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.

Hi Lucinda. Yes, am pretty rough. I just couldn't hold anything down yesterday. My GP visit was a mixed bag. He asked the dreaded ginger biscuit question . I was like: I've done this before. I almost died last time. Would I be here, pregnant, asking for potentially untested drugs if I thought I could just have a ginger biscuit and pop back to work?

To be fair, once I laid it all out he was better. Prescribed ondandetron suppositories but I can't get them, apparently they are not being made. So cyclizine it is and bed rest for now. I asked about ondansetron. He said in theory he would prescribe it but he would want me to be at the stage of not holding fluid down/dehydrated. Just because its a bit more untested, and we talked about cleft palate risk. I agreed to try cyclizine in the first instance, with a view to ondansetron if I get any worse.

I hate being off. The guilt is awful. But I am having balance issues again and I feel like the floor is lurching beneath me, and I teach dance and drama so it's very difficult. I am just going to have to resign myself to it I suppose. :(

Sorry, mistake above. Gp prescribed domperidone suppositories not ondansetron.

I'm off to see the midwife today and I'm after some advice. So, I am rarely sick if I take the ondansetron but vomit everything up if I don't. Even though I'm not vomiting most of the time, I feel weak, dizzy, nauseas and exhausted. I really don't feel well. Is this normal while having HG that is well suppressed by ondansetron? Should I be asking the midwife (or GP) about it?

Certainly ask. You could well be vitamin deficient and dehydrated? I feel constantly dizzy, tired and like the world is lurching about. AFAIK the HG can do this to you. Anything which doesn't feel right, you should get checked - how many weeks are you now?

I'm 17 weeks tomorrow (or maybe a few days ago according to the second dating scan ). I think I'll have a bit of a whine and see what she says! I think I may have a little nap now as the DC aren't here. I'll update later.

Belle that's just dreadful your GP suggested the ginger biscuit 'trick'. I actually feel my entire body tense when someone mentions it. I've heard it so often it just sounds such as stupid thing to say. As you say, considering we're pregnant and suffering if we thought a sodding biscuit would help, would we not have tried this some time ago!?

I totally relate to your guilt about being off - but especially because you teach such active subjects, it's so important to only go to work when you feel good and ready or you'll push yourself too hard and get worse :( Easy for me to say, I know.

Lucinde yep, been warned about the constipation issues. I'm getting by at the moment with just one tablet every few days. It means I have one, sometimes two good day out of 3 but rather that than enemas :/

BTW, I can't bear coke, I never liked it as a kid and the idea of it makes me retch :)

Room I'm exactly the same when I'm not taking Odan - dizzy etc. I'm sure that's all part of HG. Whenever I have a bath OH has to be on hand because I pass out afterwards. And it's not because the water is hot, just because I've been so ill. Room let us know how you get on with your MW - hope she's supportive :)

ASFM, had my 12 1/2 week scan yesterday. Little one is fine and was showing off her little cycling skills. Nice to see she has such a plump tummy when her mummy has lost weight and is hardly eating. ;) Na, I'm glad some of the nutrients are getting through to her, my darling little parasite ;)

I was told off because I stupidly mentioned that I use a home fetal doppler. I really don't see the issue - I find the heartbeat and it reassures me. Quite frankly, I've had such a miserable pregnancy that it's the only thing that's reminded me that there is a little person in there and has kept me going. Otherwise I just feel ill all the time and don't see why the hell I'm going through it. Hearing her little heart makes it all worth while.

x

BTW I didn't know about Odanestron and the cleft palette risk. I know that no drugs are safe in pregnancy but... I feel awful. I'm disabled and my baby is already at risk of having my limb deformities and genetic condition. Am I selfish for possibly giving her something else as well?

No no no. I didn't explain that very well. It's a very unproven idea, just one study, and in no way backed up or verified. Even that study said the risk was tiny. I'm sorry I didn't mean to panic you. I just wanted to illustrate to my gp that I was informed and did not want an effing biscuit :) Please don't panic, I don't want to have upset you

Awwww Belle pls don't apologise, and you didn't upset me. I'm just a natural worrier so I went into research-overdrive, but did see it was just one study. Phew! But yes, no effing biscuits please, for the love of god!

Hi Guys can I wade in and ask a question?

I'm just 6+2 but have been quite sick for a couple of weeks. I have been nauseous 24/7 or almost two weeks and actually being sick a couple of times a day for the last few days. I went to see my doctor today and she was very kind and understanding and she said she's happy to sign me off work for a further week if I still feel ill, however trying to avoid drugs if not necessary. I have lost 2kg in the last couple of days and finding it very hard to do anything (cooking, eating, leaving the house, shopping, cleaning, work, reading.....anything!)

I assume this isn't as serious as HG but there's few women on the other threads I've been on so I'm not sure they understand how I feel!

Can I stay to chat and moan? :-)

Flo Welcome and feel free to moan. You're symptoms do seem to have started early, and you seem to have lost a lot of weight quickly. I hope you avoid hyperemesis, but watch out for things getting worse. Are you managing to retain fluids? It might be a good idea to get in kesosticks, just in case things get worse, with the danger of dehydration. Do ice lollies, flat coke and nibbles of crisps help you at all?
Holdon Don't worry, be happy! As Belle says, they are always doing studies that suggest this or that connection, but any number of women have had no choice but to be on a cocktail of drugs including the maximum doses of Ondansetron on this thread and all over without reported abnormalities. The dangers of chronic dehydration massively outweigh any risks from taking a whole combination of drugs. That scan sounds sweet. Why were you told off about the doppler?
Belle Dance and drama, aagh! That does not go with Hyperemesis. I can't believe that GP saying that. You would think it might possibly occur to them that women do try all those home remedies as a matter of course, and find that nothing works at all...
Room Poor you, it is dismal. I think there is lingering weakness from the illness for a long time, too.
Reebok Hopeful How are things at work? Littlemiss Ihope (comparatively) OK?
Lucinda
xx

Thanks Lucinda I also hope I can avoid! I seem to be able to keep fluids down and we have some kesosticks from my cat (long story) so I tested today and I'm ok. Nothing really seems to help, except currently I've got travel sick bands on and they've alleviated a little bit......

Sorry you're all feeling rubbish guys.

Am exhausted and can't believe I've made it through 3 days. The vomiting seems to be calming down. Luckily having a 20 min nap in the medical room while at work. Helps a bit as feel more sick when I'm tired. Union should be able to get me reduced hours Lucinda! Fingers crossed. So tired so going to sleep now guys...2 more days to get through! X

hi everyone! sorry been quite for a few days, back at work on Mon and Wed this week and DS was really sick on Monday night/Tuesday with a bug. I was up with him during the night on Mon and Tues and being up at all hours threw my nausea meds schedule off a bit so I was pretty sick again on Tues and also yesterday morning.

Feeling a wee bit better today, tho MIL has DS this morning and i'm very relieved to get an extra couple of hours in bed, feeling tired and queasy. 12+6 now and I do seem to remember starting to emerge from worst of sickness around 14 weeks with DS, tho it continued to lurk for rest of pg, but I really hope that happens again this time round. It would be so nice to eat a proper meal again!!!

holdon - use away at fetal doppler, i did in my last pg up until i was able to feel DS moving and kicking and it didn't do me, my mental state or baby any harm at all

belle - ginger bloody biscuits!!! Acupuncturist told me ginger is actually worse for a lot of people with HG cos ginger is warming and HG often causes your whole digestive system to feel too warm and acidic, so putting warm stuff like ginger or curry powder or chilli in is a very bad idea. Thanks GP...but no thanks!!

room - Unfortunately I did feel pretty lousy energy wise the whole way through my pg with DS, even when taking the drugs. Drugs did help with nausea but i often felt tired, a bit dizzy and pretty listless. It can be really frustrating when you have friends who are literally glowing and full of energy and you are struggling to make it up a set of stairs or to wash your hair, get dressed and leave the house. But some weeks are better than others. Hope mw is able to help you out or at least reassure you

Hey flobot and welcome. In the nicest way, I hope you don't have to stay in this group long (i.e that you don't develop HG), although it sounds like you're already having a tough time of it.

LittleMissSnowShine TY for doppler reassurance. I will definitely continue to use it. We're up to the same pregnancy stage :) Are you due around the 9th Aug? I hope you HG follows same pattern as first and you feel better soon.

Reebok you are effing AMAZING for being at work. Woah. Hope your hours get reduced soon, bless ya.

Lucinde TY :) They just weren't impressed I was using one, said it would give me a false sense of security if I mistook what I thought was the HB for something else and then wouldn't know if something was wrong. Stupid. Because if I didn't have the doppler I wouldn't know something was wrong anyway.

Room Hope all is OK with you, hun

holdon - yes 9th August woo hoo! Seems half a life time away in January when it's still so cold and wintery but by the time spring rolls round i'm sure we'll be feeling very excited!!

Cheers holdon I bloody hope so too. Very hard as just 6 weeks and we're desperate not to tell anyone. And I'm bored!!! :)

Sorry to pester, just me again. Been reading the MOH website recommended at the start of this thread and it said that 67% of HG sufferers have HG their entire pregnancies. This has truly depressed me. I know it lasts longer than MS, but everywhere I've read said that it is usually gone by week 22, apart for 10% women? So which is correct? Not that figures can predict our individual situation, but it's just made me feel pretty .

I don't think I can cope with this for much longer and I'm the one who hasn't got it half as bad as others on here who are really suffering.

flobot I SO relate to that. It's horrible not being able to tell people. Hang in there - if you can't work atm, waste the days away by watching rubbish TV which will hopefully make it go quicker before 12 weeks mark arrives. Heh. I'm so desperately bored/miserable, I think I'm going to start watch Jeremy Kyle. Shoot me now.

Snowshine God I HOPE so. I LOVE spring and I just peeked out of the bedroom curtains just now and nearly cried. It's such a lovely day and I can't enjoy it. I don't want to miss the beautiful spring flowers. Want to feel better. Baby Plum, you are making your mummy very sick and as a punishment, you're going to get double the kisses when you're born .

I'm enjoying "The Real Housewives of...." such utter shite but quite entertaining! 12 weeks seems so far away still..... I'm nervous about the concept of twins (my ms started at 4+4.....) so almost tempted to shell out for an early scan to pass the time.... but that doesn't make 12 weeks come any closer.....

Hi all, sorry I disappeared for a while (after all of your kind words I feel guilty for not responding), I have spent the last 5 nights hooked up to a drip in hospital and I have just been discharged, feel quite down in the dumps about it all to be honest but pleased to have not vomited for the last 12 hours.

I really missed my 11 month old DD whilst I was in hospital, but I couldn't look after her whilst I was at home and as much as I hate to admit this I couldn't stand her smell, I actually feel tearful thinking of it now (she doesn't smell bad!) but I couldn't even hug her without it triggering my gag reflex. Has anyone else experienced this? Does it get better? The only upside is that my husband is very hands on and we have a wonderful nanny who has stepped up and worked extra hours whilst I have been ill.

On a brighter note they scanned me yesterday, I was dated as 8+1 and the baby seemed to have a good strong heart beat.

Another bit of advice I need is work related, I went back to work 3 weeks ago after my first maternity leave, only 3 days per week but I have a reasonably stressful job with a lot of responsibility (senior management), I don't know what to do about working/being signed off work for longer. I haven't told my employer what the issue is (they know I have been in hospital this week but don't know I am pregnant). I know if I return to work next week the exhaustion will make things worse, also I need to drive to client meetings and I don't think I should given how drowsey my medication is making me. But, if I don't go back I will have to tell them I am 'with child'! What approach have others taken with this.

Sorry for such a self centred post, I will try to read through and catch up on everyone else's progress.

Gatorade do you have to tell your work? I'm just 6+4 and have been off this week (and signed off next week if I'm not better)- if your gp signs you off, will it just say "sick"? Sorry to hear you've been so unwell!

gator - really sympathise, feel so guilty about not being able to spend as much time or do as much fun stuff with ds at the min but in the end a couple of months with a sick mum versus years and years of a brother or sister to play with and share stuff with...i think its worth it. Good luck with work, i did tell my manager just before xmas even tho it was v early on cos i knew sickness wd be coming and having her know has made work a lot easier to deal with - if im really sick or tired i can come in late, leave early etc. Hopefully your colleagues will be understanding

holdon - i know, i really wanted a walk today but not up for it today :( that stat on MOH's website scarede too even tho i know by 14 weeks with ds i started to improve. Yes it's true tho that hg never truly goes away in the sense that certain smells still make you gag and you will prob always be a bit low on energy and inclined to be really sick again if you push yourself too hard but in a day to day kind f way i found that if i took things fairly easy i felt almost normal some days after 14 weeks, took a trip with DH, painted nursery, went to.my sister's 21st, finished most of my phd etc even tho i was flat on mt back with sickness for nearly 8 weeks. Hang on to the hope that by time snow drops are up both of us will be emerging from our hg cocoon!!

I guess i don't have to tell work fl0b0t but they will be wondering what is up with me (and will probably guess) as other than pregnancy related and appendix removal I haven't had a single sick day in the 10+ years I've worked at the firm! I wouldn't have worried so much but having had a second trimester loss before I am very nervous about telling people.

Thanks for the kind words littlemiss, I like the way you have put that, you are so right that a sibling will be worth it for DD, at least she is young enough to forget about this period.