Work and hyperemesis

[dillydollydarling]

How on earth are you meant to work while suffering with HG?! The past 2 weeks or so I've been really suffering, even ended up in hospital on Friday as I was so dehydrated. Most of the time I've been suffering, I was on holiday so didn't have to work. But now I'm back at work and I just don't know how I'm meant to do it. I work 5 days a week, 8 hours a day. I'm exhausted from doing nothing and constantly feel sick, even though I'm on cyclizine. I really can't afford not to work but I'm seriously dreading work every day :(

I've been suffering with HG too, although not as bad as you from the sound of it. I also work full time, and had time off for it as I felt so awful.

I found it very exhausting and felt stressed that I wasn't able to do my job properly as I felt so sick all the time/was actually throwing up, so I can appreciate that it's a worry to take time off work but also know that you're not doing the best job you can at work anyway!

It's worth keeping in mind that exertion and stress can make it worse, so you might be better off resting up at home for a week or two to help minimise symptoms. As my GP said to me, your work will have to cover you and you just need to worry about yourself and the baby right now.

If the cyclizine is not helping, go and see your GP for a different anti-sickness tablet. There's several different ones that they can prescribe which are safe, and another type might work better for you.

Fingers crossed that it starts to pass as you get into the second trimester. I'm now 19 weeks and although I'm still taking the anti-sickness tablets I have left, I am now feeling much better than I was, with minimal nausea/retching and no vomiting for a couple of weeks.

Try and take it as easy as you can, and get plenty of rest when you're able. Good luck!

Get your GP to sign you off sick.

Hope it passes soon for you.

The simple answer is you get your GP to sign you off sick. Though it might be worth trying a different drug too - cyclizine didn't do too much for me, but Stemetil was slightly better.

I'm dreading this is we have another pregnancy. I didn't have much time signed off during my first pg but I had an easy desk job, a short and simple commute, could go to bed as soon as I got home, and my sickness was focused on the late afternoon/evening so I sort of struggled through the day and then alternatively slept and threw up all evening. Now I have a longer commute and a DC.

Do you have the sort of job where you can do any from home? If I'm as sick in another pregnancy, then I'm planning on being honest with work but saying we either try and negotiate something where I am doing some work from home, or I get signed off for X weeks.

I think you do have to be honest with work if you have HG, particularly if you like your job and want to return after mat leave. It at least gives them the option of discussing what can be done to support you and make your life easier. But if that doesn't work then it is simply a case of being signed off until you feel capable of working again.

Hope it passes soon.

I had 8 weeks off sick. Spent most of that time in hospital. I'd never had a day of sick in 10 years till I got hg. When I went back I was still sick 5-10 times in an 8hr shifts. Staff, relatives and patients took bets on how long I could last without running off!

You need to get signed off if it's really bad.

I had HG from 5-20 weeks & still suffer occasional nausea/vomiting now about once a week although I feel loads better I'm almost 25 weeks now. I had 1 week off and went back to work then it got really bad again so I had another week off plus I had holiday time booked in also so I total I was off 4 weeks+ I never got a doctors line, I would have done if needed. I have very understanding boss & colleagues so I never felt under pressure really to be honest I was just in a haze for months. I just did whatever I could to get through the days. I took lots of breaks & had lots of supplies at work of food I could eat which consisted of crackers, fizzy cola bottles, sherbert lemon sweets & lemonade I was super healthy ha ha

I struggled through very very severe pregnancy sickness (not quite bad enough to be HG) and I kept going home sick almost daily. If it happens again I will get signed off by GP as I was not doing myself or my colleagues any favours by trying to come to work.

Hope you start to feel better soon!

You shouldn't be at work. Hyperemesis is a serious condition and you must look after yourself, if you push yourself you risk making it worse.

Cyclizine is only the first step in medications. Go back to your gp or ask to see an obstetrician at the hospital to get some stronger drugs.