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.

yes, but the Squeak was very firmly ensconced and absolutely refused to move for anything except his own good curiosity when the time came. Hopefully your little 'klohoma will be less bloodyminded!

I can't do another 2-3 weeks. Everyone has been saying any day and I thought the worsening was part of that.

Freckle I got through it by just getting through every hour, then the next hour and finally just get through the morning them the afternoon. Don't count time in long periods. It does pass.

I had a funny taste lump thing in the back of my throat up until about week 16/17 and then it just went. At that point it made me feel like myself.

I found a picture online which is meant to be about depression but for me it also showed how the nausea is all encompassing.

freckle I was so hoping Emysmarie would come on to reassure you, and didn't want to pre-empt what she said. Also, I realised last night that maybe none of us had said what others have just said, how you can expect a big improvement in the second tri even if you are unlucky enough to suffer longer than fourteen weeks, and as Emysmarie says, it being twins, it's very likely you wouldn't have had this thing at all with a singleton pregnancy. It was so with mrsdaikusa (sorry for spelling) who was also expecting twins, suffered badly but it went off early.
Oklahoma You poor thing, I do feel for you and was hoping it was all starting off early. It's very hard on you. Gentle cyber pats on offer.
ToAvoid That is so appropriate.
I do hope poor DurhamRed is feeling a bit better. FIVE admissions...
xx

Thank you so much emsymarie, I have read your message about 3 times this morning and it's made me v emotional - it's really giving me hope to think there might be light at the end of the tunnel. I think until now I've been so shocked at how unwell I feel and telling myself I can't do this, how can I manage, feeling guilty at being off work etc etc but what I really need to do as toavoidconversation says, is to take things in smaller chunks and get through each little bit. Congratulations on your twins and I'm so glad to hear you are feeling much better.
toavoidconversation the picture is absolutely accurate. I feel like showing it to everyone who has made any unhelpful comment. I can also understand why those who have thus condition are prime to low mood, it really is like a black cloud.

Thank you Lucinda for also inspiring hope.
Sorry to everyone having a terrible time with this, it really is awful.
I wondered if anyone has tried vitamin B, it has been recommended to me.

okla it might well be starting! Im sorry, wasn't saying that you'll have to wait that long! it might well be now! (and Ill burn a candle that it is!)

freckle, vitamin B6 is considered to be helpful if you take it with cyclizine.

Get your husband to get a giant pack of 100 over the counter, just don't let on that its for a preg lady =)

toavoid what a great pic.

Hi All, I've not posted in quite a few weeks now, but have been popping by and trying to keep up. It looks like its been a very tough few weeks for a lot of you, and my heart has gone out to you all so much.

I've been on Ondansetron for a few weeks now, I call them my magic tablets! They changed everything for me. I went from utter despair to getting by! I'm now at week 20 with twin boys and although I feel the nausea has definitely calmed down, I'm still reluctant to try cutting down on the tablets, I get very anxious thinking how I'd cope without them! I think I will try just missing one in a morning soon and see how I get on. My doctor has put me on a repeat prescription at least, so I don't have to stress about that.

FreckleBee Hi there! I had to post when I saw you were also having twins in the hope that my story might help give you some hope too! I got sick from week 5 and was prescribed Cyclizine at week 8, which worked for a while, but didn't give me any quality of life. I kept holding on thinking things would get better at week 12, 14 etc. I wish now looking back I had been more firm with doctors and told them I needed better meds. I know its easier said than done at the time, you feel vulnerable, weak and awful for it all and don't know what to do for the best. There were some amazing posters on here, who without them advising me I don't know what I would have done. waves to meerka

Eventually I was prescribed Ondansetron at week 15, which I think you only get once you've had the other drugs like Cyclizine first. Within a day it completely changed everything for me and I could lead a practically normal life. I know this isn't the same for everyone and they work for some and not others. The thing I'm trying to say is, try your best to get the help you need, don't be afraid to demand more help from your doctors, and most importantly rest up - I wish I had done this far, far more!! Getting signed off to rest was the best thing I could have ever done.

I look back now and its like a memory of another person, it doesn't even feel like it was me! There were times where I was so depressed and helpless with the whole thing I felt I couldn't carry on and there was no way I could get through it, I just cried constantly out of complete despair and was then annoyed at myself for loosing much needed fluid through tears!. Just keep posting, keep talking, moaning and getting it all out of your system, and before you know it, it really will all be a memory for you too! xx

Hi jenhad thanks for sharing your story it really is nice to hear from others in a similar situation! especially when I feel so guilty and isolated. Did you have any hospital admissions for rehydration? I've not had to thank goodness but I'm wondering if they'll only prescribe ondansetron to those who have required admission?
Can I ask did you suggest this med to your GP or did they? As my GP is saying there us nothing else they can prescribe me! I tried to get an appointment today but no luck, so will try for a same day appointment on Monday.
Thank you so much for your support everyone, it has been so helpful. X

Morning all, checking in. Hope everyone is ok? Basgetti any news on bloods yet? Hoping Durham is feeling better. Freckle this group is a lifeline when you are feeling low. Keep concentrating on getting through each minute at a time. You will gradually improve. With my first it was 23 weeks, although dp and I went on a weekend away and I managed a meal out at 16 weeks...it was only a jacket potato but still, would have been unheard of before then!
LucindaE they damaged my bowel during my emcs. Actually the sickness I felt because of that was very similar to how I feel now! I don't think it's a common problem with c-sections but mine was unusual as I kept sliding down the operating table towards the surgeon! Poor bloke. Actually the whole thing was a bit like a carry on film. Hoping not to replicate that this time but that's a whole other thread.
I am feeling a bit better today, which deserves a hooray if I had the energy to do so. Still keeping food and water down which is amazing. I wish the nausea would jog on too and I hate the feeling of these drugs. Woozy and sleepy. Still, can't have everything! Mother has taken dd out for the day, will be back before 5! Cannot tell you how nice it is to have some peace (dp gone back to bed as is on lates tonight...Hoping he hoovers before he goes!) Anyway I am lucky to have a supportive family. I plan to rest rest rest today in preparation for solo dinner and bedtime later, yikes! Xxx

Hi Freckle I wasn't admitted to hospital, although I probably should have been on more than one occasion, it was me being terrified and not really wanting to admit what I was going through!

My first GP was crap, so I saw a different one and after telling her I couldn't go on any longer and was scared and dehydrated she finally prescribed Ondansetron. She actually phoned the hospital and spoke to a consultant who recommended it to her.

I never went to a GP appointment with the new GP, the wait was far too long (2 weeks!), so I just ask to be put on the telephone list and then the GP rang me back every few days.

Can you speak to a different GP? if not, then maybe take someone with you? If you do get bad, I think you can ring your hospital or go to A&E? I wish I had done this earlier, but for some reason I was scared to, I just kept thinking I could hold on and get through it, but I wish now I had either gone to hospital and got the meds earlier or spoke to the other GP much sooner. I always think I had to be practically dying before I went to hospital, but I realise now that I was being silly, hyperemesis is not something to try and struggle through, it's serious stuff!

I wouldn't hesitate to tell them about Ondansetron!!

Freckle just thought, I am sure the doctor at the pregnancy sickness support line said that some of the stronger meds aren't available until wk11 when the nervous systems are formed. Might be wrong but have you called them? The number is above. They were so helpful. X

lovely to hear from you jen and lovely to hear it's so much better! Have you had your scan yet?

freckle they really can prescribe more, yes. Try another doctor if you can, or can you take a firm and persuasive friend with you, armed with the NICE guidelines ? I forget if I've mentioned it recently, but the NICE guidelines are the government's own Best Practise body for medical matters and they DO mention that the goal of treatment is to have as normal a qulaity of life as possible, and that ondansetron is one of the drugs available and safe (there's been a huge study published in Jan '13 on it)

Hi freckle if it helps I'm on promethazine, which has helped me immensely since week 8 when I was close to admission and not keeping anything down. I tried stemetil and cyclizine for a week each before promethazine without success. I know it doesn't work for everyone but might be worth a try. I also had a bit of acupuncture, which I'm sure helped if only by giving me a reason to get up and leave the house! I went to group sessions rather than private so it wasn't so expensive. I remember so well how I felt in the midst of the really bad bit. Utterly helpless, and truly in despair. We paid for a private scan because I decided if there was a reason to terminate I needed to know sooner rather than later. Like jen says you will look back on this time soon and it will feel a million miles away, I promise xx

I went to the GP the other day for more ondansetron because I was running out and she told me that she could only prescribe me a small amount because it's not meant for long term use during pregnancy and if I want more I'll have to go to the hospital and ask for some

omg just wrote a huge long post only to lose the whole thing

can hardly keep up with the thread at the moment. so sorry many new sufferers but you will find plenty of help and support here so please feel free to vent/rant/sob generally let off steam!

so many twins as well! congrats all- I am a mum of three - second pg twins- (b/g nearly 4 now). had two hg pregnancies (not pg now!- but here to generally offer a shoulder to cry on and try and help where I can).

durham really hoping you soon turn that holy grail of a corner- steroids were muted in my direction at one point but then things stabilised without in the end.

okla all I can say is hang in there- labour was a blessed relief for me and nowhere near as bad as hg.

bas are you still hibernating at home?

have we heard from george at all yet??

waves to everyone xx

okla- I had what I would class as 'normal' vomiting during first labour. Wasn't sick I don't think during second labour but had terrible sickness bug - again different to hg- about 3 days before going into labour with the twins.

bas I am normally ok with needles but midwife could not take any blood from me at times- apparently veins much worse when dehydrated. xx

Getthered I speak to the doctor every two weeks by phone to get more Odansetron prescribed. Won't give me longer than that.

Can't remember who else asked but my GP wouldn't prescribe them, she did however tell me to be quite forceful in asking for it as she knew it was best. She has me admitted that day and I ended up with it by that evening. Once the hospital prescribed them then she could prescribe them after?

Did anyone else find metoclopromide made their sickness worse?

i think a couple of people have found that, glitter, if my hazy memory serves me right. pretty sure of it.

Glitter I found the meto made the nausea unbearable. It definitely made me feel worse. It works by emptying your stomach content more quickly so you at least digest some food before you throw it up but I just found I felt like my stomach was churning constantly. Different meds work for different people.

OMG! Oklahoma I thought I was going mad! Everyone has been yelling at me to keep taking it and let it get into my system, so glad I have stopped it was unbearable.

What medications, as a majority have people found work for them? I think I shal have to go back to my GP.

Hi all, yes elizabethsmum I'm still hibernating! I've not ventured out except to pick up DS up from school, luckily it's just a ten minute walk and that's bad enough. I'm feeling really rough again. Think I may have to restart the ondanestron, been avoiding it as long as I can.

Muddy not heard back yet about the bloods, hope the cyclizine is working well for you.

Freckle I'm prescribed thiamine, I think that is a vitamin B, not sure it has made much difference to be honest but I keep taking it just in case I'd be even worse without it!

Okla I hope you get some progress soon, I think it's outrageous that they won't help things along so close to your due date.

Hope everyone else is doing better today xx

Glitter you're not going mad. I found promethazine was the best for me and I tried everything and combinations thereof at some point or another.

No progress here. Lots of cramping and BH but not convinced anything is really happening.

Bas to be fair they have said they will induce me next week if things are unbearable. I think our definitions of unbearable May vary though!