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.

Also not helping my dignity is the fact that due to weak pelvic floor, every time I'm sick, I wee myself a bit

So glad that Daisy is doing well, living. Hopefully you'll get home on Tuesday and be able to start getting into a routine and put all of this behind you. I don't know how it works where you are, but when DS1 was discharged here, we were allowed home with something called "24 hour access", which meant that it I had any concerns at all I could call SCBU directly, or just take him in (rather than having to go through a GP / A&E). In practice we didn't use it, but it was nice to know that it was there. Could they offer you something similar?

kali, could you aim for a 6-hour discharge? Do you think they'd agree to you going down that route? You can also get post-natal doulas, which I think would be lovely.

Great news about your scan mrsnec. My DS1 was a failed forceps delivery ending in an EMCS, partly because I am tiny and have a very small pelvis (and he was comparatively big, 8lb12). I am all for not messing about with forceps (with DS2 I has NO FORCEPS written all over my notes, in case of pre-term labour and not getting to my elective section date).

Boo, glad that you have arrive safely in Greece, and hope that you continue to feel a bit better.

I'm 10+6 now and don't even have a 12 week scan date yet, I need to chase that up. This is by far the furthest I have ever got into a pregnancy without a scan, it is new territory for me!

I als keep meaning to ask, do any of you fellow HG ladies have odd aversions to colours? I have this real thing just now about olive green (can barely type it!). Usually I like it, and lots of my clothes are this colour, but it makes me feel so sick just now, and as a consequence many of my t-shirts and cardigans are unwearable. It's the one aspect if my HG that sounds really crazy when I try to describe it to people. I don't think I had this last time round.

Hi DanielSan and welcome! It sounds like you are in exactly the right place. We have all been through that wonderful bile stage (and associated leakage!) and wholeheartedly sympathise.

No such thing as TMI on this thread!!

Your GP will be able to give you drugs to help with the n&v. The sooner you get them the better. The biggest worry is dehydration so if you can't keep water down you need to see your GP ASAP.

The drugs are really safe for use in pregnancy so don't worry about that. The links to the guidelines Lucinda has put in the thread title have loads of info on safety.

All of us have different coping techniques but unfortunately none of us have a miracle cure. We can however offer lots of support, understanding and commiserations.

I'm sure the other ladies on here will add valuable advice but meanwhile - hang on in there.

Daniel, sorry X-post, welcome to the HG thread although sorry that you have to be here. Definitely get help. Your GP should be able to prescribe something to help with the sickness. How pregnant are you? Were you this ill last time? Lots of the ladies on here have or have had HG throughout their pregnancies, but I am lucky and find that mine usually passes by week 20 (this is DC3 for me).

And yes, I do the leaking a bit thing too . I go to the loo constantly because I'm so scared of having a full bladder in case of violent vomits.

Also, has anyone else got pain/numbness in their fingers? Fun new symptom to add to my growing list!

Thanks everyone! Just heard from the midwife - she's made an emergency appointment at the GP for me, which is great. Am 15 weeks today, so due 25/11/14. I have a wee boy who's 1, and was absolutely fine with him - was sick once the whole time, so this has come as a bit of a shock. He's staying with DH's Mum today - she's a godsend! I've had the numb fingers thing too - there's a word for it, can't remember what it is but it's definitely a thing.

DanielSan Welcome - I can only agree with others, do get meds. It's a shock when you've been OK in pregnancy before. My usual boring question - have you got kesostix from chemists to make sure you're not dehydrated? About leaking i- I was always wetting myself with the violence of the retching to the point of getting in the habit of whipping of knickers as I headed for the bathroom - well, you have to see the funny side. I also wet myself during a couple of Public Puking Sessions.
SomeSunny Sorry about awful day - I do hope the better days happen more and more often, as is often the case. I had an aversion to lime green myself - I connected it disgustingly with the memory of the taste of some chewy sweet I'd enjoyed as a kid. Strange the tricks the mind plays.
Lottie Congratulations on surviving that horrible test - medico doesn't sound wonderfully sensitive, kicking a bucket towards you, for goodness sake! But to go to work afterwards?!!!! (Clucks anxiously).
Kali I remember those constant appointments and your decision sounds well thought out taking into account London traffic. Sorry about first puke, nasty.
Livingzuid Glad Daisy is on the mend. OH sounds great! I don't think the food is much better here, though I think it varies.
Starry Hugs. Can't add to others' coments, but do sympathise. I'm glad OH is good. Mine was always Mean and Moody and what seems exciting in courtship is plain annoying as you stand trying to shove food in the baby's mouth, and he paces about, fulminating about something...
mrsnec Lovely to hear of your happy scan results. Does the cord ever come away as the baby moves about?
SashaMonstaGlad you had a nice holiday.
HenriettaTurkey Glad you've got meds.I hope it works and you don'tneed my next usual boring advice, keep an eye on any dehydration with kesostix from chemists.
Booboosto Congratulations on surviving flight. How do you feel today?
Meerka You deserved the best of care after such a horrific pregnancy. Hope you are getting good support and no more puking?
Mrsb87 How are you today?
Okla Glad about that bit of good news.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked, scared I'll loose this very long post
xx

My dad just came over for a cup of tea and I totally went to pieces on him; sobbing, snot, the works. Poor guy.

Having a really bad pukey day again after 2 reasonably good days so had started to get my hopes up about a 20 week improvement and this has just slammed me back down again.

I just can't do this anymore. How am I going to get through another 20 weeks!?

Hello everyone!

I was a very attractive sight as I stood at the side of the road vomiting this morning. It was awful

Was back at the doctors today and she has changed me to metachloride - I think that's the name (meta something)

The cyclizine was just making me drowsy but not taking away the nausea.

Have another three weeks off work- just can't face it but have lots to do from home.

okla it is so so depressing when you have a slump after what seems to have been a false dawn, I know just how you feel, and especially half way through the second trimester when we are all supposed to be "glowing". BUT when I looked back over the pregnancy as a whole and wrote down all those "false dawns" and then awful slumps and days back completely in bed again feeling like death, there was a v. subtle pattern of gradual improvement. It is so hard to see it or believe it at the time, and I know just how those bad days are even harder to cope with after you've had a taste of even a tiny improvement, but having even just one or two days that are a bit better IS a sign of progress. Gradually gradually you will get more of them and the ratio of bad : better days will slowly slowly improve.

Everyone is different but I threw up every single day until about 26 weeks but then I did have a better month where I was still very nauseous but had a break from the vomiting. (It came back again from 30 weeks but the vomiting in the last couple of months was never as bad as it had been before.)

Hang in there! Can you up any of your drugs for a while? Or just lie down and not even try to get up for 24 hours to see if that helps? Really hard-core no-exceptions rest can help sometimes, though it is fearfully boring I know, I've been almost entirely in bed for three weeks now desperately hoping to avoid being as ill as last time and it is v. v. tedious.

Daniel so sorry to hear you are not well and yes you are in the right place I'm afraid.

The good news is that there is medication and support available for you which is perfectly safe to take, and your first port of call should be your GP. Check out the links on the original post and read the links and the NICE guidelines. I am not in the UK so can only commiserate and swap sick stories rather than how to access better care. But I used to pee myself on a regular basis when vomiting :(

My medication is actually Metoclopramide!

Sorry to hear of those who are struggling- as I said to my doctor pregnancy is a means to an end, an endurance- there is no blooming in this house!

Oops cross post. okla just big hugs here.

And yes to numb fingers. And toes.

Welcome Daniel and yes, what they all said! They're very wise

Just had a consultants appointment and good news is I don't have gestational diabetes, so that's one complication to firmly cross off the list. Doctor I saw today was nowhere near as nice as the last one though and couldn't have a sensible conversation about delivery with her. She also didnt explain things very well hope I get the nice one again next time, got to go back at 29 weeks.
Oh yes, she suggested ginger biscuits and/or tea for the nausea too.... Reader, I didn't hit her...

okla few days up and then a few days of utter shit is awful but it is how my improvement started I had a few weeks of ups and downs before I got into this sustained ok period. Don't give up hope!

Hi everyone :-), I've just joined mums net and also HG sufferer. Its made feel a bit more normal reading these threads. I'm also 15 weeks and been suffering with HG since 5 weeks. I've been in and out of hospital every week needing fluids and I've gone down to nearly 8 stone. I am house bound and been out to the shop on 2 occasions and collapsed both times and found myself needing an ambulance. My sickness is really bad at night but now I'm able to keep down a little bit of fluid and food I'm back trying to take tablets again. I'm now taking ondansetron. My doctor explained how this tablet is used on patience after cancer treatment to stop sickness so it's fairly strong. I'm a bit concerned is not supposed to be taken by pregnant women but i haven't been sick since starting them yesterday, just nausea and dizzy spells still. I'm a teacher and been if work since Easter...it's killing me. I know how you all feel...but my doctor keeps reassuring me that the 20 week milestone is a good one :-))) fingers crossed.

Okla I'm 22 weeks and I totally relate.I seem to have a few better days then feel awful again(and then get really down) and that cycle seems to have been happening since about 19 weeks.My partner thinks I am slowly improving though.It so horrible and depressing to start feeling so awful again when you feel you night be starting to reach an end point.I find resting as much as possible helps(I haven't been able to work since week 7).I really hope tomorrow is a better day again for you.

Hi Daniel I can totally sympathise with the weak pelvic floor issue, I too can feel a little dribble of wee come out when I am being sick

Babybutton I too have been off work since easter, I'm bored and daytime tv is driving me crazy but I cannot go back in this state as I work with young children so I cannot just disappear off for a vomiting session because of ratio's amongst other things.

I'm having to decide what to do about my college course. Tutor says she can probably give me an extension but afterI told her I hadn't done any coursework since the start of the Easter hols she started off her reply email with "can't you do anything?". I think she's thinking as I'm at home anyway why can't I do my coursework. I could do some coursework on some days I guess but I'm scared of putting too much pressure on myself for the times when I feel really ill and cannot manage anything for days or weeks. I just don't know what to do, I wish I didn't have to think about it right now and I've still got the end of year accounts to prepare for the accountant for dh's business.

Not having a good day today n&v wise, throat is stinging from the bile.

Hello all - well I had my booking in app yesterday and they have put me at 8+2, which is a week further on that I think, but I hope they're right, as it's a week less of this...

I am taking cyclizine regularly now but felt shocking when I tried to brush my teeth.

This isn't helped by DS's night wakings. DH does most of it, but then is so exhausted in the morning he needs me to get up and sit with DS downstairs in front of cbeebies while he catches up on sleep. Not a big thing to ask, but it seems like a mountain at the moment. He does make me a bit of toast before waking me, so that I can nibble on it to relieve some of the sickness, but the sickness seems to ramp up significantly each morning.

Feeling a bit blue, knowing there's so long to go and feel guilty that I can't be there for DS. He's noticed I don't play with him as much

Mampam ...I know exactly how you feel. Poor you!! I teach in KS1 and I went back for 2 days after Easter and struggled badly...and I've been off since. You just need to explain to them what HG is...it's took well over a month before my boss finally understood that I was genuinely really I'll not just a bit of morning sickness and now she's a lot more understanding and doesn't expect me back yet at all. How far gone are you?

I'm just trying to do random things at home because telly is also killing me. I've started making baby bunting with old clothes and just about manage that for a few hours a day...keep going :-) I find the nausea is the worst and I've recently started with needle pains in my chest and blood spots in my saliva but apparently that's from being sick non stop...Also is anyone finding it hard to swallow all the excess saliva...my poor partner has had to watch me spit into a bowl non stop...

Evening!

I no longer have nausea!!!! There has been no more vomiting! The wicked witch has gone!!!!

I'm home :-)

CSection went well, pretty painful but nothing compared to HG. Little boy named Luca born 0911 yesterday morning.

He is a tiny little delight. His big brother now looks like a giant!

Nausea went gradually yesterday, probably due to the diamorphine used in the spinal. But I even ate some really grim looking hospital food last night just to prove I could.

Have been awake since 6am yesterday morning. There is no peace on a postnatal ward so I'm really pleased to be home.

Can't wait for next HG graduates x

Oh punkstar how wonderful to hear! Huge grats and I hope you and Luca (what a lovely name) are doing well.

Are you dancing (carefully ofc) down the corridors now you're not sick? :)

so so pleased it's all over and he is here.

Hello danielsan (japanese name?) and welcome to the thread that we'd rather not be on.

Do get meds. The ones prescribed are safe, definitely safer than being dehydrated. Also, rest as much as you can. And post here whenever you like, the Sisterhood is always here. Much as we'd rather not need to be.

Also, about vomitting and leaking. If you kneel to upchuck (toilet or bowl) then kneel so that you can shove your heel into your crotch where you wee. The pressure helps stop the leaking.

Babybutton hello too. Do not worry about taking the Ondansetron. A giant study of Danish women, some thousands of whom took ondansetron. no adverse birth outcomes were noted (I can link you the study if you wish). Dehydration, like i said above, is known to be dangerous and if you've had to be ambulanced thne you seriously need to take it easy! Don't feel bad about work. Your baby and you come first, now.

And yes, that saliva . and the vile, vile taste in the mouth.

living great news about Daisy improving :)

okla the way I thought of the rollercoaster of HG around the time that it started improving was that every good day was a gain. Sometimes the good days are a gift, but kind of highlight how rotten the bad days are! Taking it day by day. In my first preg it wasn't until week 21 that I started to improve, so don't be surprised that it's a bit swings and roundabouts. It really will probably get better.

I got the numbness in my fingers too, wonder what that was about?

lottie please dto hear about the gestational diabetes. And well done on not hitting her. Or maybe you shoould have, and she'd have taken you seriously! Actually, targetted vomitting is a very useful tool in getting medicos to take you seriously ;) (joke. Mostly).

mampan show your tutor this thread, or the Preg Sickness SUpport website? Might that get through to her?

henrietta might baby toothpaste help? or just mouthwash ... I couldnt clean my teeth for days sometimes and my god, that and the saliva were like the black icing on it all. Mouthwash was usually ok though and sometimes those little toothpicks.

Punk yaaaaaaaaaaay!!!
You've made my day (and Luca is a really lovely name).
I am so happy for you! It's over!! You're free!!
I hope you recover quickly from your cs and that Luca is a super easy baby (god knows you deserve a break!!)

mam I suspended my course for a year. I could not study and I tried so hard. It's not worth the stress. And stress makes hg worse. I think you had a good reason to not push it back but I would consider it.

punk hooray!!! So jealous you are home already love the name as well.

lottie great news on the GD. One less thing as you say!

BabyButton I too cannot swallow the excess saliva and have a sick bucket by my side that I use for spitting in. Pretty disgusting really but needs must.

Congratulations Punkstar Love the name Enjoy your HG free days!

Thanks for all of the advice about my college course. I think I am going to have to explain to my tutor that HG is so debilitating that I have only been out of the house 4 times since Easter and that was only because I had to go to pregnancy related appts. That my medication makes me drowsy, that when I'm not being sick I constantly feel like I am going to be and that my mouth waters all the time like it does just before you vomit. That I feel weak and shaky and the list goes on.

I want to get my course finished but I just feel I don't need the stress of it right now.

Earlier on I thought I would give DH a helping hand by preparing dinner so that when he got home from work all he would have to do was put it in the oven to cook then dish it out. I felt awful and had to be sick in the kitchen bin