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.

HexyQueen Oh dear, I had to smile at the horror of that story; so familiar. What you say is interesting; does it affect blood test results? I came out with a high risk of Downs from that blood test, one in thrity three.
Fraggle It's too bad you're still being sick at the stage of being large; very uncomfortable even apart from bladder woes.
Kalidasa I hope you are managing if you've had to go into work. Waves to everyone. A bit worried still about how BlueberrySlice got on at work this week, as we haven't heard from her. NoRoom Dare I ask how things are?
waves to Fortywinx and all.

xx

Emysmarie Waves to all three of you. That must be a bit worrying, I wish I knew, but I'm sure someone else on here does.
xx

hexyqueen interesting - what is the theory behind how it affects results? I came out low risk (1 in 14000) - was 31 at the time of testing so don't know if that makes a difference

Emsymarie I think you can buy the strips from a Pharmacy over the counter? They're called something "stix" I think. Diabetics use them I believe.

Oh Fraggle that sucks :( I'm still holding out hope that once I get into second trimester my symptoms will magically disappear and I will feel amazing and glowy, but I doubt it somehow. Throwing up later on has got to be awful.

So this morning I literally walked in the door at work and had to rush to the nearest loo. It was disgusting, so I've written an email to the Caretaker to moan about it not helping when you're trying not to be sick, but the toilet bowl is gross XD

"Dear sir, I need a pristine toilet bowl to throw up into. Kthxbai!" XD Oh the irony. I blame the hormones lol.

Thanks fortywinx think I've found them, Albustix, my chemist has them so I'll pick those up, and hopefully stop worrying :) x

I'm now terrified that it'll show a false high risk for downs syndrome. I've got 2 weeks ish until my scan, I suppose there's no point obsessing until then.i still will though. I feel i would continue a pregnancy if it showed any disabilities, but it's easier said than done. Sorry this sounds horribly insensitive.

I had a higher than expected Downs risk with DS - still officially low but a lot higher than from my age alone. When you looked at the numbers it was entirely down to v high HCG so I wasn't worried about it. DS is fine. I think with subsequent pregnancies they take previous results into account and this time I was lower risk despite being so ill this time that I had BOTH the 7 week and 12 week scans done as an inpatient!

NewShoes Don't stress - I don't think it happens very often from what I've seen on here, and though that was a high risk for my then mid thirties age - I'd still have been much higher than somebody younger, anyway.. Hugs.

Kalidasa Cross posted - great advice. How are you?

Thanks lucinda. I'm having a small cry now, this pregnancy is hell and I have to last til june somehow. Sorry I'm on a real downer.

Thanks kalidasa just saw your post too x

Oh sorry, newshoes, didn't mean to frighten anyone. Having read around some of the other forums and research material, it seems because the figure is calculated by algorithm my age will be more of a factor than the HG: there are 2 physical points measured on the combined scan, plus 2 blood tests, then maternal age is considered. So even an increase in most mums bloods wouldn't trigger a high risk result. As someone pointed out, even where someone to get a really high reading from the algorithm, you still have overwhelming probability things will be fine. Please don't fret, you are younger than I and it will all be fine, honey {big non squishy hug} xxx

Ps I got a very low risk result last time at 37, I was pretty sick then too.

Hi all, I got a normal protein reading from my Albustix so I'm going to stop worrying now! The joys of self diagnosis! Just saw that the PSS people shared a request on Facebook for mums with HG due between November and January to get in touch re a to programme to raise awareness so thought I'd post it here in case anyone fancied it...

*tv programme

Just popping in to say hi and offer hope and encouragement to all.

Oklette is 3 weeks old today and I am still relishing the novelty of not being / feeling sick.

The only downer is that the 9 months of malnutrition and HG have caught up with me and I feel like I have been hit by a bus. People keep saying how amazing I look cause I'm so skinny but that really isn't something to celebrate!

Hi everyone

I've been MIA for a few weeks because things were a bit rough and I was really struggling to do anything.

On saying that I've been feeling a lot better the last few days and have managed to keep both food and fluid down.

Had a doctor's visit on Monday and found out I'm having a boy! He reckons that now I'm 19 weeks the HG should start to calm down, I just hope he's right.

He's suggested trying to cut down on the medication and see how it goes but if it doesn't work not to worry as he's happy to keep prescribing thank goodness.

Hi all - I'm desperately posting for some advice.

I'm 6w+7. This will be my 3rd HG pregnancy (not including 2 mc in the last 12 month).

I should be an expert but in the first pregnancy, I was told to get on with it by the doctors, 2nd pregnancy I was hospitalised a couple of times but at last given medication to manage it.

There seems to be so much more around HG out there now but I'm still not sure I'm getting what I need from my GP. This will be my 4th day of hardly eating. I've been taking cyclizine which isn't having any effect on the severe nausea. No key tones in my urine as I am at least managing to sip water.

I went to out of hours surgery last night, had a student doc who has given me Prochlorperazine Maleate which we'll pick up this morning. DH has done some research on it and says people are saying it's not effective. Do any of you know about the drug side of things?

I feel so terrible, I can't move for want to retch. I can't carry on not eating - have already lost a lot of weight and am very scared of finding myself in the same place as last time.

Dottydodo Welcome. Brave of you to go for it a third time. There's lot of meds and combinations they can try, though they usually progress through a whole series before giving Ondansetron because it is so expensive- and a lot of people on here are very knowledgeable. It might be an idea to phone up 024 7638 2020. A dcotor will ring you back and they have helped people on here get effective meds when they are having dificulties - as it's your third Hyperemesis pregnancy, I really think they should be thinking of treating it with strong meds so you don't detriorate in the beginning.
NewShoes Hugs. Try not to worry too much. Things can get on top of you. Even my high risk was after all, only three and a bit chances in a hundred, and all was fine.
Oklahoma Thanks so much for that lovely message.
Waves to all. Apologies if I've rudely overlooked anyone.
xx

Sorry, that was Dottydadoo!
xx

hi dotty, congrats and commiserations.

you obviously get HG quite bad (and it's amazing how an untreated first preg can sear the memory) so it is worth looking into getting meds early. As mother Hen says, ring the Preg Sickness Support line and the elderly, very experienced doc will ring you back and hopefully can help you find an HG - aware doctor in your area.

very short summary of the comon drugs:

cyclizine (old fashioned anti-histamine; can make you sleepy. 3 days to build up in your blood. Used for many decades)
Vitamin B6 - (taken with cyclizine)
Metoclopramide (empties the stomach faster, less to upchuck)
Domperidone (similar)
Prochlorperazine (works on your sense of balance; also a travel remedy; can be good for some people).
Promethazine (stronger old fashioned anti-histamine, also sleepy-making)
Ondansetron (the strongest and best, but causes constipation).

A lot of people find that they respond to one drug but not another.

Best of luck, this thread is always here for support

auntie congrats on your boy! a lot of people find an improvement around week 19-21 yes. But I'd stay on the meds until you have reached 21 at least, then be cautious about lowering them.

newshoes ... feel for you. Thinking of you.

How is your eating okla? I found eating normally hard for a long time after DS, partly because I was in the unlucky tiny minority that ongoing nausea, but also I think because I had just totally lost confidence in eating. That made it much harder to regain strength/nutrition I think because I found it so hard to face anything apart from very 'safe' (mostly not particularly healthy) foods. I am hoping that this time will go better because even though the sickness has been worse I have definitely managed to hold onto my confidence around eating a bit better.

I made it in yesterday to do the oral exam. Luckily we are having quite a quiet weekend as my MIL is in London and is helping with DS. DH and I even managed to go out for lunch. Now I am in bed though zonked on cyclizine (which gives me dreadful restless legs, but that seems to be just me) and hoping not to throw up. Only 67 days to go!

Welcome dotty. I agree with the others, if you were hospitalised last time, they should be treating more aggressively this time. If your GP isn't comfortable with that, they should be making an urgent referral to a consultant. If you can afford it (and I realise that's a big if), it is sometimes worth identifying a consultant with a good reputation at your local hospital, and then paying to see them privately as a one-off. This is how I found my v. good consultant - having seen her once as a private patient she arranged for me to switch to her as my NHS consultant. Hitting the HG hard at this point could make a big difference for you, it does seem to for most women.

If you are only keeping water down, you will eventually start producing ketones as a result of starvation. Is there anything with calories in it you can tolerate? Lucozade? Hot ribena? Even tea? (works for some people)

hexy lucinda meerka thank you x I am learning that I am very prone to over reaction. Sorry to be such a drama llama.
dotty how are you? Sounds like it's hit you hard xx

Hi how is everyone? Sorry to see so many new names suffering. Congrats Kali on getting to 30 weeks, the end is in sight now!

I've got a rotten cough and cold, saw the GP yesterday who said it's viral so can't do much but the coughing is miserable and making me really retchy. Still needing the meds but the good news is I've not actually vomited for 2 weeks now. Baby is still transverse so have appt on Tues for scan and birth plans, if no change I'll be looking at a section in about 3 weeks. Torn between being terrified of having it done, and desperation to get this pregnancy over with!

Hope everyone is having as good a weekend as possible xx

Hi Meerka thanks for the tip about lowering the meds. I was thinking about coming off them cold turkey, which is probably not the best idea I've ever had!

kali that restless legs is a nuisance isn't it! I had that on meto. when my lovely gyne finally gave me some. Oddly irritating. Congrats on getting the oral exam done =) and another week nearly over.

newshoes absolutely do not think you're being a drama llama. HG is the sickest most people have ever been. It hits like a ton of bricks and it's such utter misery. Venting here is just fine. It's one of the few good things that helps you endure. So vent away. \

basgetti lovely to see you!

auntivenom hehe, a couple of people have tried it and had a nasty shock =) best to do it gradually!