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.

mam my Dh had to do everything as well although this is our first and he was fine about it. It does tire them out, but when I try to help I get told off!

I took an extension of a year from my masters, there was no way I could do it and get through this pregnancy (also very unimpressed with the course!) but if you can take an extension then do so. You can always revisit it with your tutor closer to to the time depending on how you feel. Don't give yourself any pressure, lots of rest and relaxation is key :)

And urgh mothers and their opinions on HG, do NOT get me going on that subject!

sunny so glad you got through the flight OK, hope you can get more help in the UK.

mampam I've only just managed to finish one paper after working on it for 3 months! My brain has turned to mush. Can you not defer for a year? Usually there are a lot of options for students who are off sick and you may find that the first few months of maternity leave are quite productive (and a lot better than HG!). I managed to write half a book during DD's first 6 months because all she did was breastfed, so I'd pop her on a pillow on my lap in front of the computer and we'd both be happy.

Thanks for the information regarding the dreams everyone. Just seems like another stupid side effect of pregnancy.

Mampam You are NOT being lazy, this is a serious illness, whether people are ignorant about it or not. Can you get stronger meds, as those don't sound like they're helping enough if you've got a raw throat from retching? How are liquids or - dare I say it - foods?
livingzuid Great news that things are moving forwards - as I always say, you've been a stoic, never mind about those male Spartans...MA, you intellectual thing? So agree about extensions of studies, a shame for anyone to give up completely yet...
Sunny Glad you survived the flight - you are NOT taking advantage. How is the level of sickness now ?
Meerka Waves to a Hyperemesis Heroine...
Chaffinch and Another! Eight weeks already! Thanks for stopping by to encourage people. Have you heard from MOG I am a little concerned at the silence, don't want to intrude...
BooBoo That sounds great about writing a book that way. I hope you'll continue with it sometime...
Waves to Dotty Sarah mrsnecmrsb87 Starry and Everyone and apologies to anyone overlooked impolitely...
xx

Thanks everyone it's so nice to know I'm not on my own and to be able to talk to people who understand.

Lucinda I can generally keep the majority of my fluids down now (I think) and if I feel like I'm going to be sick I make sure I guzzle down some fluids as I find dry retching is worse than anything, feels like I'm going to pop a blood vessel in my neck and head.
I don't snack on food just stick to usually lunch and dinner as most days I can't face breakfast. I find when I eat that I have to fight with myself to keep it down as I find bringing up food rather than just fluids is horrendous, I don't always win though.

What is everyone's worst time of day?

I'm really bad in the morning. Ok ish in the afternoon and then fade rapidly in the evenings when I'm tired.

Has anyone heard from Petit Lapin? Hope they're doing ok!

Yes, Nelson-Piercy research papers re prednisolone use in pregnancy for HG. I believe she is an obstetric physician as opposed to an obstetrician which I see as good news for the mother. I have seen her papers cited quite a lot including in Prof T's work as they have looked at similar research. Kali I would get your GP to fax a referral through as urgent, the alternative would be to contact her sec to see if she does any private work, then get your GP to fax through to private sec.

I'm pretty much the same as you Oklahoma really bad in the mornings, slightly better in afternoon then I flake out in the evenings, night times can be bad sometimes too.

Has anyone else had slightly elevated white blood cell and neutrophils counts?

Boo that's encouraging that you completed half a book in the first six months...I'm starting a uni course in Sept, nothing hardcore and most of it can be completed on blackboard at home, fingers crossed I can manage.

I have mush brain too, trying to get my invoices/pension etc in order for my accountant and I'm having to triple check everything due to stupid mistakes (I just really want to get it all posted off before D-Day)

Sunny it is so hard to survive this thing that you really do need all the help you can get. You are certainly not taking advantage.
I lived with my Da for half the pregnancy, if I hadn't I would not have managed to eat at all, he also saved me a small fortune in nursery fees!

Mam I had a raised WCC and neutrophils but it was secondary to prednisolone. Pregnancy can put white cells up too....

Phew thanks Punk results arrived in post today and was thinking there was something wrong with me besides pregnancy from hell

okla up till week 20 it was sick and nauseous all the time. Then second to third trimester was much better, just felt crap when I had overdone it and mainly at night. In the last month it has been at night and early morning. Sometimes so bad at night it wakes me up. The more tired I am the worse it is - that has been the theme through the pregnancy.

meerka I was amazed to get any sleeping tablets at all. Feel better for having them just in case. My consultant is fab. The baby will be under paediatric care for a bit anyway as hey have to wean her off the lithium and make sure there were no other side effects. They do not want me to get any more anxiety and panic attacks either so in a bizarre way I have all this in my favour - think I will be in hospital if it happens again :(.

Which reminds me, starry did you get your referral to the perinatal team?

Lucinda my magnun opus of inane philosophical ramblings is all done (and makes a delightful Christmas, birthday, wedding, retirement or baby shower gift for everyone! ). I wrote half of it during the 2nd trimester last time and the second half when DD arrived.

Punk that's great! What is your course on?

BooBoo You enterprising thing, well done!
Mampam Glad liquids are mostly staying down, that's the main thing, and some food. What's your due date if you care to be on the list?
Is there a reason why they have stayed with cyclazine as that is the weakest of the meds - ironically, if not preg (though it's been proven safe for decades) you can buy it over the counter?
I feel for everyone suffering in this weather. It's so much better to be feeling foul when there's ice and snow outside. How are the ice lollies going down, Everyone?
xx

Lucinda my due date is 17 November. It's interesting what you say about Cyclizine being the weakest, I'm going to the GP on Friday so will see if I can try something else. Apparently it was what they gave me in my last pregnancy.......no wonder I was still throwing up day and night.

Quick Q for those of you on cyclizine - how long do you leave between doses? I took one a 12.30, felt marginally better, kept down a reasonable lunch then slept all afternoon, but now feel awful again. Can I take more? It says 3x a day, but I presume that doesn't mean that I have to leave it 8 hours? I promised the doc I would take it "properly" (I.e. all 3 doses a day) to give it a chance to work, is leaving 4.5 / 5 hours between doses long enough? (Last time i just took it in a random, "as needed" (i.e. when i could stand it no longer) way and it didn't work that well). Any improvement completely wore off after about 4 hours.

Boo it's 30 credits towards an MA in palliative care...not sure I'll do the full MA, I'll just take the postgrad cert :-)
Interestingly, OH has recently bought me a book about writing a novel....I think it's a common dream :-)

Sunny if cyclizine isn't lasting I wonder whether your GP needs to step up your medication? I honestly can't remember how long I left in between doses...probably not 8 hours!!!

Does anyone else sometimes feel like having a big shouty rant? Obviously a good sign as pre 20 weeks there was no energy for shoutiness.
I just want to get out of my body. I know I haven't got too long left but the closer I get, the more I can't wait. I have had symptoms since September :-(

some I was sleeping so much on it that I was taking one at about 8am, then 1pm, then 7pm ish. But I'm not a doctor so I'm not sure if that is the 'right' way or not...

Punk I used to direct the MA in the Ethics of Palliative Care run jointly by Keele Uni and the Marie Curie Institute at Liverpool Uni - I loved it! My students were brilliant and it was so interesting working with clinical colleagues - I really miss it! I was so gutted when the DM started sprouting crap about the LCP.

Anyway, sorry about the thread hijack!

Hello everyone and thanks meerka and punk for the research. Unfortunately I saw the stuff about the doctor at St Thomas' after my GP appointment. (GP as v. good and tried to refer me to the EPU for advice on medication but they refused to see me until I am more ill.) My parents met at St Thomas' funnily enough! (Doctor and nurse.) GP said she wondered if I should hit it with the ondansetron now as I am so disabled by the nausea already though not yet vomiting, but didn't feel confident to advise either way. I have to test my ketones every day and report any rises. I thought I would be def ketone-free as drinking fine but actually I do have traces - presumably because I am struggling to eat (half lost about half a kg in the last fortnight). I have made a big effort with a yoghurt and a doughnut this afternoon though.

Anyway, Prof N-P doesn't do any private work according to her secretary (v. honourable of her!) but technically speaking we are actually colleagues. I am going to try to speak to the GP again tomorrow and see if it's possible to arrange a referral. It would be a bit of a nightmare getting there but maybe worth it to see someone who really cared/understood about HG from the mother's point of view. I saw on the website that she does pre-conception counseling for complicated pregnancies and I wish I had tried to arrange a referral like this beforehand now.

Punk - no shouty rants here, no energy! Occasional sobbing into a cushion. Think shouty rants are definitely a good sign! Symptoms since September though - that must seem like forever.

Yes I really doubt that the cyclizine is going to cut it, but I was told to take it religiously for a week, and if it wasn't working after that then they would change my meds. Have taken more, it does take the edge off and reduce the need to vomit. What should I ask for next? Stemetil didn't work (although obstetrician this morning was quite scathing of GP having prescribed it at all, and said that it was a very odd fist choice). Doc did offer a cyclizine injection again this morning, stupidly I said no (for the worst ever reason: it was a fairly handsome young(ish) male doctor, and I didn't want to have to expose my derrière and unkempt bikini line. Obviously I have forgotten that there will be worse to come).

I totally agree about the newborn period being productive. When DS2 was little I went on a huge work and creative spree, ran a 5k when he was 6 weeks old, made new cushion covers and curtains for almost the whole house in the first month after him being born, set up a new session of a group for disadvantaged children who I work with and taught weekly lessons with him in an Ergo, the first one when he was about 2 months old. It was just so lovely to feel so well - even although my hyperemesis had basically gone in the second half of pregnancy, it wasn't the same as not being pregnant, and I felt amazing after I had him.

Boo do not get me started re LCP ;-)

Kali yes definitely ask your GP to do a referral. I really believe you need to see someone before it gets to the point where you're either malnourished or dehydrated. Given your history I don't think you can be too pro-active here. It would definitely be worth being under the care of a medical obstetrics Dr who treats HG.
I would ask GP to fax referral through to sec so Prof NP can have a look and assess ASAP.

Your GP sounds very good, it's hard even for a very conscientious GP to treat HG as the support/advice for them is only there once the patient needs admitting, surely we want to treat to avoid that?

Let us know how it goes.

So, updated list, Oklahoma moving away form the bottom.
Talking of bottoms, Sunny he might have admired yours greatly! !
Great research, Punkstar and others. Livingzuid Boo Kalidasa mampam and others - I'm very impressed by the intellectual achievements of people on this thread. (looks round for brain, fails to find it, but then, hen's aren't notable for them...).

DueDates
Punkstar 2 June
Livingzuid 6 June
DiddyBeth 12 June
SliceofLime 2 August
IWorry 8 August
Starry 12 August
What 14 August
Lottie 12 September
Booboostoo 14 September
mrsb87 29 September
mrsnec 1 October
George by the Sea 6 October
Pickofthepops 7 October
Oklahoma 28 October
Mampam 17 November
Sassehmonsta 15 December
SomeSunnySunday 24 December
Sarah 29 December
Kalidasa 28 January
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Sunny I tried cyclizine, metoclopramide, stemetil then ondansetron. I use ranitidine twice daily which helps with the dyspepsia greatly but also reduces bile run.
I have bought over the counter domperidine which didn't do anything either (despite being around 30 weeks preg at the time the pharmacy assistant did not notice or ask any Q's!)
Yay for handsome doctors ;-) but understanding about not wanting to expose the btm!
Sometimes drug combos can help but depends on GPs confidence in doing this...

Hello all! This thread is going so quickly that I'm finding it hard to keep up - but so interesting to read all about the research and things.

I had a nice day today, first one in a while - sat outside in the garden for half an hour. Peace & quiet and feeling relaxed. It was nice to finally take a deep breath.

I've been feeling dreadful since the start of December, so today was special :-)