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.

Haven't noticed that about the heartburn calamity, but am only 12+6 so it might be a joy I've yet to experience! I don't imagine heartburn is v pleasant combined with feeling sick - hope it goes soon. I did have heartburn in previous pregs but not til about 34 weeks.

I've had a pretty crappy weekend because dh has been away all day Sunday and last night on a stag do. I didn't and wouldn't want him to miss out on it but can't help feeling a little annoyance inside that he gets to have fun and I have to struggle on whilst feeling grim. I haven't stayed up later than 8.30 in about 10 weeks, and cant remember the last time something was fun, rather than a struggle. All feels terribly unfair but i must stop self pitying and look on bright side! :)

Sorry to butt-in, I'm just looking for some advice adn reassurance and hope you kind ladies might be able to help.

I'm 15+5 and still struggeling with morning sickness. I've read the very helpful piece at the start of the thread about HG and in all honesty, I really don't think my sickness is nearly bad enough to be HG, but it is now really getting me down. It stated at about 5 weeks and was especially bad around 7 - 10 weeks. It improve a little after that but the improvement stopped and if anythign it is getting slightly worse again. I am usually only sick once a day in the morning, ocassionaly twice. But I feel sick all morning until early afternoon usually and nothing seems to make any difference or relieve it. I am now usually getting a few hours feeling fairly OK in the afternoon, start feeling icky again around 4.30pm ish but perk up as long as I eat something fairly substantial and then get tea in by early evening. Then I feel sick again within about 20 - 30 minutes of eating tea and back to nothing making any difference.

Since I'm keeping most food down I'm not loosing weight now. I do find drinking much harder, it tends to make me feel worse but again I can keep it down if I stick to plain cold water. And ice lollies help a little.

So basically, I feel a bit of a whimp going to the GP when I know it's not HG, but I'm feeling very down now as it's getting so wearing feeling rubbish so much of the time. Do you think a GP or MW would consider prescribing anything when I'm not loosing weight and I doubt I'm dehydrated? Would you even have considered taking anti sickness drugs for morning sickness only at this level? And is there anything I might not have thought of to try that could help?

Sorry for the long waffle, thanks for reading.

Hi all,
Sorry I've not been on here for ages. Back at work now and about to face the new semester (I'm a lecturer), so it's all go. DS - now nearly 10 months - has settled very well at nursery, and it's hard to believe that this time last year I was about 7 months pregnant, still throwing up on a daily basis, and pretty miserable.
Just a quick post about cyclizine as I see some new joiners have commented on the side effects. I took it from week 7 to 41 and I have to say that the drowsiness does wear off, you just have to give it time. One of the top tips someone on this thread gave me was to take the exact same dose at the exact same time every day pretty religiously, and then give it a week or two. This did the trick for me, hope it helps you.
FloweryBoots, as MOH says further back in the thread, HG is on a spectrum and if the sickness and nausea are really preventing you from normal functioning then perhaps you should lobby for meds?
Kali, you've have had one wretched pregnancy! Can't believe you've been cursed with SPD and HG; it's simply not fair. Can imagine being pretty tempted to go for an early induction, but on the other hand, as you say, if you've got through 38 weeks, a couple more isn't too bad. The end is in sight now - soon you'll be in the 30s, weeks-wise, so 3/4 of the way there.
Cheery waves to lovely Lucinda, Ovaltine and MOH.

Hi everyone - welcome to the new people, sorry to hear so many people are suffering at the moment.

Well, I survived our holiday, just about! IT was lovely to be away and DS was angelic (most of the time!) which helped a lot. However sadly my vomiting has come back despite the ondansetron and cyclizine and if I lie flat I get the feeling of bile rising in my throat, so now having to sleep propped up which is doing nothing for the SPD! Joy. Feeling very very tired now and glad I'm heading for 33 weeks now - can't wait for the end to come now. Interestingly noone has even mentioned inducing me early. I do have an appointment with a consultant next week though so maybe it will come up then.

Kali I sympathise - I've had crutches since 20 weeks and I promise it does help. Just another thing to feel miserable about though isn't it?

Sorry to not be remembering everyone by name - there have been a LOT of posts while I was away!!

Hope everyone is having a bearable day.

Flowrey Welcome, I so agree with MOP if it's ruining your life, as it clearly is, then you should ask for meds. The sickness has persisted a long time, if you'r over 15 weeks - some people do get relief at around 16 weeks if they've missed out on the 12 and 14 week stages, so there's hope yet! Also, there does seem to be a continium of sickness and it's hard to say where ' bad normal' ends and Hyperemesis begins. Do you find sweet or salty foods, or ice lollies, or flat coke helpful? I swore by fresh mint tea myself, but many would disagree. There's Acupunture, which so helped me, but it's expensive.
WDobbs How are you? and MilkTray Tay Kali and Everyone ?
Calamity Sea air helping is very interesting. A lot of people here seem to suffer from dreadful heartburn when the sickness passes,or at the same time. It's too bad to have it at the same time! I found Gaviscon only took it away for maybe an hour, then it would return and I would swallow yet more Gaviscon. I was on a boring bland diet for the duration. I think there are some good drugs for it on prescription, but I can imagine people's reluctance to take yet more drugs even though they'll be safe or they wouldn't be prescribed these days.
MOP Waves and hugs. Thanks for coming on and encouraging people. about parting from baby, but exciting to go back to work. That's a good tip about Cyclizine. Were you the sufferer who used to make sure she took it before getting up to try and avoid the bile run?
Nemo It's infuriating that that dr was so dismissive of that evidence. It is hard to stand your ground when you are starting to feel very bad. On MOH's website they recommend taking an 'advocate' to help you fight your corner.
Barmee Being on crutches must be so depressing (would anyone dare to say, 'You're pregnant, not ill' to anyone on crutches?!) but if it helps, it's the main thing.
Wasngo How are things now? Everyone?
Lucinda
xx

Amazingly I had a good morning and actually managed to so some games with the children. I do find that distraction is a good thing - if I lie on the sofa all day I definitely feel more sick than if I try to do something. Having said that, I know my HG is not as bad as my previous pregnancies.... lying on the sofa would have been a dream then!
I also have spd - been trying to be ultra sensible this time round as I know I have made it worse in the past by not resting. This time I have a serola belt... not sure how good it will be with a bump but has certainly been a huge help and support. I got it from Amazon. Crutches must be so hard Barmee.

Thank you to all who replied - and for being nice about it and not writing it off as not being bad enough - I hadn't realised but I guess I was expecting the same sort of reaction I'd had from gps! Which I should've realised wasn't likely from you...
Still, I've got to 7 weeks now & still okish, so still crossing my fingers I'll not be as bad this time.

MotherofPearl how did you cope being a lecturer & being sick?! That's one of the things I'm worrying about, tbh - I'm not usually a lecturer but I'm giving a few lectures over the next few weeks (helpfully weeks 8-10, just wheni've previously been my most sick) & the combination of nausea, needing to eat but having nerves & so not being able to, and not being able to run to the loo easily if it all goes wrong is the stuff of nightmares!

FloweryBoots your sickness sounds exactly like mine including when it's best & worst. We might not be as bad as some of the poor ladies on here but it's very debilitating all the same. My friend said getting anti sickness tablets was the best decision she ever made & wished she'd got them earlier. We both waited till 15/16 weeks & I can honestly say I wished I had cyclizine earlier. I've been on it 2 nearly 3 weeks & have only been sick once! Still feel sick most evenings but had my first proper evening meal at home tonight in 4 months. I wasn't losing weight but I wasn't gaining it either. I was struggling to drink & now I'm drinking much more. More drinks & food seem bearable. I asked a doctor for something after describing these symptoms and (apart from asking if I'd tried ginger) she was happy to give me cyclizine. First couple of days I was drowsy but now I just get a fantastic night's sleep! I feel my brain speeding up to normal having been overwhelmingly preoccupied with feeling horrendous. I was so gutted with myself having to take medication during pregnancy but I was feeling like I could verge on depression with how little joy being pregnant was bringing me.

Positive infant mental health depends on positive mother's mental health so get yourself well & it'll be to your baby's benefit.

Was sick today for first time in a while. Have been reducing my meds down to twice a day instead of three times. Should I perservere or up the dosage again?

floweryboots totally agree with calamityJ, if you find some meds that work it'll transform the rest of your pregnancy. There's been a bit of discussion about what constitutes HG and what's just (ha!) bad 'morning' sickness, but it's so utterly bloody miserable feeling sick all the time, and the meds are so safe and in any case even if they weren't you're past 12 weeks now anyway so there's absolutely no reason whatsoever not to take them. To be honest, some women with HG don't actually vomit all that much, it's the lack of ability to eat and drink that causes them more problems. I would ask your GP for cyclizine and see how you get on with it. If it doesn't do anything there are others you can try - phenergan, metoclompramide, stemetil (buccastem). If your GP is rubbish and won't prescribe, you can get cyclizine (Valoid), buccastem or phenergan over the counter at a pharmacist. Send a non-pregnant person with a story about needing them for migraine or travel sickness to get them though, they won't sell them to you if you're pregnant. There's a good chance it'll ease off in the second trimester, but to be honest, you've probably had enough by now and the thought of another few weeks of it won't really help so I'd get the meds anyway. You'll know if it's gone and you can stop taking them.

washngo up the dosage!!!! don't screw with HG, that should be our motto. It's a sneaky B!!*d of an illness, lulls you into a false sense of security so you drop your meds then comes back and bites you on the bum. We've all been there. you can try and dose reduce again later if you feel better.

nemo how dismal of your GP. I have no respect for professionals who refuse to update their practice in the light of new information, or who sit and wait for recommendations from NICE instead of pulling their finger out and doing a bit of damn googling. And when a patient saves them the trouble and gives them an actual paper...words fail me.

Much the same here feeling still just horrendously awful there are no words to describe that nausea that literally paralyses you. Prayin for some let up soon, taking my own advice and startin acupuncture hopefully it will make a difference in a few wks. My husband goes to London on business next wkend, my mother & father in law have offered to mind our kids, but they live 2hrs away and they don't see them that often & aren't very 'scheduled' people ie they forget it's lunchtime I would worry desperately as they are so little, but they are great with them they live on a farm & I'm sure the kids would love it. I can't look after them myself, I can't even look after myself I feel awful questioning it but they are taking my 2 babies on a 2 hr drive and they aren't spring chickens.... Am I being ridiculous? Should I just be grateful? Our kids have never stayed away anywhere before.

wdobbs I know exactly how you feel and I'd be exactly the same about my 2 going on a drive and staying with grandparents. Much as I'd appreciate it I'd worry a bit too. Could you ask them to just come and stay with you and do the childcare at yours? Or if the children went maybe you could send a little timetable of their usual routine? Hope you find a solution that works for you.

hello alll.....hope you dont mind me jumping on board as i am not yet pregnant but we are planning to start trying for our second in december ! very exited but also mind numbingly terrified about being pregnant again as i had HG the first time

I have been trying really hard to do all the research i can to help altough i know it is what it is but would be really greatful of things that may have worked for others ...

When i was pregant with Ds1 i didnt know anything about HG i was just told i had bad morning sickness HOWEVER I- and those who saw me everyday KNOW other wise . the docs were crap and i got no help and didnt really find out about HG until after my son was born ! knowing what it is will make a massive difference but it doesnt ease the fear !

feeling all of your pain right now and massive sympathy and empathy to you all !!

Thanks for the replies. Really appreciate it. I think a trip to the GP is in order. I took a day off work yesterday as ended up in tears in the morning about being fed up of feeling sick so DH insisted I stay off. Spent the ENTIRE day flaked out of the sofa. Felt guilty as I idn't feel as bad as I had and was saying so to DH when he pointed out that was probably because I'd been able to just lie and rest all day! Think I'll give it to the end of the week as was about 16 weeks when it cleared up with DS1 (but was nothing like this bad) but then accept I need some help with it as it's just so wearing now after 11 weeks and counting.

Thanks again, feeling much better about going to GP and asking for medication after reading here, and more informed too!

whyismymindblank, I only got through it because I was on research leave for most of the pregnancy, so that got me out of teaching classes and meant I could fit work into the times when I felt a little better. I gave the odd lecture, one very wobbly almost-sick one, but managed to keep it at bay until afterwards. Ate my salty snacks all through the lecture though! Good luck! People are pretty understanding if you warn them.

Whyohwhyohwhy did I say I was 'okish'?! I've felt at the point of being sick pretty much constantly since about an hour after I posted that. Not been able to sleep, keep waking up when almost dozing off for another wave of 'will-I won't-I be sick'.
MOP research leave sounds nice :) and yes, I think salty snacks (and fizzy cola bottles) might be the best hope I have. Unfortunately, for various work reasons I was wanting to keep it quiet for a few more weeks, and i'm not sure how understanding some people would be... It's soon enough that I'll have to announce I'm having 'yet' another baby & undo the hard work I've put into my career in the last couple of years :(.
Anyway, sorry for having a whinge, totally aware of how much worse it could all be.

Hi all. Not sure if cyclizine gives you heartburn any more than just being pregnant! Another yucky symptom especially when you feel sick. Just a quick non HG question, I have now been prescribed metformin for my gestational diabetes, nurse had to inform me that it's not licensed for use in preg-just wanted to check with you, there aren't really many meds that are licensed for preg are there? She said lots of women take it and consultant is happy to prescribe it. Also I tried so many different meds when I had HG that I'm not too worried about it, but suddenly DH is concerned- I think when he could see how ill HG made me he understood the need for meds, but as diabetes is invisible he's not to sure. He's only concerned I know. Thanks for your help. Hope you have a sick free day. Love to all. x

Hello, Everyone. Was it Barmee who said the sea air was miraculous? It shouldbe on prescription. Hugs to Everyone suffering miserably either through the full blown puking, or nausea.
Pugs Welcome, I'm dismayed your GP was so unsympathetic, there still seems to be a lot of ignorance about. Have you had a look as MOHs website sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos/ may there be no misadventures with that link! It's a goldmine of information about pre emptive meds, etc.
Why How are you this morning? For sure, this is the last place people will be dismissive.
Wasngo So agree with MOH and you shouldn't try and come of those meds until it's really gone, too much risk of getting quite ill again.
Flowery Any luck with GP? Flowery and MOP I'm amazed anyone can manage to lecture with this awful thing - Kali did manage at a later stage, but it was puking 'only' once a day by then for her.
Wdobbs I so agree with Washngo about timetable. A great idea!
Goldie I'm sure it wouldn't be prescribed if they thought there was any risk - but I know how one has to worry. Really sorry about that heartburn - nothing shifted it for me for long.
Calamity Great about actually eating something...
Tay Milktraylady How are you?
Sorry to anyone I've rudely overlooked.
Lucinda
xx

whyismymindblank I am also a lecturer. At your stage I was stuck in hospital all the time so no question of teaching, but I did teach a summer school for a fortnight at about 22-24 weeks pregnant. At that stage I was still throwing up badly every morning (had to eat breakfast twice every single day, and get up extra early to allow for it) and struggling with very severe nausea a lot of the time, but it was a lot better than it had been. I coped by: a) going to bed between all the classes (marking etc in bed when necessary); b) not trying to do anything else at all (was a residential summer school, so all food etc provided and no traveling necessary); c) explaining the situation to the students and (discreetly) leaving a bowl in the room just in case so if the worst happened I could grab it and nip outside; d) eating and drinking throughout the sessions, especially the late morning one which I found most difficult (I found milkshake and a doughnut particularly effective for some reason); e) teaching sitting down behind the desk and only getting up occasionally e.g. to write something on the board.

In the end I often felt unwell but the adrenalin of the performance kept me going and I never actually threw up in front of them! I think it also helped that I was just beginning to show properly at that stage so it was easier for everyone to remember the situation.

Anyway, the hospital gave me crutches this morning and although they are awkward to use they do ease the pain in my pelvis a bit so I'm pleased to have them as an option. Determined to get through the next six weeks at work if I possibly can as I feel so much better psychologically when I make it to work. I love my job and found all the months stuck in bed incredibly depressing.

Still struggling with nausea, especially after eating - in fact my appetite has really dropped off recently - but I think it's partly lack of room now.

For all those struggling with heartburn, ask for ranitidine on prescription - very effective and totally safe in pregnancy, they gave it to me right at the beginning in case reflux was a factor in all the vomiting (I don't think it was at the start), but I find it very useful now and take it every day.

P.S. I look v. pregnant now and with term just beginning none of the students know what to say! A few of the girls are quite mature about it and say 'congratulations' but most of the boys are just transfixed, quite funny. Not so funny is that my head of department is the same - every time I see him he looks flustered and can't keep his eyes off my bump!

Thanks Lucinda, but I am miserable miserable miserable.
Stil voming every day, sometimes twice, no pattern to it.
Learning to know the stomach pulsing when it's really going to happen, and not just keep at a high level of nausea.

On week 10 this week, 4th week off work sick. And I am 5 months into a new job, new company. I have a feeling my career is over. Part of me is ok with that, part is annoyed.

And when I do get better enough to go back- my brains are full of cotton wool! A bit scared I won't be up to it. (American very full-on company)

Tried a half tablet of cyclzine today- again totally stoned. Horrible, nearly worse than feeling sick all day.

Feeling a bit woe is me

milktraylady I know what you mean about the stoned feeling! I don't get it on cyclizine but when I had labyrinthitis about 10 years ago I was prescribed Stemetil and it almost made me suicidal. It totally blanked out all my emotions and I just didn't care about anything. Spent 2 weeks trying to do my end of year exams before going to the doctor to ask for different tablets. Ended up with Betahistine and was so much better for it! So the moral of this is ask your GP for something else if what you've been given doesn't suit you. There's loads in the BNF (www.bnf.org) that they can offer you so just let them know cyclizine is not helping.

milktray Totally sympathise with the woe is me feeling. I spend all day struggling along trying not to be too grumpy with ds and dd then collapse into a self pitying heap for the hour of evening I manage before bed at 8:30. I think it's totally understandable for you to feel that way though, and hopefully as time goes on things will look up. Cyclizine made me feel like that too at first, even felt like I couldn't really speak properly! It doesn't any more though. However I agree with calamity don't suffer with it, try something else if not working.

Thanks for the advice, i will look tru the thread for the other drug names & ask doc for a different one at my appt on mon.

Milktraylady, I def agree, I am grateful to be one of those people that cyclizine has never had any effect on me but the last thing you need is to be feeling worse or having fear of the medicine that should help. Be assertive with your GP and ask to try something else goodluck.

Washngo : problem solved mil is coming to stay at my house & for an entire week which should take some pressure of hub who is
Now a full time house husband when he isn't at work.

My acupuncture went well really like the lady who has suffered HG when she had twins so she knows I'm going back on Saturday I'm not sure how
Much it helped as I've 4+ ketones but I haven't been as ill as the last time I was 4+ - 8mg zofran probably can take some credit. My lovely GP has me on home IV which is great as I can't face hospital again. Had some low points recently desperate to start turning corners at 11 weeks hopefully soon

Hope everyone is ok