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.

How much is your bog standard Ondansetron? I can only find over a 100 quid for 30 when I'm looking for it online but thats the branded stuff?

Hi
I'm new to this group hope you don't mind me joining? This is my third baby and as you might gather from my username a complete shock as I conceived with the copper coil in! During my 2 previous pregnancies the sickness was really bad for 20 weeks but hyperemisis was never diagnosed! This time however I started to vomit as soon as I missed my period non stop since then and I'm currently 7.5 weeks! I was admitted to hospital last Thursday for dehydration and 4 ketones. I was given iv fluids and commenced on ondansetron iv. I was discharged on Sunday evening with oral cyclizine ( which I was on when admitted and clearly wasn't working). I started vomiting again Monday morning and haven't kept anything down since. Today I have been vomiting since the sickness woke me at 1am. I got up to be sick again at 6am and fainted on the bathroom floor. My husband panicked and dialled an ambulance who took me to a&e. This time I didn't see a Gynae dr just the dr in a&e. They took bloods and put a drip up and I gave a urine sample. Half an hour later dr came back said my bloods were normal took drip down and said I should go home but gave me a prescription for ondansetron. As he was leaving the room I asked had he checked my urine for ketones, he looked very taken aback and said there was only 1 plus ketones. I did as I was told and came home. I'm a district nurse and carry urine strips so thought I'd check my own urine as his reaction seemed strange. I dipped my urine and sure enough ketones 4. I've managed to keep the ondansetron down but only managed sips of water throughout the day. What should I do re: the ketones? Any advice would be greatly received. Thanks x

Hi all, unfortunately things have not got any better here. I am still struggling to keep down food/fluids. Had my 16 week midwife appointment today and mw was surprised that my urine was clear of ketones (it was very concentrated) however she thinks that I will be readmitted to hospital by the weekend if I continue as I am...fingers crossed I can avoid readmission!

On a positive note I got to hear baby's heartbeat again along with a might kick! Apparently baby was extremely active, really makes the sickness worthwhile (my mantra everyday!) albeit exhausting!

I promised DP I would make myself something substantial to eat while he is out today but I haven't managed it. The toast I had this morning came back up and I've been nibbling on digestives ever since. Feeling really sick, really worn out and really depressed. I honestly hate being pregnant, this is utterly shit.

We haven't kept it completely to ourselves. My mum knows and my younger sister because of the hospital admission and so does my supervisor at work (and I think the rest of my team as well, there was just no hiding it) but we really wanted to tell the family all at once.

Totally broke down in tears on the phone to my younger sister yesterday, went completely to pieces. This is so depressing :(

You ladies who are already mums are amazing. I honestly don't know how you're managing to take care of children. Hats off to you x

hello coil, congrats on the preg and and commiserations on the vomitting! At ketones 4 I would definitely suggest another visit to the doctor. But first, read up on the links that lucinda posted on the first post. The NICE guidelines in particular are invaluable as they give both the Goals to treatment (to keep an ordinary life going) and the meds commonly prescribed, which you can ask your doctor about and hopefully work together on which ones work for you.

Ondan is the best of the ordinary safe anti-emetics. But people at the more severe end often find that a combination of meds is good such as ondan + cyclizine or ondan + prochlorperazine.

If your doctor isn't HG-friendly, take an advocate with you if you can. It really helps. (or, ahem, aim a timely upchuck in his direction!)

But at 4+ ketones you need proper rehydration and as you know, iv is much the best way. Getting enough hydration into you will help reduce the nausea a bit all on its own, as the electrolyte balance will be restored.

durham lovely to hear about the baby's heartbeat, it's the one golden spot in all this isn't it? At 16 weeks though, it's gettign close to the 18 week mark where you do have a very good chance of feeling slowly better .. hang on in there.

red, < gentle hug > ... HG is hellish. Take all the support you can, physical and mental. Rest as much as you can, if you aren't already. We coped with our 5 yo and HG by arranging full time child care ... barely saw him for 8 months :(

CoilShock Welcome, Meerka has given you great advice as ever.
I'm shocked they somehow made a mistake and sent you home with $+ ketones, thank goodness you're a district nurse and knew about their importance and testing. How do you find flat coke, jelly, the juice of tinned fruit, soda water or ice cubes for liquids? Don't hesitate to make a fuss with emergency services if you get any iller, I think you may need more IV unfortunately, it can be so difficult to rehydrate when at home when vomiting still. This is the worst stage - for almost everyone, things do get a lot better and a lot can function normally on good meds.
NoRoombasgetti DurhamRed and GettheRedOut Really feeling for you, gentle pats on offer. This misery will end, I promise.
frenetic and ToAvoid and Meerka waves.
Apololgies to anyone I've rudely overlooked or with whom I've cross posted.
xx

Hello..haven't been on here for ages but thought I'd pop in.I'm 4 days overdue now and desperate for baby to arrive especially as the bad taste and excess saliva is driving me crazy..it seems to have ramped up in the last few weeks.
Sorry to all those who are sick..mine got a lot better by 20 weeks except this bad taste so hang in there.I didn't believe I could manage to get to this point as was so sick thought I couldn't carry on.Will pop back and let you know when baby arrives :) Cant believe I've gone overdue! Ah!

hi george nice to see you! god that taste is horrendous and the saliva. The babies are buggers at hanging on aren't they? any signs yet of interest in the big wide world?

No signs as yet though apparently he's engaged as can be.But no mucus plug and less braxton hicks then I was having earlier.Me and my 3 brothers were all early so I thought this one would be! Full moon tonight so here's hoping! Yes the bad taste and excess saliva is SO unbelievably horrible and depressing.I have had it for 7 months and am scared it won't go after even though everyone says it will!

The hormones drop so fast after birth. I did find that a very much lower level of sickness remained for some months after, though it's gone now, and very occasionally I'd get an excess of saliva. But it was way, way better than during the preg and from all I gather, it's rare to have anything at all hang on.

So you'll probably be absolute fine once your little passenger has started to blink in the bright light of day :)

At least you know it can't possibly be more than than 10 more days!! (they induce at 2 weeks, aye?)

Thanks :) Really good to hear! They've booked me in for an induction next Thursday but really hoping he will arrive before then.
Good luck everyone and You can do it however hard it seems..!

So many posts since I last came on! Not sure that I can keep up properly. To answer questions about my ondansetron though, the first lot I had were made by Almus and were diamond shaped. This lot are made by Pliva and are little round tablets. As for the cost, I think it worked out at about £1 per day for generic ondansetron if you were on 3 tablets a day.

And someone asked about previous HG pregnancies if women had more than one child. This is baby number 5 (surprise) and babies 1, 2 and 4 were all HG pregnancies. Number 3 was a boy and totally normal level of MS. HG got worse through babies 1, 2 and 4. This time I was put on ondansetron from the point that I couldn't keep anything down and it seems to be so key to be medicated ASAP with something that actually works.

Hello everyone, another hyperemesis sufferer here. I've been wanting to post a while as I feel I need a holding hand. I previously had two losses at 6 weeks and didn't have any sickness with either. I kinda knew they wasn't to be because I had sickness with my first pregnancy. I was actually willing the sickness to come on with this pregnancy so I know it's actually progressing.
Boy am I sick!
I don't want to moan because I want this pregnancy so much but I feel so rough. I can't do anything. I havnt brushed my hair properly in weeks. I can't brush my teeth I can't look after my toddler I can't cook and I can't eat. I can't even drink water without throwing up.
I've been hospitalised twice on a drip already. I'm on cyclizine 3 times a day - for the record they don't work.
The sickness is worse in the evenings rather than morning.
I don't remember it this bad with my first and I carried on working full time. But this time I've had 3 weeks off already and it's only a part time job. I'm scared I'm going to lose my job.
Someone tell me it gets better.

Olive1987 Welcome. I know just how you feel, because I had a pregnancy with no sickness that led to an mmc, so you do want the sickness but then it becomes too much. Never worry about moaning.
What meds are you on? About work - pregnancy related conditions are protected by legislation in UK and almost certainly throughout EU so try not to worry too much. How are ice lollies, flat coke, soda water and sips of the juice of tinned fruit staying down? Yes, it does get much better for almost everyone. Even the unlucky ones who remain sick aren't anything like as ill later on. What meds are you on? Do you have the magic kesostix to check for dehydration?
Coilbabyshock I hope you got the welcome messages and suggestions, this thread does move on fast at times...
George Cheering you on. That taste is unbelievably awful...
Hope Everyone is c oping today with no admissions needed...
xx

LucindaE thank you that has put my mind at ease, I done some googling about discrimination in pregnancy regarding my job you're right, it seems they cannot get rid. I feel so bad letting them down though, I actually really enjoy my job.
I'm taking cyclizine 3 times daily. Some days it seems to help others not, I will carry on taking it though, the doctor did say that it needs to build up in my system. I am a little worried taking meds that don't work, I still feel sick but it's bought the vomiting down to 3-4 times a day instead of 20 times! I just have SO MUCH saliva all the time that makes me vomit when I swallow it, or I just spit all the time - which isn't very lady like.
I havnt tried any of the drinks you have mentioned. I will have a go and see how I get on.

I don't have the sticks no, I just went to the doctor for anti sickness meds and got sent straight to hospital - twice. Thank you for your advice though I will try what you have mentioned.

hi everyone sorry have not kept up with the thread for a few days but just wanted to pop in quickly. welcome to all the newbies- so sorry you are suffering so badly- there seem to be a lot of people very poorly at the moment. I cannot better any of the advice already given- lots of wise words and support on this thread.

good luck george great to see another near graduate. please keep us posted xx

basgetti how are you today? it would be good to hear from you if you can ...

olive welcome. Please don't feel bad about taking time off, you're brewing a baby up and your health > all.

About the law, livingzuid found this great link law on preg

The spitting (and bad taste in mouth if you get that) is awful. You can get a small drink carton and spit into it down the straw, that helps avoid the terrible look of it (and the smell of it too, sorry for mentioning that). Also, it's usually impossible to avoid spitting but try if you can to spit as little as you can, the more you spit the more saliva you produce apparently. Often you just have to though!

It sounds to me like you need stronger meds possibly. Cyclizine should only take 3 or so days to build up. There are a lot of other good meds, read up on the NICE link above. The NICE is the government's own Best Practise body so the stuff in it is reliable and your doctor can prescribe any of the meds they recommend.

Hello, Meerka what a great idea about the spitting!
Coilbabyshock How are you today?
Olivia As Meerka says, it's unfortunate about having to be off, but your health and the baby's has to come first. Hopefully with the right meds things might settle down enough for you to return to work later on if it's part time. Cyclezine is the first line of defence, I believe, so if you are still vomiting with it, even if it's reduced it considerably - twenty times a day, how horrific - it's well worth as you say, waiting to see if it works better after a few days but if not asking for something stronger. There's a lot of meds.
Nice to hear from you as ever, veteran elizabethsmum. I hope all is progressing with George and that basgetti is getting good treatment, maybe even released,and that Everyone isn't too bad today.
xx

Moan alert.

Have grotty cold, still being sick (which really sucks when bunged up), right foot so swollen can barely walk and everything hurts.

Midwife cheerfully said yesterday that baby is in position and engaged but that it could be 1 day or 1 month still until she appears. Urgh. Can someone just sedate me until she arrives please?

Oklahoma I'll join you in the snotty vomit moan. I want drugs that WORK

cold and vomitting is a horrid combination ... But probably better to get the cold out of the way now. MIL came to stay around the time of the first birth and she brought a cold with her. Sneezing and coughing after pushing a baby out is not pain-free .....

Hi all
Just wanted to say Olive I tried cyclizine for a week with no luck, then same with stemetil, then luckily got promethazine which absolutely helped me. I wouldn't persevere too long with something which isn't working, and don't be afraid to question this with the doc, mine was fine about swapping xx

Oh and re the bad taste, I discovered chewing gum after about 3 weeks and it really helps me, I've got a constant stash in my bag!! I have extra bubble mint, it's much milder than minty ones. Might be worth a go xx

Hello all,

Well here I am, I very much hoped I wouldn't be here this time around. I'm currently 7 weeks pregnant with DC2.

I have been taking metaclopromide and now got phenegan (sp) in combination. I have already been for iv rehydration luckily not overnight.

DH is very supportive but despite my doom and gloom warning pre ttc (he's my second husband so this is all new to him) is finding it a struggle. I know it's very easy to get obsessed with HG and I'm trying hard to stay positive but it's such a struggle.

Sending best wishes to everyone suffering