Cyclizine for sickness

[hopeful92]

Word of warning, this may be long and waffling.

So, a bit of background info. I'm 20 weeks tomorrow, first pregnancy. I was suffering with really bad "morning" (all day) sickness fom 6 weeks onwards, it didn't ease off at 12 weeks and I was still being violently sick at 18 weeks. I couldn't really eat anything, was living off the odd bit of food when I could force it down and ended up losing just under 2 stone. I was just getting on with it and going to work etc because I thought "it't only morning sickness, you don't need time off work". At this point I was managing sips of water and ice pops, however on the Friday before Christmas I couldn't even keep a sip of water down, so I rang my midwife and she told me to go to A&E. In A&E they did my observations and put me on a drip straight away for severe dehydration. I was kept in hospital for 3 days being treated for dehydration, hooked up to a drip (it took 10 bags of fluid til they were happy I was hydrated enough) and given lots of information about Hypremesis which is what they say I have.

Now whilst in hospital they gave me injections of Cyclizine which is a medication to stop you being sick, and this worked very well - I wasn't sick at all whilst in hospital. However, as soon as I came home I was being sick again so I went to the doctors and he prescribed me Cyclizine 50mg in tablet form to take up to 3 a day (I'm managing some days on 2, some days I need 3). I am quite happy taking these, because I would rather be taking medication whilst pregnant than being so sick that I am putting my baby at risk through dehydration. What my problem is, is other mums and pregnant women sticking their noses in saying I am selfish taking medication because any medication is harmful when pregnant?! This has made me question myself and I am now feeling very anxious, upset, worried and scared that I am making the wrong decision taking these tablets. Surely I am putting the baby more at risk not being able to eat or drink anything and throwing up constantly half way through my pregnancy? The baby needs food! Am I making the right decision to take my medication?

Hugs.
Of course you're doing the right thing.
I had 3 children on Cyclizine and they are all doing fine! It's been used for a long time in pregnancy.

TunipTheVegedude Thanks, that's reassuring as I haven't spoken to anyone else who takes/has taken Cyclizine. I just don't think the midwife would allow me to take anything that would put my baby at risk.

You will find LOADS of people here. You need the hyperemesis threads. Hang on a min, will find the current one.

[[http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1535253-Hyperemesis-Support here you are x]

try again

I had it in my second pregnancy after having had really bad 'morning' sickness in my first. Having a toddler to deal with second time round I couldn't deal with having to feed him etc whilst throwing up all the time so the GP put me on it. At first I used it 3 times daily and found I could gradually reduce the dose. The only side effect I had was feeling completely exhausted all the time!
DD is now 8.5 years old and shows no ill effects what so ever. Hope all goes well for you.

The other mums are mental and uninformed.

Cyclizine is proven safe and has been used safely in pregnancy for decades. Older people are often frightened of these medicines due to the thalidomide problems years ago.

Both my sons are "cyclizine babies" and show no ill effects. :) I took it all the way through my first pregnancy and until about 5 months in the second.

Thank you all so much, I feel much better about my decision now. I would rather take medication and have a healthy pregnancy than be dehydrated that badly again.

I'm on it too pregnancy would be much easier if other people keep their noses out I think. You're not being selfish at all!

I'm on it too, have been for a week and feeling so much better with it all now. I thought I was dying before and it was doing no good for my baby's health or my mental health.

It wouldn't be prescribed if it wasn't safe.

I started a thread in chat (link below) as I was considering a termination as couldn't cope and lots of people commented saying they'd had various drugs.

This will be dc2. People have an opinion on everything, you need to learn to filter out the shit (of which there is a lot!)

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/1645082-I-cant-do-this-anymore

Sorry to hear others are being judgemental. It does tend to be those who say "oh yes I felt a bit sicky a few times during my pregnancy" who look at you as if you are the devil taking medication. But I (now at 34 weeks) am still on cyclizine and have been since 16 weeks because of the all consuming nausea. I've seen 3 different doctors since starting on them and not one of them has batted an eye lid when I've asked for more. Just asked "are you still feeling sick?" and when I say I'm managing with 2 a day but can't cut it down to 1 a day they understand that I'm trying not to over medicate but just get through the pregnancy. Yes in an ideal world we'd not need medication during pregnancy but the fact of the matter is as you say our babies need food and drink and if we can't keep that down due to the sickness then we're harming the baby anyway! So go for the safer option of prescribed medication than the riskier malnourishment of the baby. I tell people all the time I'm on medication for nausea because the more people talk about it the less unusual it is and so I'm hoping the less judgemental people will be. It feels like it should be a secret you keep so people don't think you're a bad mother but as Donkey says those people who think that are uninformed.

Stupid people! I'm on stemitil for severe sickness and pregnant.

Hypermensis is far from fun, they simply don't understand!

Your baby will be as fine as any other baby. Don't listen to them it's rubbish.

Hopeful, pls don't feel guilty for taking it. I'm suffering from HG and on cyclizine too and so far, bubba is fine. It's the most widely used drug in pregnancy for HG. It is far worse for you to be dehydrated and that sick for both you and baby! Take the meds and ignore those silly women! Btw, I second the hyperemesis thread. Ive been on bed rest since nov and I could not have gotten through it without the support I received from all of the lovely woman on the thread. They have literally helped me fight the HG when all I wanted to do was give up! And they all know what it is like and that it is NOT morning sickness as many silly people seem to think!

Often they don't recommend any medication simply because there isn't enough information on the effects on pregnant women. However, from what I've read (some abstracts of certain research) most of the anti-histamines that are prescribed (which cyclizine is one of, I was on it till 14w) to treat pregnancy sickness have no proven side effects on the fetus.

You being severely dehydrated is more dangerous to you and your baby than being on cyclizine is! Gah don't you love people and their unsolicited and judgemental 'advice' when they're not the ones suffering!

I'm also on cyclizine and nearly 17 wks. I was reluctant to take anything but got to 10 weeks and just couldn't cope any more. Only prob I have is they seem to knock me out, which is good when I'm being sick but I'm not back at work yet so that will be interesting.
Don't worry what anyone else says, my SiL still regularly asks if I've tried ginger biscuits!!

Me too! I am 26 weeks and still taking cyclazine. I tried stopping before Xmas but started being very sick again. My baby needs to fatten up now so I must eat and keep food down, so I have to take the tablets. My baby is developing fine, cyclazine is the safest anti sickness drug to take in pregnancy and sickness in pregnancy is linked to positive outcome.. So don't worry.

Thanks :) got an appointment with the doc on fri to get some more as ive only got enough left to last me til Saturday. Ive been trying having just 2 a day but sometimes struggle to eat too much not to have 3

Don't hold back on taking them because you feel that you shouldn't be having medication while pregnant. Take enough to keep you not being sick or feeling nauseous so that you can eat and drink enough to keep you and your baby healthy. Remember, once you get through your pregnancy you will then need to give birth (equivalent to a marathon I think!) and then be looking after a newborn baby, feeding them and getting up in the night for years months on end.

The people who say stupid things like "oh should you be taking such things when pregnant " have no idea what it is actually like to not be able to keep down water for days on end. I tended to ask them if they had hyperemisis too, or if they were an obstetrician? If not perhaps they could stfu keep their opinions to themselves or I would vomit on their shoes

The medicine is safe and your baby will be fine. Ignore them!

My sister-in-law is one of the nosy-parkers people with an "opinion" on my medication taking. She has no vomiting what so ever and had a lovely little complication free home birth with her second (first was hospital birth and also complication free and she vomited like twice and tries to compare that to hypremesis!!! She's constantly belittling me making me sound like it's nothing major and I should "just be grateful to be pregnant not medicating myself to the eyeballs because of a bit of morning sickness" or "you'd think I was the first person to have.morning sickness the way I'm acting". Nightmare!

I also had hyperemesis and it really is awful! I had cyclizine too but it didn't really work for me. Whenever I was in hospital receiving medication through a vein it was ok but as soon as I got home and took the tablets I was back to square one. They eventually put me on stematil but that didn't work either. Ended up just waiting for it to pass - which it did eventually but still felt sick constantly. My little boy was fine and even though I lost a stone and a half he was a very healthy 8lb 5oz. Try not to worry, I'm sure your baby will be fine. Hang on in there, it does ease eventually even though it feels like its never ending!
Have to agree with the comment above too about people assuming its just like normal sickness - the amount of times I heard 'try a ginger biscuit or dry cracker' made me want to scream. If drugs didnt work I doubt a ginger biscuit, cracker or whatever will!

Tell the judgemental bitches to get bent. HG must be horrendous and I can't imagine what it's like.

I was very lucky, I had absolutely dreadful sickness which started at 5 weeks and by the time I got to 6+5, I remember throwing up 11 times by 10am and couldn't even keep down water. At which point I turned to the diclectin (similar to Ciclizine) my OBGYN had prescribed just in case I needed it (he said he'd put me on a drip if the diclectin didn't work).
It worked, I still felt sick and threw up a couple of times a day but it at least allowed me to keep down fluids and get some food into me and the sickness eased at around 12 weeks.

Funnily enough, nobody really judges anyone about taking drugs for morning sickness or HG here (in Caribbean, heavily US-influenced medically) because I guess they are freely available, however when I went back to the UK for a holiday when I was 12 weeks, I got lots of raised eyebrows, tuts, "remember thalidomide?" comments, and offers of ginger biscuits as if they are the magic cure for m/s. I actually told someone to shove their ginger biscuit up their arse with a raised eyebrow until they got the point.

It is your body and your choice, if anyone comments on you being selfish (I'm talking about your SIL) ask her straight out, loudly and in front of other people, what she actually gains from making snide comments about whether you take medication or not? Put her in her place and then watch her squirm and rally around her empty head for an answer. And then tell her that if she makes another comment about your pregnancy, you'll vomit on her. Then actually do it

Hi Op,

Iam currently on cyclazine, pregnant with twins and had very similar experience as you in terms of hospital admittance and getting the jab and not being sick in hospital (how ouchy was the jab?!)

Have been taking the tabs for 6 weeks now every day and as far as Im concerned if my consultant is happy then i trust what they say. Don't worry all will be well :)

Rowan very ouchy lol!! They put it in the top of my thigh, just under my bum n the bruise took ages to go! The tablets are really helping me to be able to eat bits, so I'm not gonna stop taking them for judgemental nosy parkers who it has nothing to do with. Its always people who had perfect trouble free pregnancies that feel the need to stick their noses in give an opinion!!

hello im 14 weeks pregnant and ive been on cyclizine from week 7! I had the exactly the same thing as you- in hospital on the drip etc.

I really wish people would shut the hell up, you are not being selfish! Did you know Emily Bronte died from morning sickness? Not only does extreme morning sickness harm you but of course, it harms your baby.

the cyclizine can take three days to really take affect and the best thing ive found is to have it 20mins before eating have something really simple like jacket potato and salad and slowly you will build yourself up.

You've done amazing so far in keeping this pregnancy- if you feel like you need any support im happy to PM chat.

you'll feel better soon but remember you do have cyclizine to give you that extra security- its completely safe its only an anti histamine a very safe group of drugs. People are too court up in the past and blame mums for trying to survive their pregnancy-this attitude must stop.