pregnant.

[MotherofPearl]

Hi all,
Sorry I've not been around much. We've been away on hols and I'm only just catching up on the thread. Just wanted to say to Kali, I'm so glad that you've stopped being sick every morning, but sorry to hear you're feeling so low. Are you still nauseous? I think it's pretty normal to feel unhappy about being pregnant when you've had HG, even if the physical symptoms have dwindled. I think that's one of the hardest things about the condition - we all go into pregnancy thinking it should be a happy, exciting, positive time, but HG totally robs you of that, and just leaves you drained, anxious and depressed. I guess the only encouraging thing I can say - and I know you're all probably sick to death of hearing it - is that it WILL end, and you WILL feel normal again. You have to keep that end in mind all the time, or you will feel truly miserable. Not sure if that helps others or not, but it did help me.

Plastic, so sorry to hear you're still being sick at 33 weeks. I was sick until the day before I gave birth, at just over 41 weeks, so I do commisserate.

Waiting, how are you feeling now?

Hope everyone else doing OK today. Goldie, Barmee, Wash, how are you all?

I'm going back to work in 2 weeks and can't believe my maternity leave is nearly at an end. I keep thinking, if only my hideous pregnancy had gone as fast as these last lovely 9 months with DS.

[goldie32]

Thanks Barmee. GTT wasn't too bad I found that the drink was ok really. No sugar in my pee they just seem to like to do these tests had 2 with DD and no diabetes! Kali hoping you are taking it easy, sorry that you still feel down. I am not enjoying preg as much as I thought I would, not vomming but just uncomfortable and no energy, DD doesn't understand. At least with HG I was in bed and out of the equation, now am up and about she just thinks I can carry on as normal! Bless her! Take care Kali. Barmee just keep swimming! MOP good to hear from you, good luck with your return to work. Love to all. xx

[kalidasa]

Yup still nauseous, sometimes very much, especially in the evenings. But it is getting better I think. I wonder whether there's actually been some kind of hormone shift because three things happened all at the same time about 10 days ago: my mood dropped right down, the vomiting stopped and my back/pelvis fell apart!

Anyway, it's really helpful to keep hearing that I will feel better, and also to hear you all being positive about your babies. I am so worried that I'm not going to like/love/bond with the baby, or that I'm going to really hate being on maternity leave after so long off work already. I'm hoping I'll start to feel a bit more positive about it all nearer the time.

I do usually find summers quite difficult mood-wise, so I am trying to remember that as well. Generally I am much more cheerful when term starts again and I have a proper routine (I'm a lecturer).

[WaitingFor12]

Hi. Thanks all for the thoughts. It was a long weekend especially in the heat, but I seem to be feeling a little better today. Haven't been sick yet and it's nearly 5 o clock. Don't want to raise my hopes yet though!
I don't know about you but this is making be depressed. I went to work today but apart from that have hardly been out the house for 2 weeks. Feel low and I'm not enjoying the pregnancy at all, and all the time worried that this isn't going to get better until I've given birth which is probably being melodramatic! Starting to wonder if I am ready for all this.... Can't explain it
Hi. Thanks all for the thoughts. It was a long weekend especially in the heat, but I seem to be feeling a little better today. Haven't been sick yet and it's nearly 5 o clock. Don't want to raise my hopes yet though!
I don't know about you but this is making be depressed. I went to work today but apart from that have hardly been out the house for 2 weeks. Feel low and I'm not enjoying the pregnancy at all, and all the time worried that this isn't going to get better until I've given birth which is probably being melodramatic! Starting to wonder if I am ready for all this.... Can't explain it

Lucinda - thanks for the site, makes for interesting reading

Hope everyone else is doing ok today

[WaitingFor12]

Managed to post twice no idea how that happened!

[LucindaE]

Waiting Almost certainly you will feel a lot better and more positive long before you give birth, almost everyone does. Everyone thinks' why did I do this?' in the fist tri, MOH did most of the work for that site, I just was one of the contributers, it's great, isn't it? She knows a lot about the chemical side of medications.
Kali I think it takes a while for the mood to lift because you have had an eotional hammering, but you will love the baby for sure, if it doesn't come at once after birth it will within weeks. So glad you avoided diabetes test. How are the pains?
Goldieand Barmee So glad neither of you has diabetes - Barmee poor you if you fond the Lucozade puke making - hugs. Glad you had a nice swim.
MOP Goodness, is your ML finished already? Hugs in advance for that first day away from LO. I hope you had a lovely holiday.
Hope Everyone is okay. Tay?
I wonder how MrsD and the first twins on the thread are doing?
Lucinda
xx

[Littleplasticpeople]

Kali, in my first pg I hated being pregnant- everything about it. The sickness of course was horrendous, but it went deeper than that. I can only describe it as feeling like the foetus was some sort of leech. It was using my body, taking everything I needed and making me feel terrible. I couldn't stand the feeling of it moving inside me, it almost repulsed me
But, when ds was born I didn't equate him to the pregnancy iyswim. He was a beautiful, much wanted baby- and thankfully I bonded with him just fine. Hopefully your mood will lift, but it's unlikely you're going to enjoy this pg at all in my experience. But I just wanted to reassure you that it doesn't mean that you won't enjoy the outcome of the pregnancy

[Magnumwhite]

sorry haven't been here for ages. life is busy with 2! Zoe is 19 weeks now and growing fast. Can't believe I felt so grim this time last year and it was just the start..
so glad I will never have to do pregnancy again and feel for you all suffering
just wondered if anyone had heard from Cosmo recently?

[Tay1981]

Hi everyone

Not checked in for a while was at a friend's wedding (sorry washngo don't mean to be insensitive) which i was very thankful to have made it to. Think I have overdone i though cos I just threw up my dinner for the first time in a while. Could be just the stress of being at MIL's house though!!

amy to answer your question I was on 100mg/day to start with. Have now managed to cut it down to 50/75 depending on the day.

Sorry I don't have time now to write individual replies - I missed a lot of posts in two days. Have just had a quick read through and just wanted to say to everyone feeling really low that I recognise everything you have written. You are not alone!!!

For those struggling to make family members understand I cam across a fantastic american woman who has written a book but also has a downloadble pamphlet on website for family members to help them understand - will try and remember her name (the book is at home) and post a link x

[MOH100]

magnum nice to hear from you, cosmo just had her baby very recently, a little girl. She had it pretty tough, nausea wise, all the way to birth but got her water birth and is mightily relieved not to be pregnant.

Waiting I had ondansetron too and I was one of the very lucky ones for whom it was like a miracle drug. It completely stopped the vomiting for me, and although I was still nauseous for a long time it suppressed it and eventually got to the stage that I was nausea free as long as I didn't overdo things - I had SPD anyway so didn't have much choice about that as it turned out. I agree with others who've said you're probably at the worst point, things do seem to get better gradually. Do you have enough support, it's really important especially for improving your mood, being stuck at home for any reason is depressing never mind all the physical stuff you have to endure.

kali and littleplastic it's really interesting hearing you talk about how you feel about the pregnancy, it's such a taboo subject that you just never hear anyone talk about it but I'd bet that it's not so uncommon. When you think about it, it's a flippin miracle that anyone could go through HG and not feel at least a bit negatively about being pregnant at times. I remember my sister saying that the best bit about childbirth was getting your body back to yourself and I didn't really understand the sentiment till I did it myself.

Amy on phenergan dosage, 25mg once a day sounds like such a uselessly low dose that it's barely worth having. The guidelines of the Canadian ObsGynae society recommend 12.5 to 25 mg every 4-6 hours. You can download these guidelines from sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos/documents the document is called SOCGguidelines. Phenergan itself is not mentioned, but it's generic chemical name is promethazine. I was also told by one of the GPs who runs the charity Pregnancy Sickness Support that phenergan is less effective than Avomine - it also contains promethazine but in a slightly different chemical formula and is just more effective apparently. I'm pretty sure you can get Avomine over the counter as a travel sickness remedy.

Tay I would love to see that link and pamphlet if you can post the link.

[Boop33]

Hi all ,

Only just discovered this . I just wanted to let you know that things should get better ..the only way I knew i was pregnant ( only been off pill a few weeks so bit of a shock ) was by the horrendous sickness I got straight away . It was horrendous and i didn't really leave the house for about 15 weeks except to go to work but eventually that had to give ! I had to tell work at 4 weeks ( as i am a teacher ) and was signed off work for a few weeks . Can i say if this is the case with you please do not feel guilty ...i wish i had relaxed more about having time off .............! On a positive note I am now 30 weeks pg and feel fabulous so there is hope for us all .

[washngo]

Hello,
I've finally made the decision to come home as was coping ok on the medication and felt desperate to get on with normal life. Unfortunately now i have sinusitus and in total agony, plus throwing up, and thinking might have made a mistake coming home. Can't win!

Boop - glad to hear there is hope! I'll cling on to that, although feeling fairly hopeless just now :(

Hope others are getting on ok, wishing you all a good and vomit free day!