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

Lastly, the NICE guidelines on treatment are useful:
cks.nice.org.uk/nauseavomiting-in-pregnancy#!prescribinginfosub

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.

Hello everyone can I join you? I'm 36, 0 dc but this is my 3rd pg and Im 12+3. Don't live in the UK. Had an mc in October after ttc for years and then got pg again on the 3rd cycle after.

I've been lurking on this thread for ages, I've been sick in all my pregnancies but nowhere near as bad as some of you all, I am taking it easy, know a little about nutrition so doing my best there but have a million food aversions just looking for tips on coping really and trying to avoid meds.

Taking vits but not sure if I should stop. Vitamin c and d isn't a problem for me, haven't had iron checked yet. I wish I could eat burgers living! Dh made lasagne last night and I couldn't keep that down for long.

mrsnec

Congratulations on your pregnancy. The hg is a very good sign that things are progressing as they should. Are you keeping down much at all besides water? What seems to work?

For me in first trimester it was diet coke tap only, quarter pounders (no chips), KFC chicken nuggets, Nutella on white toast. That was about it until about week 17 when I could drink milk and eat chicken and rice.

I went through a lot of ice cubes and frozen orange capri sun as I couldn't drink much. All my drinks still have to be icy icy cold although I got a yen for sliced lemon in hot water. No other hot drinks aside from warm milk.

There are a couple of us living abroad :) can I ask what your concerns are about medication?

I take cheap supermarket vitamins and they work well. I read somewhere that the iron content was what caused a bad reaction.

Also wondering how starry is?

I'm going through phases with what I can eat and drink, over the past week I've had another issue too in the other department so I'm trying to keep the fibre up!

I'm eating cereal, in particular bran flakes and wheetabix, I'm trying to eat fruit but can only stomach apples,pears and bananas, and apart from that it's just sandwiches and pasta, lunch yesterday was a blt on a brown roll, a pear and a glass of ribena after that I had some ginger cake mil made for me (to be polite)then dh's lasagne but that all came back.

I drink milk, ribena and water with lemon and the odd hot choc. Nothing else works, oh and the odd chocolate milkshake!

I'm nervous about the pg because of my history and the doctors weren't very sensitive over my mc, also I had an illness a while ago that gave me anxiety about hospital visits and dealing with docs. I understand I need to pull myself together though. I'm trying to see the sickness as a good sign but it wasn't much of an indication last time.

It's good ther are others abroad too, you'll maybe understand the cultural differences with the docs that I'm struggling with. I've never been one for taking meds I think I just worry I'll get a reaction.

Mrsnec Welcome, glad this thread has helped, don't feel guilty if meds are necessary to stay out of hospital - and I'm sure most vitamins are fine. Iron makes a lot of women with this vomit - it certainly did me. How are liquids staying down? Don't feel guilty if you have to live junk food, crisps, chips, ice lollies, tinned fruit, sips of coke, etc for quite a while. There's a big divide over ice cream - I swore by strawberry others can't endure it.

Meerka Posted for that sufferer - I hope she comes over.
Livngzuid Congratulations on such a lovely outing and no sickness.
Sorry neighbour problem not easy to resolve, and goodness, about stabbed CAB advisor. Weren't the naked pranksters in danger of freezing a certain part of their anatomy off? I'm wondering about Starry too, and
What and Worry Somedizzy SliceofLime and others...
Booboostoo 'I drink, therefore I am...'Not mine.
petitlapin Seak sickness, lol. How are you today?
Lottie One good day is often a sign of a turnaround to come, with others to follow. Fingers crossed.
Oklahoma How are you today?
Chaffinch That lack of space does not sound nice...I found it made heartburn much worse.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.
xx

petitelapin That was meant to read 'sea sickness' .
xx

mrsnec Sorry, cross posted, just my luck, sounds like you are managing to keep some fairly healthy things down at least! Hugs about miscarriage, I was in the same situation, it makes you very nervous, but the chances are massively on your side.
xx

mrsnec I am in the Netherlands. As I understand it the basic front line medicine I have is a mix of antihistamines, anti enemic and b6 vitamin. Worked first time for me in first trimester although I was on two a day. Have steadily stayed on one a day throughout pregnancy. Trying to stop made it baaaad.

Other ladies are on a range of different things. But don't worry at all about the baby. I am on some quite hardcore medication for a couple of other things - in total I take three different bouts of medicine every day - and she is quite the heifer! It is very safe to take it and better for you to be well than having the stress of sickness. Cortisol has, unsurprisingly, a negative impact on foetal growth. Along with the depression you feel when sick. Much better to be a happy mum to be :)

If you have the ingredients of the medicine your doctors suggest you could check it on the NHS site or post it here.

Anxiety oh yes. Very much sympathise. As for cultural differences yes too! I was told at 7 weeks my pregnancy probably wasn't viable and shoved out the door. That non viable pregnancy is kicking me now with great regularity in my bladder. I'd had a mc prior to this too, it was horrendous. Aside from that it has been great but it's a bit nerve wracking them talking over you in Dutch and no idea what is going on.

There are two of us on here living in the Netherlands and we had quite opposite experiences. Possible even in a little country like this

Meant to say, I wouldn't worry too much about the food or eating fruit. Aside from one attempt at pak choi no vegetable has passed my lips in seven months.

Fruit is very acidic and can make the vomiting worse. Also tastes grim coming back up. But I think bananas are good. I can only have apples. Miss bananas :(

Sorry one more thing, this messes with your bowel. Don't worry about that either. It's also a hormone thing I understand from my doctor as well as the digestive system being completely fooked for nine months.

Mmmmmmmm chocolate milkshake. Out of milk

It's the nausea that kills me. I have to go to bed in the afternoon and doze it off.

Morning everyone, I feel about the same as yesterday so far today!

I slept in til 10 and am still in bed, (got up to clean teeth and go to loo, but thought its Sunday may as well make the most of it!)

DH is out running a half marathon for charity mentalist and bless him he left me raspberries and a sandwich by the bed! Have just eaten both and am semi confident I won't see them again.

Got a quiet day to myself at home now, trying to think up some gently challenging activities I could do, to make me feel like I've achieved something today without putting myself back againg. Any suggestions?

Well it's the first time I've had issues the other end so maybe I should see that as a good sign too?

Yes I have found a nap in the afternoon helps but dh is convinced it makes it worse so he does have a bit of a moan if I do that.

So I still haven't been to the hospital this time yet, I didn't even go after my mc. Last time when I booked in I didn't get the chance to discuss my sickness they were too busy judging me for the termination I had 13 years ago. When they scanned me the screen was blank. The doc just said 'its empty' i asked her to explain and she shrugged and said, you probably got your dates wrong didn't you. Did an internal and it was the same. I thought I was 10 weeks at that point. So I. Asked what happens now and she told me to get bloods done but she couldn't do it and didn't know where I should go, this was at my local general, so I got bloods done privately measuring hcg at 7 weeks, took those back to the doc and she told me they wouldn't see anything anyway at that stage and sent me packing I had my mc 2 weeks later and never went back. Sorry if tmi, but given circumstances and whst I passed it all pionted to a blighted ovum. I am terrified I'm going through this for nothing again and just dreading seeing another blank screen.

Its amazing what you say about the difference in hospitals. I had thought about changing here but the next nearest one has even longer waiting times and English speaking staff, and the private ones send everyone to the general anyway.

You may have a point about the acid. Oh and chocolate milk is magic but it has to be in a little carton with a straw and I might have to have a stroll to the shop now to replenish.

OK no offence but has your DH a) ever been pregnant b) if so suffered from nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. We just had a discussion the other day about the benefits of fresh ginger being applied to certain parts of the body in retaliation for unsympathetic partners

Pregnancy takes a massive toll on your body. Huge. It is exhausting and the tired will only get worse not better. It is even harder with he If you need to sleep, then sleep. Ignore your DH. Quite frankly, he's talking rubbish.

Is he a native of the country you are in? I'm so sorry you had all that awful time at scanning. And with hospitals. None of their bloody business whether you had a termination or not. And it makes no difference in future pregnancies.

I was lucky as my care got transferred to a much better hospital but I point blank refused to go back to that one anyway.

Is it possible to pay for a private scan to reassure yourself that all is OK and then go back to the hospital to have the followup done? And does your DH go for handholding? And to tell ignorant doctors to STFU? It's important for you to go soon as they will want to do the dating scan. And just to get it out of the way. I wept solidly before my scan at 13 weeks and couldn't even look at the screen.

Then you can get on the waiting list for the English speaking hospital. Bigger teaching hospitals I found seem to be much better. I've had my fair share of experiences over the years!

The very bad sicnkess and nausea is such an excellent indication that all is well. It does very occasionally happen that the pregnancy sadly ends but really the chance is less than 1%. For you to have come this far is fantastic. I know how scary it is though and not being able to indulge in my fave comfort foods did not help

And to be honest aside from needing hg medicine which your gp can do if you have one, between 12 and 20 weeks for the anomaly scan there really is nothing to do but let the baby grow. Pregnancy on the whole is just a lot of sitting around waiting for things to happen i found. So long as you are not high risk you could probably just be on the waiting list. Will you get a midwife assigned?

Oh and lottie if the weather is nice, maybe a walk? Fresh air is always good. Don't over do it though!

hello mrsnec ... sorry you have had such a horrible time with your doctors. Can't believe they were so uncaring.

living sorry I havent replied to your pm yet, kind of worn out atm between the work on the house and not sleeping and the nausea, it's having a few heavy days again.

Husband keeps reminding me how apparently I almost danced out of the hospital after the birth last time, becuase I no longer felt sick =)

Thanks everyone how is everyone doing today?

So in answer to your questions I haven't really grasped the system here properly. You booked in then get scanned straight after but have no idea what happens after that. The local general where I went before is the one with no waiting times and lots of English speaking staff. There are no teaching hospitals as such. Also there are only private gps here and every time we've been to the local one we've been reffered to the hospital even for minor things, yes we are definitely considering a private scan before I go to the hospital to book in. It's a question of when, I know I should go now but I keep thinking about what happened last time and about the dates, they go by lmp here too, my last period started xmas day but I know we didn't conceive until 14th January so it still feels early.I want to get further than I did before at least.That hospital during my illness also missread an ultrasound before my pg, the tech thought they saw a fibroid but the consultant disagreed.

Dh is supportive he just doesn't understand. His mum got pg very young, had no symptoms didn't know she was pg etc, do he's just programed to think thsts just how it is, yes I'd like him to be more supportive and he will be there at my apts for sure but if he doesn't get better at home I will be using the ginger tip!

Just made myself some toast. Had to go into the fridge for the spread, the fridge has been a trigger for ages and I've avoided opening it for over a week. Got the spread but was almost immediately sick, it's like a horrible learned reflex?

Managed to enjoy the toast and a glass of water almost straight afterwards and don't feel any worse than I did earlier. So I guess despite being sick this is still progress? As I don't feel the need to immediately return to bed and hide for a few days, or that I will be imminently sick again... spread is staying out the fridge till DH gets home now

mrsnec it must be really hard being abroad with a whole new system to get your head around and really not great if DH is struggling to be supportive. Can you get him to read this thread or maybe some of the links above so he gets more of an idea of what it is your dealing with?

okla how are you doing today?

Wow, I've been offline for a few hours and have an essay to catch up on!!

Mrsnec welcome. Nothing to add the girls haven't already said. Lots of good vibes though.

Otherwise have had an ok day. Only been sick twice and spent the afternoon in the sun watching DH and mum gardening. It's amazing how much better sun can make things.

Lottie yay on feeling ok again. I have everything crossed that you've turned a corner.

Finch are you having DC tomorrow? Eeeeek!!

How is everyone else doing?

Hi mrsnec, welcome. I have had 3 mmc in the past and all gave been with the sickness. however, this time it worked really well. I'm now 36 weeks and the sickness improved hugely in the second half of the pg, although it didn't go completely. the tiredness us a real problem. I have even had allowance at work to not have to get up too early or it made my entire day a trial. at your stage you need to sleep lots. eat whatever and drunk whatever, just keep out of hospital if you can.

Hi Puke Crew

so MrsNec you're in Scandi-land too!! wow. in MN well known out there?

no no baby boy tomorrow , he's expected first post on Wednesday with a sunroof delivery, assuming no poor emcs bugger up the op list

they've givne me 2 ratinidine to take preop, never had that, it's a heartburn treatment isn't it. they say Im ok to take my ondansatron as usual on weds morn, just no eating/drinking after midnight tues.

Ive had m/c dd1 m/c ds2 then this pg, so was expecting a m/c for the pattern to follow. mother nature keeps us guessing, doesn't she.

Wow this thread is busy! Sorry not hear you're having such an awful time with the neighbours living , I hope your dh gets your flat sorted out and all diy and painting done soon...

oklahoma I'm in the UK too, in London, I live just near the arsenal stadium in fact as you mentioned to e arsenal game earlier... dd and I have been on an extended visit to my parents' since Christmas so that I could be looked after, plus we had builders in doing loads of work at home... We are braving the move back home next weekend. Looking forward to it and hoping I can cope!

Lucinda I read PPE too! But can hardly remember a thing. It is actually embarrassing. I wish I could one day go back and do the course all over again, maybe I will one day - when I've retired perhaps?

Hi mrsnec sorry you've had such a hard time. I had 2 MCs before my dd and it makes the waiting very hard before a scan. Hope you get some decent medical care soon.

Morning all how is everybody?

Not in scandyland am in a very sunny Cyprus. Have yet to come across anyone else from here. Thanks about the medical care thing. I know I'm being silly, I also know it wouldn't be plain sailing on that front if I was in the UK. My local hospital there has a terrible record for maternity care.

Lottie, I was doing ok yesterday no puking until just before bedtime (8:30 PM!) and then fridge smells set me off when I went to get a drink!

It's encouraging those that have had mc and gone on to have healthy babies afterwards I don't think the sickness means anything though but its horrible going through it for nothing. I know it was the right thing to ttc again straight away but I do wonder if mentally I should have given myself more time to recover. True about mother nature!

Good luck chaffinch!

Slice and oklahoma, my dh is an arsenal fan. Causes friction in my house sometimes since I support a certain rival team from the other side of London!

Hi mrsnec! I am sorry about the awful treatment you've had with your MCs. I've come across some really insensitive doctors here in France as well, I hope you find someone better to follow your pregnancy this time. Will you be in Cyprus for the birth? I'll be in Athens in August at nine months!! Maybe we can winge together about the heat?!