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.

Okla - honestly it is easier on the other side bcos you don't have to deal with feeling so sick all the time. But, if you can get some help for the first few weeks at least, I'd highly recommend it bcos you will be exhausted after coping with hg for so long and after the demands of birth and healing. If I didn't have my mum, I honestly think I'd have a breakdown - no exaggeration at all.

Hi guys. I find it best not to think too much about how long it will be and to try and distract myself. I just try to forget. after a while it becomes the new normal.

If not able to read/ sleep/ watch tv then the radio is pretty good. Definitely still can't watch action type programs on tv. Try and sleep through it if you can.

I don't want to scare anyone but I found the first month post partum pretty horrible and looking back maybe hg did contribute to not having reserves left to deal. Having said that I loved the hospital food coz the sickness totally went. Not feeling sick felt amazing.

freneticfox and Ollahoma Annoying about colleagues being so obtuse, and I'm amazed mjidwives are so ignorant about this. I think Eletorrito's Idea of puking in the bin is a great one - bin puking was my speciality, but I did it in the steet (they didn't have lids on in Ealing then). frenetic I'm glad about good meeting with HR and Okla I'm not surprised you had a meltdown. It can make you feel a bit better sometimes.
basgeti I do feel for you - it must be so awful to be suffering at this stage - I have known people on here get better round your time, though, so I do hope y'ou will too.
Starry Lovely to hear from you and that sounds an excellent idea.
ToAvoidConversation Sympahties about dinner.
Lottie and Meerka How are things?
I feel guilty that now I'll be swanning off to France for a few days after being awol from this thread twice recently, but I know wonderful Meerka and others will be very supportive, besides knowing more about meds than I do any day.
Back on 27 and looik after yourselves Everyone.
Apologies if I've rudely overlooked anyone.
xx

Have a wonderful holiday Lucinda!

It's encouraging to read positive stories from 'the other side', as it were. I feel like I'm having a hormone surge or something, last night and this evening are really unpleasant. Would like a reprieve for a day, would be lovely. Being emetophobic makes this so much more challenging.

Had a consultant appointment today and got moved over to midwife-led care so I'm no longer considered high risk. I asked about my relentless nausea/inability to eat or drink without retching after 8pm and the consultant just said 'you're 14 weeks now so it's probably better than it was, should be nearly gone'. Could have cried/screamed/thrown a chair at him.

Frenetic - how enraging! I was still in hospital at 14 weeks. I actually really appreciated the consultant who was decent enough to say that he didn't know when it would get better. I am 17 weeks tomorrow though and despite a dodgy day yesterday - DH is away at the moment and I'm very tired from being woken in the night by DS who STILL doesn't sleep through at 20 months - I am on the whole doing a lot better, actually better I think than I was at this stage last time, even though the first 14 weeks were quite a lot worse and I hardly made it out of hospital at all.

I agree with others, I did struggle after the birth and had bad PND which does seem pretty common after HG, especially for those women who are ill to some extent right to the end. I felt a lot better in lots of ways but if I am honest quite a lot of aspects of those first few months I actually found harder than the end of pregnancy. I don't think I allowed enough at all for how depleted I was both physically and mentally by that point and I hope I'll be easier on myself - as well as more prepared - this time. So I would say: do arrange as much help as you can, and don't compare yourself in those first weeks/months with women who have had healthy normal pregnancies. Do also be prepared to prioritise your rest/recuperation - for instance, breast feeding is great but it does shift the burden, especially of night wakings, but also of general emotional/physical availability on to you, and I would reconsider that a second time if I was as tired/down again. It's not selfish, because avoiding depression goes a huge way to protecting and promoting your bond with your baby and your baby's sense of security. I am really sad that I didn't enjoy my first year with my son - even though he is so lovely now - and that I can't do that year with him again.

Having said all that I have known plenty of women even with truly dreadful HG who had not a hint of PND and actually found the sheer relief of not being pregnant a big protective factor. Hopefully that will be you, but don't underestimate the toll it has taken.

frenetic what an outrageously irritating thing for the consultant to say

I can't believe a consultant said that. They are the ones you are meant to be able to trust! You poor thing.

I upped my cyclizine to 2 tablets a day, had just enough left to do it before docs appointment this afternoon. Had a couple of days where I managed to eat in the evenings and keep it down. Felt very optimistic that things would improve.

Then last night, I ate and all night was intense nausea before I finally gave it up and spend the night throwing up. I feel like its just hit so much harder, the disappointment, helplessness and exhaustion of it all.

Today is one of the - everything is awful days, stick me in a corner so I can cry all day, kind of days. Almost feel slightly sorry for the doctor I will be seeing this afternoon!

I'm going to have to insist on taking the recommended 3 tablets a day, it may help and I know I can't go on any longer like this. :-(

also @freneticfox I think I may have actually exploded at that consultant!!!

Jenhad I could cope on 2 cyclizine a day. I take three plus three Stemicel a day and I'm still chundering a lot. B

Pink angel delight wasn't too bad to eat today. Managed a packets worth in three small sittings this morning.

Sorry I meant I couldn't cope on 2 a day

ToAvoidConversation angel delight is such a good idea. I used to love that as a kid.

I don't know if anyone else has done this, but when I've run out of food ideas, because I've thrown up everything I usually eat, I keep going back to foods I associate with being a kid or happy memories.

Most foods make me miserable now, so I think my brain is doing anything it can to find a happy association with food to make me eat.

The only problem with this is I end up throwing up and ruining those foods/memories in my mind!

I think I might see if I can manage some angel delight for tea though, I used to love it as a kid, and therefore will probably be more confident in eating it and fingers crossed it might actually stay down!

Hi all, I've just found this thread as I'm feeling pretty sorry for myself!!

Am 9 wks +5 days, and have been a frequent puker for 2 weeks now. I honestly don't know what has happened to the world. Even drinking water is a struggle. I'm got myself into a routine of having to drink 8 glasses of water a day, strictly 2 sips at a time, and we seem to be managing ok on that. Yesterday and today, I've introduced marmite on toast, which is just about staying in. Have been told to focus on the fluids rather than food as otherwise I'll end up in hospital. Oh goody.

Does anyone have a crystal ball to tell me when this is going to stop? I miss spending time with DD (2.5) and my family. I'm even missing work (have been signed off till 1 Sept)...

I am grateful for the fact that we decided to replace our loo at the beginning of August, so at least I have somewhere nice to curl up for large portions of the day! (have to find a positive in here somewhere)!!!

It didn't all stay down but it did for a bit!

Welcome MrsAnnekins . Did you suffer like this in your previous pregnancy?

Hey guys.

It's been a while since I was on here. I really needed the support from you guys at the time but looking at a computer screen made my head spin and typing and thinking about what to type was just too much.

I've just noticed the thread in active topics so I thought I would pop in and let you know how it was going here.

I found out I was expecting last April and the sickness started at 5 weeks exactly, by week 7 I was on a drip. I spent the rest of the pregnancy in and out of the ward, with various ruptured oesophegus, cracked ribs, high ketones etc

The only thing that kept me going was the thought that it would go by 12 weeks. When 12 weeks came and went it was only until 18 weeks...20 weeks, 22 weeks, etc.

I lost 1.5 stone while I was pregnant and I was underweight when I started got my BFP.

When I was 31 weeks pregnant I was trying to make it to the bathroom in time and didn't. I slipped in my own vomit and cracked my tailbone, this also caused my waters to rupture.

DD was born at 31+3 weighing 3lb 6oz after a 4 hour active labour.

The sickness stopped about 3 hours after she came out.
I felt guilty for not feeling guilty that she was early IYSWIM but I was just so happy not to feel sick anymore.

The midwives kept me in for 4 days although I had no complications and let me eat 3 dinners at a time if I wanted! DD came home after one month.

DD is 10 months old now (8 corrected). I am unsure if I would purposely get pregnant again. I am not ashamed to say the whole thing nearly killed me.

I'm not sure what this post is trying to achieve, but if you do remember me I wanted to say we are alive and well and she is worth every single second of what I went through.

I would post a lovely picture of DD but I fear I might get flamed for it. I know I'm not in AIBU but you never can tell with MN!

Wow that is a shocking story and makes me feel grateful for being at home. I'm so glad that your DD ended up OK.

I won't flame you for posting a pic. It's what is meant to make this whole process seem so worthwhile!

BumpAndGrind I really have no idea how you got through all that, but its really encouraging to hear you are now on the other side and have your DD.

To you and all women going through this, I really do salute you - you have my upmost respect. xx

WORTH. EVERY. SECOND!

Having said all that I have known plenty of women even with truly dreadful HG who had not a hint of PND and actually found the sheer relief of not being pregnant a big protective factor. Hopefully that will be you, but don't underestimate the toll it has taken.

My mum/nana/aunties all suffered with PND and I was sure I would too... I honestly think this is the reason I didn't.

Also touching on what kalidasa said upthread...Having DD is SCBU for 4 weeks was actually a godsend in hindsight. It gave me chance to sort out everything I was unable to do while I was unwell.

Awh what a smile. That's cheered me up.

Maybe the sheer relief of not being pregnant anymore helped avoid PND? I feel like a complete failure because I've wanted babies forever and then this happens.

Can't contemplate ever doing this again ever.

bumpandgrind thanks for posting your gorgeous picture and story. It sounds like you had a horrendous time but what an encouraging happy ending!

Welcome mrsanne no crystal ball I'm afraid, but 20 weeks is a good point for lots of people! Some really lucky people improve before that too.

I think it was the relief of not being pregnant anymore. I did feel a bit down around the due date but that passed quickly.

She is such a smiley baby... totally oblivious to her crash landing into the world.

bumpandgrind how lovely!! :) congratulations!

hi mrsanne ... most people with severe nausea and vomitting in preg or HG find they improve around weeks 14 - 21. There's usually an ok-ish bit in the middle. Some people find it comes back a bit in the last trimester but it's never as bad as at first.

Using a straw or trying very hot or very cold water can help. Or flat coke, or sucking ice chips. Eat what you fancy and don't be shy about sending your partner out for food if you realise you fancy something.

jenhad what a great idea about eating childhood-happy foods!

frenetic the only reasonable response to that consultant is to think of the worst thing you can, and then vomit on his floor. It'll sharp make him realise that it's not going well!

< waves to everyone>

I was nauseous all day with my first and went off a lot of foods, but this is a whole new world of horrendous!! I know for certain that I'm only expecting one, thanks to an early scan, but OMG! My ribs hurt from the retching, and I'm exhausted. When I get to 12 weeks, my GP will consider medication (am already on ad's and they won't give me anything else yet), so 2 weeks to survive! It doesn't help that work is already talking about working from home from 1 Sept, when I can't look at a computer screen without puking! It's gonna be a long pregnancy!