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.

Ooops. I think my last post I read 2 pages of catch up then posted without realising there was another, so I was rather behind with my commenting!!!

Thanks for the suggestions Meerka. Might have to try the GP again. I just suspect they will not think me bad enough to really warrant any drugs, let alone more. Which is silly really, there is no harm in trying.

George Hope it was just a bad day. Being more tired has a massive impact on how bad I feel. FX crossed you get some good sleep tonight and don't feel so bad tomorrow. I really sympathise with the anxiety though. I'm not really that bad in the grand scheme of things, and not as bad as my last pregnancy if I make myself stop and think, but I think part of my problem is worrying I will have this all the way through like I did last time, and worrying makes me worse.

Blergh

flowery do try them. GPs are incredcibly conservative following thalidomide. But that is fifty years ago now and it would never have been given the go-ahead now, testing procedures are far better. The drugs used now are generally reckoned very safe for the baby, including up to ondansetron, there's been a study a 16 months or so ago which shows no adverse birth outcomes for the babies of people on ondansetron.

okla did you manage to get signed off?

Hi trondheim ... not going too well?

Yes and no. She will sign me off if I need her to but I have established that work are totally cool with me doing whatever I want it was just the work doc being funny. So my 4h a week are fine so long as nothing changes and if it does then I will get signed off again.

Sitting in the garden in the shade. At least I have HG in summer!!

I think I'm going to have to go back to the GP, I can't even keep the cyclizine down long enough for it to work! Haven't kept anything down since monday night. My throat is burning and my stomach hurts. Sorry for the moan, just feeling so drained and miserable.

basgetti don't apologise it's what this thread is for! Have you got kesotix? Sounds like you need to be monotoring dehydration levels?

No I haven't got any, would probably be a good idea to buy some. Can I get them at a chemist?

Yes, take it easy though, if you've not kept anything down since Monday combined with the heat I think you're going to need someone to get them for you. Don't be afraid to phone 111 for advice if it's all getting too much. That's what I did when I was at my worst and they were brilliant at assessing that I needed to be in hospital when I couldn't see the wood for the trees myself ifyswim!

First time here but second HG pregnancy and really struggling today. I've spent the day vomiting or asleep or fantasising that when I have my scan in a couple of weeks I'll have miscarried so they can get it out of me and I don't have to do it anymore. Hate myself for thinking that, can't say it to anyone. It is a fucking horrible condition.

Hi LikeSilver what an apt description of HG! Welcome but sorry you need to be here. Rant away, we've all been there and totally understand the very mixed feelings...

Welcome likesilver I had those fantasies too it will pass

Thank you Oklahoma.

I feel worried about the lack of bond I seem to have with this baby. When I had my daughter, HG was a big struggle but I must have felt some connection to her because I refused to take any meds during my first semester (I didn't know any better) in an attempt to protect her (from any effects). With this one I'm just indifferent, I just want it to be over. I feel huge guilt about my daughter even though I know that rationally she won't remember (she's 2).

I'm 11 weeks now and I feel worried about the upcoming weeks. Last time weeks 12-16 were absolute hell, I was clinging to the fact that after 12 weeks I'd start to feel better and actually it was the worst time. I have my niece's wedding to attend in two weeks (ceremony an hour away, reception another 45 minutes away, and DH can't drive so I'll have to) and in three weeks I'm going on a cruise that my mum has very kindly paid for. I don't know how I'm going to cope.

Thank you for the space.

likesilver have you been to see your GP about this? Are you taking any medication? I think pretty much everyone on this thread is on something or other and, when we've found the right medication, it has worked for us...

Thanks starrynight123. I've had buccastem (nothing) and cyclizine and while the cyclizine works to an extent - it allows me to keep enough fluid down to stay hydrated - I am still constantly nauseous, I constantly need to spit, and still vomit several times a day. It also makes me very tired.

Does anyone's medication stop their symptoms completely?

Nope. It doesn't help with the nausea but helps with the vomiting. Rest is about the only thing that helps.

Welcome likesilver. I don't know if you've been able to read the thread but I am also 12 weeks into a second HG pregnancy and my son is 19 months. I have been mostly in hospital for the last 5 weeks and still stuck here. I have run out of drug options and they are still struggling to stabilise me. It is really hard and I think your feelings are completely normal. I really struggled to bond with DS and had some mother-infant therapy when he was v little which helped a lot. Where are you likesilver? Have you got a good GP/consultant?

After 48 horrendous hours of vomiting every hour despite everything, today has finally been slightly better and I managed to eat and retain a little bit. Also my Dad came down from Suffolk to see me which was really lovely, he arrived just in time for my scan so came along with my husband. Baby seems find despite everything, exactly the right size for dates. I was really worried this time, it is just so hard to believe the baby can be ok after all these weeks of starvation and every drug they could think of.

We are all going to get through this somehow.

Thanks Lottie. I was discharged from hospital a week ago and they said I could ring them and self refer to the ward to be checked again if needed, I may end up doing that as I've carried on vomiting this evening.

Hi likesilver, I've had similar thoughts resenting this pregnancy. I had a MC in December so I feel awful at wishing I wasn't pregnant sometimes. But I can't help how it makes me feel, especially as I feel like such a useless Mum to my poor DS at the moment! I also found the buccastem useless, the taste actually made me retch more! I'm 17+3 today and mine has got worse in the last couple of weeks, although I've been on meds since about 8 weeks. I really hope you start to feel better soon. Did it eventually ease off in your last pregnancy?

kali so glad your scan went well, it's amazing that they can keep growing well through it all. Glad you have had a slightly better day and hope you can get some proper respite from it all soon.

Kali, I'm impressed that you're getting looked after by the palliative care people. That is properly being ill. I hope they can make you feel better.

I am not as bad as any of you I don't think, but I don't get how I'm supposed to feed my toddler without looking at or smelling the food? Have left the spattered kitchen for DH to clean up when he gets in.

I'm only 7 weeks. time feels like it's standing still.

Kali great news baby is doing well. Really hope you have continuance of improvement totnight and tomorrow.

Likesilver I had some belleding and severe cramps a few weeks ago and had a couple of early scans as a result. Was devestated when it started thinking it must be a miscarrige (turned out all fine) but by the follow up scan I couldn't help part of me thinking it would just be a release if it was a miscarrige. Such mixed feelings, but totally understandable and clearly, you're not alone. I'm on Metoclopramide, it stops the vomiting pretty much for me, but not the nausea. And I didn't vomit much any way (1-2 a day usually) so it's not that much help. I asked up thread about anything that would help with the nausea more, Meerka said 'Phenergan (promethazine) is good against nausea for some people.' I might try requesting it.

basgetti you don't sound like you're in a good place. I hope you have someone with you to take care of you.

Tronheim I'm not like most of the ladies hear either, but it still SUCKS. Opening the fridge is a bloody nightmare let alone cooking. And then the rascals either throw half of it on the floor or refuse to eat it.

So, I am a SAHM mum but do some free lance exam marking. The organisation I mark for does has a big 'do' each summer. Unthinkingly I booked my train tickets to the event yesterday. I have to get a train at 6.48am, do a 3 hour journey, go to the do - meeting, wine reception, posh meal, hobnobbing, 3hr journey home. There is no way in HELL I can do that. A 6.48am train, what was I thinking. And now I've spent £150 on train tickets the only way I can get the money back is by going - I can hardly claim the expenses if I don't turn up. STUPID. I can't even do the 15 minute walk to pre school because it makes me feel so ill. Can you tell I'm quite annoyed with myself?!

hi all

sending you peace and love and calm vibes
it does get better, take it one day at a time X

kali pleased to hear it's marginally better and so pleased to hear the Passenger is looking alright.

Glad that you can stick at the 4 hours a week okla! at least you get a bit of mental stimulation and if it's not too heavy for you physically, good to keep something normal in life going.

basgetti and likessilver (hello!) please do NOT worry about the meds. Take them.

The view that meds are bad came from the hangover from Thalidomide, which is 50 years ago now. The governmental guidelines and all best-practise organisations now say that you have to weigh up the risks and benefits and that meds should be given to allow pregnant women to follow normal lives. Being severely dehydrated is also risky for you both. The meds prescribed now (there's a good list on all 3 of the links that Mother Hen posted at the top) are considered safe. Some of them have been used for literally millions of women over decades. Some have more studies done on them than others, but all are considered safe for the baby. Ondansetron, the most powerful of the normal drugs, had a huge boost 18 months ago from a giant Danish study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. You don't get better than that, as far as I'm aware.

Do have a look at the sites that Mother Hen linked, there's an enormous wealth of experience and knowledge. Most GPs are not specialist in this area, they usually see 1 -2 women with HG a year and have no training in the area.

So please, do not worry about taking meds.

how's the little one doing? :) getting any sleep?

Hi experts
I'm going to try and see my gp tomorrow to make a semi preemptive plan. Is it promethazine you would recommend for nausea? The NHS website says you can only use it for a week is that not correct? I'm on phone so could easily have been looking at wrong page entirely. Also it is contraindicated for asthma so if he refuses to prescribe is there something else I could ask for? My asthma is not that bad and I would rather that get worse than this but I want a backup plan.
Thank you so much for your help and support.

There's a lot of useful ones. cyclizine is the first line, but you've tried that havent you? (sorry, getting confused, its nearly midnight and the little one is not granting me much sleep at all atm).

Promethazine is good, I am not sure about how long you can take it for, had not heard about the only-for-a-week thing. Can try to hunt it up on the British National Formulary tomorrow, once i remember how to fool them into thinking Im living in the UK. it's a fairly powerful anti-emetic though and anti-nauseant.

Prochlorperazine (Stemetil, Buccastem), domperidone, prochlorperazine and metoclopramide are middle -level quite good drugs. Metaclopramide is safe for the baby, but occasionally can have effects on the mother - if they give you that, can give you more info. The strongest is ondansetron which is actually a drug given after chemotherapy for the nausea then, but it's considered quite safe. A huge study in Denmark found -no- adverse outcomes from using Ondansetron in preg.

Basically some drugs work better for some people, others for other people. It may be worth asking for Stemetil or Metoclopramide if he won't give you promethazine as a next step.

Good luck

Hi all. Doing a bit better here, they're putting the steroids through the line early in the morning which seems to help me keep a grip on it and I even managed to eat a bit yesterday lunchtime. Only been sick once today so far so hoping for another ok day. Bowels still totally stuck though despite endless enemas, the horror! Beginning to feel I'll never go to the loo again. Sorry for gory detail.