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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I can't really be on the pill as they give me daily migraines. Oh the joy.

Never tried mini pill though, was OK with the coil

Just read that they think Charlotte Bronte died from HG when she was 4 months pregnant :( Thank god we now have IV etc

wow. sobering.

Interesting read - they think some women might be "sensitive" to estrogen levels, and have found evidence that some women's bodies produce antibodies to counteract the estrogen. Symptoms the women get include migraines and joint pain - both of which I have a lot of problems with.

MOG I know, it's awful! I think I read in a biography that with poor Charlotte Bronte the Hyperemesis set off the TB that was running in her family, rather than killing her directly, though she must have been very dehydrated...It does really hammer the immune system, that starvation, even now.
Lucinda
xx

I can't use oral contraceptives either. Get permanent breakthrough bleeding, which becomes unworkable after a while. And makes it impossible to enjoy the activity you went onto the pill for, if you see what I mean.

MoG, good find! I get cystitis, which is one of the symptoms .. wonder if lots of us have one or more of these symptoms?

when I got put on Ondansatron I almost wanted to advertise on internet - hey scientists! I'm a pg woman on this drug, study me, use the findings to help other HG sufferers
no studies have been done - why aren't they studying us!!

Be interesting to know wouldn't it? I know I reacted badly to both certain pills and to the mirena coil.

Another interesting one is that I have polycystic ovaries, but when tested for testoterone levels to see if it was PCOS, I was told my levels were normal. Despite having all the PCOS symptoms. Wonder if the testosterone levels were normal for others, but because of my bodies reaction to estrogen it was exaggerating their effects?

I'm told mine are a bit high, though not problematic.

Choc, I think the HER foundation gave a good sum of money to some reputable US uni for research.

aha, here we are: www.helpher.org/HER-Research/

they only want women from USA for their research. It's a shame no UK universities doing a similar thing.

choc Agreed, I'd be up for being used for research if it could lead to some real understanding of HG

Interesting read. The rejection of food and water during pregnancy has never made sense to me. Why, at a time when your body should be super into survival does it try and starve you to death? It's a conundrum.

Everyone Migraines, some hormonal imbalance and a cystitis tendency, here,too!
I so agree about the fact that this illness would have been taken more seriously were this a male condition. But go back a few decades and women were blamed for their own sickness and I think nurses were even told the women were to be told of for vomiting. Completely barbaric.
Lucinda
xx

Hi ladies,
I'm in awe at those of you still working and making sandwiches. I go into retching mode just looking at the outside of the fridge. No foilc acid for me I'm afraid. I just cannot keep them down after about 5wks. I think it's the smell. The little sainsbury's ones are better than pregnacare which actually manage to induce retching in me even when I'm not pregnant and happen to notice them in the chemist or supermarket. Think it was because I tried repeatedly to take them with my first and the smell and even thought of them just turns my stomach.

Interesting to think about causes. I'm sure there's something in the oestrogen thing as I'm another one that can't take the pill without being sick and having horrible headaches. But I also think its made worth by the slow down of the digestive system which I guess is why the maxalon helps though I found it to be horrible.

Well, I've seen my GP today and he was fantastic and told me his wife had HG when pg and he was very up on it. I was very relieved and he will try to support me as best he can. However, he told me straight that whilst he saw ondansetron as the way forward, they had been specifically told from above pct? That they were not allowed to prescribe it. He said in our area it will only be prescribed after second hospital admission when all other avenues have been explored because it costs about £11 a tablet!! He said he'd researched it a lot and that although it was strong than a lot of others he was convinced it was one of the safest they could give. He was also sure that using it as a pre-emptive strike in women on their 2nd+ pg from about 5wks would dramatically improve the chances of a major reduction in symptoms. But he said it simply won't happen until a) the cost ones down and b) awareness is increased.

So, all in all it was great that he was so on the ball but disappointing that he couldn't prescribe for me something that stands a good chance of allowing me to function. Oh well, guess I'll have to wait until I'm admitted which of course, must end up costing the nhs more than giving me a prescription now.

Hi all, I think it's a real shame no-one has found an answer and do think it hasn't been looked into thoroughly enough. I didn't get on with the pill but I was so young back then that I can't actually remember why!

It's taken me 3 hours to pack 4 customer orders, I haven't been sick but definitely feeling it today actually been wearing a surgeons mask while packing to stop smells! Shame about the steamed up glasses got another ten orders to go but they can wait until later when I hopefully feel a little better. Now to manage in the car to the post office...

really pleased to hear you have a good doctor. It is - well, I'd say essential to surviving HG. So many of us have utterly useless doctors, to the point of having to try to get the meds by other means, which is just wrong and dangerous.

Fear of Thalidomide has gone far too far when women are thinking of, and sometimes having, terminations instead.

MOG I'm really sorry you had such a bad night, just seen your post - is how much did you have to reduce the steriods, and is it worth contacting GP to say it's got bad again, poor you? Hugs.
PatioDwellerI'm glad you have such a sympathetic GP, a stroke of luck for you his wife had it, though not the wife! This is so weird because it does seem to contradict the new guidelines that MOH who set up the Pregnancy Sickness SOS site along with some others, recommend. I know when this thread started out they used not to give any meds at all usually, even if someone had had it before, until they were hospitalised, but this new thing about no Ondansetron until second admission is news to me, and seems to vary from area to area. I wonder if the Pregnancy Sickness Support doctors might have some more information on that? 024 7638 2020.
Really feel for everyone having to face sandwich making, fridges, etc.
Lucinda
xx

Only went from 30mg to 25mg, reluctant to go back up as my heart rate is back to normal on 25mg.

Urgh, I feel rotten today. Last night was hell. Lost count how many times I've been sick.
The only things I seem to be able to stomach eating are banana sandwiches and tarts. I've eaten lemon tart and Bakewell tart today!
Drinking water is hard and just bubbles back up. I'm sure I'm quite dehydrated but no ketones as I'm eating lots of sugar :-)
Trying to munch some ice xxx

hey sally
why don't you start the meds again??x
i took them throughout last pg with no issues.

Hi all,
Patiodweller - glad you have a GP on your side, even if he can't get the right meds. I hope things don't get to the hospital stage for you.

Peanut. - I am intrigued as to what you are packing!

I have not had a great day today. I overdid it yesterday . Also failed again on the Doppler and heard of two miscarriages! Not imbued with confidence at the mo!

Managed to cook haddock in cheese sauce for DS, pull up some potatoes and cook him potato farls for dinner. He is of course not being super co- operative on the food front. I want to tell him how much effort it was to get the fish out of the packet but he wouldn't understand! Poor DH has come home to a kitchen full of washing up to do and nothing for dinner!

Sorry to hear you are feeling bad Sally. I have the same thing with ketones...they don't show because I suck sweets all day to cope but sure I get dehydrated. Werthers Originals are life savers at the mo.

Flipping MIL!!! Drives me up the wall!! If I wanted an hour long conversation about how my morning sickness is "all in my head" I'd see a bloody doctor!! But not to worry because once me and OH move house I can go out shopping with her "all the time" apparently! She'll even pop by to see me "all the time" - I can't bloody wait!!!!

And on another note...

Totes - I sell fundraising buckets and handheld boxes

I haven't been in hospital since Tuesday but not felt up to looking at screens. I'm covered in bruises from needles and throwing up all the time, and to top it off I got cellulitis from a drip site, but that's gone now.
scan this week was fine. I have another on Tuesday but I'm feeling really negative, hoping there's no heartbeat.