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.

Back in bed for the day, had a hard day at work yesterday and it's really thrown me, just feeling weak and sick.

Thanks meerka, flowery boots and booboo for the drugs info. Scan is tomorrow and I see a consultant so I'm going to spend this afternoon educating myself and making notes. It's at 9am so expecting to be in a bit of a state.

All, your gp sounds terrible. It's so hard to summon the energy to change practices though when you feel crap though. I think I'd seriously consider a complaint, but again a hassle you don't want to be dealing with right now. Best of luck with getting some drugs

Yes it's so hard to fight when you are struggling just to survive. I went to see my GP to agree a pre-emptive plan before I even had my coil out (just as well, as it turned out, as I was pregnant within a few days). This is what the PSS pages on planning a subsequent pregnancy suggest, and they even have a blank document you can print off and use to agree a care plan. Obviously that's not much good if you are caught out by accident though!

How old are your children all? I still think you are v brave. DH and I agreed that if I had got pregnant accidentally very soon after DS, before I was recovered, we would have had an early termination even though we were planning another eventually. Not sure if I would actually have been able to go through with it if that has happened, but that's now scared we were! So I totally understand why you're daunted. I suppose if you've had one better pregnancy there's at least a chance this one might be better too. . .

Had an emotional day today. Quite a few people now have said "well if you're still feeling rough you'll prob have it full term".

Feeling upset at the thought of feeling this sick constantly until February, i feel emotionally drained already and so tired of explaining that yes, its 'just NVP' but I'm having a rough ride.

13+3, barely even scratched the surface of this pregnancy. Very low day indeed.

non-scented frenetic.

sometimes it comes down to getting through the next hour or the next five minutes.

But actually, at 13+3 you're still in prime HG territory. Very few people with severe NVP begin to improve til week 14, and sometimes later. weeks 14-18 seem to be where the nausea and vomitting begins to reduce and just about everyone has some improvement by week 21. Even really bad cases. That's still some time to go, but honestly, it won't be forever even if it feels like it (and it does!).

It may not go completely, but you really are unlikely to stay as bad as now. It'll get better.

frenetic, I'm right in thinking that this is your first pregnancy, aren't I? You are far, far too early to give up hope of your sickness clearing up. Mine always does. I'm on baby number 3 now - with my first baby my sickness (bad enough to be signed off work but probably not full on hg) cleared up by 16 weeks, and started to improve at 14 weeks. With DC2 (full on hg, briefly hospitalised, comparable to this pregnancy but probably a little worse in terms of intensity of sickness, and how early it started) I improved a bit at 16 weeks, and then it disappeared almost overnight at 20 weeks. This time round I also started to improve at 16 weeks - I'm now almost 22 weeks and while I don't feel perfect, it's fine - I no longer need meds, haven't been sick for 10 days, and only feel a little nauseous some of the time. Totally manageable, I can just carry on as normal. I know it feels like its never going to pass, but for the majority of people it does.

Waves to everyone else, on phone so can't write too much but sending thoughts to those suffering. Walk sounds like progress, kali.

Hi frenetic. Yes it does get better, youare in the bad patch. For me it has been around the 20 week mark each time. But I have to be v careful and not do too much or I'm back to vomiting again.

It does get me down too. I left work in tears today but it's good for my morale to try and get in even if all I manage is to update my to do lists.

frenetic the statistics are with you, by far the most likely outcome is that you will see improvement from 16weeks ish.

I was right in the eye of the storm at your stage. Was admitted at 15 weeks. By 17-18 weeks I was having a better day or so, then a run of bad days. At 20 weeks there was the start of a dramatic improvement which continued for a couple of weeks before levelling out. I could work (reduced hours) by 22 weeks, almost full time by 27 weeks and now at 35 weeks I feel nauseous on and off, but I can function almost normally and it isn't awful anymore.

It feels like forever but it will pass.

That's nonsense frenetic - don't give up hope. I stayed entirely in hospital until 14 weeks but now at 16 weeks I am still very unwell but a LOT better - managing with much less medication, eating and drinking well enough to stay out of hospital and being sick much less. Realistically I am prepared to be ill all the way through because I was last time when the first stage wasn't as bad as it's been this time round, but even if it levels off and I get stuck where I am now it's already very different from 13 weeks.

Also, with HG it can keep changing very late on, my best patch last time was 25-30 weeks.

I agree frenetic don't give up. And although my sickness has never been as bad as the others here my experience follows a similar pattern. Mine went completely at 22 weeks but came back at 26 weeks but nowhere near as bad. I'm 33 weeks today and have about 1 bad day a week.

I had the same experience frenetic, huge improvement around 20-24 weeks. I know that it feels never ending but it almost always gets better. I remember feeling desperate when I was at the bottom of the due dates list and time just crawled by, but you will get there.

Thank you all so much; reading your comments sobbing into a tissue; it feels that wonderful to know there are people who understand. There's a woman in our office who's been trying to fall pregnant for quite a while and I know me falling pregnant after just a month of trying was a bit unpleasant for her, but I'm finding the whole 'you should be grateful!' attitude a bit trying at the moment.

Of course I am grateful that DH and I got so lucky. Of course I am thrilled that we are going to be parents at last. But I simply can't muster the energy to be grateful and happy that I feel rubbish.

My GP has suggested another week of reduced hours at work, which will take me up to week 15, will see how I go then. I'm down to 1-2 Ondansetron in evenings only, so I know that I am improving slowly in terms of frequency, it's the intensity that seems endless.

frenetic, it might be an idea to see if you can get the doctor to up the ondansetron.

Reducing the sickness is important because the whole preg is a drain on your body and it lasts so long. Keeping your stamina up really helps later on and after the birth.

The lady at work, I'm sorry she's having trouble conceiving but she has no idea of how hellish HG is. Very sadly there are cases where people have been driven to terminate much-longed for babies because it's so dreadful. That you can keep working is amazing.

Frenetic I completely agree with everyone else. Even if it doesn't clear up completely you are in the worst bit at the moment and it will improve from where you are now. Just try and hang on, one hour at a time...

Hi all. Just recovered from morning having scan. Lots of nausea but thankfully nothing came up. A bit wobbly because the midwife was so surprised that I'm still needing so much rest, probably have a 2/3 hour nap a day and feeling weak. Nothing wrong with bloods already tested.

Not doing a scrap of antenatal exercise where last time I did manage Pilates once a week...although to be honest i felt it did bugger all to help with labour last time so I'm a bit more cynical about wasting time I could be in bed.

It's got me wondering if I'm wrong to be napping? Should I try and do more exercise?

Elle if your body needs rest you should be napping. With my first pregnancy I slept 14 hours a day - I kid you not! And it wasn't even snoozy type sleep, I would collapse into deep sleep with absolutely no choice in the matter. This pregnancy I seem to have the opposite problem, can't fall asleep, have nightmares, wake up in the middle of the night for 2-3 hours and wake up at ungodly o'clock in the morning. Go figure. Exercise has been out of the question both times!

oych booboo I feel for ya. How far to go now?

elle the best way to get through HG is to sleep through it. Sod the midwife, sleep all you can.

Totally agree. Not having to work and being able to rest as much as I like is the reason I stayed out of hospital and haven't taken any meds I'm sure of it.

Meerka 2,5 weeks! Booked in for the 2nd of September the first day my doc is back from holidays!

Not long now then Boo!

ohhh close, close! just those last days to endure. All ready for the baby? :)

Hi ladies sorry I've been quiet had a really trying week with sickness and struggling with getting to work. I have found that my sickness is 3-4 times morning, once middle of the day and about 2-3 times in the evening. I'm sooooo worn out and missing eating a proper meal. I gave given in and booked a GP appointment today. Can I ask what is the best medication is to try and push for?can't go on like this any more.

Meerka I think it's going to be a huge adjustment for DD. Our house is Fort Knox with trying to make sure DD was never left alone with the 4 dogs and the cat when she was little...now I think we'll need to keep the baby away from the dogs, the cats and DD just in case!

Maryj26 that is a lot of suffering. I can't help with drugs but some of the links at the top of the thread may be helpful? Your GP should also be able to write you off work, you sound far too sick to be trying to get to work.

Boo that's so soon!! Awesome news

Mary I agree. You don't sound in any state to be doing anything! And don't feel like you're 'giving in' by seeing the GP, you're sick so that is the sensible thing to do.

Elle totally agree with the others. Sleep, sleep and more sleep. It's the only way I found to cope. Plus you don't feel sick when you're asleep.

Waves to Meerka, Mrsnec and others

mary did I read that right? You are being sick at least 6 times a day? You need meds, bed rest, and ketostix at the very minimum. Sounds like you are being a hero, please allow yourself to rest!

So soon boo that's so exciting! Can't wait to hear news of the next hypermesis baby, it really boosts morale on the thread when someone graduates!

Thankyou it's definitely worse then my first pregnancy. Yes 6 times roughly, can't even open the fridge without chucking up. Phoned in sick to work today. Cried at GP he gave me some avomine for nausea? Hoping the rest of you are feeling more positive today x