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.

MOH's wonderful website is full of useful information on this illness:
sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos/
Another invaluable website is:
www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk/
If you need help in obtaining medication, this phone number is
brilliant:
024 7638 2020

I would like to thank 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.
So many women on this thread have thought they couldn't get through this, but they did.

bless the dh's** and dp's and other halves ; it must be hard seeing us ill

**except when dh mutters it was all ''your idea'' when I moan

thanks for neighbour perspective; was worried I was possibly being mean/unsociable...but she seriously worries me!
sorry you're having it tough Living hope the gynae goes well today

And I agree with what meerka says wholeheartedly. Dh and I were always very close but this has just made things stronger. It tests your relationship this kind of thing and there really is an end to tmi - nothing can be hidden

oopps gyne tomorrow

chaffinch X post and dh says this one and no more!

dh played quite a big part in dd's birth - it changed him
he feels sorry for the dads in 1 born every minute hahaha

MIL , his mum, obvs, is a retired MW so it's not like he was going into it blind

Mrsb87 OH's seem to smell so much with this - I did find clutching my lavender sac to my nose handy as I lay in right at the other side of the bed in my voluminous nightie .
Meerka and others, ut's nice lots of people on here have OH's who have been behaving so well. There was group of women on here previously where every OH seemed to be unsympathetic and irritable . One women actually threw hers out, though how she had the energy with this, I'll never know.
livingzuid and was it Chaffinch A broken cocycx (spelling sounds horribly painful. Am I right in thinking it's the tailbone?
xx

Sorry, it was Boo who posted about OH's not smelling inviting!
xx

livingzuid second with the feeling like a recluse. I’m still sitting here in bed doing bits of work, reading a bit... not a lot really. For the last 2 days I kept telling myself that I’ll finally pop out of the flat for a short walk. But, I’ve been too scared. So, here I am.

Lonely, oh so lonely. :-(

Yea my dh isn't too smelly, I make him shower as soon as he gets in from work as he is a gardener and works hard. He has been super supportive which has been lovely. Cooking, cleaning, dog walking has all been done for me so I don't have to worry. I've had enough energy today to do some washing which has been good and takes a little pressure off him.

Btw, I can totally extol the virtues of Turkish apple tea. Sipping some now and it is a gentle flavour and yummy!

starry that sounds good! I may get dh to bring some home. Just going to make a hot lemon which is still a staple fave.

I have a few friends here and going to see one on Saturday but I do miss my friends at home. It isn't the same. I also get stressed going out in public too much - did I mention this enormous bull terrier thing lunged at me and nearly got to me the other day before the owner got it back under control? Just outside pil's apartment and a very busy part of the city. Which freaked me out and just as well I was on my own otherwise my overprotective jack Russell bless him would have certainly gone for the other dog and then I would have been dogless! I swore at great length in English at the owner who was muttering away in Dutch which made me feel better then dh saw him later and wanted to have a go because apparently it is a banned breed. Poor dog, not its fault, stupid owner.

It all gets a bit too much, busy places and people. I have to run the Amsterdam gauntlet again next week! Hopefully the last time this side of pregnancy.

I'm grateful that we invested in an amazing bed a couple of years ago. I've spent so much time in it recently!

mrsb that sounds very good. Yesterday I changed the sheets and today I washed towels. It all helps the menfolk.

lucinda yes, tailbone. Ouch!

Back to burping up food, sigh.

AND walking to interview through Park and brainless boys kicked a football at me which I deflected....then kicked it directly back at bump and only a netball manoeuvre managed to stop my baby being whacked very hard by a ball. They did look terrified when they saw I was pregnant and swearing to myself which made me chuckle!

omg! Talk about running the gauntlet with bulldog and football! Nevermind your trip to Amsterdam... and the trip coming up. You are a braver woman than I!

Can’t stand going out here because it’s so busy all the time. we live in the heart of the city. I’m thinking of heading to my mother’s home (more countryside, less people, less noise) for a couple of weeks in a fortnight’s time. It will be nice to muster up the courage to venture outside - slightly easier when no one around.

This sickness + phobia + anxiety disorder really is kicking my ass.

Mmm... lemon and hot water. Have you tried adding cinnamon stick and 2 cloves to sparkling water or hot water? Sort of like hot toddy but without the alcohol!

Cinnamon makes me sick haha! Funny how different things set us off isn't it?

And on the subject of lovely husbands, mine left work early to come home and cheer me up :) we are off to the park for a walk on this beautiful evening. 18 degrees here on Sunday

It is tough though starry do you talk it through regularly with your mw and or gp? They will be able to spot what is pregnancy hormones and what is something more sinister. Or do you see a perinatal psychiatrist? Mine saw straight through me today!

living I have spoken with my mw + gp + the antenatal dr too... they’ve checked everything (even my liver function and thyroid) but there is nothing ‘wrong’ with me apart from the sickness which they say is pregnancy-related.

I used to see a therapist about my anxiety/phobias because I wasn’t able to use any public transport at all, and, earlier in life, I spent a year at home barely able to leave the house or eat because of my phobia/anxiety. That took a year of intensive therapy.

But, since 2009, I’ve been doing really well and haven’t needed any therapy. I even managed trips abroad! But, everything has come spiralling back with this sickness . I’ve been referred to the hospital’s mental health unity, but haven’t heard anything back yet - except that they have received my referral letter.

So, in the meantime, I’m stuck and scared. But, trying to keep going :-/

Hello I'm having a bad day today - I have awful heartburn. Eating is once again a torture as I know anything I eat will make it hurt and being hungry does too. I'm allergic to ppi medicines and am already taking maximum ranitidine and glugging gaviscon. Add this to what I think are possibly side effects of either metaclopramide or just sodding pregnancy - can't sleep, really down - and that's why I'm in bed crying and posting here.

17 weeks now. This feels like a punishment. And crying has given me a headache.

I just wanted to tell someone. Sorry.

Iworry I’m so sorry you are feeling so low. I think it’s fair to say we’ve all been there - and some of us are still there . I’m 17wks and take metaclopramide too and haven’t been out of the flat for a week and a half because I feel so crap.

Are you able to sip anything to drink at all? Sucking on ice or ice lollies? Anything like that at all? I sometimes even suck slices of apples or whatever I have, when I can’t eat.

Please don’t apologise! We all need an outlet and this place is the perfect one.

I know it can be massively annoying when someone says this, but it is still true - this too will pass. It always does. Just takes time :-(

Starry
It sounds like you're having a really tough time. HG on top of your phobias is not a nice combination. The only positive thing I can say about HG is that it does end. Also, dealing with a newborn is so much easier than HG! Bonus :-)
Hope you hear something soon....big hug.

Iworry
Ah I get terrible heartburn but controlled on 150mg twice a day ranitidine (not sure if this is max dose or not) I'm so sorry you feel so rotten. The only foods that helped are yoghurts and milk based drinks. I think we've all had times of feeling really down with this whole thing, you are not alone. I had a big sob to my Da t'other day as pretty much feel a failure. I barely do anything, I just want my life back.
A big hug to you too. You are nearly halfway!!! Hopefully you will get some lift in symptoms soon..... Worth speaking to mw or GP?

Living
I love Amsterdam, do you live central?
Grrr to boys with football.
Did you say they are increasing your meds? Hope the side effects aren't so bad.

Doom
Agree with others, avoid neighbour with diplomacy :-) the family only thing sounds a good idea!
Many of my neighbours are students. Posh ones. With brand new cars. Still leave their flipping rubbish out to blow around the street all week (I'm sure I was a respectful student ;-))

MrsB
My way of being helpful to OH is by staying with my Da half the week! Hmm although I do keep the kitchen nice.
Dreading the weekend, he has to work....find it extremely hard to look after one year old alone. Don't get me started on the traumas if he has a poo (for me and Little Boy!)

Hello to everyone else....there are a lot of us on here!
Hope days improve for all :-)

Iworry Hugs - that heartburn is so awful, and I'm sorry that even ranatadine and other stuff combined doesn't shift it. I found that milk made it ease for half an hour, but then it came back with a vengance. Chicken, oddly lifted it. Probably a peculiarity of mine. When you are in the thick of this thing, it does seem never ending.
Starry You are being really brave - I think probably when you've survived this horror, other things will seem so much easier.
Livingzuid stupid, thoughtless boys!
MrsHendre How are things now? Posted below, but wonder if they've put you on any new meds.
mrsb87 Gardening is a job that must be great in good weather, really tough in the winter/rain.
Sympathies to all.
xx

living goodness what bad luck! Good reflexes though! Balls always go straight for my head, I've been concussed from someone else's ball coming out of nowhere and hitting me on the head twice!

I know what you mean about feeling like a recluse. Some weeks all I have done is drive DD to nursery and back, other than that stuck in the house which in itself would be dispiriting. I took the plunge this week and invited some friends for lunch on Sunday. As it turns out one has a wheat allergy and two are vegetarians, plus it's one person's birthday so the menu has spiraled out of control! I can only manage about one dish a day and I should have a collection by Sunday!

Boo
Cooking?! That is hardcore!
I had a couple of friends around last weekend for lunch which consisted of me going to M&S and buying lots of things in packets. They were forewarned.
Not only from packets but all cold as I can't stand the smell of things cooking. Bad host!

Have you planned what you are cooking? I'm a veggie...can't go wrong with a risotto and not too much effort (but suppose it's not something that can be cooked in advance)

Good luck!

Hello,

I haven't posted here but I'm wondering whether anyone here would mind helping me to deal with the guilt I'm feeling about taking diclectin? I've got my mother in law staying and she's made me feel terrible about it. I just don't think she understands HG at all. I've tried explaining that if I don't take medication I literally can't even keep a sip of water down but she doesn't get it. Even my dr says I shouldn't need medication by now.

I'm 16 weeks pregnant and have been taking it since 6 weeks. At first I was taking two or three tablets a day. Even on that, I lost ten pounds in 5 weeks. Now, at 16 weeks I'm just taking 1 tablet a day. Every week I try not taking it for a day to check if I might be ok but the following day I can't keep anything down. I feel like I'm failing somehow. Of course I don't want to take medication whilst I'm pregnant - who does - but it's that or dehydration which has to be pretty dangerous right? Sorry for the long post. I'm just feeling bad.

I'm wondering when the sickness might finally go :-(.

HIya PinkandWhite

Please do NOT feel guilty. The stuff you've got is safe and it's possibly the best available of the weaker treatments for Nausea and Vomitting in Preg. No offense to your MIL but she doesn't know the reality of HG or the actual -reality- of what's safe and not.

quote below from This Specialist Site. This site is neutral and the doctor and patron of the site are highly specialised in the field of nausea and vomitting in preg, they've published papers worldwide and the govermental guidelines on n + v in preg quote their research.

*"Bendectin had been used by 33 million pregnant ladies....it was found that Bendectin caused no increased risk for birth defects and was safe to use in pregnancy.[it is]... now among the very few therapies that are classed as having no risk to the foetus. ... no credible evidence of human or animal teratogenesis or other undesirable effects exist...

The evidence based guidelines (approved by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada) state that Diclectin should be the initial treatment of choice since it has the greatest evidence to support its efficacy and safety"*

---

Ok details: Diclectin is pyridoxine, the short versoin is that it is a drug - a mild drug i think - used for nausea and vomitting in pregnancy factsheet here

There is a HUGE hysteria about drugs in pregnancy which is understandable, given Thalidomide, but that would never have passed the tests now and in the actual reality of substance interactoins on the body, dehydration is more dangerous than pyridoxine by some way.

It is an excellent first line treatment - only the first line. Tehre are far, far more powerful drugs available which are also harmless to the baby. This is actuallly pretty weak as some of the drugs go.

How do you get hold of it? are you in Canada? it's actually quite hard to get in the UK.

As I say, please, please do not pay any attention to your MIL on this. Her reservations are understandable and she is very far from the only person to be, well, speaking from ignorance (sorry, a bit harsh but it's true).

I can give you a lot more info to look up for yourself if you like, including the US drug classifications index which classes it as totally safe, as do other countries' drug classification indices.

You're probably a lot more at risk from changing the cat litter tray or gardening than you are from taking Diclectin.

---

Okay, smaller stuff, a few things that might help make drinking easier.

Try very cold or very hot drinks and sipping them, maybe thru a straw. Maybe suck ice chips or cubes. Or high-water-content food, chaffinch has a list somewhere, I'm sure she can post it or pm it. If you feel you can drink - don't wait, grab that moment and drink right then, the hormones might be giving you a break for a moment.

And get some Ketostix from any chemist or amazon, you pee on a stick and it tells you if you're dehydrated or not through the stick turning pink or purple. Any shade darker than 3+, you need to go back to the doctor quick.

Please take care, HG is a horrible illness. We're always here if you need to post for support, fellow feeling, advice or just a shoulder to cry on.

er. Benedectin = Diclectin sorry!