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 for sufferers, with information about medications, coping strategies, hospital admissions, useful links, advice for family members, and much more.

I would like to thank MOH MOP Ovaltine bluebirdsunshine (I think she's changed her nickname) Fluffy, Horsey Kalidasa, Nannyl 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]

Poll So agree with MOH about pushing for admission.
Hayley Oh no, brown urine must mean you are dehydrated, really sorry but I think you may have to go in too. Oh dear.
How are KW and others 'inside'? Honeymoon? Littleducks 'Zoning out' sounds good.
Humphrey Two or three times a day isn't ordinary MS, surely, especially with meds, and of course you belong on here.
Princess Those good days will increase, chances are very high.
Waves Ah, channel islands! How are you? I do hope you aren't venturing into work, mother hen is horrified that you or the workplace should even contemplate it. Even on the stretched NHS I've never heard that they have turned away anyone coming in with 3+ ketones, though weirdly, I am horrified to say that they have discharged people who have 3+ ketones after fluids, don't quite understand that. Are there other signs they check for while the IV's being done,I suppose there must be?
Apologies to Anyone rudely ignored.
Lucinda
xx

[HumphreyCobbler]

LucindaE you are so nice. I cannot say how much you and everyone else on this thread has helped me. Thank you.

[bodo2]

Hi all, first time poster on this thread. Apologies for the ramble. Pregnancy no3. Sick with the first 2, between about 6-20 weeks and put on medication, but this pregnancy has knocked me sideways.

Started being sick 3-4 times a day by about 6 weeks. By 8 weeks, it has escalated, saw GP who gave me Buccastem - tested me for ketones and said 'yes, very high but I'd expect that if you were being very sick'. Buccastem did nothing, by the next day, I was up to about 10-12 episodes. Saw midwife and she suggested I go to the Early Pregnancy Unit. Went the next day and was admitted for 2 days with HG - IV drip and cyclizine. I was so much better in hospital. Ended up taking a week off work (I'm a teacher).

Since coming home 2 weeks ago, I still feel dreadful. They told me to take Cyclizine on an 'if I need it basis'. I've been taking it after my first sick episode in the morning, but most days, within about an hour to two of taking it, I start several episodes of being sick. I'm not sure it's doing anything. I find if I take it when I'm already feeling nauseous, it does nothing to help, but them of course if I'm feeling a bit better, I don't take it. It makes me very drowsy so would rather not take it if I can avoid it. Is thing a 'wrong' strategy? Should I just put myself on it 3 times a day (my max dosage) or should I be looking to change medication? I've got no appetite so eating very little, (which possibly in itself is not helping) and the last few days, been struggling to keep fluids down again.

I'm going in tomorrow for my 12 week scan (at 10 weeks +6) and thought I should go and have a urine test done while I'm there as I've not been checked since I was discharged. I fear I'm going to be admitted again, which is probably the best place for me but just so difficult with my other two kids (age 4 and 2), especially during school holidays and with very few of my friends knowing that I'm pregnant.

Sorry for the ramble, just feel so awful... Any tips, advice or general commiseration welcome! x

[HumphreyCobbler]

hello bodo2. So sorry you are feeling dreadful. I am a teacher too, but thankfully for me not working at the moment. I do think teaching is an especially hard job to do with HG, not that anything with HG is easy.

I found cyclizine made me feel dreadful and swapped to promethezine (sp?) which worked better for me. There are other options for medication too. Have a look at the Pregnancy Sickness Support website if you haven't already.

Can you get some ketostixs and test your ketones yourself? If you are 3+ they should admit you.

[bodo2]

Thanks, I've had a quick browse on that site. People seem to speak highly of Ondansetron, but I had a quick read up on it today and not sure if it's approved for first trimester.... maybe someone else may know? Where can I get ketostixs from?

So relieved to be on school holidays myself... this last half term has been extremely challenging...

[HumphreyCobbler]

I got mine from Amazon but I think any large chemist should stock them.

I was pregnant whilst working last year (sadly had miscarriage at 12 weeks) and I was very very sick, although I didn't have HG. I count it as the most horrible time of my life tbh, the pressure of keeping up my job whilst feeling as if I had been slowly poisoned was indescribably grim. So I feel your pain

[Kw2013]

Hi everyone ... Sorry been sleeping lots. I have finally seen my consultant and we have a plan.. He's a bit worried that I am very small and my bump is measuring a lot behind so we are having a scan on Friday morning.. If baby is small or anything is a bit low etc then I am being induced on Friday. If baby is okay then I am having a membrane sweep on Friday, if that doesn't work he will try again a couple of days after and if that doesn't work he is going to induce me at 38 weeks.. So not long until I get to meet my little boy!

Hope everyone has managed to get some rest! bodo2 my doctor gave me mine so it might be worth asking.

[honeymoonmum]

Hi bodo2 welcome and snap! I have two DC aged 4 and 2 and just been in for IV fluids and cyclizine. Feeling totally dreadful now back at home. DH really struggling and shouting at kids (he is a teacher and on hols) and I just lie here feeling awful. Not being sick but really thought I would feel better after hospital and just feel exhausted and shaky. Seriously been thinking of ending this pregnancy. I feel evil for saying it. Slightly at wits end :(

[PrincessRichards]

Hi bodo2 - you sound exactly like me at the start. I'm still on Cyclizine but not sure it's doing much, I did try pushing for something else but they were reluctant but if I was you I would put your foot down as its not nice having to ride it out!

Re: Ketones disappearing and re-appearing, my doc told me on my last admission that you will get ketones if you don't eat enough, so they re-hydrated me but I still showed some because I wasn't able to eat. He wouldn't give me more fluids because they knew it was getting me to eat which was the problem. My advice would be if you feel you need to go in then do it, don't wait until your testing 3+ necessarily if you are showing signs of dehydration then get yourself seen. They could turn you away but at least you've tried, that's how I've handled it and usually did test 3+ in the morning by the time I got there, you might just need some meds and a top up to keep you going

[littleducks]

Honeymoonmum- I'm not really pro termination but there are times I have had the dark thoughts. Often coincides with ketones spiking to 4+ so i suppose its a normal vbody reaction. This wasn't exactly a planned pregnancy so it's tough going..... But I tend to just blame dh !

Kw- glad there is a plan in place and good luck with scan. I had similar concerns with my first measuring small etc but she was 6lb 11oz despite months of vomiting. For me the sickness disappeared the instant I delivered the placenta, the joy of post birth tea and toast that tasted normal was immense (was obv happy bout baby too ).

[bodo2]

Thanks for the tips HumphreyCobbler and Kw2013 re: Ketostix and PrincessRichards re: meds . I'm sorry for your loss HumphreyCobbler. Hope we start to feel better soon honeymoonmum. xxx

[Haylebop12]

Back in hosp for me. Keytones at 3+. Just awaiting my fluids And drugs :-) can't wait to feel better tomorrow as feeling very sorry for myself right now :-(

[PrincessRichards]

Roll on tomorrow for you Hayle hope the meds and fluids make you feel better soon.

[LucindaE]

Bodo Welcome, oh dear, sorry cyclezine so ineffectual, I think if you can summon the energy it's worth asking for something else - difficult to argue your corner when feeling like something unmentionable. There have never been any abnormalities that our resident expert, MOH has seen with Ondansetron, but it is more expensive still, I think, and for some reason counts as untested though it seems to be the drug routinely prescribed in the US. It's interesting, there have been a lot of teachers on this thread, and the feeling of obligation makes the pressure of being ill worse.
Hayley Poor you, hugs, I do hope you feel a lot better soon when those fluids start having an effect.
Honeymoon Oh dear, about ratty OH. I think everyone has such thoughts at times.
Humphrey Hugs, I'm so glad thread is helping. So you are a teacher too?
Littleducks Lol about blaming OH, why not?! .
Princess I remember Ghoulocks had the same thing, high ketones from starvation, I think they recommended these nutritional drinks, I can't remember their name, but Kalidasa had them recommended too for the same reason. A lot of them came up, but she found that some stayed down.
KW I'm glad they've got a plan you approve. I hope the sweep works.
Apologies to anyone overlooked.
Lucinda
xx

[wavesandsmiles]

Re the starvation issue - I am now being prescribed fortisip drinks. They are very syrupy and so I can only tolerate them very diluted, but it is a way of getting calories in, so worth considering. I can only manage one or two a day, but each one has 300 calories so it's a way of getting nutrition without solid food.

Sorry not to check back the thread - feeling battered today, and will be in hospital first thing in the morning for the meds and fluids as holding out til the afternoon isn't doing me so much good.

[MOH100]

bodo there are usually other meds they make you try before you get ondansetron, promethazine (avomine or phenergan), stemetil or buccastem, metoclopramide. It's always worth taking vitamin B6, I think there are recommended dosages on the PSS website. Ondansetron is a third line drug because there's less safety data about it, but a large study came out last month in the New England Journal of Medicine showing no risk of birth defects, in fact women on ondansetron had better fetal outcomes www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1211035 I took ondansetron from 8 weeks and I know plenty of other women who were on it in the first trimester. My opinion of your dosage advice is that it is completely shit. Taking antiemetics when you feel you need them is a useless and almost pointless exercise, especially in a condition where nausea is constant. Most of the antiemetics need time to build up and should be taken regularly. Cyclizine's well known to make you into a zombie but I understand the effect wears off. If you can't stand the side effects and it doesnt work very well then push for promethazine or ondansetron. I'm afraid the only other thing that works for HG is rest. I used to be a teacher so I know what schools are like about guilt tripping you into working till you drop dead, but taking time off is absolutely the best thing you can do for yourself. That's what supply teachers are for.

[Reebok]

Hello all just checking in. Thanks Lucinda for sorting the new thread. I'm sure I can say on behalf of everyone that we appreciate how much yourself, MOH and MOP do to support HG sufferers.

I'm still back on my meds as I stated during my last post. Helps to control the HG. Was hoping I would be off meds by now as I'm approaching 25 weeks but unfortunately not. At least now, HG is controlled and I'm feeling much better than I did a few months ago. It helps that it's the Easter holidays so don't have to worry about working for a while.

I'm so sorry to see so many people are still so unwell. Sending you all gentle cyber hugs. While in my case HG may not go away completely, you will get to the stage like me where you feel slightly more human so hang in there ladies.

[bodo2]

Thanks for all the very interesting feedback. I tried avomine in my last pregnancy. I took one pill at 6pm and the following morning, I felt so spaced out and drugged up, my mum had to come and drive me to work because I didn't feel safe driving!! Tried buccastem already but maybe I need to try promethazine with this pregnancy. I'll also investigate vitamin b6. Thank you. Or perhaps I'll just try the cyclizine 3 times a day instead of as and when. Going into hospital in the morning so will see what they say. Night night all. Wishing everybody a nausea free night xx

[Tallyra]

hi bodo,
I always found that I had to take the tablets before I started to feel sick, otherwise it wouldn't help one jot. take one when you wake up.

[honeymoonmum]

Morning all, phew still alive! Last night was the worst experience ever. Think it was stress and upset of coming home from hospital and still being unable to do anything for family. Since taking to bed and taking the cyclizine every 8 hrs feeling much better (like I want to eat but still can't face moving much) have been proactive and dotted out play dates for kids so DH can have a break. Feeling slightlyg more hopeful we can get through this. Thank you lucinda and everyone else you are all such a support and really hope they can sort you out today bodo. Keep us posted!

[fl0b0t]

Hi all, Like Reeebok I just wanted to check in on you all.

This thread was a lifesaver for me, I had no idea what was happening to me and no benchmark to measure against, so it reall has been very helpful,. I'm still loathe to say I'm out of the woods at 16 weeks, but like Reebok can cope with every day life whilst medicated.

All I can say is keetostix and being pushy, even when you don't feel well enough to be pushy, with GP/ medical staff. Pregnancy is a scary time for everyone and we just want our babies to be well (and if possible not feel terrible ourselves) xx

[bodo2]

Hi all. Scan was fine but ketones 4+. Waiting now for iv fluids and meds. Doc is lovely and more than happy to move me onto a new medication instead of cyclizine. Waiting to hear which one they think is best.

[honeymoonmum]

Great news bodo2 changing meds has really helped me and managing to eat tiny amounts and drink though still pretty much stuck in bed as feeling nauseous. Anyone else worry about agoraphobia developing? I just can't believe I feel so rough still when not actually puking anymore?

[Kw2013]

littleducks I'm looking forward to food being normal again.. I was wondering if I will like stuff I now hate again lol.

bodo there are lots of different meds to try, try keeping on top of them, I find once I already feel sick the tablets are just going to come straight back up :(

waves I tried some meal drinks when I was first in hospital but unfortunately they made me so sick :( .. I you can find one you like then it will help get some calories in (:

everyone hope you are all feeling at least a little bit okay and managing to rest.. I wish I had found this group a lot sooner. I've been really sick again BUT some hopefully good news is that I just had a bloody show and have really bad back pain so hopefully this baby is going to make an exit before the induction!

[honeymoonmum]

Brilliant news KW! Hope it all goes well and you feel much better soon! Can't imagine 9 months of this. Hoping I'm one of the lucky ones and it stops at some point.