Hyperemesis Support

[LucindaE]

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 and Everyone who has given such invaluable support and advice on this and on previous threads.

Remember when you are at your worst, 'This Too Shall Pass'. It really will.
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Hi meerka, I'm 6wks so just starting to go downhill in the last couple of days. Judging by my last 2 pregnancies I'll be sick as a dog by his time next wk.

Peanut, I feel for you, buses and HG really don't mix. In my first pg I wet the bed twice when DH wasn't available to help me to the loo. It's hideous not being in control of your own body. Hope you manage the journey. I'd sit as close to the front as possible and aisle side if I were you.

I'm ashamed to admit to anyone in RL but I have seriously considered a termination this time. I struggled to get the courage together to do it twice and this pregnancy was unplanned so I haven't been able to mentally prepare. I do know a woman who went through 5 HG pregnancies so I feel guilty at not coping.
Hope you're all finding some coping strategies. I take my hat off to those of you that have this horrid thing all the way through. The thought of the second 20wks being sickness free keeps me going.

Welcome Patiodweller. Don't feel ashamed at all about thoughts of termination. It has flashed through many a mind!

It's good that you have the 20 week marker as a focus. Last time mine went on until about then too, but ever hopeful, I am focusing on week 13/14 this time as an end. I don't have it as bad as many on here and already things are more bearable than they were a few weeks ago. I am 10 weeks and counting.

It's harder when you have child or two to look after.

patio You aren't alone, a few of us have felt the same, I know that when I saw my doctor today I confessed I'd been wishing for a miscarriage.

I'm a week ahead of you patio and yes, me too thoughts about a termination. We want this baby very badly too, there won't be any more chances. Even so, knowing what's coming wears you down. it was the full preg for me last time and without the hope of some meds, I could not go through it again.

We're here for ya.

Glad to hear you are starting to feel better, totes, that's lovely news.

Thank you, meerka. Glad to hear you are feeling a little better, Totes.

Thanks guys. Evenings seem to be the worst for me now but I can actually get up and about a bit in the day and generally feel more able to cope and not quite so heart achingly sick all day long.

PatioDweller Fantastic name! Do you sometimes sleep out there?! Welcome, I'm sorry you have this hanging over you, I don't know if I can add to the comments of others except to say that if you do have trouble getting meds Pregnancy Sickness Support on 024 7638 2020 is excellent. A sympathetic doctor will ring you back and advise. If you do get it again, I hope it lifts before twenty weeks. Don't feel too bad about dark thoughts, they are typical.
Peanut How have the liquids been going down? Aagh, about bus! Yes, I had PUblic Puking and Wetting sessions, not happy memories.

Feekerry After my own Pasta and Wardrobe Experience, I couldn't face it for years, but I'm glad it agrees with others. Avoid cooked cheese if feeling dodgy, though, everyone...
Meerka How are things now?
MOG I am horrified at the doctor saying that. Were you very young for her/him to think s/he would get away with saying that?
Misty Sorry you couldn't get off meds yet. It may well be possible soon. A lot of women try and get off them too early.
Slinky Sally Impressive bumps! I thought mine was big compared to the rest of me, but I was a non starter, I think. I remember I was able to go for long walks after I'd recovered, feeling no need of support, so I think my claim was unfounded!
Champagne I so agree about potato based foods...
Choc Jen I hope OK? Totes Very alarming the GP did not test your urine.

Sorry, did someone ask for advice on constipation some way back? I always recommend those jelly suppositories, but perhaps the novical that others know about is better? Do you have to get it on prescription?
Lucinda
xx

LucindaE I was 28, so not hugely young. I suspect the mental health problems were what made her think she could get away with it.

Oh got a letter today, remember the nurse in hospital who told me I should be grateful and who then confronted me for complaining? The hospital is investigating and the ward sister has given me her mobile number in case I'm admitted again and made to feel uncomfortable. How good is that?

great to hear - some good nurses / doctors are out there ! ( and the helpline doctor is just amazing).

Lucinda, not good, but could be worse. Keeping most food down, mostly, though it's a struggle. But the nausea is just unbearable. Does not let up, foul taste in mouth, so much saliva it's untrue and it makes the nausea worse. stopped thinking in terms of days, just trying to get through the hours now.

Sorry I'm rubbish at remembering who said what to list it so I'll just reply in general.

I haven't let myself think it too much but there have been moments I've thought how much better it'd be if I wasn't pregnant. It really has put me off having anymore.

Thankfully no bus in the end and I haven't been sick at all today in fact I had a couple hours when I felt good and told OH I wanted to stay out longer! Got to take the little wins

Bought some maternity clothes today, amazing how my bump shows itself so much more in them!

Hope you are all getting on ok, I'm off to try eat pizza while I'm not feeling too awful.

Rant: if men suffered from sickness in pregnancy we would have a cure by now. As it is, they don't even know what causes it. Why the hell not? Haven't they done any tests? I was just doing some research into why it can be worse at night...ie..is there a particular hormone that peaks in the evening that can affect individuals? Nothing at all on google. Just pages and pages of women saying its worse for them at night. Grrrrrrrrr.....

if men had periods sanpro would be free on the nhs

just sayin'

Hey all. I forgot to take my afternoon metaclopramide and thought I would just leave it rather than take it late and I am feeling rotten. I think if I stop the meds I will be back at square one. It is a weird feeling that I am only functioning because I am medicated. I mean, I have been on antidepressants for years so I should be used to it but this is a bit different.

With regards to all of you who have considered termination, I completely understand. It is not really an option for me as I live in Northern Ireland and would have had to travel to England to have it done, and there is no way I would have been well enough to travel. Plus, the families would have been so disappointed - this is going to be the most spoilt grandchild in Belfast, apparently. I would have had to lie and say it was a miscarriage but the whole thing would have been a non starter. There have, however, been a few times when OH and I have looked at each other and said, "What have we done?" and he has said if I get broody ever again, we'll know not to bother. My mum, however is already making comments about only children needing companionship.... but I very much doubt I could do another HG pregnancy, and I don't think OH could either. It has been hard on him to see me be so sick for so long.

But yeah, one dose missed and I am noticing a major increase in the nausea. I can only imagine how I would feel without the ondansetron. It is disappointing to think that it hasn't really gone away, it is just masked by the meds.

I also didn't take the lactulose last night so I need to get back onto that. I am finding it so hard to take all this medicine....

lactulose 2x daily (I take once)
ondansetron 2x daily
metaclopramide 3x daily
antidepressant 1x daily
thiamine 3x daily (I have been skipping this as they smell rank and turn me)
antihistamine for chronic allergies and sinusitis
prenatal vitamin - only manage this when I can get past the smell, which is not every day.

PLUS trying to limit caffeine to 2 cups of tea a day (hard in work), stay hydrated and eat healthily with HG? I do not think I am doing this pregnancy thing right. I know I am a little dehydrated now - not hospital worthy, just small amounts of dark wee and not very often. But I am eating, so no ketones to stress about.

Yeah, I am feeling a tad sorry for myself.

oh Jen, the weeks are tiptoeing past, every week you get slightly minimised symptoms

My ondansatron is 3x a day
lactulose 15ml twice a day (makes me feel utterly sick)
folic acid
Thiamine - hardly ever bother smell is awful

cant think of taking pregnacare, the iron would kill my bowels, couldn't swallow anyway.
Only one more week of folic acid though

11+0

oh Jen, I hope you feel better soon once the metaclopramide kicks in again! and /respect to you and anyone else who can manage to keep working. Hat off to you.

Just dashing on to say Jen I'm astounded you can keep working (and somehow remember the meds). As others say, time is passing, but it is bad enough when not having to work, and at teaching, too.
Sorry Everyone feels pretty bad. MOG I am so glad that that you complained about that nurse. To be honest, I suspect that a small minority have bullying tendencies and don't have the right characters and there should be vetting to weed such people out. I'm so glad you've got that phone number.
Lucinda
xx

I agree Totes how is there nothing to say what causes HG?? It makes no sense at all.

Well I'm doing much worse, spent much of last night retching and sobbing. I can't stand this. I am, without a doubt, getting sterilised once this is over. I am never going through this again, I'd rather die.

jenn how come you cant take ondansatron more and forget the metroclopramide?

in hosp they gave me ondanse with cyclizine, but the cyclizine was notably less effective so I didn't get it prescribed, or maybe because I still have a virtual whole box of it after it made me worse in week 8

I thought HG was due to our stomachs not coping with high levels of HCG? or was that an old theory?

ouch, Mog :( do hope it gets better.

Choc, I was told its the HCG from the placenta, but not how or why it makes us so damn sick :/ I get godawful excess saliva too which apparently is very common with this (no visitors thank you; I spend all day spitting into a cup or bucket) and there can be other symptoms too, can't there? I think? so I guess it can't only be the stomach?

I have the saliva thing too!!
babycentre theorises it's 1) due to feeling sick (duh, genius)
or 2) when you feel sick, you swallow less

after I'd had the fluids in hosp, my saliva was so bad whilst I was trying to sleep I literally stuffed hand towels in my mouth!! my mouth!! so gross. Flooding ridiculousness. and it tastes shite too.

made dd sandwiches for school today with tuna/sweetcorn spread stuff from fridge, it smelled ruddy gorgeous this morn, may have some on toast for luncheon...

urgh do you know what HG makes me hate too -
touching frozen stuff or raw potatoes

yuck.

My doctor reckons it's more like an allergic reaction to the hormones. Have any of you had problems with contraceptives that use hormones? I know I have to be damn careful with the pill as it has been known to make me vomit.