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.

Mother Hen fully agrees with you, Oklahoma as ever. ToAvoid and others mustn't allow guilt feelings or even financial concerns to pressurise them into going back too soon -you'll probably only collapse. I'm sure the GP will rightly keep you signed off.
cc

GetTheRed ondanestron is terrible for constipation. If you can tolerate things orally then lactulose or movicol might work, if not glycerin suppositories could help. Hope you get some relief from it soon.

Morning ladies. Went to do doctors this morning and have been signed off until mid November. Doctor wasn't happy with how I am and referred me to hospital. I am now on the ward awaiting assessment :-(

Ketones and protein were trace, but doctor wasn't happy that bp was low and heart rate raised...so here I am, again for the 4th time.

oh dear durham at least you are in the right place I suppose. my record for admissions in last preg stood at 5 xx

I was off from January till due date in June. Don't feel bad about being off sick. It is a hideous thing and schlepping into work makes it worse.

Oh Durham hope you get seen soon.

Been back in work barely half a day and already been nagged to make up time for health appointments... that haven't even happened yet.

This place is awful, I cannot wait until I can get myself on mat leave :(

frenetic That is outrageous besides unwelcoming - where do you work? Women are surely guaranteed by legislation time off to attend hospital appointments connected with pregnancy...
xx

Just seen doctors, I'm being admitted again for iv fluids and meds. Hopefully this will be a short admission.

Lucinda - I work for a non-profit... making it all the more surprising. It seems to be across the board, I know of several women that have been signed off here with stress during pregnancy. A couple haven't even come back after mat leave. It's so frustrating because I've always worked my backside off here, pulling in extra hours consistently to get things done, despite never receiving recognition, over time, or even a thank you. A few weeks ago I got a huge telling off for putting strain on the department with my being signed off.

I just don't have the energy to fight, or jump through hoops anymore.

Durham, hopefully it will be a short stay; fingers crossed for a swift upswing x

DurhamRed You poor thing. Hope you feel better asap.
FreneticFox I know these charitable organisations can be as bad as the profit making ones, but this is ridiculous, and the stress will not help the Hyperemesis. Of course, these bludgeon like managers don't think of that...
xx

Durham hopefully you'll feel better after some fluids and it will stop you from getting worse.

I've got my headache back. I guess that I've got at least 2+ ketones again judging by the headache but I am not moving off the sofa to find out as I know that moving right now=vomiting. I already feel sorry for myself as DD3 has just split my lip open by not-so-delicately giving me some duplo to play with.

NoRoom Oh,no. Those headaches are a bad sign, and your lip too.
Bad times all round, oh dear.
Hugs to all. DurhamRed I hope getting rehydrated and Freneticfox Don't let them get you down, though it's hard...
xx

noroom thanks for the tip about iron supplements. Will discuss with gp.

frenetic the legislation protecting antenatal appointments is the employment rights act section part vi, 55, 56 and 57. I suggest sending your manager a link and pointing out that a vital part of avoiding a relapse, which would necessitate reduced hours again, is for you to get plenty of rest and avoid unnecessary stress. Is there an hr dept or is it too small? If yes then copy them in. They will keep your managers in line if they have any sense.

I'd echo what they have said to you back in writing in an email in order to have a written record of what is going on esp if you think other women have been "managed out". You don't need to do any more than that, it's just to make sure you have a nice trail of evidence if you want to use it when you are better.

Gentle pats to everyone.

Elletorrito Thanks so much for the details of those ol' employment rights - I'd've known years ago, when I was a union rep, now my memory for such things is scrambled. I'm glad that there are less nauseating forms of iron supplement - as I was dismissed briskly about it at that point I gave up and never pursued it (don't do as I did, so as I say about that with meds...
How is everyone today? I hope DurhamRed is a bit better and basgetti hasn't been admitted...
xx

Phew... Another few weeks of meds and another really lovely doctor. I'll be having to remember to do something to thank the surgery when this all comes to an end.

ElleTorrito thanks for those employment details. Made for an interesting read.

Morning all. Not a good night or morning for me, still being sick even on iv ondansetron. Fluids have been little help this time either. Still, I'm being discharged today as my ketones are only +1 so not too bad. So on with the meds and fingers crossed it gets better soon (though it seems to be getting worse for me at the moment).

And here is the HSE link as to what expectant mothers have a right to in the workplace. I have sadly had to link this more times than I care to on mn.

www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/

Hi I've not been admitted yet, I spoke to the MW yesterday and she thought I should be assessed based on my ketones, but she is going to do a home visit on Monday so I will try to hold out at least until then as I don't want to leave DS at the moment. He's having some difficulties at school and I'll be so anxious being away from him. The anxiety I'm sure is also not helping how I'm feeling.

I want to give up on the meds as they all make me feel worse at the moment, especially ondanestron. The only one I can feel any benefit from is the ranitidine. 29 weeks this weekend, can't believe I still feel so bad. Was holding out for the magic 28 weeks which was when my sickness finally disappeared in my first pregnancy but it doesn't seem to be happening this time.

Hope you are doing okay Durham, I don't think they should be discharging you whilst you are still being so sick and your ketones are increasing!

Hope everyone else is feeling okay x

DurhamRed I so agree with others, it seems premature to send you home until the vomiting has stopped and ketones negative. They actually discharged a woman on here with 3+ ketones which shocked me, though to be fair to them, that may have had something to do with the starvation.
Basgetti That's too bad about your son not being happy at school on top of everything else, and brave of you to want to soldier on over the weekend. Hugs.
ToAvoid I'm glad about great medical centre - a thank you card will probably make them happy enough. I doubt they get many ovreall...
livingzuid Thanks so much for link. Lovely to hear from you.
I hope GettheRedOut and Everyone is coping.
xx

Nurses have had a go at Dr for brow beating me into discharge. I told him I needed more fluids but he just ignored me and kept telling me I was keeping enough food down to keep ketones low (i.e. eating enough to exist...barely) I kept telling him I was throwing everything up after eating, but he wouldn't have it. This wasn't a consultant but a young Dr who kept referring to his registrar.

Now I'm in another night thankfully, and hopefully more fluids will clear ketones.

Oh and I forgot, I spoke to senior nurse regarding the hca who said 'hyperemesis didn't exist in my day....' She was not happy at all and is taking it further.

Go durhamred so glad you are being assertive and being listened to.